Category: Historical Thinking Skills

(Free) US Industrial Revolution: A Primary and Secondary Source Investigation into Labor Conditions Lesson and Activity

6/28/2019

Student Objective and Purpose
Students will evaluate primary and secondary sources on labor conditions during the Industrial Revolution and will utilize evidence from the sources to support a historical claim. Students will learn about the US industrial revolution and learn how to cite evidence to support a claim. This is a great introduction to writing historical expository paragraphs.

What is Included?
1. Lesson Plan
2. 2 Page Anticipatory Set: Internet required (or print a class copy of an article prior to lesson) about Careers and current event investigation about working conditions in the world today.
3. Two Timelines and student comprehension questions: One timeline examines the technology that spurred the Industrial Revolution in America and the second timeline examines labor conditions in the 1800's.
4. Five Primary and Secondary Sources with 10 comprehension questions: Three questions will teach students how to cite historical evidence.
5. Historical thinking skills handout: This handout explains what a "claim" and "evidence" is and provides questions and a checklist on how to cite appropriate historical evidence. This will help improve students analytical skills and expository writing.

Click the image below to get the lesson!

(Free!) Why has the Alien Enemy Act and similar acts been utilized by the Government over time? Lesson for 8th Grade

6/25/2019

In This Lesson:
Students will analyze Primary and Secondary Sources about the Alien Enemy Act and related acts and evaluate the Patterns of Continuity and Change over time. Students will learn about the Alien and Sedition Acts (During Adam's Presidency) while also learning about other controversial acts in the 20th and 21st Centuries. Students will compare the acts and see their similarities as well as their differences.

What is included?
1. Lesson Plan: Includes Objective, Big Idea and Implementation Sequence.
2. Anticipatory Set Activity to Motivate and Engage the Learner (How much power should a government have?)
3. Timeline and Timeline Questions: To establish Context and review some important events (Jay's Treaty, XYZ Affair, French Quasi-War, The Alien Sedition Acts etc.)
4. Five Primary and Secondary Source Excerpts and 10 Comprehension questions (The Alien Enemy Act,
Details about the Act, WWII Executive Order 9066, The Patriot Act, and The Travel Ban Executive order).
5. Annotation and Question Guide- One is for English Language Learners and the Second One provided is for your Accelerated/ GATE Students. These off 15/10 (respectively) questions and tasks students will consider (and write on lined paper) for each document.
6. Historical Skills Handout on how to Examine Patterns of Continuity and Change over time. This offers 15 additional questions for students to consider when they evaluate Primary and Secondary Sources.

Click the image below to get the lesson!

(Free) Evaluating Multiple Perspectives in History: Were our founding fathers Patriots or Traitors?

6/17/2019

This is a great lesson to teach multiple perspectives in United States History. This lesson is situated during the American Revolution Unit and it challenges students to consider an American Perspective of the Colonists and a British perspective of the Colonists. The goal of the lesson is for students to understand how to evaluate different historical perspectives and defend a claim with appropriate evidence.

What is included in the Lesson?
1. Lesson Plan
2. Six Question Anticipatory Set
3. Timeline Student Activity (about the causes of the American Revolution- to establish context)
4. Four Primary and Secondary Sources with ten guided questions
5. Handout on Multiple Perspectives
6. Student response sheet to answer the historical question

This lesson would be great for 8th Grade US history or an ELA class practicing expository writing! Click the picture below to download.

8th Grade Curriculum Coming soon! (Free Lesson)

6/12/2019

This summer I am building out 6th and 8th Grade curriculum. Please check back throughout the summer for an innovative history curriculum to challenge, inspire and engage students! Check out the first lesson for 8th grade by clicking the picture for the link below. Cannibalism at Jamestown!? Enough said.

DBQ Question: What was the purpose and role of human sacrifice in Aztec Society? (Free!)

6/5/2019

Human sacrifice?! Have I got your attention? Students love to learn about the Aztecs and human sacrifice. Use this lesson to teach this remarkable civilization.

