History Detectives

          The next unit that I need to plan is the last unit for social studies for the year. In it I will wrap up what we learned about the Revolutionary War through reading fiction and non-fiction so that I can teach about the formation of our government. While I am swimming in ideas, I am trying to find how I balance having students investigate history and make sure that they can answer the district provided essential questions. These questions are based on the standards, so they are kind of important.

          I had students looking at both the PA and US Constitutions last year, but the way the PA standards have changed doesn’t seem to focus as much on the PA Constitution.  This simplifies things for me. I only have so much time and the differences between the two are not easy to discern at 11 years old. They can, but it takes time that it better used elsewhere. I think that I will move to select pieces from the Constitution and other period pieces, along with textbook reading to give a broader base for the readings. They need these textbook readings to find questions that they want to answer. I have found that they have a lot of questions. 

https://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view
/assetGuid/6a4d056a-f25d-4022-ab25-57243332fbd8

https://app.discoveryeducation.com/
player/view/assetGuid/6a4d056a-
f25d-4022-ab25-57243332fbd8

           The Discovery Techbook that I have access to through my program at Wilkes is great. The lesson on the Articles of Confederation alone is very hands on. The lesson on the formation of the Constitution also has wonderful primary documents and student organization tools to aid them in looking at these documents in a meaningful way. Some examples are pictured above. There is a document based inquiry that has the Constitution, time period cartoons, and formed inquiry output to share with the class. These inquiries would give students structured questions to answer, and allow them to form some questions on their own. The investigations are designed for students and provide them with both reading and viewing material and tools to organized their thoughts and interpret them.

Part of a Interview writing activity that would have student create their own questions for important people of the time.https://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/6a4d056a-f25d-4022-ab25-57243332fbd8 

           I think that where I would like to go next in my unit formation is to rewrite a choice board that I created for government based around multiple intelligences. I want to take the basic idea that I had about allowing students to choose an output to show their understanding and build deeper understandings through the activities. Students would take what they understand from the document based investigation and find a topic they still have questions about or are interested in learning more. They would be able to explain what they understand through more modes than just a written response.

          What I have found missing in these assignments is the student explanation that highlight the evidence and contain logical arguments. First, I think that I need to cut out some of the fluffy options and replace them with options that allow students to conduct their own investigation. The activities should allow them to then take what they learned and be able to teach from their examples. All of this ties together the Abilities Necessary to Do Inquiry. They would be developing descriptions, thinking critically, and communicating it to others.     

           I did use a Law Craft game last year that I think I will include this year as well. I wrote about it previously in my  November 2014 blog. It allows student to interact with the law making process in ways that I just cannot simulate half as well in the classroom.  Way to go Law Craft! The game is an inquiry game. The game give instructions on how the game play works, but students are able to have enough choices and options that it is as close to being in a hands on science lab as social studies gets. As long as this game is functioning, it has a place in my classroom.

          As I continue to read about inquiry, I can't say that my thoughts about what inquiry is have greatly changed. It would be fair to say that my definition has broadened to include activities that I just lumped into high level thinking. I still have some ways to go to craft student led inquiry. I want to be open to it, but I am just not ready to let go and feel that they will learn what I want them to learn. I feel that their choices are important, so I need to find a place where I can feel comfortable with it. 

References

Discovery Education. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 6, 2015, from https://app.discoveryeducation.com/techbook2:concept/view/guidConceptId/6DAA9EEC-EECB-4396-BB43-7F9DD72FD5CE/guidUnitId/CDEAA01B-19A2-4490-90ED-9B964AC11F63#/tab=model-lesson-tab

GAMEUP | Law Craft. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2014, from https://www.brainpop.com/games/lawcraft/