Students' Historical Thinking

We had great discussions about the students' ability to demonstrate historical thinking through their writing.  I was so impressed with how well the students do when verbally expressing their opinions about things, but was VERY impressed with how well they demonstrated their historical thinking in their writing.  Our students were supposed to write a persuasive essay on the different theories that came with the disappearance of the Roanoke colony and they truly supported their opinion.  It is amazing how they can connect to events in history.  I think that when the students work on the next writing project - a double speak poem from two different perspectives of the same event in history (leading up to the Revolutionary War).  I am very eager to see how they do with using primary source documents. 

My Reflection in Wordle

This is a wordle that goes along with my reflection on our persuasive writing group project (it's called a group project, but I haven't done anything for it!).  I notice that one of the large words is need.  I know that I need to do more writing.  I need to make it more fun.  I need to teach more history!  These words are about me as a teacher and what I NEED to do for my class.  I NEED WRITING...it says it in the wordle.

Historical Method - Tier One

I was in love with the beginning of the passage, The Theory Behind the Historical Method, when we are at our last Foundations day.  I liked it so much that I emailed direct quotes of it to one of my colleagues who has a great passion for history like we all do!  She loved the parts I sent to her, they motivated both of us!!

For Tier One the part that I keep going back to is, "Seeking personal or local connections to history whenever possible."  This is one of the unselfish reasons I enjoy doing summer workshops that are about history.  In reality, the other parts are completely selfish!  I love history, I love traveling, I love learning...see, they're all selfish!  The unselfish reason I do it is for my students.  Many of them will NEVER travel outside of the state of California, and many of them may never even travel outside of the County of San Diego.  I love bringing back real pictures and stories of my experiences to get them motivated to want more out of their life.  To show that history is still there for them to see.  This is so encouraging to them and it really brings out passion for history that they never knew they had.  It is truly a blessing to be able to be a facilitator of learning and joy for history.  Bringing back primary source documents, reading secondary sources and historical fiction to bring it even more alive for them has been so fun!  I also really enjoy bringing in different perspectives of historical events, like many of you do!  My colleague, Nancy, is great about looking at a different perspective than me and it truly is a great collaboration and wonderful way to get me out of my comfort zone.  By doing this she really allows me to bring more to my students than I would if I hadn't had a deep discussion with her.  
I truly enjoy history and looking at Tier One, I know I can do an even better job of bringing it alive and making connections for my students.

Roanoke - An Unsolved Mystery from History Persuasive Essay

I am so excited about the lesson we are going to be doing!  Jennifer Woods has really come up with a stellar idea and it will be a blast to teach.  She is going to be able to get to it earlier than I will be, but I'll be eager to hear how it goes and to see how her students do before I teach it.  The idea is going to be teaching a persuasive essay.  We will be reading the book titled, Roanoke—An Unsolved Mystery from History by Heidi Stemple and Jane Yolen to the students.  They will have to choose one of the different thoughts as to what happened to the Roanoke colonists.  They will have to be able to answer the readers concerns and have a solid answer for their side. 

It was really fun to hear about this idea and to develop it with a team!  I love working with teachers from schools that are not similar to mine.  I feel that the levels of creativity differ in schools with a different population.  It is always a true pleasure to work with different people!!  I look forwards to meeting next month to learn more and see how the lesson went in Jennifer's class!!

Dr. Denenberg Day 1, Part 1

Dennis Denenberg:

Day 1, Part 1:

www.heroes4us.com

(the products he is showing us are all on his website)

drdenden@aol.com

Expose the kids to may heroes on a regular basis.  They don't see them often enough.  They have to get to know the heroes.  The one trait heroes all have in common is that they persevere.

Bring history to life for the students by using simple costumes (hats that can be made, bought from a thrift store), puppets (let the hero be the guide, let the hero narrate it).

Singing songs to a tune they know with the content that they need to learn.

Heroes fair, adopt a hero - read extensively and then create two content rich lessons.  Then do colloquium.  Look at www.heroes4us.com for the heroes fair.

Instead of getting the students' attention by singing a song, saying a quote.  They will need to continue the song or finish the quote.  The more you can sneak into your day, the smarter the kids will be.  Sneak in a song, quote, poem, etc. to get their focus and constantly immerse them in who/what they're learning/have learned about.

Lifesize posters on your door.  Put a quote coming out of the mouth of the historical figure.  This will welcome the kiddos and "sneak" in history on a daily basis.

Don't skirt around religion.  You have to teach about it in the context of their learning.  Don't preach at them, teach them about how it impacted the person you are learning about.

We don't worship heroes, we admire their perseverence, their contribution.  We should know and respect them.  Appreciate what they gave us.

