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Revolutionary Voices: Integrating Historical Inquiry
and Narrative Writing
Robert Gold and Michael K. Sheridan
Presentation for EARCOS 2011
BETTER
Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection. - Mark Twain
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BETTER Resources available at:
http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
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Revolutions Unit Overview
• Enduring Understandings (original ones) – Revolution is rapid, radical and pervasive change
– Revolutions can take many forms
– Revolution occurs when evolution is insufficient
• Objectives for students – Read Animal Farm.
– Gain a detailed understanding of 2 Revolutions (Russian and 1 other).
– Gain a familiarity with 4 other Revolutions.
– Compare and contrast the Causes, Events, and Outcomes of these revolutions and gain insights into the Enduring Understandings above.
• Other details – 6-7 weeks
– Our main history unit M
Student Work Sample - Old Project
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Student Work Sample - Old Project
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Student Work Sample – Old Project
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Student Work from Old Unit
Dissatisfying because:
• Overly factual and simplistic
• Overly reliant on secondary sources
• Low skill level
• Dry and boring
• Largely a teacher-directed inquiry
• Heavy on content; light on process
• Heavy on the SS; light on the ELA objectives
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Back to the Drawing Board
Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. -Henry Ford
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Back to the Drawing Board
1. Beef up our approaches to History – Revisit the Social Studies standards and benchmarks
– Incorporate elements of Thinking Like a Historian (Mandell/Malone)
2. Integrate more ELA elements into the unit – Learning 21 at ISB and Humanities Department Initiative
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Beef up our Approaches to History
• Revisit SS Standards and Benchmarks
– “Unpack” Statements
– Identify Key Skill Areas
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What are the History Benchmarks? • Identify and describe selected historical
periods and patterns of change within and across cultures, such as the rise of civilizations, the development of transportation systems, the growth and breakdown of colonial systems, and others
• Identify and use key concepts such as chronology, causality, change, conflict, and complexity to explain, analyze, and show connections among patterns of historical change and continuity.
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What are the History Benchmarks? • Identify and use processes important to
reconstructing and reinterpreting the past, such as using a variety of sources, providing, validating, and weighing evidence for claims, checking credibility of sources, and searching for causality.
• Use knowledge of facts and concepts drawn from history, along with methods of historical inquiry, to inform decision making about and action-taking on public issues.
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What are the History Benchmarks? • Demonstrate an understanding that different
scholars may describe the same event or situation in different ways but must provide reasons or evidence for their views.
• Develop critical sensitivities such as empathy and skepticism regarding attitudes, values, and behaviors of people in different historical contexts.
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Key Skills Areas
(from the Benchmarks)
• Identify, describe, explain
• Analyze, verify, validate, critique
• Connections, causality
• Apply, decide, act
• Support, justify, defend
• Perspective, interpretation
• Empathy
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• Revisit Standards and Benchmarks
• Incorporate Thinking Like a Historian
– Helped to focus and revise elements of our unit.
– Used as a self-audit of the unit and project .
Want more on Thinking Like a Historian? Checkout the article and TLH rubrics on http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
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Beef up our Approaches to History
Thinking Like a Historian Framework
Courtesy of Dr. Nikki Mandell R
Thinking Like a Historian Framework
Courtesy of Dr. Nikki Mandell R
Thinking Like a Historian Framework Used to improve our Enduring Understandings:
OLD EU’s BETTER EU’s
Revolution is rapid, radical and pervasive change.
Revolutions can take many forms.
Revolution occurs when evolution is insufficient.
Some days and events in history are more significant than others.
(Turning Points)
Revolutions have positive and negative consequences for different groups of
people over time. (Cause and Effect and Through their eyes)
The stories of ordinary citizens are just as valid and important as those from
the leaders of historical change. (Through their eyes)
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Back to the Drawing Board
1. Beef up our approaches
to History – Revisit the Social Studies standards
and benchmarks
– Incorporate elements of Thinking Like a Historian (Mandell/Malone)
2. Integrate more ELA
elements into the unit – Learning 21 at ISB
– Humanities Department Initiative
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Learning 21 initiative at ISB
Courtesy of ISB Office of Teaching and Learning
We have to start with all of the “stuff” . . .
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Learning 21 initiative at ISB
Courtesy of ISB Office of Teaching and Learning
L21 Approaches, singularly, are vehicles to 21st century skills. Combined, they create an environment that best replicates the way we work and learn.
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Learning 21 initiative at ISB
Want more on L21 and Integrated Learning? Checkout the supporting documents at http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
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Humanities Philosophy and Principles Through engagement in big concepts, our students
become capable and independent communicators
and thinkers with an ethical view of the world and
the issues we face.
