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Tar Heel News
North Carolina Council for the Social Studies
Affiliate of the National Council for the Social Studies
Spring, 2015
President’s Comments
I want to thank all of you who attended
the 45th Annual State Conference in
Greensboro for helping to make it such a
successful conference. There were over 120
session presentations and 34 vendors. I would
like to welcome the following people who were
elected to the Board: Laura Hunter
(Professional Development Coordinator for
Brunswick County) - President-Elect, and John
Spicer (Teacher at Hibriten High School) Treasurer. Your three new Executive Board
Members are Tom Daugherty (Guilford County
High School Social Studies Curriculum
Specialist), Steve Evans (Assistant Principal at
Bartlett Yancy High School) and Paige Garva
(Social Studies and World Languages
Instructional Coach 6-12 for Brunswick
County).
Special recognition goes to Dr. Tim
Flood, the Keynote Speaker. I would also like
to congratulate Kristen Russ the 2015 Teacher
of the Year, Colleen Mills the winner of the
2015 Student Teacher Scholarship, Jill Moye
the winner of the 2015 Teacher Grant and
Jonathan Amos winner of the Bumper Sticker
Contest. I would also like to thank the North
Carolina Geographic Alliance for sponsoring
the National Geographic giant floor map of
Asia at the Conference and for also making this
map available to schools around NC for the
months of January and February.
Our Advocacy Committee continually
works to support your work as social studies
educators. They welcome your input and
guidance. Please contact Laura Hunter
laurahunter.nccss@gmail.com
with
your
comments and suggestions.
I would like to remind you to please
nominate an outstanding senior from your high
school to be recognized as a North Carolina
Outstanding Senior Social Studies Student.
Each high school in North Carolina is allowed
one senior for this recognition. Please consider
joining the 19 high schools in North Carolina
who have memberships in the Rho Kappa
National Social Studies Honor Society. The
forms for both of these can be found on our
web page.
Please consider having an organization
at your school join your Social Studies Council
in the campaign to fund a Mine Detection Dog
named for North Carolina through the Champs
Kids program found at www.champskids.org.
The cost of a dog is $20,000 and your Council
and 11 NC schools has contributed $5,584.53
so far.
Thank you for all that you are doing for
the students of North Carolina. Enjoy the rest
of your school year and please let me or any of
your Board members know if we can do
anything for you.
Ellie Wilson, NCCSS President, Hickory, NC
elliewilson.nccss@gmail.com
1 The N.C. Council for the Social Studies: More Than Just a Conference
John Spicer, Hibriten High School, Lenoir, NC
Many of you had the opportunity to
attend the 45th annual North Carolina Social
Studies Conference in Greensboro this past
February. I’m sure that you will agree with me
that there were some fantastic sessions over the
course of this two-day event. Most of these
sessions were led by teachers, those who are
experts in our chosen field of education. I
know that I left the Conference reinvigorated
and excited to return to my classroom with new
strategies, new tech tools, and a greater sense
that I’m impacting a new generation of
learners.
The N.C. Social Studies Conference is
just part of what the N.C. Council for the Social
Studies does for teachers each year. The
Council is the voice for Social Studies teachers
across the state. The Council meets throughout
the year not only to plan a first-rate Conference
but also to provide a mechanism to connect
Social Studies teachers across the state. (By
the way, North Carolina’s yearly Conference is
the envy of many states around the nation. We
have one of the best teacher Conferences in the
United States.) We have an advocacy
committee that works to address issues that are
important to teachers around the state. The
Council publishes a quarterly newsletter, the
Tar Heel News, with articles that reflect current
trends in Social Studies education.
The
Council website (ncsocialstudies.org) is
updated regularly with helpful links and other
information to assist Social Studies teachers.
The Council presents awards each year to
deserving Social Studies teachers, student
teachers, and outstanding seniors. Grants are
awarded yearly to teachers with innovative
ideas for the classroom.
There are numerous ways for you to get
involved with our State Council:
• Join
us
on
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NCS
ocialStudies/
• Join us on Twitter- @NCCSS
• Write an article (announcements, lesson
plan ideas, etc) for the Tar Heel News.
Email your article to Jim Litle or Ginger
Wilson, Tar Heel News editors,
wilson@ncssm.edu. • Run for a seat on the NCCSS Board of
Directors. Email our President, Ellie
Wilson,
at
elliewilson.nccss@gmail.com, for more
information.
Remember, the N.C. Council for the Social
Studies is your organization. Become a more
active part of the group that represents Social
Studies teachers from around the state!
