AUDIO LESSON PLAN 1

Introduction

• American citizens’ contributions to contemporary life

• Two (2)-90 minute blocks

• Virginia SOL USII.9c

o USII.9: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the key domestic and

international issues during the second half of the twentieth and early twenty-first

centuries by

c) identifying representative citizens from the time period who have influenced

America scientifically, culturally, academically, and economically.

Cognitive Objectives

Students will:

• research nine American citizens to acquire an understanding of their contributions to

American life through science, culture, academics, and economics.

• write a script with citations detailing the contributions of the citizens.

• create an enhanced podcast that includes narration of their script and pictures showing the

citizens and their contributions.

Materials/Technology and Advanced Preparation

Materials/Technology:

• digital projector with a screen or whiteboard

• computers with Internet access, audio editing software, and built-in microphones

Advanced Preparation:

• Post a list of the required representative citizens with their subject headings and the

requirements for the podcast on the class website.

AUDIO LESSON PLAN 2

• Write a script and download pictures to use as an example.

Teaching and Learning Sequence

• Introduction/Anticipatory Set

o Teacher will explain to the students that sometimes individual citizens make

important contributions that influence the lives of people all over the country or

even the world. Even when there is collaboration between several people to do

something or create something, there is usually a director, someone in charge, or

someone who history has decided to give all the credit or blame.

o Teacher will write the four lesson categories on the board: science, culture,

academics, and economics.

! Teacher will ask, “Can anyone tell me an individual U.S. citizen who has

made contributions to one of these categories since about 1940 to the

present?” Hints: think of things we use on a daily basis, things that save

lives, things that make life easier, the way business is conducted

• Teacher will explain that it is ok if they do not know exactly who

did something, because they can suggest the end result. Examples:

the person who invented the cell phone, credit card, etc.

• Teacher and students will discuss the suggested people and place

them in the appropriate category.

• After there are a few people on the board, the teacher will explain

that today the students are going to research eight preselected

individuals and one person of choice to write a script and create an

AUDIO LESSON PLAN 3

enhanced podcast that explains the citizens’ contributions to

contemporary life.

• Lesson Development

o Teacher will display the class website and show the students the eight people they

must research.

! Required representative citizens: Charles Drew, J. Robert Oppenheimer,

Frank Lloyd Wright, Martha Graham, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Maya

Angelou, Bill Gates, and Ray Kroc

! Teacher will ask the students which people they know and which ones

they do not know.

o Teacher will display the assignment details on the class website and review them

with the students.

! Each student will research the eight listed citizens and select one more

person of his or her own choice.

• Students cannot use Wikipedia as a source, but they can look at

Wikipedia’s references and go to those websites.

• The additional person must be someone who influenced America

in one of the four categories. Hint: Without this person we would

be missing something.

• Teacher will suggest to the students to think of their own interests

and research someone who contributed or invented something

related to that interest. Examples: cooking = Julia Child; music =

Les Paul
AUDIO LESSON PLAN 4

• Teacher will also suggest students look around the websites where

they find the eight required citizens to find an additional person,

because many of the websites are compilations of biographies.

(PBS, Time, etc.)

! From the research, the students will write a short biography on each

person that concentrates on his/her contributions to contemporary life.

• The script must include citations for the information and it will be

submitted as part of the project grade.

• The script should not include minor biographical details that do not

elaborate on the contributions. Examples of what not to include:

dates of birth or death, town where they lived, where they went to

school, how many kids they had, etc.

• Each biography must be no longer than a paragraph

(approximately 3-6 sentences).

! Students will select images that represent each person and his/her

contributions.

• Each individual must have at least three images: one picture of the

person and two of his/her contributions.

• Teacher will encourage the students to use more pictures to match

the details of the biography.

! Students will create a podcast using audio editing software like

Garageband.
AUDIO LESSON PLAN 5

• Students will read their scripts and record into the podcast using

the built-in microphones.