"Wear Your Hero": Make a vest or shirt.  Then add pictures and details.  All the students pick their hero, make their own shirt, and then present it to students in the other grades.  Don't take the story out of hiSTORY, it's what draws in the students!!!  Read and tell stories of history and heroes.  You can even wear it and have the students ask the question to start the learning off. 

Oftentimes in our society we don't even know about extremely important heroes in our history.  (Jonas Salk, for example).  Make sure we are constantly spotlighting these people.

There is (or should be more obviously) history all around us.  There are learning experiences for our students all over (example:  Will Rogers Airport, lifesize pictures, historical pamphlets, etc.).  Heroes grab us.  We take hold of them, accept them together.

"You can't teach what you don't know any more than you can come back from where you ain't been." Will Rogers We HAVE to keep teaching our students, and continue learning ourselves.

Begin a classroom motto.  Look at the curriculum.  Is there a hero that can guide that unit?  Is there a quote that would be inspirational to our students?  Have a motto up for a few weeks.  It's empowering.  Then switch mottos so they can experience much more.  Let them know that they are going to pick the motto (power words).  You can use it as a wrap-up of what you have just learned.  Don't always pick the most obvious ones, pick mottos and quotes that are rich and powerful, but bring out more in them!  Remember, don't always pick the white male people.  Have them really research more, the "little people".  Have each team form a committee to encourage their quote as the classroom motto.  Then the class needs to vote on which one will be chose.

Voting:  Have the kids do it constantly.  It is lost on our students nowadays. We have arrived at this place due to history.

Heroes:  An unsung hero makes OUR world a better place.  The big, well-known heroes are very obvious as to why they are historical heroes.  Think about your parents, siblings, etc.

Wear Your Hero    

Declaration of Independence

(Your birth certificate)

Wearing a simple hat        

Books from Mr. Hildebrand

(Dr. Denenberg's Hero, 8th Grade Teacher)

Lifesize Hero Poster Dr. Dennis Denenberg

Dr. Denenberg Day 2, Part 1

Dr. Dennis Denenberg

Day 2, Part 1:

Fanny Packs (Similar to the mystery box):  Fill a fanny pack with different items that represent a hero.  Teach the hero or historical figure through the items that are in the fanny pack.

Hero Amusement Park Pamphlet:  Front page = details about what is inside (location of the person), Chronology of their life, welcome letter to the patrons visiting (ex: Welcome!  Please enjoy yourself as you ride the many rides in my park and learn about my life.  Take in the wonderful surroundings of Arles that inspired many of my works of art.  Thank you!  Vincent).  Inside = pictures and the "rides" that the person would be visiting.  (Ex:  VanGogh Sunflower Picture:  "The Sunflower Swings:  This ride is named after one of Vincent's most famous paintings, "Fourteen Sunflowers.")

Jobs Board:  You put up a hero or historical figure and put details about the different roles that the characters played in pictures, but each of their jobs is a job for the classroom.  Example:  Ben Franklin

Hero Body Outline:  Trace the outline of a student.  In the outline they spotlight their hero/historical figure.  They put details and pictures all over the body.  On the back, they put characteristics about the person and have to explain why they chose those characteristics.  Put these on their chairs for Open House. 

Nobody is perfect!  Remember, all heroes have flaws.  Don't elevate the flaws, but don't hide them either.  Introduce the flaws of a hero in a way kids can developmentally can understand them. 

Hero Good and Bad Paddle:  Teaching the kids things about the historical hero and have the kids decide if it was them as GOOD or BAD.  This will spark debate for their decision.  They will need to support it to their classmates.

Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame:  (see handout) Have each student do their own work for Hall of Fame/Shame.  Then compose teams and have them decide by answering a question whether their side gets to do Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame.  Then they collaborate on their side.

Dr. Denenberg Day 2, Part 2

Dr. Denenberg Day 2, Part 2

Cobblestone Magazine:  Dr. Denenberg is a regular columnist in the magazine, but it is just a great magazine!!

Joy Hakim - A History of US, All the People (A great book to get stories about historical heroes).  She brings the stories back to American History.  This can be a book that is used on its own, instead of the history textbook that we have.  There are different volumes of these books.  One of the great parts of her books is that she puts really interesting facts into her book.  This really gets the kids into what they are learning.  Fabulous stories and teaching materials that accompany it...they are hard to get.  They're through Johns Hopkins University. 

Jig-Saw:  See the pack of papers that Dr. Denenberg handed out.

Check out this website for webisodes on history Freedom, a History of US:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/historyofus/menu.html

Jonathan Sprout: American Heroes

Heroes Flag:  They can design it on a computer, or draw it, they can even make their own out of fabric.  They research a hero and do a picture that represents their accomplishments, their loves, their fame, etc.