One of the first writing project of the year is the "Bad Emperor Interviews" to show the students the abuses of power that helped to bring down Rome. The students read the life of Nero or Caligula by Suetonius and must turn their own four or five pages into an eight question interview, which with the other people in the row create a complete look at the bad emperor's life. They can thus see the danger of power unchecked and understand the need for checks and balances in the Constitution. The writers of the Constitution were educated on the writings of Suetonius and used those ideas in the creation of the document.
The project starts with a discussion on what is good or bad about having an emperor, someone with absolute power. The students understand that there are times when it is useful, but is entirely dependent upon the quality of the individual in question, a dangerous proposition in any era. This is made abundantly clear in their readings and writings of these "Bad Emperors."
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
The Legacy of Rome
The students do an open mind shaped like a Roman soldier's head and helmet to show the influence that Rome has had on the modern world. I use History Alive; The Medieval World and Beyond Chapter 1 as the source for this project, but it can also be used as a research project. There is one chapter each on the Roman Empire's influence on architecture and engineering; language and writing; and philosophy, law, and citizenship. It is a simple project to look back at what influences we can see from Rome. The students illustrate six of these influences, two from each category, and label them in the Roman open mind. It is called "The Legacy of Rome" and each label completes the sentence "From the Roman Empire came..."
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Creation of History
Today's lecture/discussion is designed to have the students understand the process of the creation of history for evidence. Without understanding how history is written dooms the students to thinking of history as just names and dates and people and interpretations.
We review the "silent remains" of fossils, artifacts, and ruins and how secondary sources written by archeologists utilizing this evidence are important to historians of even recent history. The physical remains give three-dimensional examples of the life of the people of the era that can not be replicated. Each of these silent remains are, like all evidence subject to the bias and expertise of the researcher, but are essential as the historian investigates an era.
I add "noisy remains" under which I list oral traditions, linguistics, and the students added music as other non-written sources that societies leave behind. All of the silent and noisy remains are what are used exclusively to write prehistory.
To this, the adds primary sources. The students have already explored clothing labels as sources, and asked who, what, when, where and why of Bernal Diaz's The Conquest of New Spain to understand that there is bias in all sources and it is the historian's job to understand that bias. Secondary source as necessary background are also added into the mix. All of the evidence is gathered and then must be pushed through the "filter" that is the bias of the historian. That new history book now becomes a secondary source for those historians wishing to pursue related topics.
If the students can understand that all sources, primary or secondary, have a bias, and that all history is written with a "point of view", then they are well armed for future history classes. You can say anything about history if you have the evidence to support it.
We review the "silent remains" of fossils, artifacts, and ruins and how secondary sources written by archeologists utilizing this evidence are important to historians of even recent history. The physical remains give three-dimensional examples of the life of the people of the era that can not be replicated. Each of these silent remains are, like all evidence subject to the bias and expertise of the researcher, but are essential as the historian investigates an era.
I add "noisy remains" under which I list oral traditions, linguistics, and the students added music as other non-written sources that societies leave behind. All of the silent and noisy remains are what are used exclusively to write prehistory.
To this, the adds primary sources. The students have already explored clothing labels as sources, and asked who, what, when, where and why of Bernal Diaz's The Conquest of New Spain to understand that there is bias in all sources and it is the historian's job to understand that bias. Secondary source as necessary background are also added into the mix. All of the evidence is gathered and then must be pushed through the "filter" that is the bias of the historian. That new history book now becomes a secondary source for those historians wishing to pursue related topics.
If the students can understand that all sources, primary or secondary, have a bias, and that all history is written with a "point of view", then they are well armed for future history classes. You can say anything about history if you have the evidence to support it.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Bernal Diaz & The Five W's
Today was an exploration of Cortez and The Conquest of New New Spain by the Spaniards in 1521 by Bernal Diaz. This book describes the conquest of the Aztecs, an expedition where Diaz played a significant role. It is used to have the students examine a primary source to understand the possible problems by answering who, what, when, where, and why this primary source written. By doing so, the students can understand the bias inherent in all sources and learn how to use the source effectively.
