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Unit Plan

The History of Puerto Rico

By Maureen Ryan

July 2006

[email protected]

This website is part of a collaborative project named Puerto Rico Island Adventures written by Lucinda Ramm, Carolyn Smith and Maureen Ryan.

Grade Level 3-5

Before commencing these units, a large blank map of Puerto Rico will be displayed on the classroom wall to be filled in with what students will learn throughout Puerto Rico Island Adventuers as described in the lessons.

Unifying Theme:

This unit is designed for students to explore and investigate the history of Puerto Rico starting with Christopher Columbus? expedition in 1493, through discussion and active participation in meaningful activities.

Assumptions:
It is assumed that students have begun learning history of other countries.� ��

Required Resources:

Overhead projector, projector for use of PowerPoint presentations, computers (either in the classroom and/or computer lab), paper, pencils, markers, microphones, debate platforms, map, globe, journals.

Connections with other subject areas:

This unit will assist students in understanding the forthcoming units of music and the geography of Puerto Rico.

Tentative Timeline

These lessons will take 8-10 days to complete, as time is necessary in between lessons to provide students time to do research and complete their projects to proceed to the next lesson.

Content Standards ? Connecticut Standards for Social Studies

At the end of this unit students will be able to:

Local United States History and World History

- Demonstrate a familiarity with peoples, events and places from a broad spectrum of human experience through selected study from historical periods and various regions

- Recognize that people develop traditions that transmit their beliefs and ideals

- Explain different types of conflict, different ways in which conflicts have been resolved and different ways that conflicts and their resolutions have affected people

- Describe and explain some of the reasons people have moved and relate these reasons to some historic movements of large groups of people

- Describe some goods, products and ideas that were exchanged as the result of movement

Applying History

- Exhibit curiosity and pose questions about the past when presented with artifacts, records or other evidence of the past

-� Display empathy for people who lived in the past and recognize relationships between events and people of the past and present circumstances

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens

- Explain the meaning and important characteristics of citizenship in the United States

- Establish, explain and apply criteria useful in evaluating rules and laws for solving problems

Technology Standards

- Students will understand and will be able to effectively apply physical, graphic and electronic communications techniques in processing, transmitting receiving and organizing information

Lesson 1

Prerequisites

It is assumed that students have begun learning history of other countries.� No modifications are necessary for this lesson.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to:

1 ? Understand the significance of Christopher Columbus? expedition and how it influenced Puerto Rico?s history.

2 ? Discuss how colonization changed the life of the Arawak-Taino and Carib Indians.

3 ? Identify where Puerto Rico is located on a map.

Materials:

Overhead projector, marker, PowerPoint slides, projector, a picture of that part of the world via the projector or a globe/map.

Procedure:

At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher will engage students in identifying prior knowledge and experience of Puerto Rico through the use of a K-W-L sheet on an overhead projector.� Students are encouraged to exchange information and identify the direction of the unit.� Students will identify where Puerto Rico is located on the map.� These will be accomplished through whole class instruction.

Using slides 3-5 from the PowerPoint presentation lead a discussion on Christopher Columbus? second expedition west.� Explore with students what colonization means.� Will colonization change the lives of the Arawak-Taino and Carib Indians?� Discuss what kind of people the Indians were and if there were any influences later, such as in music.� This aspect of the island history will be examined in more depth through the music unit.� Discussion about what the island names used to be and why they might be changed.� Why would slaves be brought to the island?� What might their influence be to the island?

Closure:

Review K-W-L sheet.� Have students write on overhead sheet what they have learned and discuss.

Assessment:

Through classroom discussion, generate responses posed during the lesson.� Students will demonstrate their understanding and prior knowledge in providing answers, commenting, and posing further questions.� The teacher can keep track of this through a class notes recording sheet. (Assessment sheet 1 - copy of which is at the end of the unit)

Lesson 2

Prerequisites:

Have students briefly discuss what they learned in the prior lesson.� Is there anything they want to add to the K-W-L sheet?� If there are computers in the classroom, the second half of the activity can be done there, otherwise, reserve the computer lab for the class ahead of this lesson. The teacher will have identified specific websites that can be viewed. No modifications are necessary for this lesson unless a student is physically disabled and needs special equipment in the computer lab.� The teacher will begin posting questions, topics of interest for discussion and books relating to Puerto Rico on the class?s Podcastforteachers.org website.� Students may begin commenting immediately.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to:

1 ? Discuss how Spain initially governed the island.

2-� Discuss Juan Ponce de Leon?s influence.

3 ? Tell what the crops of the island were and how plantations operated.

4-� Discuss the significance of the word ?jibaro?

5 - Identify what might occur when trading with North America and the results of�� migration.

6 - Discuss the significance of the outcome of the Spanish-American War.

7 ? View some websites that show students the physical layout of the island. (virtual tours)� This will be viewed in more depth through the geography unit.

Materials:

Overhead projector, marker, PowerPoint slides, projector, a picture of that part of the world via the projector, or a globe/map.

Procedure:

Using slides 6-9 initiate a discussion on how Juan Ponce de Leon?s influence and discoveries changed Puerto Rico and North America, helping to make Spain involved in this part of the world.� Discuss the use of slaves, plantations, mines and the crops.� Pose questions about what might occur when Spain bands trade with other countries for centuries. (contraband items traded, migration to North America)� Discuss the significance of the uprising that became known as el Grito de Lares in 1868.� How did government change on the island?� Briefly discuss the Spanish-American war.� Spain surrenders and the United States acquires the island.� Engage in conversation about how this will change Puerto Rico.

