Instructional Software Lesson Plan

Module 2 Assignment 1: Instructional Software Lesson Plan

Lesson Topic:

This lesson introduces students to the concept of historical globalization and the topic of the Columbian Exchange. Our globalized economy has been evolving for hundreds of years and the period of European expansion into the Americas is a watershed moment whose effects are still felt today. Students will watch two tutorials on the topic and then try a simulation on Brain Pop.

Lesson Goals:

In general, the goal of this lesson is to introduce students to the idea that globalization began long ago and there were intended and unintended consequences of people of different cultures interacting with each other. Specifically, this lesson will address the following learning objectives found in the Alberta Social Studies Program of studies:

• 2.1 recognize and appreciate historical and contemporary consequences of European contact, historical globalization and imperialism on Aboriginal societies
• 2.6 examine impacts of cultural contact between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples (exchange of goods and technologies, depopulation, influences on government and social institutions)

Materials Needed:

Students will need access to the following:

• A device with internet access
• A device that allows Flash
• UNESCO’s Network of the Silk Road (Tutorial Software)
• Annenbergs Video’s tutorial on historic globalization. (Tutorial Software)
• Brain Pop’s Columbian Exchange Simulation (Part Simulation/Part Game Software)

Learning Activities:

1. Introduction: Have students connect to the internet and access Unesco’s tutorial, Network of the Silk Road.
2. Have students choose 10 locations to read about and discuss these questions:
   1. What do all these locations have in common?
   2. How would a trade item get from one end of the Silk Road to another?
   3. Apart from trade items, brainstorm what else would be shared among traders of the silk road? (ie. They could languages from each other)
   4. What are the positive and negative impacts of this trade route?
3. Introduce the idea of the Columbian Exchange as another example of trade.
4. Have students watch the tutorial from Annebergs Video on the Columbian Exchange either as a group or on their own devices. The teacher may want to have this watched in two sections of 10 minutes each. Ask these questions for understanding:
   1. Why is it called the Columbian Exchange?
   2. What are some examples of things that were transferred from the old world and the new and vice versa?
   3. Was everything “exchanged” on purpose? Explain.
5. Have students expand their understanding by playing the simulation from Brain Pop.
6. Have students complete an exit pass where they each write down 3 things they learned from the lesson on a recipe card which they hand in at the end of class