This is a very useful source for a number of reasons. By checking the age we can see that Diaz was the correct age and came from Spain making it possible for him to have participated in the expedition, and there is also collaborating evidence. The fact that he did not even begin to write the book until 1562 when he was 70 years old opens another whole range of questions about memory and how reliable it is. Also why did he suddenly decide to write a book at seventy years old? All the rest of the expedition had died before he began the book opening up more questions as to reliability. That Diaz was refuting an earlier book that turned Cortez into a demigod answers some of these questions.
A couple of passages are also included to see why these particular descriptions recorded. One is on Montezuma which is very complimentary in showing his regal nature, to make the conquest that much more impressive. The other is a vivid description of human sacrifice and cannibalism, both to show why these people had to be defeated and most likely to sell more books.
The students are led to understand that all sources have a bias and it is the historians job to understand that bias to make the source useful in conjunction with other sources. It is essential that they know all sources are biased and to never take any source or idea at face value.
This is a very useful source for a number of reasons. By checking the age we can see that Diaz was the correct age and came from Spain making it possible for him to have participated in the expedition, and there is also collaborating evidence. The fact that he did not even begin to write the book until 1562 when he was 70 years old opens another whole range of questions about memory and how reliable it is. Also why did he suddenly decide to write a book at seventy years old? All the rest of the expedition had died before he began the book opening up more questions as to reliability. That Diaz was refuting an earlier book that turned Cortez into a demigod answers some of these questions.
A couple of passages are also included to see why these particular descriptions recorded. One is on Montezuma which is very complimentary in showing his regal nature, to make the conquest that much more impressive. The other is a vivid description of human sacrifice and cannibalism, both to show why these people had to be defeated and most likely to sell more books.
The students are led to understand that all sources have a bias and it is the historians job to understand that bias to make the source useful in conjunction with other sources. It is essential that they know all sources are biased and to never take any source or idea at face value.
Monday, September 12, 2011
From Clothing Labels to National Economic System
Today is an experiment in the use of primary sources. We use the same scenario as Disneyland Redux - 3011 where Los Angeles has been buried under volcano ash. An archeologist finds the classroom and collects all of the clothing labels and turns them over to an economic historian who uses them to examine the economic system of the United States.
In groups of four the students look at all of the clothing labels they can write down the country where it was manufactured, after which we collect and coallate the country of origin. Today there were some labels from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but most were from Asia or Central America. In order the most common country from Asia was China, Vietnam, Indonesia followed by Phillipines, Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and even Macao. Central America is also strongly represented by Guatamala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. Others with smaller numbers are Haiti, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Kenya, Turkey, Bolivia, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France and the UK.
The students must then attempt to explain why would we buy any product from another country instead of making it ourselves. Today had some very good days including availabity of; materials, expertise, equipment, labor, capital, space, cheaper labor, of legal restrictions. Since for clothes, we can dismiss all except cheaper labor, we need to understand why.
The players in the economy are broken down into consumers, retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers divided into owners and workers. Going one by one we can deduce that all except workers benefit from cheaper labor costs. The biggets winners are obviously the owners of the manufacturers. Since economic policy is determined by the government, we can determine from this evidence the the government is concerend with manufactures first, consumers next, and workers not at all.
It is very interesting to see what the students have been fed about economics. However, when I explain the consumers make up 70% of the economy and drives job creation, even they can realize that you are doing more for the economy by giving $10,000 to every resident of skid row that goving the same amount to the wealthy who are less like to spend it.
By using the clothing lables as evidence, the students get to look at their own society as a historian, and realize both mor about their own society, and how even a very simple primary source can provide in-depth knowledge of that civilization.
In groups of four the students look at all of the clothing labels they can write down the country where it was manufactured, after which we collect and coallate the country of origin. Today there were some labels from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but most were from Asia or Central America. In order the most common country from Asia was China, Vietnam, Indonesia followed by Phillipines, Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and even Macao. Central America is also strongly represented by Guatamala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. Others with smaller numbers are Haiti, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Kenya, Turkey, Bolivia, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France and the UK.
