The Curious Life of Sequoyah
The life of Sequoyah is an enigma. You can find many different facts about the life of Sequoyah depending on which articles you read and which references you trust. Students should be able to read a variety of sources and identify how credible each source is based on the language they use, the sources they reference and the presence of bias.
For the Teacher:
In this lesson students will be practicing researching according to the following standards:
11.W 9.Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
11.W 7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
11.W 8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
For the Teacher:
In this lesson students will be practicing researching according to the following standards:
11.W 9.Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
11.W 7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
11.W 8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Warm Up:
Discuss with students the importance of differentiating between invented or embellished information and information that is proven to be true. Watch the following video to get an idea of historical interpretations and how they evolve to idolize figures of history and their creations.
Discuss with students the importance of differentiating between invented or embellished information and information that is proven to be true. Watch the following video to get an idea of historical interpretations and how they evolve to idolize figures of history and their creations.
Activity:
Carefully read the following sources (make sure to practice close reading skills). Highlight or take note of things of questionable credibility or that might indicate a bias from the author
Carefully read the following sources (make sure to practice close reading skills). Highlight or take note of things of questionable credibility or that might indicate a bias from the author
Garden of Praise
http://gardenofpraise.com/ibdsequo.htm
http://gardenofpraise.com/ibdsequo.htm
After reading, answer the following questions individually:
1. What do the titles of each article indicate about the information they might be presenting?
2. What are the underlying tones of each website?
3. Does one account portray Sequoyah in a more favorable light than the other? How does the account do this?
4. What parts of Sequoyah's story do you think might be invented to make him more of an idol?
5. Does one account seem more accurate than the other? Why?
6. Was one account more interesting? How did it hold your interest?
7. What do you think this tells you about two separate accounts of the same event?
Review:
In small groups, share your answers. Synthesize how everyone found different information and what different things were found important by different people.
1. What do the titles of each article indicate about the information they might be presenting?
2. What are the underlying tones of each website?
3. Does one account portray Sequoyah in a more favorable light than the other? How does the account do this?
4. What parts of Sequoyah's story do you think might be invented to make him more of an idol?
5. Does one account seem more accurate than the other? Why?
6. Was one account more interesting? How did it hold your interest?
7. What do you think this tells you about two separate accounts of the same event?
Review:
In small groups, share your answers. Synthesize how everyone found different information and what different things were found important by different people.