Maureen's+Learner+Activity


 * Learner Activity: Discover Ireland**:

This activity is designed for 11th grade students who have successfully completed courses on European and World History.

I. **The Task:** Working in groups of four, students will take on the role of a major "character" (or group) in Irish history. Each character will have a specific task to complete and will contribute to the creation of a presentation on the history, culture, contributions, and people of Ireland. Based on the research compiled by each of the group members, students will then work collaboratively to create a presentation in response to the following scenario:

1) What would America be like if the Druids had come to America centuries before the first Europeans and interacted with the Native Americans? The Druids were a mystical people, close to nature, as were the Native Americans. Compare and contrast the customs and traditions of the Druids with the Native Americans of the time. Focus on the practices ,agricultural methods, commerce, organization of tribal/clan society, government, and religious worship rituals. Finally, based on a practice or tradition shared by both groups, describe a "holiday" that we might be celebrating in America today if the Druids and the Native Americans had actually met and interacted with each other.

2) What if Saint Patrick had come to America? There is a legend that Saint Brendan the Navigator, an Irish monk, traveled to the New World in the fifth centuary, almost a thousand years before Columbus. What if Saint Patrick had come with him? The missionary zeal of Saint Patrick converted pagan Ireland to Christianity. Patrick's gift for infusing the pagan feasts and rituals with the teachings of Christianity (i.e, the Druid custom of lighting a fire on the Hill of Tara became the Easter celebration of Christ as the "Light of the World") transformed the religious beliefs and practices of an entire population. What if that had happened in America? Based on research of Saint Brendan's voyage, describe the "legnedary journey" of Saint Patrick to America and his interaction with the Native American population of the time. What holiday incorporating both traditions might we be celebrating today if this had actually taken place? How might "Saint Patrick's Day" be different?

3) What if the Vikings had traveled to America? The legendary "Erik the Red" of Norway is said to have sailed in Viking long boats to Iceland and later settled in Greenland sometime in the late tenth century. His son, Leif Erikson, is credited with bringing the first Europeans to set foot on North America. It is little known that, through an act of Congress, "Leif Erikson Day" is observed on October 9th. What if the Vikings had come to America in greater numbers and built fortified settlements and castles like they did in Ireland? How would America be different today? Where might the castles be? What other Viking customs and traditions might be part of American culture? Describe the celebrations that might take place on "Leif Erikson Day" if the Vikings had had a greater and more lasting impact on America.

4) What if the Irish had //not// come to America? If the people of Ireland had not relied solely on the potato crop for sustenance, its failure would not have resulted in the disasterous "famine" which sent waves of Irish immigrants to America. How would America be different as a result of this? What Irish customs and contributions would //not// be part of American culture? What famous "Irish Americans" would have been born in Ireland instead of America and how would America be different as a result? What other immigrant group might have filled the void left by Irish immigrants? What holiday might we celebrate instead of Saint Patrick's Day?


 * II. The Roles:** Each collaborative group will consist of four members who will assume one of the following roles:

1) **A Druid** - the Druids were the Irish "priests" of pagan Ireland before Christiality reached its shores and the people were converted. Many of the ancient historical sites and Irish traditions date back to Druid times. The student who takes on the role of the Druid will explore pre-Christian Ireland and compile research on the customs and traditions of the pagan Irish. He or she will also conduct a "virtual" tour of the pre-Christian sites (Newgrange, the Hill of Tara) which are now preserved and protected as historically significant and are major tourist attractions.

2) **St. Patrick** - although he was not even born on the island of Ireland, St. Patrick is one of the most important figures in Irish history. The student who assumes the role of St. Patrick will research the biographical details of Patrick's life and report on his mission to convert Ireland to Christianity. He or she will research and report on the monasteries in Ireland and their role in preserving learning and art during the Dark Ages of Europe. This presentation will include a virtual "pilgrimage" to Croagh Patrick where thousands go every year to do penance, a tour of the monastic "Round towers" and "Celtic crosses" spread across Ireland, and a display of the reknown //Book of Kells//, the finest illuminated manuscript ever created.

3) **A Viking -** at the end of the eighth century A.D., many Vikings who were fierce fighters and good sailors, left their overcrowded Scandinavian homeland and began invasions of Ireland. Their legendary "long boats" enabled distant seafaring adventures. The student who takes on the role of a Viking will research and report on the Viking period of Irish history and the influence of the Vikings upon the foundations of the fort city which became the Irish capital, Dublin. This presentation will culminate with a virtual trip aboard the "Viking Splash Tour", a popular attraction among tourists in Dublin.

4) **Annie Moore** - in 1845, the potato crop upon which the Irish people relied for sustenance was destroyed by blight. Almost a million Irish starved to death, and hundreds of thousands more emigrated to other countries. Often referred to as the "famine", this desperate period of starvation and separation resulted in the Irish "Diaspora", bringing the Irish, their culture and traditions to new lands. Annie Moore, a 15 year old girl from County Cork, Ireland, was the first immigrant to pass through the immigration facility on Ellis Island in 1892. In 1992, a life-size bronze statue of Annie Moore was dedicated in the newly-restored Ellis Island museum. The student who assumes the role of Annie Moore will research and report on the Irish "famine", the subsequent waves of immigration, and the contributions of the Irish to America. This presentation will include a virtual tour of the famine museum in Cobh, County Cork, Ireland and the Ellis Island Museum in New York Harbor, both of which have statues of Annie Moore.

III. **Collaborative Presentation:**

Having compiled and edited their research, the students will create a wiki page containing an overview of Irish history from pre-Christian Druid Ireland to modern day Ireland and Irish-America. They will then work collaboratively to respond to the "what if" questions posed above. A final presentation created in a "Zoho Show" and a "Windows Movie Maker" virtual tour of the historic sites visited during this quest will complete the task.

IV. **Assessment:** Students will be assessed as to the accuracy of the historical data gathered and the creativity of the "Zoho" presentation and virtual tour. A rubric will be provided. --- //Feedback//

Wow! I'm really impressed! This has inspired me to step my own game up. :-) - Lindsey