Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Team USA at WABASH COLLEGE
Social Science Teaching Essentials
Sunday, July 17, 2011
UBD Stage 1
In this unit the students will be learning about the Civil War. This is a major event in the history of the United States. It has so many aspects that are related the narrative that is the country’s history. The war itself is just one small part of a much bigger picture. By studying this unit students will be able to make connections to events that will not happen for another hundred years. This unit will also help students better understand why the country developed the way that it did.
In this particular lesson the students will be learning about the election of 1860 and its role as one cause of the Civil War. The students will use maps they will create and primary source documents to learn about the election and its significance. They will be working individually as well as with groups to complete the assigned tasks.
Standard / Objectives for Unit or Lesson:
16.D.4b (US)
Describe unintended social consequences of political events in United States history (e.g., Civil War/emancipation, National Defense Highway Act/decline of inner cities, Vietnam War/anti-government activity).
16.A.4a Analyze and report historical events to determine cause- and-effect relationships.
16.D.4a (US)
Describe the immediate and long- range social impacts of slavery.
Unit Objectives:
There are three enabling objectives that result in the terminal objective.
The terminal objective is that “Students will be able to identify and explain the major events that contributed to the beginning of the Civil War.” The three enabling objectives are three events that contribute to the beginning of the war. They are the Election of 1860, the Secession of South Carolina and the formation of the Confederacy, and Lincoln taking office and the attack on Fort Sumter.
Enabling Objective One: Students will be able to identify the Election of 1860 as a contributing cause of the Civil War. They will be able to explain why this was a contributing cause.
Enabling Objective Two: Students will be able to identify the secession of South Carolina and the formation of the Confederacy as contributing causes of the Civil War. They will be able to explain why these were contributing causes.
Enabling Objective Three: Students will be able to identify the Lincoln taking office and the attack on Fort Sumter as contributing causes of the Civil War. They will be able to explain why these were contributing causes.
Terminal Objective: Students will be able to identify and explain the major events that contributed to the beginning of the Civil War.
Lesson Goal: Students will be able to identify the Election of 1860 as a contributing cause of the Civil War. They will be able to explain why this was a contributing cause.
Enduring Understandings:
How have historical events worked to create an American identity?
Essential Questions:
How does the election of 1860 contribute to the beginning of the Civil War?
Why did the election enrage the South?
Knowledge:
-Students will know the Civil War was more complex than having a singular cause
-Students will know the outcome of the election of 1860
Skills:
Students will be able to read and create political maps.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Stand and Deliver
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Learning Experience Design Through Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction
The following is a learning experience model for introducing the three branches of the U.S. Government as well as some of the main powers for each branch. The model uses Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction.
Gain Attention:
I will gain the attention of putting four pictures of important political figures up on the screen. They will be John Boehner, Harry Reid, John G. Roberts Jr., and Barack Obama. I will ask the students to identify each of the following people.
Establish Purpose:
The exercise should have a sense of immediate purpose, as some of the most important people in America are often unrecognizable to a majority of its citizens, not just high school students. This also sets the stage for our introduction of the U.S. Government.
Stimulate Prior Recall:
Each student and their “elbow partner” will work together to write down the three branches of the U.S. Government. Also they will guess at one power attributed to each of their guesses. Come together as a class and try to come up with any correct information they have written down.
Present Content:
The content will initially be delivered in a reading that gives a basic overview of each branch and its main powers. Students are asked to highlight and annotate the reading.
Guided Learning:
After the reading each student will be presented with a three column T-Chart. They are to label each column with one of the three branches of government.
The teacher will have ten powers of the government printed out in large font on plain white printer paper and taped to the board/wall/etc. The students are to work with their “elbow partner” to write which power belongs in which column. Do this for all ten powers.
The three-column t-chart will be reproduced on the board. Teacher presents the class with one of the powers and asks which column they should tape the paper. The students should be checking their t-chart as the class does it on the board.
Elicit Performance:
The students are demonstrating their grasp of the information during both phases of the guided learning section. If there are discrepancies make sure to clear them up and recover any necessary material.
Provide Feedback:
Feedback should be continually given during the guided learning and elicit performance phases.
Assess Performance:
Provide the students with a matching quiz. Based on the prior activities the students should be able to match some of the main powers of the government to the proper branch.
Enhance Retention:
For homework have each student find an article dealing with the United States Government. After selecting an article the students are to identify the branch of government it is talking about as well as what power is being highlighted.
RUBRIC
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Uneven Playing Fields
As we talked today(FND 511) about the tendency for neoliberal policies in governments to create concentrated wealth at the top I could not help but wonder about the reasons for this. Is the fact that this occurs something that is inherent in neoliberal policies or is it a result of some third extraneous factor? When these practices were implemented in the South American Countries there most assuredly was a privileged elite already in existence. When enacted, they simply gave the already wealthy even more control over the countries resources and services. It makes me wonder….If the policies had been put into place on a level playing field would the results differ? Furthermore, what does a level playing field look like?
Is this moot point because outside of an experiment with calculated and predisposed conditions there are no level playing fields in the real world? And if there are no level playing fields are Friedman’s ideas not essentially impossible to implement? The world is so stratified that to even think about the concept of a level playing field seems nonsensical.
When I try to relate this (neoliberalism) back to education and communities it is hard for me to imagine it working at all. Especially, when it has been shown to fail in so many other circumstances. If knowledge is a form of capital in the same way that money is capital, then the already existing dichotomy of knowledge between the “haves” and the “have nots” would seem even more of a crippling factor than a country’s financial disparity when implementing neoliberal policy. How would Freidman respond to this?
Monday, June 20, 2011
Educational Philosophy
A student centered educational approach guides my philosophy of education. This idea significantly affects my belief of a teacher’s role in the classroom. In order to best facilitate student learning a teacher must take the time to get to know their students. By making an effort to learn about their students they help themselves twofold. First, they gain a better grasp of the instructional methods that best match the students learning styles. Another benefit of this approach is that it demonstrates to the student that you care about them and have a vested interest in both their learning and their well-being. I have found through my experiences that students will match this interest with respect and effort. A teacher can further facilitate learning by creating a classroom environment that is physically and emotionally safe. They should be comfortable with making mistakes. It a s vital part of life and I am a firm believer that we learn by failing and then reflecting on our mistakes.. It is only when mutual collaborative relationships are formed that learning is best facilitated.
These relationships are aspects of teaching that were very important to me as a student. Some of the most important and influential figures in my life were my teachers and coaches. Having been raised by a hardworking single mother I looked to my coaches and teachers as the positive male role models in my life. I have become who I am because of them and a commitment to be there for my students and someday my family as a positive male role model is a result of those relationships.