Revolution Jigsaw Lesson

Summary

In small groups, students will research various revolutions, and will then teach other groups about their selected revolution.

Materials

• Access to various resource materials
• Jigsaw Matrix
• Student Grading Sheets

Background for Teachers

The linked attachments in this "Background for Teachers" section are background information on several different revolutions that can be copied for student use.

Instructional Procedures

1. Divide your class into groups of 5-6 students. It is important that the groups are as evenly numbered as possible.
2. Assign each group a revolution that they will be responsible for researching.
3. Explain to the students that every person in each group will be responsible for teaching another group of students about their revolution. This means that it will be important for each student in every group to understand and be responsible for the information gathered.
4. Hand out the attached matrix of the revolutions and explain that each group must fill in all the areas for their assigned revolution; they don't need to worry about the other revolutions at this time. Each group could also be assigned The Newspaper Lesson Plan.
5. Give students time to research, probably one to two class periods. They can use any of the following resources:
   • Internet
   • http://www.mrdonn.org
   • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
   • Encyclopedias
   • Textbook
   • Cheat Sheets
6. Once the research has been completed and each student has their assigned revolution filled out on the matrix, create new groups that have at least one person from each of the original groups.
7. In these new groups, students will teach the revolution they researched to the other new group members. The listeners in the group will fill out the rest of the matrix as they are being taught. It is important that students "teach" and not just hand around their matrix to be copied. See attached grading sheet (one two-sided copy per person). It should be filled out by the group members to grade the "teaching", holding students accountable and preventing the pass and copy method. This step will probably take about one class period.
8. Then have students turn in the chart. An extension of this lesson could be the Venn Diagram Compare and Contrast Activity linked to Standard 3.