Analyzing a Primary Source: Articles of Confederation
This video is a lesson analyzing a political cartoon about the Articles of Confederation. It focuses on the steps one takes to analyze a political cartoon while, also using relevant content and looking specifically at that content.
By the end of the lesson students will be able to analyze a political cartoon and describe the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation by completing the video assignment.
Analyzing a political cartoon: Articles of Confederation
This video is a lesson analyzing a political cartoon about the Articles of Confederation. It focuses on the steps one takes to analyze a political cartoon while, also using relevant content and looking specifically at that content.
By the end of the lesson students will be able to analyze a political cartoon and describe the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation by completing the video assignment.
Analyzing a political cartoon: Articles of Confederation
Reflection
This video lesson on analyzing a primary source was used in my classroom last year. It was the second lesson I created using Camtasia. Due to some technical difficulties during the first lesson I decided to have the students complete this lesson in class. I used this lesson with both my honors and general education students. While watching the video lesson the students followed along with a printed version of the primary source.
I had 100% of my students finish this lesson - both honors and general education. My general education used the entire class period to complete the assignment (some even came in after school to finish the lesson). My honors students finished the lesson with time remaining in class. I had 4 additional primary sources in stations around the room, the students chose two of the four to analyze. They used the skills learned from the video lesson.
I plan on using this lesson again but making changes to the video lesson. The informational part at the beginning is too long. I could also have cut down other portions of the video. In addition I would put some additional questions and supports into the sheet the students are physically completing.
Despite the changes I would make to this video, the video lesson was incredibly successful. During a different lesson later that year, breaking down a document based question essay, my honors students asked if I could make it into a video lesson for them so they would have that support at home. In hindsight I should have done the lesson initially as a video lesson and then had them working on their thesis statements in class so I would be there to support them. That is how I plan on doing the lesson next year.
I had 100% of my students finish this lesson - both honors and general education. My general education used the entire class period to complete the assignment (some even came in after school to finish the lesson). My honors students finished the lesson with time remaining in class. I had 4 additional primary sources in stations around the room, the students chose two of the four to analyze. They used the skills learned from the video lesson.
I plan on using this lesson again but making changes to the video lesson. The informational part at the beginning is too long. I could also have cut down other portions of the video. In addition I would put some additional questions and supports into the sheet the students are physically completing.
Despite the changes I would make to this video, the video lesson was incredibly successful. During a different lesson later that year, breaking down a document based question essay, my honors students asked if I could make it into a video lesson for them so they would have that support at home. In hindsight I should have done the lesson initially as a video lesson and then had them working on their thesis statements in class so I would be there to support them. That is how I plan on doing the lesson next year.