My students learned about the major historical events of the 1800s, including the Louisiana Purchase, The War of 1812, and many aspects of the Westward Expansion. We used a variety of resources for our day to day learning; Safari Montage videos, our social studies textbook (sparingly), literature excerpts, and many wonderful websites. After each lesson, we made anchor charts for students to refer to as they worked the details of history into the story with their characters.
Photos of a few pages of finished projects:
After we studied the Indian Removal Act of 1830, I surprised the students with an experience activity called The Recess Relocation Act. I pulled the class together after lunch and read a proclamation, supposedly from the school board, stating the need to move the 5th graders to another location on school grounds. We assembled in an area called "the stockades" and then marched a trail to our new, less desirable recess spot. Students lamented the fact that they didn't think to bring soccer balls or any other typical recess accessories with them. Some pretended to be injured or dead along the way, figuring out rather quickly that this was yet another simulated learning experience.
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A writing task was set up via Google Forms immediately following the relocation activity. Students wrote that they were angry and sad to be moved, and they felt sad for the Native Americans who had to endure this permanent relocation, losing loved ones along the way.
When the students completed their graphic novels, we gathered together in our school's Gathering Room and set up the books around the lunch tables. Pens and sticky notes were available for positive comments and compliments. We invited other classes and our administration to read our books, and the students had a great time viewing each other's completed work.
One mom stopped to tell me that her daughter was very motivated to work on her project each evening at home. Several responded that they remembered learning about these topics in school, but they didn't recall details in the way that their children were learning. I heard over and over that this project-based learning method was highly effective for their students since it encouraged creativity and "stick-with-it-ness!"
Links for Teachers About Graphic Novel Projects:
My student instruction page can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rol9aX_ZicqiAwlWJst7U7sq_EodwZukdWBg2p0xVB8/edit?usp=sharing
Make a copy for yourself to customize.
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