Let’s Recognize Outstanding and Innovative Teaching! Wayne Journell 2015 NCCSS Scholarships and Grants Chair University of North Carolina at Greensboro At the 2015 NCCSS Annual Conference, awards for the NCCSS Teacher of the Year, the Student Teacher Scholarship, and the NCCSS Teacher Grant were announced. The Board had several qualified applicants for both awards, but in all cases, individuals clearly separated themselves from the rest of the field and were unanimous selections. The 2015 NCCSS Teacher of the Year Award was presented to Kristen Russ, a teacher at West Forsyth High School in the Winston-­‐Salem / Forsyth County Schools. Kristen teaches seminar and 2 regular Civics and Economics and Human Geography. As part of this award, Kristen received a $100 check from the Council and will have her registration covered for next year’s Conference. Kristen also will be invited to present a special session at next year’s Conference. Congratulations, Kristen! The $1,000 Student Teacher Scholarship was presented to Colleen Mills, Sociology major with minors in Economics and History at UNC-­‐
Greensboro. She was also in the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program. She has traveled and studied in England and South Africa. She tutored for Special Support Services and led Supplement Instruction Program group study sessions. Congratulations, Colleen! The Board also presented its annual $1,000 grant to Jill Moye, a fourth grade English/Language Arts/Social Studies teacher at Benvenue Elementary School in Rocky Mount, North Carolina for her Guiding Light grant proposal. Jill will purchase Guided Reading selections focused on North Carolina as she creates a mobile library. She also plans to involve her students in the Tar Heel Junior Historians. Applications for the 2016 Teacher of the Year Award, Student Teacher Scholarship, and Teacher Grant Award are posted on the NCCSS webpage at ncsocialstudies.org. Completed applications will be due December 10th, 2015. Please email Michelle McLaughlin, Chair of the NCCSS Scholarships and Grants Committee, at mmclaughlin81@gmail.com. if you have any questions. In these trying times for public education, it is more important than ever to recognize excellence and innovation in teaching! 2015 NCCSS Election Results
As educators, it is our duty to model what we preach to our students, voting. Many of you did just that at the February
NCCSS State Conference. Many highly qualified candidates ran for the open seats on the Executive Board. It is
important to note that the Executive Board makes all decisions for the Conference from registration fees to the menu for
lunch. They also advocate on behalf of Social Studies interests around the state. This year, over 200 social studies
teachers from around the state cast their ballots. This was out of over 550 registered Conference participants, qualified to
vote. The NCCSS would like to formally congratulate and welcome the new Executive Board members:
President Elect: Laura Hunter
Treasurer: John Spicer
Executive Board: Tom Daugherty, Steve Evans, Paige Garza
On behalf of the NCCSS, thank you to all of those who ran for the NCCSS Executive Board. I want you…to consider running in the 2016 North Carolina Council for the Social Studies Elections. In February 2016, members of the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies will elect a Secretary and
three Executive Board members to guide the work of NCCSS. We need extraordinary social studies
educators like you to help lead this professional organization. The typical commitment is 4-5 Saturday
morning meetings per year. Travel expenses are set at the state rate. In addition to serving as an
Executive Council member, the Secretary is responsible for maintaining the minutes of all Council meetings
and essential records of the Council’s work. Executive Board Members serve the Council in the decisionmaking process as well as chairing Standing, Conference, and Ad Hoc committees. Service on the
Executive Board is very rewarding, challenging, stimulating, and, on occasion, a lot of fun. Please indicate
your interest by contacting Paul Bonnici at bonnici@sog.unc.edu by October 31, 2015 in order to receive
further instructions. Thanks for answering the call to serve.
3 Thanks – 2015 Annual Conference Exhibitors Maurice Bush, NCCSS Conference Exhibitor Chairperson th
The 45 Annual North Carolina Council for the Social Studies 2015 Conference was a tremendous success, due in part to the 35 vendors and exhibitors. These educational companies and institutions shared their educational products, materials, and presented in multiple sessions throughout the two days of the Conference. We were delighted to have the Newseum Museum, the Institute for Curriculum Services, the Ashbrook Center-­‐ Ashland University, The Patriot Point Maritime Museum, The Lost Colony, and representing the South Carolina Council for the Social Studies, Bead for Life as first time exhibitors. All of the attendees and the exhibitors were delighted to have a special time allotted on Thursday where the exhibit area was opened solely for the teachers to visit and talk with exhibitors. This privilege was also extended during the Centennial Breakfast on Friday. The Council would like to thank all the exhibiters for their continuous support of the Conference each year. Whether your support came through the sessions you presented, or the prizes donated to the scholarship raffle, or being a Conference sponsor, we thank you most importantly for presenting material and technology that aide and assist us as we teach the social studies curriculum to our students each day. To view the complete list of exhibitors for the 2015 Social Studies Conference, visit the council’s web site at www.ncsocialstudies.org.