MS Humanities is a tightly integrated approach
incorporating the traditional areas of Social
Studies and English Language Arts.
Driven by the desire to help students to think, to
feel and to communicate, the Humanities is a
powerful springboard to help students to develop
deep and lasting understanding.
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Revolutions have positive and negative consequences for different
groups of people over time.
Autobiographical stories of change provide insights into the personal
impact and motives of those involved.
From this SS EU about revolution this ELA EU about the impact of story and
.
Courtesy of ISB Office of Teaching and Learning
Integrated Learning
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Revolutions did not just affect societies and
civilizations, but were played out in the lives of individuals.
An Integrated Enduring Understanding
Through this lens of how we understand a historical event, like a revolution,
an Integrated Enduring Understanding is brought to light.
we could generate
Revolutions have positive and negative consequences for different
groups of people over time.
Autobiographical stories of change provide insights into the personal
impact and motives of those involved.
From this SS EU about Revolution this ELA EU about the Impact of Story and
Courtesy of ISB Office of Teaching and Learning R
Historical fiction requires a skillful selection of facts and the creation of characters who tell
an accurate and believable story.
An Integrated Enduring Understanding
Some days and events in history are more significant than others .
Storytellers use specific frameworks
and techniques to convey compelling narratives.
SS EU about History ELA EU about Narrative Writing
We could also create an Integrated Enduring Understanding on the process of creating historical fiction…
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we could generate
Back to the Drawing Board
• Beef up our approaches to History – Revisit the Social Studies standards and benchmarks
– Incorporate elements of Thinking Like a Historian (Mandell/Malone)
• Integrate more ELA elements into the unit – Learning 21 at ISB
– Humanities Department Initiative
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Quick Personal Reflection
2 minutes – turn to your neighbor choose ONE of these questions and discuss. Prepare to share!
• What does “Integration” mean for you in your school, department, or classroom setting?
• How might the Thinking Like a Historian framework inform your teaching of History?
• What other models or frameworks assist in your teaching of History and/or Narrative Writing?
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Designing a BETTER Project
Summarize information from secondary sources.
Gain insights from primary source analysis – NEW!
Create a timeline of causes, events, and outcomes.
Create historical-fiction narratives from alternate perspectives – NEW!
Select visual images to illustrate and personalize the narratives – NEW!
Add dramatic speaking component to presentation – NEW!
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Summarize information from secondary sources - SAME
Gain insights from primary source analysis - NEW http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/
Designing a BETTER Project
Posters from China’s Cultural Revolution Paintings from the French
Revolutionary Period Speeches from the
American Civil Rights Era
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BETTER Project – Design Elements Summarize information from secondary sources - SAME
Gain insights from primary source analysis – NEW!
Create a timeline of causes, events and outcomes - SAME
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BETTER Project – Design Elements Summarize information from secondary sources - SAME
Gain insights from primary source analysis – NEW!
Create a timeline of causes, events and outcomes - SAME
Create historical-fiction narratives – NEW!
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BETTER Project – Design Elements Summarize information from secondary sources - SAME
Gain insights from primary source analysis – NEW!
Create a timeline of causes, events and outcomes - SAME
Create historical-fiction narratives from alternate perspectives. – NEW!
YOU ARE… Patriot/Loyalist during the American Revolution
Noble Class/Poor Worker during the French Revolution Mine Owner/Mine Worker during the Industrial Revolution
Red Guard/University Professor during the Cultural Revolution
White Racist/White or Black Activist during the American Civil Rights Movement
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BETTER Project – Design Elements Summarize information from secondary sources - SAME
Gain insights from primary source analysis – NEW!
Create a timeline of causes, events and outcomes - SAME
Create historical-fiction narratives from alternate perspectives. – NEW!
Select visual images
to illustrate and personalize
the narratives – NEW!
M
BETTER Project – Design Elements Summarize information from secondary
sources - SAME
Gain insights from primary source analysis – NEW!
Create a timeline of causes, events and outcomes - SAME
Create historical-fiction narratives from alternate perspectives. – NEW!
Select visual images to illustrate and personalize the narratives – NEW!
Add dramatic speaking component to presentation – NEW!
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Quick Personal Reflection
Summarize information from secondary sources - SAME
Gain insights from primary source analysis – NEW!
Create a timeline of causes, events and outcomes - SAME
Create historical-fiction narratives from alternate perspectives. – NEW!
Select visual images to illustrate and personalize the narratives – NEW!
