Wednesday, November 15, 2017

The Notorious Benedict Arnold

“The Notorious Benedict Arnold”by Steve Sheinkin

Sheinkin, Steve. The Notorious Benedict Arnold. New York : Flashpoint/Roaring Book Press, 2010.
Lexile: 990
  Recommended for: Grades 5-7
 Selling Tool: Book Talk
Summary: This is a first person account of Benedict Arnold’s life- the real story. Most people know that he was America's first traitor. However few know that he was also one of its greatest Revolutionary War heroes. This biography brings to life the real Arnold: reckless yet heroic, and super driven.  This book is jammed packed with action and battle scenes, twists and turns, and, this is a gripping and true accounts of Arnold’s life that may night be told in history books.
Activity:  This book would be great to use in the classroom as an ELA/Social Studies unit on:  teaching and conducting research on the Revolutionary War. One way I would integrate this book is by doing a  Compare/Contrast of this book to other written work on Benedict Arnold’s life. You could collect samples of American history textbooks that discuss the American Revolution and have students compare and contrast in small groups the individuals who are cited in the textbooks for specific actions they took. Students would respond to the question: Do you think Arnold was a traitor as he is portrayed or a hero? Why or why not.

They will then draw conclusions based on the research from details in the story and other research using print and text. Students will then create a Powtoon to Americans letting them know of his “real truths”.
Lesson Outcome: Students will read “The Notorious Benedict Arnold” and compare what they read to other text (history books) to determine if he was really a villain or a hero based on the research.
Lesson Objectives/Assessments:
Objective:
Assessment:
Students will generate a list of questions to research on Benedict Arnold’s life. They will use this book and other history books to answer 4 or more student generated questions. (Cognitive)
Students will draw conclusions and choose a side whether or not Benedict Arnold was a hero or a villain based on research  and create a Powtoon to Americans about his “real truths” using the research from their notes.
Student created Powtoon videos
Standards:
Information Literacy Continuum:
6.3 Combines information and weighs evidence to draw conclusions and create meaning.  
Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.9 Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.
AASL Standards:
1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context.
1.1.7 Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point of view or bias.
Work Cited:


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