NCCSS NEEDS YOU Your Council operates as a professional organization focused on improving the status and teaching of social studies. The NCCSS Board of Directors solicits your active involvement as a member of one of the Council committees. There are two kinds of committees: Conference Committees and Council Standing Committees. Both need energetic, responsible members. Standing Committees Honors and Awards – Solicits and screens nominees for elementary, middle, and secondary Social Studies Teachers of the Year; identifies retiring social studies educators for recognition; suggests nominees for special Council awards. Conducts the Outstanding Social Studies Student Award and the Great Influence Award programs. Scholarship and Grants – Solicits and screens nominees for the Teacher Grant program and the Social Studies Student Teacher Scholarship program. Elections – Solicits and screens nominees for NCCSS officer and board of director positions; secures candidate biographies; prepares biographies and ballot materials; oversees elections. Advocacy – Coordinates the advocacy efforts at the NCCSS Conference. Researches current trends in social studies education. Provides recommendations and input to various stakeholders at the national, state, and local levels in regard to keeping social studies in the forefront of the educational agenda. Communications – Oversees the NCCSS website; maintains Constant Contact communication with NCCSS members, and reviews and updates the NCCSS Facebook and Twitter accounts Conference Committees Program Planning – Solicits session proposals for the Annual Conference, assists in screening program proposals and finalizing the Conference program; monitors program sessions during the Conference. Vendors – Solicits vendor applications; screens applications; sets up exhibit area; assists vendors during exhibit hours; monitors exhibit hall. Registration – Assists during the Conference at the pre-­‐registration and registration desks. Raffle – Secures raffle prizes; conducts raffle during Conference. Promotion – Handles publicity about the Annual Conference. NCCSS Membership Table -­‐ Staffs membership table during the Conference; secures volunteers for NCCSS committee service and other activities; conducts membership brokering with National Council for the Social Studies; gathers information from Conference participants to assist the NCCSS board in planning programs needed/desired by the membership. 4 NCCSS Committee Request Form Name:_______________________, Address:__________________, City:____________, State:____, Zip:_______ School System:_______________________ Email Address: ____________________________________ Telephone: (___) -­‐ ___ -­‐ _______________ (Home) Grade Level: _K-­‐5; _6-­‐8; _9-­‐12; _ 13+ Standing Committees Annual Conference Committees ______ Honors and Awards _____ Elections _____ Program Planning _____ Vendors ______ Scholarships and Grants _____ Advocacy _____ Registration _____ Raffle ______ Communication _____ Membership Table _____ Promotion If you are willing to serve on one of the committees, please indicate your preference, ranking no more than three th
committees in each category with #1 being your first preference. Please send the form to Ellie Wilson, 945 25 Ave Drive NW, Hickory, NC, 28601, elliewilson.nccss@gmail.com
PROJECT GREAT INFLUENCE AWARD DON'T LET THAT SPECIAL PERSON GO UNRECOGNIZED Members of the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies are excited about a project to raise money for the scholarship fund. It is a very meaningful way of expressing a level of appreciation for people who have influenced our lives. This award program gives teachers, students, and others the opportunity to recognize those who have had a positive impact on their personal or professional lives. The special certificate that the honoree receives will always serve to remind them that they influenced your life in a very positive way. Both the name of the nominator and that of the honoree are recorded in a permanent register with the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies. In addition, the register is displayed at the annual State Conference each year. HOW TO NOMINATE Complete and mail the form below, enclosing $10.00 for each person nominated (you may nominate more than one person on this form and use a separate sheet of paper for additional nominations) to: Great Influence Award, NCCSS Michelle McLaughlin, 1224 North Forest Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28302 Make checks payable to Great Influence Award, NCCSS _____________________________________________________________________ GREAT INFLUENCE AWARD APPLICATION PERSON TO BE HONORED: Name: _________________________ Address: _______________________ City: ___________________________ State: ______ Zip Code: _________ (Please Print Clearly) NOMINATOR INFORMATION Your Name: ____________________ Address: _______________________ City: __________________________ State: ______ & Zip Code: ________ Phone Number: ________________ Email: _________________
5 Plan now to attend the 95th National Council for the Social Studies
Annual Conference, November 13-15, 2015. The conference theme
is “Celebrate Social Responsibility.”
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
900 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana
For more information, visit http://www.socialstudies.org/conference
CHAMPS Kids
Children Against
Mines Program
NCCSS is participating in a service-learning campaign
with North Carolina schools to raise $20,000 for a mine
detecting dog. The money raised will pay for the purchase
and training of a dog that will be deployed in areas of the
world where landmines are a hazard to adults and children.
Each year thousands of children are maimed or killed by
landmines left in the wake of war. A mine detecting dog can
save thousands of lives in the region it is deployed. The
CHAMPS Kids program is part of the Marshall Legacy
Institute. That organization will facilitate collecting donations
and the purchase and deployment of the dog. How can
yours school participate in this service-learning project?
For project details, visit the CHAMPS Kids website at
http://www.champskids.org/. Links on the website can lead
you to more information on the Marshall Legacy Institute.
Raise money and donate to support the North Carolina
campaign. The CHAMPS Kids website has a link to the
North
Carolina
campaign.
The
direct
link
is:
http://www.champskids.org/get_involved/campaigns_usa/NC
/northCarolina.html.
Need more information? Contact Janet McElfresh to find
out how her middle school in Gates County is participating.
Her email is janet_mcelfresh@yahoo.com. Help North
Carolina sponsor a dog and help the children of the world.
6 College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State
Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics,
Geography, and History
http://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/c3/C3-­‐Framework-­‐for-­‐Social-­‐
Studies.pdf The result of a three year state-led collaborative effort, the
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State
Standards was developed to serve two audiences: for states to upgrade
their state social studies standards and for practitioners — local school
districts, schools, teachers and curriculum writers — to strengthen their
social studies programs. Its objectives are to: a) enhance the rigor of the
social studies disciplines; b) build critical thinking, problem solving, and
participatory skills to become engaged citizens; and c) align academic
programs to the Common Core State Standards for English Language
Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies.
What are the guiding principles of the C3?
The C3 is driven by the following shared principles about high quality social studies education:
•
•
•
•
•
Social studies prepares the nation’s young people for college, careers, and civic life.
Inquiry is at the heart of social studies.
Social studies involves interdisciplinary applications and welcomes integration of the arts
and humanities.
Social studies is composed of deep and enduring understandings, concepts, and skills from
the disciplines. Social studies emphasizes skills and practices as preparation for
democratic decision-making.
Social studies education should have direct and explicit connections to the Common Core
State Standards for English Language Arts.