• Students should keep the people in their categories and put their

additional person in his/her appropriate category. Example: Les

Paul contributed to music, which is part of culture, so he should

either come before or after Frank Lloyd Wright and Martha

Graham.

• Students will add their images at the corresponding locations in the

podcast track. If the student is talking about the invention, they

should show the invention.

! Students will upload their completed podcasts to the class website.

o Teacher will ask the students to get out their laptops and open the audio editing

software

o Teacher will show the students how to use the audio editing software by using an

example of an additional person for the assignment.

! Teacher will display a script she wrote about the contributions of Steve

Jobs to computer technology and the way we listen to music. (Students

cannot use Steve Jobs for their additional person.)

! Teacher will show the students how to record their voice and she will

record her script. Students are encouraged to practice on their computers

as well.

! Teacher will explain how to edit the audio.

! Teacher will show the students how to add pictures and edit their display.
AUDIO LESSON PLAN 6

! Teacher will show the students how to export the podcast and upload it to

the class website.

! Teacher will ask if there are any questions on how to make the podcast.

o Using the remaining class time and the next class block, the students will conduct

their research and work on their podcasts.

! Teacher will walk around the room and assist the students with any

questions. She will also check to ensure the students are selecting the

correct information to include in their scripts and using appropriate

sources.

• Closure

o Teacher will explain that the podcast project is due on the class website one week

from the second class block. Students must also hand-in their printed scripts on

that date.

o Teacher will encourage the students to ask her questions either in person or

through email if they need assistance with the project over the next week.

o Teacher will advise the students to use their podcasts as a study aid for the unit

test. If they have an MP3 player, then they can listen to the podcast and study

while they are almost anywhere.

! If a student does not include the necessary information to study for the test

in his/her podcast, then the teacher will advise him/her not to use the

podcast as a study aid unless he/she makes the required correction(s).

AUDIO LESSON PLAN 7

o Teacher will encourage the students to think about what they enjoy in life and

realize that there was a person who made many of those things a reality.

Individual people can change the world and how we live our lives.

Homework

After the second class block, the students have one week to complete the podcast project and

upload it to the class website. On the same day, the students must submit their written scripts in

class.

Assessment

• Formative: Teacher will walk around the classroom while the students are working on

their podcasts to make sure the students are including the necessary information in their

scripts and using appropriate sources. Teacher will ask the students questions on an

individual basis to check for understanding and progress.

• Summative: The contributions of the eight representative citizens will be on the unit test.

Students will be graded on their podcasts based on the following evaluation criteria:

o 25%: complete script with citations

o 50%: narration and script for each person includes accurate and clear

contributions to contemporary life

o 20%: at least three pictures for each person (one of the person and two of his/her

contributions); pictures are clear and appropriate for the narration

o 5%: additional person of choice is appropriate for the lesson

References

Lesson plan adapted from:

Stevens, B. B. (2010). American Citizens’ Contributions to Contemporary Life. In History and

social studies standards of learning enhanced scope and sequence (Section 6, p. 152).
AUDIO LESSON PLAN 8

Retrieved from
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/history_socialscience/index.shtml

Academy of American Poets. (2010). Maya Angelou. Retrieved from

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/87

Bill Gates. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/bio.mspx

Charles Drew. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.blackinventor.com/pages/charlesdrew.html

Department of African and African American Studies. (2008). Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Retrieved
from http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~amciv/faculty/gates.shtml

Frank Lloyd Wright. (2006). Retrieved from http://allwrightsite.net/#who

George Lucas. (2004). Retrieved from

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/george-lucas/about-george-lucas/649

Global Renaissance Woman. (2010). Retrieved from http://mayaangelou.com/bio

J. Robert Oppenheimer. (1998). Retrieved from

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/baoppe.html

Martha Graham: About the dancer. (2005). Retrieved from

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/martha-graham/about-the-dancer/497

Pepin, J. (1998, December 7). Burger meister Ray Kroc. Time. Retrieved from
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989785-1,00.html

Appended Materials

• Podcast example of a completed project