UNIT: Today I will be introducing the students to a new unit called PeaceQuest. The goal of this unit is to help students express their fears and feelings about the events of 9-11. In addition, they will develop ideas and steps they can implement to make the world a safer place.

Students will be using the webquest, PeaceQuest. There will also be visiting other web sites that focus on the topics listed below:

• affects of war on children
• information on the recent attacks on America
• research on the philosophy of various famous peace makers

By the end of the unit the students will have completed the following projects:

• a video talk show that documents their conversations on making the world safer.
• a web page, brochure, or newsletter that makes the public aware of their conclusions.
• a persuasive letter encouraging others to initiate their plan.
• a peace poster that will be placed on the school's web page.

The students will be addressing the following Michigan Benchmarks and the NETS Standards:

• Deliver a coherent presentation
• Analyze social policies and problems in America
• Conduct research to help analyze and interpret information from other sources
• Use content specific tools to support research and learning
• Apply multimedia tools to create a personal product that promotes peace

PeaceQuest could focus either on the Cognitive or Situative approach to learning. It would depend on how the teacher implemented the lesson. I have chosen the situative approach, focusing on collaboration and cultural differences of the unit. Students will be asked to work together to develop products promoting peace. In addition, they will be engaging in a dialogue with children from other cultures on how peace can be obtained. Since middle school students are entering the formative stage of development, they are curious about their world and how they are to interact. They are also concerned about their future and their place in the world. Therefore, this may motivate them to participate in this quest for peace.

NARRATIVE: As students walk into class the song, Give Peace a Chance (written by Lennon/McCartney), will be playing. (Since middle school students really enjoy music, I have chosen to grab their attention by using this medium. In addition, I will be dressed as if I had just stepped out of the sixties/seventies. Whenever, I have met students at the door dressed out of character they are curious and excited about the task at hand.)

Give Peace A Chance By Lennon/McCartney

Two, one two three four
Ev'rybody's talking about
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism,
Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism, ism, ism, ism.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
Com'n
Ev'rybody's talking about ministers,
Sinister, Banister.
And canisters, Bishops, Fishops,
Rabbis, and Pop eyes, Bye bye, bye byes.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
Let me tell you now
Revolution, evolution, masterbation,
flagellation, regulation, integrations,
meditations, United Nations.
Congratulations.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
Ev'rybody's talking about
John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary,
Tommy Smothers, Bobby Dylan,
Tommy Cooper,
Derek Taylor, Norman Mailer,
Alan Ginsberg, Hare Krishna ,
Hare Krishna, Hare Hare Krishna.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
All we are saying is give peace a chance. All we are saying is give peace a chance.
Thanks John, for lighting the flame.

Student: What is that song that is playing? Mrs. Volz is that another oldie? Who is that singing?
Mrs. Volz: It is an oldie. Have you ever heard of the Beatles? It is a song that they wrote and it is called, Give Peace a Chance. Can you guess when this song may have been written?
Student: Was it during a war?
Mrs. Volz: Yes. Does anyone want to guess which war?
Student: Was it the Vietnam war?
Mrs. Volz: Yes. Let's take a look at the words. (Use the LCD projector to place the song on the white board in front of the classroom.) Take a few minutes to look at the words and then write at least five sentences on what you think the message Lennon and McCarthy were trying to convey?
Mrs. Volz (after 5 minutes): (Call on students at random.) Jesse, what do you think the song means?
Jesse: I think the authors want us to give peace a chance.
Mrs. Volz: What do you mean a chance and who is us?
J esse: Us is everyone. They would rather have peace rather than war.
Mrs. Volz: Brandy, do you know any of the names that they listed in their song? For example, do you know John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary, Tommy Smothers, and Bobby Dylan?
Brandy: I think that Dylan is a singer. But I don't know the rest.
Mrs. Volz: Does anyone know some of the individuals listed in the song?
Students: No response.
Mrs. Volz: These were individuals that either spoke out or wrote music that encouraged others to think about peace. Do you think peace is something that we should be working toward? Why or why not?
Tyler: I think that everyone should be concerned about keeping the peace but I'm not sure there will ever be peace in the world.
Mrs. Volz: Why not??
Students responses: People don't care. There will always be conflict because people can't agree on solutions. There isn't anything that we can do.
Mrs. Volz: Well, for the next four weeks we are going to explore to see what each of us can do to bring peace to the world. Your task is to research the question, How can each of us help to make our world a safer place? You will begin by researching the affects of war on children. In other lessons you will review information on the recent attacks in the US. Then you will pick a famous peace maker (could even be one of the people in the song) and research how they attempt or attempted to bring peace to their world. You will discuss your findings with family members, friends, teachers, and other individuals that you come in contact. You will gather ideas from them on how people can make the world a safer place. Then the class will come together and share the information that has been gathered. Each student will then write a persuasive argument to convince others to take action and make the world a safe place for the children.

INSTRUCTIONS::

1. Visit the web site, Children and War.
2. Once you open the site you will see a section called Explore. Under this section click on the drawings of children. There will be eight drawing that you may choose to view. Your task is to view each of the pictures and read the paragraph.
3. On the index cards you have been provide write down the name of the picture, artist's name, and the main idea of the paragraph.
4. After you have completed this task, get with your assigned partner and discuss the information on your cards. Make sure that each of you have completed the directions and understand the passages you have read.
5. The last step is to write a journal entry about what you have learned about the affects of war on children. Pretend you are writing a letter to one of the artists of the pictures you've reviewed. Include the following in the letter: What did you like about their picture? What feelings or ideas did you have when you viewed the picture? Explain three things you learned about war based on the paragraphs you read. Include a drawing of what peace looks like in the United States. (Your entry needs to be at least a page long.)
6. If there is time, volunteers will share their letters.

REFLECTIONS:

As I reflect back on this lesson, I realize that there are a number of changes I would make to ensure it was meaningful to the students. First, I would have books or pictures from the web that children had drawn about war. Most of the students had trouble getting to the web site because of computer failure. I think it would be helpful to have a number of sites that they could visit so all 30 students are not trying to access the same site.

Next, I would spend more time talking about the song and why people are so interested in working towards peace. In addition, I would ask the students that if people have been so interested in peace for so long why haven't we obtained it. I want them to begin to realize that this concept of peace has been discussed for years.

Before the students went to the Children and War site, I would have them draw a picture that represented war. Then when they got to the web site they could compare their picture to the ones at the site and find the differences and similarities. (Middle school students like to use different mediums to create visual projects. They enjoy using markers, colored pencils, and so on to create posters. This drawing activity would help motivate them to explore other kids perceptions of war.)

Lastly, I would have students write their letters and them send them to the actual artist (if possible) or find them a pen pal in a war torn country. I think this would make this experience more of a situative approach. Students are more likely to develop a deeper understanding of war if they to actual connect with someone who faces war and destruction every day. They will be drawing expertise from a group outside of their inner circle and the change in this area could definitely impart their social world.

This lesson is perfect for helping kids begin to explore their role in society. It places them in an authentic situation to discuss "real world" issues. They not only share their perspectives with their immediate peers but also students from other cultures. PeaceQuest allows students the opportunity to explore options and present them to an authentic audience. It gives real meaning to the classroom activities. Thus, allowing them to see first hand the connection between school and the world beyond.