Want to know more about the C3 Framework? Visit this website and download your
free pdf copy of the C3 Framework. http://www.socialstudies.org/c3/c3framework
Plan Now
46 Annual State Social Studies Conference
February 25-26, 2016
Koury Convention Center - Sheraton Four Seasons at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
Keynote Speakers
Breakout Sessions
Exhibits
Luncheon
Continental Breakfast
th
Information Available June 1, 2015 at ncsocialstudies.org
7 Buncombe County Slave Deed Project
Dr. Trey Adcock, Assistant Professor and 9-12 Social Studies Program Coordinator, Department of
Education at UNC Asheville
Eric Grant, 6-12 Social Studies and Language Arts Curriculum Specialist for Buncombe County
Schools.
Introduction
Over the past couple of years,
community members, historians, educators and
students have been engaged in a project to
digitize and transcribe slave deeds in Buncombe
Co. This project has been supported by a
service-learning grant and engages students in
the “doing of history” while at the same time
preserving valuable community artifacts related
to the institution of slavery in Buncombe Co. As
a result new pathways and understandings about
slavery in Western North Carolina are
emerging.
The featured lesson plan has been used
at the 6-12 and preservice education levels to
engage students in the process of working with
primary materials from the past, in particular
the transcribing of slave deeds. This project was
recently featured in Teaching Tolerance
(http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number49-spring-2015/feature/doing-historybuncombe-county). This project is rooted in
local history and engages students in the
foundations of historical thinking.
Activity Title
Engaging the complexity of the past through
local history: Buncombe Co. Slave Deed Project
Grade Level
Focused on 8th but can be applied to 6-12
Necessary Materials
Buncombe County Register of Deeds website:
(Slave Deed Repository)
http://www.buncombecounty.org/Governing/De
pts/RegisterDeeds/Genealogy_SlaveDeeds.aspx
Forever Free (YouTube Video describing the
project)
https://youtu.be/lHx-fraJlns
Copy of Aaron Douglas’, Into to Bondage:
http://visualartshowardcounty.weebly.com/uplo
ads/7/0/6/0/7060133/aaron_douglas.pdf
National Archives Image/Photo Analysis Sheet:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/wor
ksheets/photo_analysis_worksheet.pdf
Google Docs: Used to record and preserve
transcribed deeds.
Critical thinking map, graphic organizer,
magnifying glasses, sticky notes, pens/pencils,
LCD projector, internet access, and dry erase
markers.
Objectives:
NCSSES
8.H.1: Apply historical thinking to understand
the creation and development of North Carolina
and the United States
• 8.H.1.2: Use primary and secondary
sources to interpret various historical
perspectives.
• 8.H.1.4: Use historical inquiry to
evaluate the validity of sources used to
construct historical narratives (e.g.
formulate historical questions, gather
data from a variety of sources, evaluate
and interpret data and support
interpretations
with
historical
evidence).
AH1.H.1: Apply the four interconnected
dimensions of historical thinking to the
American History Essential Standards in order
to understand the creation and development of
the United States over time.
AH1.H.1.3: Use Historical Analysis and
Interpretation to:
• Identify issues and problems in the past.
• Consider multiple perspectives of
various peoples in the past.
• Evaluate competing historical narratives
and debates among historians.
• Evaluate the influence of the past on
contemporary issues.
8 CCSS Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of the source distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions.
Outline of Directions for Implementation
Pre-Instruction:
What strategies will I use to engage
students in critical thinking in order to connect
to or provide prior knowledge? (Anticipation
guide, circle map, KWL, etc.)
Have all materials printed out prior to
lesson. Have copies of slave deeds available for
analysis.
Instruction
During Instruction:
Questions for Teacher to Consider: What
strategies will I use to engage students in
critical thinking as they read/watch/listen to the
content material? How will they “hold” their
thinking?
(Thinking
Map,
note-taking
organizer, etc.)
1. View Painting: Project Into Bondage,
by Aaron Douglass using LCD
projector
• Students will record key details
using the National Archives Image
Analysis Sheet
• Compare list with peers in groups
of 3-4
• Individually, In 5 – 8 sentences incorporating key details, respond
to the following prompt:
• Imagine you were an historian and
had just discovered this painting;
analyze the meaning of this artifact
based on the details you extracted.
• Share and discuss
2. Present Original Artifact of Slave Deed
• In pairs, using magnifying glasses,
extract as many key details as you
can discern from the slave deed;
record any pertinent information on
graphic organizer.
o Compare details with 2
other pairs of students.
Discussion Questions:
o How
many
different
perspectives are embedded
into the deeds?
o What key details emerged
in the deeds?
o How does reading the
deeds
affect
you
personally?
o How might further analysis
of these documents affect
our community?
o How might further analysis
of these documents affect
our community’s and our
nation’s understanding of
slavery?
• Individually, in 5 – 8 sentences incorporating key details, respond
to the following prompt: You now
are an historian and this is a
previously unanalyzed document;
analyze the meaning of the deeds
based on the details you extracted
and on the work of your peers.
Also, explain possible implications
of further analysis of these
documents.
3. Students will be assigned an individual
slave deed to work on. Each student
will transcribe the deed to the best of
their ability and be prepared to present
an overview of their work. Students will
record their transcription in Google
Docs.
