1. The studentsI will be teaching15studentswhoare betweenthe agesof 10 and 19 years
of age and all of whomare visuallyimpaired.Theyare new tothe UnitedStates,having
justmigratedfromRussia,buttheydo speakEnglish.Outof the 15 studentsinmyclass,
eightof my studentsare male andsevenare female.Due tothe children’sdisability,they
are notvisual learners. Since thesestudentshave justmigratedfromRussiaIwill assume
until provenotherwise thatthe studentsknow verylittle aboutAmerica’s Independence
but will askquestionstoestablishpriorknowledge. Audiblepresentations,physical
presentations,writing,andreadingwillall be usedtounderstandthe activitiesassociated
withthe Fourthof July.
My studentswilldescribethe activitiesassociatedwiththe Fourthof July,listthe
activities, compare the Fourthof Julywithotherholidays bothfromAmericaand
theirmothercountry,contrastotherholidaystothe Fourthof July bothfrom
Americaandtheirmothercountry,explain whythe Fourthof Julyiscelebrated,and
comprehend the activitiesassociatedwiththe Fourthof Julybyassociatingtaste
withcolorsdenotedonthe Americanflag,write aDeclarationof Independence for
the classroombasedoff the original, role playdebatesbyportrayingthe Britishand
the Americansonwhytheyshouldhave independence, recreate fireworksby
cascadingrice tosimulate the sound, smell/taste traditionalFourthof Julymeals
(dependentonallergies),learningaboutthe historyof America’sindependence,
learningasong aboutAmerica’sindependence,playingagame whichletsthemfeel
differentobjectsassociatedwiththe Fourthof Julythenthe studentswill guess
whatthe objectis,andlisteningtoastory aboutthe AmericanRevolution bythe
endof the weekwitha95% accuracy.
In orderto teachthis lessonIwill use large groupinstructionwithstudentssetupinto
groups.The lessonwill beginwithapole of studentstosee how muchtheyknow
aboutAmericaand the Fourthof Julypriorto instruction.Thenbeforewe beginwith
groupactivities,the studentswill listentoa shortvideoonthe originsof the Fourthof
July. To execute these activitiesIwill needmaterialssuchasa brailler, 67 pound
paper,a computer,headphones,paper,markers/pens,scentedmarkers,hotdogbuns,
hot dogs,Fourthof Julyfoods, television forDVDs,andspeakers.The mediawe willbe
usingwill be primarilywithcomputers,multimedia,televisions,andaudio. We will be
borrowingthe mobile computerlabfromthe library.The television,if one isnot
providedinthe classroom, can easilybe replacedbyusingmycomputerandprojector.
I will provide anynecessaryfooditemsandthe scentedmarkersthatwill be used
duringthisassignment. Braillers,if studentsdonotalreadypossessthe machine
already,will use apenandpaper.So we can clearlyunderstandone another,the
studentswill writeandsayaloudwhattheyare writing.

2. I will previewthe materials thatIwill presentpriortoplayinganyaudiofilesor
workingwiththe computer.Iwill orallyrecite the instructionsforthe assignment
and have the studentsrepeatthe instructionsbacktome before beginningthe
assignmenttoensure understanding.We will goovereachpart of the assignments
indetail before beginningingroups.The deskswill be setupinthe shape of a
square.Each studentwill be groupedbasedontheiragessoeachstudentwill be
witha group of similaragedstudents.Iwill make sure the computerandspeakers
are workingpriortohavingthe studentsinthe classroom.There will be acomputer
and speakersprovidedinthe classroom.Iwill bringinthe necessaryfood,makers,
and paper.I will needtofindbrailerspriortoclassstarting.If I cannot findany,
studentswill insteadcreate ideasfortheirprojectsandbe able topresent.Inthis
case I will goaroundand preview the workpriortoclassdiscussion.
Studentswill be placedintogroupsandIwill askthe studentsbasicquestions
aboutthe AmericaRevolutionandthe Fourth of Julytoestablishabackground
knowledge.Studentswill raise theirhandandbe calledon or tappedonthe
shouldertoanswer.ThenIwill askthe studentstotell me some thingstheyhave
heardabout Americaandthe Fourthof July.ThenI will address some of the
claimsbroughtup bythe studentsbefore startingthe presentation. The
presentationwill be onthe declarationof independence where studentswill
listentothe documentarytohelpthemwiththe nextassignment. Studentswill
thenstart workingintheirsmall groupsona Declarationof Independence forthe
classroomwhichwill be similartoclassrules.AfterthisactivityIwill layouton
each table a setof foodsthat we associate withthe Fourthof July(hotdogs,
hamburgers,anassortment of differenttypesof salad, etc.).One ata time
studentswill fell the foodandaftereveryone hasparticipatedIwill askthe
studentstoguesswhatthat foodis.AftertheyguessIwill give themasmall
sample of the foodto try.
I will assessmystudentsbylookingattheirDeclarationof Independence and
seeingif theytookconceptsandideasfromthe original documenttohelpwith
the wordingandstyle.Anotherwaytoassessthe studentsisbygoingaroundto
each groupand askingthemwhatsome of the customsare and answerany
questionsthe studentsmighthave inregardstowhywe do the thingswe do
(fireworks,overeating,etc.).LastlyIwill askeachstudenttoreflectonthe
traditionsof the Fourthof July,whattheylike ordislike aboutthe traditionswe
participate in,andcompare it to holidayscelebratedintheirhome country.