Freedom Trail Introduction

Freedom Trail by Gary Chalmers, Lynne Doherty and Joan Matys:

Feel free to read the text or click here to listen.

This project is aimed at the 3rd grade social studies curriculum surrounding the events and battles leading to the American Revolution, covered under the New England and Massachusetts Frameworks. Under the curriculum frameworks for Media Production, we have addressed creating scripts for radio (podcast), presentations using computer technology, and creating a media production using images, text, music, sound effects, and graphics.

Goals: Our goal was to enrich the learning experience of our students by incorporating technology and media into our social studies curriculum. Since part of our field study to Boston and the Paul Revere House is spent walking The Freedom Trail, what better way to show what we know by researching before we go, and showing (telling) what we have learned.

Process: This was a multi-step process that included the following:
➢ Assign students specific stops along the Freedom Trail.
➢ Write letters to government agencies/places to request additional information.
➢ Include media aide to help students find resources in media center.
➢ Develop graphic organizers to record information and direct students to gather important/pertinent facts related to topic.
➢ Met with SPED department who modified organizers and condensed web-based research.
➢ Students wrote, edited, revised scripts, adding sound effects/music in specific places.
➢ Students recorded scripts into Garageband and we saved them as an iTunes file, then we posted them on-line.

Stop 1 - State House

Click on play symbol ">" on navigation bar in the lower left to begin playing "Welcome to the State House, Stop 1 on the Freedom Trail with our reporters Lauren and Elizabeth"

Stop 2 - Boston Common

Click on play symbol ">" on navigation bar in the lower left to begin playing "Welcome to the Boston Common, Stop 2 on the Freedom Trail with our reporters Alena and Amanda"

Stop 3 - Park Street Church

Click on play symbol ">" on navigation bar in the lower left to begin playing "Welcome to the Park Street Church, Stop 3 on the Freedom Trail with our reporters Jacob and Jordan"

Stop 4 - Granary Burial Ground

Click on play symbol ">" on navigation bar in the lower left to begin playing "Welcome to the Granary Burial Ground, Stop 4 on the Freedom Trail with our reporters Cole and Jared"

Stop 5 - John Hancock

Click on play symbol ">" on navigation bar in the lower left to begin playing "Welcome to the John Hancock, Stop 5 on the Freedom Trail with our reporters Shaun and David"

Stop 6 - King's Chapel & Burial Ground

Click on play symbol ">" on navigation bar in the lower left to begin playing "Welcome to the King's Chapel and Burial Ground, Stop 6 on the Freedom Trail with our reporters Yutong and Alex S."