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Research
Revisiting Pocahontas Unit

	Unit Description Objectives Materials and Resources Unit Lesson Plans Relation to Standards One Computer versus Many

• Grade Level: High School, Middle School

• Subject Area: Social Studies

Unit Description

    Students will engage in a critique of the historical and cultural accuracy of the Walt Disney film, Pocahontas. After viewing the film, students will undertake research using both text and web resources to gather information about the accuracy of he film. Students will work in research teams to carry out their investigations, each team will focus on a separate question of accuracy. Students will share their findings with the class and complete projects that synthesize the information gathered by the class as a whole.
Objectives

    Students will:

• use a variety of resources to gather historical information.
• critically examine one potential historical resource using other resources to assess its validity.
• develop habits that will help them become more critical consumers of media.

Materials and Resources Needed

    In developing our lessons and activities, we made some assumptions about the hardware and software that would be available in the classroom for teachers who visit the LETSNet website. We assume that teachers using our Internet-based lessons or activities have a computer (PC or Macintosh) with the necessary hardware components - mouse, keyboard, monitor, etc. - as well as software - operating system, TCP/IP software, networking or dial-up software, e-mail and a World Wide Web client program, preferably Netscape, but perhaps Mosaic or Lynx. In the section below, we specify any "special" hardware or software requirements for a lesson or activity - in addition to those described above - and the level of Internet access required to do the activity.

1. Special hardware requirements: a TV and VCR.
2. Special software requirements: A copy of Disney's movie, Pocahontas.
3. Network/Internet requirements: A high speed connection
4. Classroom resources: A variety of textual resources for students to use in their investigations.

    For advice on how to adjust the plans if you have only one computer see the section One Computer vs. Many below. below .
Unit Lesson Plans

1. Lesson One: Introduction. Students will discuss what makes a valid historical resource.

2. Lesson Two: Pocahontas as a Resource. Students will view the film and write guided responses in journals. Journal responses will be shaped by a set of questions that students will use through out the unit to evaluate resources they use. Students will begin to identify possible inconsistencies in the film.

3. Lesson Three: Evaluating Pocahontas. Students will begin their research using both web and library resources. Students will work in teams to address specific concerns about the movie. This stage of the unit will most likely take several class periods to complete.

4. Lesson Four: The Merits of Pocahontas Examined. Student research teams will report their findings. Students will take notes on their classmates' findings and incorporate the results in their final projects.

Relation to Standards
    We have drawn on the historical thinking standards outlined by the National Center for History in the Schools as well as evolving standards for the National Council for Teachers of English. These standards provide excellent guidelines for teachers on how to focus social science work in their classrooms.
One Computer versus Many

    The plans for this unit are tailored to fit teaching situations where students have access to several computers with Internet access. To accommodate the classrooms that do not have access to a computer lab with full Internet access, students may work together in research groups to explore Internet sites and conduct their research.

If you have only one computer with Internet access, you may choose to do one of the following:

• Have students alternate between library research and Internet research. That way some students will work on the computer using the Internet to do research while others use paper/printed resources.

• Have student research teams download portions of sites that are related to the research theme and have paper copies made for all students to use.

• If you have the capability, use either an LCD panel and overhead or a video-monitor to project the computer screen for all to see. This would allow the group to share the interactive nature of the Web, while conducting some basic discussions of what the sites have to offer.

• If you have other computers with copies of Netscape, but without an Internet hook-up, you may download portions of sites and save them to a disc to load onto the non-Internet computers. Students may then open the downloaded files with Netscape. This will not allow students to have the full interactive experience of the Web, but will allow them to explore in smaller groups some of the information that is found on the web.

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