Monday, February 10, 2014

Expanding a Lesson on "Fighting Words" to create more opportunities for diverse learners

first-amendment-719591
 
 
In a lesson about limits on the 1st Amendment's Freedom of Speech, I initially had many options for students to perceive the information, to comprehend the information and to persist as well as sustain effort with the concepts to be understood.
 


For example, a NH law from the 1940s that forbade "annoying speech" was both projected and read aloud.  To help them access the ideas, I had students activate their background knowledge about their experience with fights.  This led into my key idea about is it illegal to punish someone for "fighting words" - words so provocative that their mere utterance begins a fight.

 
However, my lesson lacked options especially in areas of expressing information.  So, the areas I developed further in the lesson used UDL principles which allowed additional ways for students to demonstrate  their knowledge.

As a follow up activity to freedoms in the 1st amendment , I had students research current protests in the United States.  Instead of just allowing the classic pen and paper report, students could choose to demonstrate their findings via a powerpoint presentation, oral presenation or even a poster.  This expanded choice helps to tap into a variety of different strengths and preferences for reporting that individual students might have.
Trade Fair
 

2 comments:

  1. Great idea on different ways for students to present information and their learning on the 1st amendment. I'll keep this idea in mind for my history class. Thanks!

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  2. I love that you allowed your students multiple means of representation. One of my goals this year was creating more assessment opportunities for my students such as performance based assessments. Teaching the first amendment is a great subject to do many performance based activities.

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