This DBQ reinforces the document analysis and writing process; this DBQ also introduces a new component: finding historical research to support their original thesis. Students will have to find a level 2 (secondary source) or level 3 (primary source) as evidence and explain how it can be used to answer the DBQ Question. Students will write a five paragraph essay answering the question: What was the purpose and role of human sacrifice in Aztec society?

Click the image below to get the lesson!

DBQ: How were the Spanish conquistadors able to defeat the mighty Aztec Empire with only 600 men?

5/21/2019

Teaching "Global Convergence" in 7th Grade?

In this lesson students will deconstruct the advantages that the Spanish had over the Aztec Empire. In the early 1800-1900’s (Western) Historical scholarship focused on the “Civilized” nature of the Spanish and their moral greatness which made them “superior men” and thereby able to defeat the mighty Aztec empire. But, really the Spanish had many advantages, not because they were “superior” but, rather- just lucky. Students will practice analyzing sources, finding corroborating sources and writing a historical analysis answering the question: How were the Spanish conquistadors able to defeat the mighty Aztec Empire with only 600 men?

This is a great lesson to examine how much of history and culture is shaped by luck and circumstance. It challenges the assumption of "Western Superiority" and rather uncovers the advantages European powers had.

Click the Image Below to get the PDF

Free Resource: Annotation Guide for DBQ's and/or Primary and Secondary Sources

5/21/2019

I always require my students to annotate any complex text that we read. I usually give them a task depending on the reading. This annotation guide was used for the DBQ on Valley Forge. If you click the image below it will take you to an Editable Google Doc so you can tailor it to your class' needs.

DBQ on the Different Perspectives of the Renaissance

5/20/2019

The purpose of this lesson is to show that the Renaissance covered a big period in European history and the concept is used to characterize the artistic and architectural advances of a select echelon of society and did not necessarily affect everyone across Europe in an equal manner. While, the purpose is not to underscore the accomplishments of the Renaissance (it is encouraged to teach the artistic advances and human accomplishment) but rather show a more complete picture of what life was like in Europe for all people not just the elite. Students will practice their close reading strategies as well as analysis strategies by answering the question: Is the “Renaissance” a Mischaracterization of an Age?

Students read five secondary sources, answer 10 comprehension questions, a handout how to quote, summarize, paraphrase and analyze historical evidence, an essay outline/planner (for students who need additional supports) and a rubric to help guide student's writing.

Click the image below to get the PDF.

Lesson on the Columbian Exchange and Recipe Project

5/18/2019

I love teaching about the Columbian Exchange. Students are fascinated about how different foods, animals and diseases developed differently in the "Old" and "New World." In this lesson student examine the IMPACT of the Columbian Exchange on the "New" and "Old World" by examining secondary sources. Students will then practice searching for credible sources online that would explain the IMPACT of exchanging animals, diseases, plants and technology. My favorite part is when students find a recipe (I challenge them to ask a Grandparent or relative for a family recipe- I have kids calling their abuelitas in Mexico who they haven't talked to in ages!) and then they create a "Cooking Show" or "Cookbook" that shows other students how to make the recipe with historical details about that particular food time (Example: The potato comes from the "New World" and there are thousands of varieties of potatoes). Sometimes students will even bring a sample for other students to try (I got the Principal permission first!).

Click the image below for the lesson plan and students activities.

Free Resource: Introducing Historical Thinking Skills Through an interactive Online Notebook

5/18/2019

Instead of a "physical interactive notebook" my students have Online Interactive Notebooks. I call these notebooks "Hidden Histories" in which I focus on people who are marginalized or not mentioned in history. For my first digital notebook of the year I have students learn about the basics of History and provide them many prompts for reflection. Use this free resource to help your students start thinking about where history comes from.

How to implement the Digital Notebook?
If you have access to technology students can complete a little at a time (or make it an independent assignment). If students do not have access to the internet these documents can be printed out display a question or prompt on the screen and students can write responses on paper.

If you click the image below it will take you to an online google document. Make a copy of the document and feel free to modify for your class.