•
Post-Instruction:
Questions for Teacher to Consider: What
strategies will I use to engage students in
critical thinking as they process their content
material? (Turn & talk, demonstration, return to
circle map or anticipation guide, exit slip, etc.)
• Reflection Questions on Padlet.Com:
o How has this lesson impacted your
understanding of the implications of
primary documents?
o How has this activity impacted your
understanding of slavery as an
institution?
9 o
What did you personally connect
with while attempting to transcribe
the deeds?
Performance Task:
• What will I ask students to do to apply
their new learning? (Project, lab,
practice problems, etc.)
o
o
Students will participate in
transcribing their slave deeds
for future classroom use.
Students will document their
findings on a meta-data
spreadsheet
used
for
genealogical and census data
Using Short Stories to Promote Primary Source Analysis in Elementary and Middle School Laurin Paige Garza Instructional Coach, Brunswick County Schools Teaching primary source documents in elementary and middle school can be tough. Generally speaking, primary source readings are complex, lengthy, and archaic. There are many strategies for tackling primary sources in a classroom. Chunking the documents into smaller passages and annotating are two strategies I see modeled the most by social studies educators. While these strategies are helpful in narrowing the components of a document, they still do not frame the historical relevance of a primary source. This is, after all, the entire point! Ensuring that students understand the impact and influence of a document is essential to taking them to the next level of application and analysis. Once students can establish that context, they can begin to interpret various historical perspectives, predict future outcomes, and generate authentic interpretations of history. They can think like historians. Let me give you an example: As a student, if I understand the impact and influence of the Treaty of Versailles, I can then begin to predict how the failure of the treaty will lead to German resentment and future conflict. As an elementary or middle school student, I am not going to reach those understandings just by reading the treaty. The Treaty of Versailles is lengthy and full of new and complicated language; fully comprehending it requires a substantially sound historical knowledge, skills that many undergraduates have yet to develop. As an educator, you will more than likely choose key components of the treaty to study, provide graphic organizers, read parts of the document aloud, etc. You will use many solid strategies and materials to introduce this document and help students tackle its difficult nature. But how can you make the primary source immediately relevant and engaging before introducing it? How can students understand the document at its core before getting started? Using a short story as an introductory component of teaching the impact and influence of a primary source can enhance a student’s understanding and ability to think critically about historical documents. Elementary and middle school students must understand the relevance of a document to have ownership in its analysis. Creating short stories is an excellent strategy in building relevance. Let’s use the Treaty of Versailles to demonstrate how to get started. 1. First establish the core elements in the primary source document in which you wish to focus. Here are the core elements of the Treaty of Versailles: a) The League of Nations is organized and nations are intentionally excluded. b) Germany loses territories seized 10 during the war. c) Military restrictions are placed on Germany. d) Germany is expected to pay reparations for damages caused during the war. e) War guilt is placed on Germany. 2. Second, create a story line that mimics the context of your source but is relevant to your students. My story line is about two students in a conflict at school and resolutions at the end of the conflict. 3. Third, write your short story…it’s okay, you do not have to be super creative to do this. The purpose of the story is to establish relevance to a primary source document, not to win a Pulitzer. *There are so many opportunities to create short story counterparts of a primary source document. For example, create a break up letter to parallel the Declaration of Independence or a classroom goals and expectations list that mimics aspects of the Mayflower Compact. The sky’s the limit! Short Story Example: Negotiations of Another Kind: a short story for introducing the Treaty of Versailles – By Paige Garza Philippe and I have just been in a fistfight during lunch. My teacher broke up the fight and is now walking me to the front office. I think to myself as I am walking, I know that I just lost that fight, but I am glad that I get to tell Principal Brown my side of the story. When arriving, Mrs. Brown asks me to sit in the front office lobby while she speaks to Philippe in private. I just know that he is telling Mrs. Brown that I started the fight. Oh, all the lies he must be telling! As time passes I realize that I have been sitting in the lobby for over an hour. What could they be talking about for so long? Suddenly the heavy wooden door to Mrs. Brown’s office opens exposing laughter between the two of them. Why does she look happy? Doesn’t she know that Philippe just got in a fight? Mrs. Brown gives me a stern look and says in a serious tone, “Please come into my office and speak with Philippe and me”. I sit down, confused. Why don’t I get to speak to the principal alone? Mrs. Brown and Philippe, together, hand me a large bright piece of paper that is entitled Your List of Punishments. It is quite clear that you started the fight and are completely to blame,” Mrs. Brown says to me. “Philippe and I believe that you should be punished for your actions.” I look down at the list. I can feel my blood boiling and my fists beginning to clinch as I read: List of Punishment’s by Mrs. Brown and Philippe
1.
2.
You will pay Philippe $20.00 every week
until the end of the school year.
You will share half of your locker and desk
space with Philippe until the end of the school
year.
3. A new club will be started here at school that
promotes making friends, but you cannot join.
4. You are not allowed to have more than 3 friends
at one time. (Just in case you want to fight
Philippe with a group of friends!)
5.
You will write Philippe a letter apologizing for
being solely responsible for starting the fight.
