Title:   Articles of Confederation 

Grade Level:   5 - 6

Subjects:   Social Studies, Language Arts

Learner Outcomes:
            Students will use the Internet to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
            Students will determine why the founders chose to create a weak national government.
            Students will describe the achievements of our first form of government.

Duration of Lesson:   Internet time for each student or student teams

Materials:  Articles of Confederation Activity Sheet and web sites

Technology Tools:   Internet

Procedures:
    1.   The class will prepare a KWL chart for the Articles of Confederation.
    2.   Have students read the questions which have been downloaded.  Are there questions from their KWL
    chart which should be included on the activity sheet?
    3.   Students will look at the listed Web sites to answer the questions.   Other resources should be used, such
    as CD-ROM, print encyclopedias, and reference books.
    4.   Students will organize the information using the guided questions from the activity sheet.
    5.   The teacher will facilitate a brainstorming session during which the class will speculate the reasoning behind
    the founders decisions to create a weak national government.
    6.   The class will discuss the achievements of the national government under the Articles of Confederation.

Modifications:   As indicated by IEP

Enrichment:
    1.   Have each group of students create a Venn diagram comparing the Articles of Confederation to the rule
     of the colonies under King George.  As a culminating activity, the students could create a Venn diagram
     comparing the new national government with the government under the Articles of Confederation.
    2.   Students could create individual or class questions to e-mail the House Majority Whip  Tom Deloy
.
Evaluation/Assessment:
    1.   Correct use of Internet and completed activity sheet
    2.   Correct identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
    3.   Correctly determine why the founders chose to create a weak national government
    4.   Correctly describe the achievements of the government under the Articles

WV IGO's:    5.16, 5.186  English Language Arts
                            5.1, 5.37  History

National Standards

References:   Graphics by becky  http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Cottage/3900

Authors:       Sandy Cross
                    Lesley Klishis
                    Debby McConnell
                    Mountainview Elementary School

E-mail:   lklishis@access.k12.wv.us
 
 
 
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6
Lesson 7