Journey Through History

The EASTCONN Teaching American History Project, headed by Dan Coughlin, was the best professional development I have participated in as a teacher.  Through workshops, seminars, field trips, and a summer institute, I expanded my knowledge of history and I learned interesting new teaching strategies.  Best of all, I was able to work with a dedicated group of teachers intent on improving their craft.  I highly recommend that teachers get involved in a Teaching American History Project, and teachers in Northeastern Connecticut need look no further than the EASTCONN region TAHP.

Here are three of the lessons I wrote for the TAHP.

The Media and the Spanish American War

In this lesson, students examine various Connecticut newspapers to determine why the US went to war against Spain, and to evaluate the role of the media in the US entering into war with Spain.  Just how “yellow” were Connecticut newspapers?  The lesson and materials can be found at:

• http://www.eastconn.org/tah/LessonMediaInTheWarSpAm.pdf
• http://www.eastconn.org/tah/SpanishAmWarArticles.htm

The 7 “Hats” of the President

Using the inquiry process, students define the jobs of the president and find current examples.

http://www.eastconn.org/tah/SevenHatsofthePresidentLesson.pdf

Hitler’s Rise to Power

Students work in groups to analyze primary and secondary sources and draw conclusions about why Hitler was able to come to power.

http://www.eastconn.org/tah/HitlersRiseToPower.pdf

I heard about the “walking debate” from the luncheon speaker at the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies 2009 conference, and I tried it out soon after.  In a walking debate, students must gauge the persuasiveness of each other’s arguments and move accordingly.   First, students choose sides on an issue by going to one side of the classroom.  Then, each side has to make its case.  If, at any point, someone is persuaded by an argument made by the other side, they are free to move over to the other side.  It’s a great way to get kids listening to each other and moving around the classroom!

The Oral History Project is a semester-long project that I do with an advanced college-prep 20th Century History Class. Students research a major event of the 20th Century, find an interview subject, write questions, conduct an interview, and transcribe the interview.

The project allows students to gain practice in a number of social studies skills and life skills. Students become “experts” in a particular area of history, and they serve a very important function of documenting someone’s history, which might not have been done otherwise. They write for a variety of audiences in a variety of modes including: letters to their subjects, annotated bibliographies, and a reflective journal. Perhaps even more importantly, they work on interpersonal skills and make a connection with an older person in the community.

The project can be used in its entirety, or individual pieces may be useful to different teachers. It can also be modified to suit many grade levels. For example, teachers of younger students might bring interview subjects into the classroom or students might interview family members. Please click to download the complete Word Document.