What’s next? Now that you have your short story, introduce it prior to tackling your primary source document. Discuss the story line, evaluate the controversial components, and predict what impact this document will have on future events. When you are ready, introduce the elements of the primary source document you want to use, and help students make 11 connections between the document and the short story. You will then repeat the process: Discuss the story line, evaluate the controversial components, and predict what impact this document will have on future events. What is a practical way to use this short story example? There are so many opportunities you can create to use the short story to set the stage for primary source analysis. Here is just one possibility: Once students have analyzed the short story, pass out the Treaty of Versailles (or something abbreviated – I search for the important articles from the treaty online and specifically pull those). Explain to your students that there are similarities between the list of punishments in the short story and articles from the Treaty of Versailles. Provide them with categories to search for in the articles. • Rule 1 is parallel to the reparations Germany was expected to pay after the war. Students will go through the selected articles and pull those that have to do with money. • Rule 2 is parallel to territorial losses after the war such as the Alsace-­‐
Lorraine territory recovered from Germany. Have your students go through the articles and pull any that deal with land recovery or redistribution. • Rule 3 is parallel to the creation of the League of Nations. Have students look for and pull articles that mention the League of Nations or nations being excluded from diplomatic opportunities. • Rule 4 is parallel to the demilitarization of Germany. Students will look for articles that limit Germany’s ability to enhance its military or technology. • Rule 5 is parallel to the war guilt placed on Germany by the treaty. Students will find articles that place sole responsibility for the war on Germany. Once students have analyzed the document with the support of the short story, you can then move into critical thinking opportunities. Your students can begin to predict global repercussions of the treaty, determine how opposing parties would view the document differently, and analyze the treaty’s ability to ensure global peace. What will happen as a result? Your students will have confidence while tackling their primary source because you have provided them with relevance and context. You have given them a foundation for comparison that they did not have before. While advanced sentence structure and vocabulary will still be difficult, it will not be consuming. You will make learning fun and they will remember your stories. Your students may even move into a place in which they are ready to create their own short stories. We can create opportunities for student interaction with primary sources in elementary and middle school without students feeling overwhelmed with decoding the language of a historical document. Don’t be afraid to expose students to complex primary sources. As long as students are presented with creative and relevant strategies, like short stories, they will be engaged and confident in analyzing documents that once seemed unapproachable. 12 Differentiation and Honors Level Courses Michelle McLaughlin NCDPI Have you ever heard someone say that
gifted, advanced, or honors level instruction is
instruction that is good for all students? One of
the most respected experts in education Dr.
Carol Ann Tomlinson, based on her years of
research, states that this is an erroneous
statement that often stems from observing
classrooms where gifted or advanced learners
are taught inappropriately (Tomlinson, 1997).
The same instructional practices, methodologies
and curriculum are not good for all students.
One size does not fit all. Curriculum and
instruction must be designed and implemented
based on the learning needs of students at an
appropriate academic level. Curriculum and
instructional decisions for honors level courses
must be made based on the needs of advanced
learners. While there is no one single practice or
methodology for creating authentic honors
courses differentiated for advanced learners
there is agreement that differentiation between
honors and standard level courses as well as
appropriate differentiation within courses is a
key component to student growth and academic
success.
The major premise for developing and
offering honors level courses in North
Carolina’s high schools is to make it possible
for academically advanced and high achieving
students to have opportunities to increase the
challenge of their studies. An Honors level
course is more rigorous than a standard level
course and its curriculum allows the content of
the course to be studied in greater depth with
more complex analysis. Honors courses often
move at an accelerated pace and have a higher
"degree of difficulty" than a course offered at a
standard level. Advanced learners prefer and
benefit from instruction that includes a faster
pace of learning, greater independence in study
and thought, and increased complexity and
depth in the content being studied (Anne
Arundel County Public Schools). The honors
teacher’s challenge is to prepare an appropriate
classroom curriculum which will correspond to
the needs of advanced learners while at the
same time ensuring that curriculum is not just
the standard level course paced faster with
longer assignments and double the work. A key
ingredient to achieving this is in being
deliberate in how the honors level course is
differentiated from the standard level and in
how you differentiate while teaching the course.
A differentiated classroom is one in
which a teacher provides a variety of avenues to
content (what is taught), process (activities
through which students come to understand
what is taught), and products (how a student
shows and extends what he or she has learned)
in response to the readiness levels, interests, and
learning profiles of the full range of academic
diversity in the class (Tomlinson, 1995a).
For gifted and advanced learners, an
appropriately differentiated classroom is one
which provides material, activities, projects or
products, homework, and assessments that are
complex enough, abstract enough, open-ended
enough, and multifaceted enough to cause gifted
students to stretch in knowledge, thinking, and
production.
These
classrooms
provide
consistent expectations for gifted students to
work with challenging problems, make great
mental leaps, and grow in ability to exercise
independence (Tomlinson, in press).
In preparing curriculum for honors level
social studies courses teachers are expected to
design courses that extend beyond the standard
level. The achievement of this may be done by
several means.
Each of these means
deliberately entailing exactly how they help
differentiate the honors course at a more
rigorous, deeper academic level. Although the
criteria bulleted below are not exclusive to the
development of social studies honors level
courses in North Carolina they are three primary
means of beginning to ensure that the
curriculum and content distinguishes itself from
that seen in the standard level.
• Providing a more in-depth study of
topics that may already be addressed in
the standard level course
• Adding advanced topics which would
13 •
not generally be taught in the standard
level course
Adding additional essential standards
and/or clarifying objectives
The first and most essential attribute that
must be provided in developing an honors
course is that of extension beyond the basic
minimum standards of the standard course of
study.
