TPE 4: Making Content Accessible

Overview: This is a lesson for a fourth grade class during the Gold Rush unit. Students are asked to use the webquest provided to obtain information about the Gold Rush from the websites that were given to them. Students had to create a series of diary entries from a miner coming to California in the 1840's to find gold. Their diary entries were required to mention the significant events of the early Gold Rush years, struggles they thought that a miner would face, and any other imaginative things they thing of. Also, to incorporate California geography and social studies, they were asked to mention how they thought California might have looked and what kind of people they would have encountered.

Justification for TPE 4: In order to make this lesson accessible for all students, I provided a webquest that guided them through various websites about the Gold Rush. This eliminated any issue that students may have with searching the internet. All the information that was needed to complete the assignment could be found within the websites that were provided on the webquest. This assignment allowed students to take their time during the in-class time that was alloted, as well as extending the assignment for students that were not able to finish in class. My students were all fortunate to have internet access at home, so they were able to use the webquest to complete their assignments for homework. This webquest gave additional assistance to students that needed it, and also allowed my advanced learners to work at their own speed. The assignment encouraged students to use their imagination and creativity to make their diary entries as interesting as possible. Many students were excited and proud of the work they produced.