The students must then attempt to explain why would we buy any product from another country instead of making it ourselves. Today had some very good days including availabity of; materials, expertise, equipment, labor, capital, space, cheaper labor, of legal restrictions. Since for clothes, we can dismiss all except cheaper labor, we need to understand why.
The players in the economy are broken down into consumers, retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers divided into owners and workers. Going one by one we can deduce that all except workers benefit from cheaper labor costs. The biggets winners are obviously the owners of the manufacturers. Since economic policy is determined by the government, we can determine from this evidence the the government is concerend with manufactures first, consumers next, and workers not at all.
It is very interesting to see what the students have been fed about economics. However, when I explain the consumers make up 70% of the economy and drives job creation, even they can realize that you are doing more for the economy by giving $10,000 to every resident of skid row that goving the same amount to the wealthy who are less like to spend it.
By using the clothing lables as evidence, the students get to look at their own society as a historian, and realize both mor about their own society, and how even a very simple primary source can provide in-depth knowledge of that civilization.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Across the Centuries - Teaching to Read Effectively
Across the Centuries the textbook I use to supplement History Alive to teach the medieval world. It is a much better textbook that really challenges the students to think as historians. I don't use any of the lesson reviews or chapter reviews, but focus the students' efforts on the "Red Box Questions." These questions at the end of section of the lesson force the students to synthesize the information into one or two concise sentences to demonstrate their understanding. The students need to learn that more writing is not necessarily better. Too many of my students have "diarrhea of the pen" and can fill up a page while only providing one sentence of information; a habit which I do my best to break.
I am the anti-outliner for I do not think that it is an effective to teach reading. The student shouldn't write a whole new system of text to understand their textbook. How many adults outline the books they are reading? The students need to learn to condense information to make it their own. Reading large amounts of information and shrinking it into you own concise verbiage in order to effectively retain it is what I am trying to achieve. Across the Centuries' "Red Box Questions" are the ideal tool to teach that skill.
I am the anti-outliner for I do not think that it is an effective to teach reading. The student shouldn't write a whole new system of text to understand their textbook. How many adults outline the books they are reading? The students need to learn to condense information to make it their own. Reading large amounts of information and shrinking it into you own concise verbiage in order to effectively retain it is what I am trying to achieve. Across the Centuries' "Red Box Questions" are the ideal tool to teach that skill.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Disneyland Redux -3011
"Disneyland Redux - 3011" is both a review of the archeology unit in sixth grade and a chance for me to check their writing skills and creativity. The students are archeologist in the year 3011 and are digging up what used to be Disneyland which was buried under the Catalina Volcano eruption of 2011. Using only artifacts, fossils, and ruins the students are to recreate what they think was happening at this location a thousand years in the past. They are not able to read any of the writing that is present but must only rely on the "silent remains" utilized by archeologists.
The students are told that the conclusion can not involve anything resembling a theme park, but must be as creatively wrong as possible while using the evidence they chose. They can use any evidence that they can find at Disneyland on an average day. One paragraph utilizes artifacts, another fossils, and a final on ruins to come up with their conclusions. In the past, two of the more interesting conclusions have been a military or spy training center and the other a religion pilgrimage site where animals are worshiped. It is a really fun project that allows the students creativity to flow while allowing me to check their writing and use of evidence. I want them to understand that you can say anything about history if you have the evidence to back it up.
If you are interested in this project go to teacherspayteachers.com/creativehistory for the instructions for "Disneyland Redux - 3011".
The students are told that the conclusion can not involve anything resembling a theme park, but must be as creatively wrong as possible while using the evidence they chose. They can use any evidence that they can find at Disneyland on an average day. One paragraph utilizes artifacts, another fossils, and a final on ruins to come up with their conclusions. In the past, two of the more interesting conclusions have been a military or spy training center and the other a religion pilgrimage site where animals are worshiped. It is a really fun project that allows the students creativity to flow while allowing me to check their writing and use of evidence. I want them to understand that you can say anything about history if you have the evidence to back it up.
If you are interested in this project go to teacherspayteachers.com/creativehistory for the instructions for "Disneyland Redux - 3011".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)