Add dramatic speaking component to presentation – NEW!
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2 minutes. Turn to your neighbor and discuss:
How might you employ one of these NEW elements to a project in your curriculum?
Prepare to share!
BETTER Project – Design Elements
OK, but does the new design address these original problems? • Overly factual and simplistic
• Overly reliant on secondary sources
• Low skill level
• Dry and boring
• Largely a teacher-directed inquiry
• Heavy on content; light on process
• Heavy on the SS; light on the ELA objectives
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Implementation
• Scaffolding through full class study of Russian Revolution.
• Small group independent study 1 of 5 Revolutions.
• Closing activity for the unit
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OK, but what does this look like in the classroom?
Implementation – the Details
• Scaffolding though full class study of the Russian Revolution – Teacher guided primary source analysis
– Teacher provided second sources, questions, and vocabulary
– Teacher selected key dates
– Teacher guided review of narrative structures
– Teacher selected characters and first journal entry
R Want more on this scaffolded assignment on the Russian Revolution? Checkout the full assignment in PPT at http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
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Scaffolding the Russian Revolution
R Want more on this scaffolded assignment on the Russian Revolution?
Checkout the full assignment in PPT at http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
Scaffolding the Russian Revolution
R Want more on this scaffolded assignment on the Russian Revolution?
Checkout the full assignment in PPT at http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
Scaffolding the Russian Revolution
R Want more on this scaffolded assignment on the Russian Revolution?
Checkout the full assignment in PPT at http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
Implementation – the Details
• Scaffolding through full class study of Russian Revolution.
• Small group independent study 1 of 5 Revolutions.
- Students select own revolution (British Industrial, French, American, Chinese Cultural, American Civil Rights Movement)
- Students generate research questions from larger, essential questions
- Students select and analyze a primary source
- Student selected key dates for their journal entries
- Students create characters (based on profiles provided)
- Students apply knowledge of narrative structure
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Small Group Independent Study
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Small Group Independent Study
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Implementation – The Details
• Scaffolding of Russian Revolution
• Independent Study of 1 of 5 Revolutions
• Close unit with retrieval chart and synthesis activity – Students compare and contrast revolutions
– Students connect understandings back to the EU’s for the unit.
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Want more on this unit end activity? Checkout the synthesis activity guidelines at http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
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Unit End Synthesis Activity
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Want more on this unit end activity? Checkout the synthesis activity guidelines at http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
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Unit End Synthesis Activity
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Want more on this unit end activity? Checkout the synthesis activity guidelines at http://revolutionaryvoices.wikispaces.com
Putting it all Together Watch and Listen for: • Historical Facts (Cause and
Effect, Turning Points)
• Personal Perspective (Through their Eyes)
• Narrative Elements (Conflict, Climax)
• Dramatic Expression in Voice
• Empathetic Connection with the Material
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How does it compare to this?
MAY 25TH, 1961
Four African American college boys sitting
in a whites-only section
Freedom Riders crossing into Mississippi
AUGUST 28, 1963
Martin Luther King speaking at
March on Washington
MARCH 26, 1965
Police fighting off protesters
Police awaiting the riot.
Lessons Learned
• Adaptable to many historical periods and topics
The road to success is always under construction - Chinese proverb M
Lessons Learned
• Adaptable to many historical periods and topics
• Value in going “Back to the Drawing Board” to:
– Unpack standards
– Revise and strengthen disciplinary EUs
– Combine disciplines and form integrated EUs
– Consider available frameworks (Thinking Like a Historian, Learning 21, etc).
– Modify projects and scaffold complex tasks.
The road to success is always under construction - Chinese proverb M
Planning Resources • History Materials
– Thinking Like a Historian: Article, Rubrics, Posters
– ISB Grade 8 Humanities Audit of Revolutions Unit (using TLH)
– Primary Source Analysis Worksheets from National Archives (USA): http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/
– Historian Sam Weinberg’s web site with examples of “doing” History: History Mattershttp://historicalthinkingmatters.org/
• Integrated Learning – ISB MS Humanities Department Philosophy and Principles
– Descriptors of Learning 21 at ISB
• Dramatic Speaking – Poetry Alive web site: http://www.poetryalive.com/
Unit and Project Resources • Revolutions Unit Plan
– UbD Template
– Unit Overview for Students and Teachers
• Revolutionary Voices Project Teaching Materials – Russian Revolution Project Guidelines
– Scoring Rubric
• Revolutionary Voices Project Student Work Samples – With Audio (China Cultural, American Civil Rights, French)
• End of Unit Synthesis Activity – Instructions
– Student Samples