The critical skill involved in this
development is that of differentiating the
curriculum of the honors course from the
standard level course so that it illustrates a high
level of increased rigor, greater complexity of
tasks and assignments, increased independence
and responsibility for individual learning, and a
deeper study of the content.
In the classroom (learning environment),
there are always a variety of learning needs.
Students differ in their learning styles, the
knowledge and understandings they bring into
the learning environment, their levels of
readiness, and their needs and interests.
Unfortunately the advanced or gifted learner
tends to be overlooked for several reasons, such
as beliefs that these students are smart so they
will “get it” on their own or advanced learners
are good at everything and every subject so no
matter what the curriculum entails, they will be
able to do it with little to no teacher input or
support. Differentiating classroom instruction
is a key practice in planning for student success
because it allows the teacher to address the
needs of all students in the learning
environment. Effective differentiation directly
supports the learning needs of advanced
students through activities that simulate real
world problems, address multiple perspectives,
and result in the development and presentation
of a variety of authentic performances and
products. When planning to differentiate the
curriculum and content of a honors course
teachers should take into consideration the
following: (Kelly)
• Pace
• Delivery (of the content)
• Product
• Process (Add Depth and Breadth)
In the standard level social studies course
students receive more guided reading
instruction while the honors social studies
course would expect students to handle more
complex texts, study a document or text in
greater depth, and/or perform more independent
tasks and assignments. For example, students
would be expected to read complex assignments
based on primary source documents that are
extremely complex and advanced in reading
levels. Where such documents and books might
be used in a standard course, if a teacher wanted
to increase rigor, in the honors course the
student would be expected to read these types of
things on their own and be prepared to discuss
in class, use them to perform assignments, use
them as research for in class arguments and
seminars, etc. The idea is that the advanced
student will be expected to take responsibility
for reading complex documents and books on
their own and not be guided or provided any
type of reading outline or study guide. The
advanced learner will also be expected to not
need the teacher to go through the documents or
books to explain them page by page, chapter by
chapter, and caption by caption. Honors level
students should be able to analyze and evaluate
these things independently or in PLCs (or in
their case SLCs – student learning
communities) and be prepared to engage in
classroom discussions, seminars, etc.
A leading expert in differentiation, Carol
Tomlinson highlights several characteristics
which shape teaching and learning in an
effective differentiated classroom. One of those
is not only critical to the discussion on
differentiation but it also supports the
conceptual framework of the North Carolina
Standard Courses of Study for Social Studies.
That characteristic states the following:
Instruction is concept focused and principle
driven - All students have the opportunity to
explore and apply the key concepts of the
subject being studied. All students come to
understand the key principles on which the
study is based. Such instruction enables
struggling learners to grasp and use powerful
ideas and, at the same time, encourages
advanced learners to expand their understanding
and application of the key concepts and
principles.
Such
instruction
stresses
understanding or sense-making rather than
retention and regurgitation of fragmented bits of
14 information. Concept-based and principlestudents’ different levels of readiness (Kilgore).
driven instruction invites teachers to provide
Simply stated, if we do not differentiate social
varied learning options. A "coverage-based"
studies honors level courses so that they extend
curriculum may cause a teacher to feel
beyond the standard level course of study, true
compelled to see that all students do the same
rigor, complexity, depth, and advanced levels of
work. In the former, all students have the
learning will not be achieved. Educational
opportunity to explore meaningful ideas through
research affirms that differentiating instruction
a variety of avenues and approaches
within the classroom and learning environments
(Tomlinson, 1995a).
is core to successful student achievement and
Rigor eludes gifted and advanced learning
closing student academic achievement gaps at
differentiation when educators fail to respond
all levels, honors included.
with different levels of instruction to address
References
Differentiating Instruction for Advanced Learning in the Regular Classroom. (2000). Retrieved April 1,
2015, from http://researchhighachievers.wicomico.wikispaces.net/file/view/AACPS
Differentiated.pdf
Kelly, D. (2011, September 1). Differentiating Instruction for Gifted Learners: A Resource for
Classroom Teachers. Retrieved April 1, 2015, from
http://teacherpress.ocps.net/deirdrekelly/files/2012/08/Differentiating-for-Gifted-Learners.pdf
Kingore, B. (2011). Differentiating Instruction To Promote Rigor and Engagement For Advanced and
Gifted Students. Retrieved April 1, 2015, from http://www.bertiekingore.com/rigor.htm
Moon, T., Tomlinson, C., & Callahan, C. (in press). Academic Diversity in Middle School: A
National Survey. Storrs, CT: University of Connecticut, National Research Center on the
Gifted and Talented. Tomlinson, C. (1995a). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Tomlinson, C. (1997). What it Means to Teach Gifted Learners Well. Instructional Leader.
New Nation Newspaper Project
Janice Sutton, Harnett County Schools
I am always searching for ideas for
lessons, projects, and other activities. I found
this project last semester (I think it was shared
on Edmodo in the Social Studies Community,
but to be honest I don’t remember actually
where I found it.) I really liked this project and
decided to use it this year with my Honors
American History I class. They really loved the
project and I loved the creative and historical
outcome. Please feel free to adopt and adapt this
as needed because that is what I did. Please
understand that I enjoy sharing and receiving
ideas that can help us teachers in the classroom.
If you have a great lesson that you and/or your
students have enjoyed, please share it with us so
that we can publish it in the next edition of the
Tar Heel News.
