History Unit plan

Teaching for historical understanding

By: Riley Hawkins, Alyssa Elliott, Morgan Hobbs, Milton Lopez

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O1

History

Objective

Day One: After direct instruction and hands-on learning, students will be able to interpret how to teach historical understanding in the classroom by participating in stations. (DOK 2)

Start

O1

History

"People live in the present. They plan for and worry about the future. History, however is the study of the past. Given all the demands that press in from living in the present and anticipating what us yet to come, why bother with what has been?"-Peter Stearns

Why do we study History?Why do we study Social Studies?Think-Pair-Share:

Brain Buzzer

History harbors beauty, and exposure to the beauty of history makes us better. - Peter Stearns

Students can learn from role models or events that shaped our country's identity.

Students can also be inspired by historical figures who have overcome tragedies with persistence and courage.

Vocabulary

Historical UnderstandingKnowledge of the past that develops out of intrinsic interest and active interpretation.

Historical ThinkingCognitive activities that help students develop historical understanding.

Historical AwarenessAllows people to be well informed about the past.

Historical investigationWhere students know the importance, relevance, and contributions but using specific historical resources.

Historical comprehensionRequires students to identify and recall, as well as to describe, explain, and compare.

Common good An agreed-upon vision of what best suits the multiple interests of people in pluralistic societies.

Historical JudgementRequires students to make desicions about the value or importance of people and events from the past.

Transmission The delivery by a teacher to students of predetermined knowledge intended to be learned as a whole by the student.

Standards of Understanding

Topic #1

Living and working together in families and community, now and long ago.

*Each state has their own standards and they are typically influenced by the national standard.

Topic #2

The history of the students' own state or religion.

Topic #3

History of the US Democratic principles, values, and peoples from many cultures who contribute to it's cultural, economic, and politcal heritage.

Topic #4

The history of the peoples of many cultures around the world.

Teachers have to fill in the gaps that these standards do not cover

• Common Good -> An agreed-upon vision of what best suits the multiple interests of people in pluralistic societies. (Textbook Definition)

Historical Understanding

*Knowledge of the past that developes out of intrinsic interest and active interpretation

(Not just receiving facts, but grasping the "why".)

Explain the causes and effects of the Boston Tea Party.

Ex-> Knowing the important cause of the Civil War, not just listing the battles.

Historical Thinking

*Cognitive activities that help students develop historical understanding

1. Chronological Thinking
2. Historical Comprehension
3. Historical Analysis and Interpretation
4. Historical Research Capabilites
5. Historical Issues (Analysis and Decision Making)

-> Historical understanding leads to historical thinking

*Get students involved, hands on activities

*Read journal from Anne Frank

Ability to learn about history through seeing the perspectives of those involved

Understanding the timing or order of events

Examining past events using different perspectives, using historical evidence, and understanding causes and complexities of past events.

Ability to incorporate primary and secondary sources, including interpreting that information. *distinguish biases

Problems or complications in the past and the consequences (good or bad) that came out of them

Systematic Thinking Strategies

• Comprehension
• Awareness
• Investigation
• Judgement

*Since students are young, they have little to no prior knowledge, however, fifth graders might have some.

*judge between two different situations

Students identify, recall, describe, explain, and compare

Well informed about past (ask about historical relevance)

Determine importance or relevance

Make decisions about value or importance of people and events of the past

Timelines

Storytelling

Historical Fiction

- This would include chronological thinking

- A good timeline sticks with a specific subject matter and has a meaingful start and end

- Helps build suspence and drama *Use scaffolding

- Includes fake charactersin real life situations- (EX) Have students create their own stories

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Station

Station

Station

Historical Thinking

Students will have a teacup outline and they will label it cause of effect.

Topic-> The Boston Tea Party

Standards of Understanding

Students will have pictures of food from other countries and they will draw the food on their plate.

Students will read an entry from one of Anne Frank's journals and will discuss with their table the imagery it creates.

How can you put yourself in her "shoes"?

Historical Understanding

*

Timelines

Systematic Thinking Strategies

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5

Students will be given a short story and they will create a timeline using playdough and event papers.

Topic-> The Great Depression

Students will have two topics and they will judge between two situations, as a group.

Was Westward Expansion good or bad? (Logically and morally)

*Questions/ answers will be on whiteboards

1) What activites in your stations did you like? Which ones would you want to modify? Why?

2) Are there any different activies that you can think of to teach historical understanding, historical thiking, systematic thinking strategies, timelines, storytelling, or histroical fiction?

Reflection

Mock Debate!

Next Class:

Topic:

Is it better to have a longer summer vacation, or more frequent short breaks?

Brain Buzzer

What was one acitvity you remember from last class and how can it help teach historical understanding?

*Write on whiteboard then share with shoulder partner

01:00

Objective

Day Two: After review and debate, students will be able to cite evidence and apply whole-class activities in the classroom by participating in a two-sided debate. (DOK 3)

Go!

VOcab

Rebuttal- a response to an opponent's argument in a debate, where the debater offers a stronger, alternative argument to disprove or discredit the opponent's argument.Evidence- a way to support an argument with facts, statistics, or examples.Argument- A statement or claim that is supported by a justification or warrant. The justification is a response to challenges and is often linked by the word "because".Claim- statements about what is true or good or about what should be done or believed.

Go!

Pros & Cons of Year-Round School:

Debate:

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Introduction2 Arguments 1 RebuttleClosing Statement

Create a Concept Map on the Board!