Filling in the Gaps of Famous Females of American History

Introduction

     Do you think it's hard to find out about women in history?  Can you name as many famous American females as famous American males from American history?

     Throughout history, women have made important contributions in American History that often went unnoticed and were not celebrated or praised for their remarkable achievements.  

     In 1987, Congress declared March as National Women's History Month, and a special Presidential Proclamation is issued every year that honors the remarkable achievements of American Women.

     The following is part of a Presidential Message by President Jimmy Carter in 1980, officially naming March 2-8, 1980 as Nation Women's History Week:

"From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.

As Dr. Gerda Lerner has noted, “Women’s History is Women’s Right.” – It is an essential and indispensable heritage from which we can draw pride, comfort, courage, and long-range vision.”

I ask my fellow Americans to recognize this heritage with appropriate activities during National Women’s History Week, March 2-8, 1980.

I urge libraries, schools, and community organizations to focus their observances on the leaders who struggled for equality - - Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Lucy
Stone, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, and Alice Paul.
Understanding the true history of our country will help us to comprehend the need for full equality under the law for all our people.

This goal can be achieved by ratifying the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that “Equality of Rights under the Law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

http://www.nwhp.org/whm/history.php

     Through this WebQuest you will “fill in the gaps” of history and learn about some notable famous American women who helped shape American History.

 

Task

Our class has been chosen to write a collection of poetry about notable women who have made important contributions in American History. 

You must decide which American woman you think deserves to be celebrated or praised for their remarkable achievement or contribution to American History to feature in our classroom poetry collection.   

Then you will research and collect information to write a biography about that famous American woman in the form of a Historical Bio-Poem to share with the class and later publish in our classroom poetry collection

Process

Here are your directions:1.  Choose to read and research all about one famous American female.   If you need some ideas here is a timeline of Famous First by American women from 1901-Present:http://www.factmonster.com/spot/womensfirsts2.html2.  Visit the following recommended websites to research and collect information about your famous American female. 

Women’s History Month

Library of Congress: Women’s History Month

National Women’s History Project

Women’s Suffrage Movement

The History Channel-Women’s History Month

Timeline of Famous First by American Women 1587-Present

National Women’s History Project

Civil Rights Topics

National Women’s History Museum

National Women’s Hall of Fame

Time for Kids: Women’s History Month

Bio.Classroom: Women’s History Timeline


3.  Look for the following specific information and to compose your historical bio-poem about your famous American female:First name onlyFour traits (adjectives) which describe the personDaughter/wife or mother of Lover of (3 ideas or people or a combination)Who feels (3 items)Who needs (3 items)Who fears (3 items)Who would like to see (3 items)Who enjoys ((3 items)Resident of (city, place or area)Last Name only or first name only4.  Think and use creative writing techniques to compose a bio-poem using the historical bio-poem format:

Line1: First and middle name only

Line2: Four traits that describe the person

Line3: Sibling of... Son of... friend of...

Line4: Lover of.... (3 ideas)

Line5: Who felt... (3 items)

Line6: Who needed... (3 items)

Line7: Who gave... (3 items)

Line8: Who feared... (3 items)

Line9: Who wanted to see... (3 items)

Line10: Resident of...Line11: Last Name only...

5.  Review your bio-poem using the "After writing checklist:" 

  1. Did you follow the historical bio-poem format?
  2. Do all the details help the reader accurately understand the contributions, traits or remarkable achievements of you famous female? 
  3. Did you include all of the items from the historical bio-poem format? (name, adjectives, 3 items, city, place, or area)
  4. Did you make any changes or revisions to your format to better portray your famous female?
  5. Did you check the spelling, grammar and punctuation of you bio-poem?
  6. Did you inclued a works cited page with your list of wesite rtesources? 
  7. Did you review and check your bio-poem using the rubric?
  8. Did yo have two classmates review your poem before publishing it?

6.  Revise and rewrite your final copyand make any necessary changes to your historical bio-poem.

7.  Create a visual representation of your famous American female for your presentation. (can be a picture, drawing, or your own personal expression)

8.  Share your bio-poem with your visual representation of your famous American female to the class before your poem is published with our classrooom poetry collection. 

Evaluation
Famous American Female WebQuest Ruberic
4 3 2 1
Use of Website Resources
Successfully uses suggested website links to find information and navigates within these sites without assistance
Usually able to use suggested website links to find information and navigates within these sites without assistance

Occasionally able to use suggested website links to find information and navigates within these sites without assistance.
Needs assistance or does not make appropriate use of suggested website links to find information and navigates within these sites without assistance.
Webquest Tasks Completed
All areas of the project were addressed and demonstrates a high level of thought, detail and effort.
The project is only partially completed and demonstrates a great deal of thought and effort.
The project is only partially completed and demonstrates an average amount of thought and effort.
The project is incomplete and it is clear that little or no effort went into the project.
Content of the Bio-Poem

Illustrates a clear picture of the famous female from American history.

Demonstrates a clear understanding of their contribution to history, culture or society of the United States research.

Uses some details that help us to know about the famous female from American history.

Demonstrates an understanding of their contribution to history, culture or society of the United States research

Few details help us to know about the famous female from American history.

Demonstrates some understanding of their contribution to history, culture or society of the United States

Most details are too broad and do little to describe or help us to know the famous female from American history.

Some details or events are clearly misunderstood about their contribution to history, culture or society of the United States research.
Style

Wrote in appropriate phrases

Used mainly rich imaginative language

Excellent use of strong words

Used phrases where appropriate

May have used some strong words

Used mostly single words instead of phrases

Used simple word choice

Confusing

No phrases were used

Word choice is confusing
Presentation
Makes excellent use of    props and visual representations to enhance the presentation.
Makes good use of props and visual representations to enhance the presentation.

Makes good use of props and visual representations, but occasionally these take away from the presentation content.
No use of props and visual representations that takes away from the presentation content.
Conventions
The final historical bio-poem was free of grammar, spelling and formatting errors.

The final historical bio-poem had 1-2 errors related to grammar, spelling and formatting errors.
The final historical bio-poem had 3 or more errors related to grammar, spelling and formatting errors.

The final historical bio-poem had major grammar, spelling and formatting errors that interferes with the reader’s understanding of the bio-poem.
Teacher Page

Historical Bio-Poem Example                     [img_assist|nid=11644|title=Rosa Parks|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=470|height=263]

Rosa Louise

Courageous, determined, strong, loving

Daughter of Rose and Sylvester Edwards

Lover of equality, freedom, benefits of a good education

 She hated discrimination, was tired of giving in, loved to help others

She needed to take a stand for what she believed was right, to do away with fear and changed the course of history

Who refused to give up her seat on the bus and inspired a citywide boycott that helped launch nationwide efforts to end segregation of public facilities

She feared segregation, feared racism would never end, feared others would lose opportunities due to their prejudices

Rosa wanted to see an end to segregation in the South, everyone to unite and freedom for everyone

Born in Alabama and died in Michigan

McCauley Parks