New Nation Newspaper
Create a newspaper with articles based on actual
events and information about life during
colonial times until the end of the Revolutionary
War.
! Your end result should resemble an
actual newspaper!!
! Your readers will be colonists, patriots,
loyalists, farmers, indentured servants,
etc. Independent academic research is
expected and should focus on: key
events and viewpoints of different
groups during colonial times.
! Your newspaper must include a title, a
date (relevant to the time period), an
editor (which would be you), an index
(i.e. weather- p. 2), and a bibliography
! You must include a minimum of 8
articles in your newspaper. Be sure to
15 include a title for each article. Each
article should be about 2 paragraphs (57 sentences each)
The following subjects must be covered:
! Colonial life- choose Northern, Middle,
or Southern colonies and describe their
culture, lifestyle, and how they made
money. What things were crucial to
their lifestyle that differs from other
colonists?
! Two articles on what led to the
American Revolution-- You may
choose to describe acts, events, groups
that formed, rebellions, etc.
! Coverage of two battles from the
Revolution—acceptable battles include
Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill,
Saratoga and Yorktown just to name a
few. Go outside the box and above and
beyond the basic notes.
! A review of an important document—
acceptable choices include the Common
Sense,
The
Declaration
of
Independence,
the
Articles
of
Confederation, Constitution, etc. This
may be written as an editorial with
opinion still based on facts.
! A debate of Federalists and AntiFederalists- What should the new
government include or look like.
! Discussion of an Enlightenment
thinker’s influence on American
Government OR news report from
Constitutional Convention.
Other items that must be included:
" 3 advertisements: these can attract
people to a certain colony, or to support
a viewpoint, or for the sale of colonial
items (i.e. slaves, land)
" 3 pictures- (only one can be handdrawn) and all should have captions –
no they don’t have to be in color
because they did not have colored
printing presses at the time.
" 1 ORIGINAL political cartoon (handdrawn) that relates to this time period. I
have probably viewed all published
ones from this time, I WILL KNOW IF
YOURS IS NOT ORIGINAL!!
" Extra Credit: extra pictures, recipes,
weather
forecast,
extra
articles,
obituaries, proof of in-depth research.
(All other sections must be completed
to earn the maximum 20 points here)
Other Keys to Remember
" Do not copy directly from any
source—use your OWN WORDS and
be creative!!! No pencil written
articles. Again all articles must be two
5-7 sentence paragraphs. Plagiarism
results in an automatic zero!
" Please use creative language and
remember you are a newspaper reporter
from the colonial time period!!! Use
complete sentences.
Spelling and
grammar mistakes will result in point
deductions.
" Remember the basic elements of a
newspaper—photographs,
advertisements, comics, obituaries,
classified ads, and news stories. All
information must relate to this time
period. Extra points will be awarded
for those who go above and beyond!
" Must include a properly formatted
MLA bibliography of all sources used.
" When time permits I will give you class
time; however, most work should be
done outside of class. NO LATE
PROJECTS WILL BE ACCPETED.
This project is due ____________. NO
exceptions will be made!!!
16 New Nation Newspaper Rubric
Student Name: ______________________
Articles:
These will be graded on content & accuracy
(8 pts) spelling & grammar will count.
Colonial Life: ________
American Revolution (1): ________
American Revolution (2): ________
Battle (1): ________
Battle (2): ________
Document Review: _________
Debate: ________
Choice: ________
Pictures (2 pts each)
1: ________
2: ________
3: ________
Other Elements:
These will be graded on completion and
originality
Advertisements (2 pts each)
1: ________
2: ________
3: ________
Extra Credit: (20 points max)
______________
Political Cartoon (10 pts): ________
Bibliography (10 pts): ________
Overall Organization and Attractiveness
(4 pts): _________
Total Grade: ________
WRITING ARTICLES
FOR THE TAR HEEL NEWS Most of us have found the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies to be stimulating, exciting and fun. NCCSS plans to keep in touch with its members through the TAR HEEL NEWS and would like to include announcements and content and skill ideas and activities. If you would like to share one of your teaching ideas or activities, please use the following format to describe them. 1) Activity Title 2) Grade Level 3) Objectives 4) Necessary Materials 5) Outline of Directions for Implementation 6) Include Appropriate Pictures, Charts, Graphs, or Other Visuals Necessary for the Activity 7) Any Assessment Methods for the Activity 8) Listing of Possible Follow-­‐Up Activities 9) Your Name, School, and LEA Please mail your activity ideas to: Virginia S. Wilson Co-­‐Editor, Tar Heel News NCSSM, P.O. Box 2418, Durham, NC 27715 Or by email to wilson@ncssm.edu 17 NORTH CAROLINA COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Ellie Wilson, President
Laura Hunter, President Elect
Janice Sutton, Recording Secretary
John Spicer, Treasurer
Becky Griffith, Past President
ELECTED DIRECTORS
Michelle McLaughlin (16) Andy Mink (16) Samantha Shires (16)
Paul Bonnici (17) Paul Fitchett (17) Andrew Kraft (17)
Tom Daughtery (18) Steve Evans (18) Laurin Paige Garza (18)
APPOINTED DIRECTORS
Faye Gore, NCDPI
Maurice Bush, Vendors/ Exhibits
Janet McElfresh, Raffle
Virginia Wilson and James Litle, Editors, Tar Heel News 18