Closure:

Review K-W-L sheet.� Have students write on sheet what they have learned and discuss.

Assessment:

Through classroom discussion, generate responses posed during the lesson.� Students will demonstrate their understanding and prior knowledge in providing answers, commenting, and posing further questions. Students will be asked to fill out a sheet listing what Internet websites were looked at and what they learned.� (Assessment sheet 2 -copy of which is at the end of the unit)

Lesson 3 and Lesson 4

Prerequisites:

Have students briefly discuss what they learned in prior lessons.� Is there anything they want to add to the K-W-L sheet?� If there are computers in the classroom, the second half of the activity can be done there, otherwise, reserve the computer lab for the class ahead of these lessons. Some modifications may be necessary for this lesson.� One may be necessary for a student who is physically disabled and needs special equipment in the computer lab and another student who is on an IEP and finds it easier to complete the assignment with paper and pencil.

Materials:

Overhead projector, marker, PowerPoint slides, projector, a picture of that part of the world via the projector, computers.

Learning Objectives:

Day One - Students will be able to:

1 ? Discuss how Puerto Rico changed with the annexation to the United States ? such as government, law enactments, and citizenship.

2 ?Identify what parts of the country the majority of Puerto Ricans migrated to and what impacts this had on both lands.

3 ? Discuss the English/Spanish language debate both then and now.

4 ? Begin producing a timeline of events discussed in class and continuing with current events utilizing Excel.

Procedure:

Day One - Utilizing slides 10-12, engage students in a conversation about how Puerto Rico might change with annexation to the United States.� Discuss how the government on the island emerged and what laws the United States passed in relation to the island.� On the computer, students will begin producing a timeline of events utilizing Excel.� Another option students will be given in producing a timeline is to use the following sites and download the sheets to assist them. Readingquest.org/pdf/hist_frame.pdf� (History Frame), Readingquest.org/pdf/story_map.pdf (Story Map) and Readingquest.org/pdf/story_pyramid.pdf (Event Story Map)

Day Two - Students will be able to:

1 ? Talk about what the first elected Governor, Luis Munoz Marin did during his term.

2 ? Discuss some of the details of Public Law 600

3 - Discuss whether Puerto Rico should remain a Commonwealth, become a state or a sovereign nation.

4 ? Continue working on timelines.� Students may add pictures from the Internet, design their own or use clipart to enhance the timeline.

5 - For those students who need enrichment or want to do more research two options for additional projects will be provided.� One, they can map out Christopher Columbus? expedition from Spain to Puerto Rico and display this utilizing whatever technology they choose. Two, choose a person of interest from Puerto Rico and present a brief slide show on PowerPoint of the individual?s accomplishments.� The teacher will supply some of the Internet websites.�

Procedure:

Day Two - Utilizing slides 13-15 discuss who the first elected governor of Puerto Rico was; President Truman signs into law Public Law 600 and its ramifications to the island; begin a discussion on how Puerto Rico should be governed.� Complete timelines and enrichment activities on computers.

Closure:

Review K-W-L sheet.� Have students write on sheet what they have learned and discuss.� If any students have completed their timeline, these can be shared with the class.

Assessment:

Students will have been provided a rubric ahead of time to see if their timeline and/or enrichment project is on target. (Assessment sheet 3 -copy of which is at the end of the unit)

Lesson� 5

Prerequisites:

Prior to this lesson, students will have been given an opportunity to form groups and do research so they can participate in a class debate.� This debate will consist of those groups in favor of statehood, those in favor of remaining a Commonwealth or for Puerto Rico to become its own sovereign nation.

Materials:

Overhead projector, projector for students with PowerPoint slides, microphones, platforms for debating speakers.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to:

1 ? Discuss what position they take on the status of Puerto Rico and give an explanation as to why they chose that stance.

Procedure:

As the monitor/facilitator, the teacher will orchestrate the debate of the three groups that have formed prior to this class meeting.� One group will be in favor of statehood, another in favor of remaining a Commonwealth and a third group supports Puerto Rico to become its own sovereign nation.� Each group member will have an opportunity to debate their sides.� At the end of the debate the class will vote on the status of the island and the teacher will read the results.

Assessment:

The teacher will keep a sheet that records if each student has presented their arguments for their stance with appropriate information. (Assessment sheet 3 - copy of which is at the end of the unitt)

End of unit:

All students will be required to use Tramline.com or Imax.com to make a virtual trip of Puerto Rico?s history, beginning and ending where their interests are.� At least 5 slides are required with a brief explanation.� These will be displayed at the described event listed below.

After completing the music, geography and history units, students and teachers will plan a parents afternoon or evening to take place in their classroom. Visual work will be displayed and presented by the students, along with performances of songs and dances.� The teacher and/or students could provide authentic snacks (see resource listing for recipes in the music unit). A fun end to all the learning!

Some Internet Websites that can be utilized by students for this unit are:

www.Readingquest.org/pdf/hist_frame.pdf��

www.Readingquest.org/pdf/story_map.pdf

www.Readingquest.org/pdf/story_pyramid.pdf

www.Tramline.com

www.Imax.com

www.Podcastforteachers.com

http://www.topuertorico.org/index.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Puerto_Rico

http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/get/puertorico.asp

http://www.worldofariz.com/video_package.htm

http://www.viequestravelguide.com/vieques-pictures-puerto-rico-photos.html