Julie Fine, fifth-grade humanities teacher, expertly uses technology to reach all learners. Recently, completing a unit of study developed around the novel The Watsons Go To Birmingham--1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis, Mrs. Fine wove technology into the lesson with purpose and meaning.
Kenny, age 9, narrates this delightful story of his middle-class African-American family, the “Weird Watsons” of Flint, Michigan. Kenny’s 13-year-old brother, Byron, gets in so much trouble that his parents decide to head South to Birmingham, Alabama, to visit Grandma Sands, who they believe can whip him into shape. As the family arrives in Birmingham, they find themselves in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. The family is personally impacted by the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing when little sister, Joey, survives the blast.
As an ongoing assignment throughout the unit, the students research and present findings of the horrific civil rights events such as the 16th Street bombing, Emmett Till, Little Rock Nine and Bloody Sunday. This project-based activity was used to develop students’ higher-order thinking skills, promote creativity and facilitate academic learning. With the learned information, students worked in small groups to create rich multimedia products that were determined best to convey their message. While the final productions were professional and engaging, they were designed to construct and build knowledge. The use of technology provided a wealth of opportunities and choices to search and present findings in a creative, meaningful manner.
