Thursday, November 15, 2007

Curriculum Unit

Social Studies Methods Curricular Unit
November 19, 2007

Preparing for May Madness
AP American History
Grade 11
10 lessons in 50 minute classes
Personal Stake in Unit

I have now served as a judge in Cosby Hunt’s May Madness class for two years. (To learn more about May Madness you can read an article Cosby wrote for the magazine Social Education in September 2004. The citation is Hunt, Isaac Cosby. “May Madness! A Classroom Competition Merges Historical Research with Public Debate”. Social Education, Volume 70, Number 5 (September 2006). p. 304-311) I have seen many excellent debaters who worked to prove who had the most influence in history but have yet to see student show high quality skills in research. In addition though the lesson asks that students use primary sources I have seen few if any students use them. I have asked Cosby if I can come in and introduce the students to online resources and he has expressed interest. This is how I would get the students involved if I could actually have 10 class periods to help the students prepare for May Madness.

Enduring Understanding

Understanding the purpose and importance of doing research and performing other preparation tasks for a debate.
Understanding that successful research and preparation provides the foundation for success when participating in debates.
Understand the procedures used in the debate and how to be successful when participating in the debate.

After completing this unit students will:

Be able to define, locate and analyze primary sources.
Know what archives are and the procedures to follow when using archival resources.
Know the difference between primary and secondary sources and why both are needed when doing research.
Be able to locate resources online and be able to analyze them for quality, accuracy and reliability.
Understand what a debate is, the rules for a debate and how to prepare effectively to participate in a debate.

Essential Questions:

Why must we do research to be effective in debates?
What are primary sources and how can researchers locate them?
What are secondary sources and why are they important in research?
How can researchers locate resources that are reliable?
What is a debate?
What are the rules of a debate?
What can one do to insure that they are successful in a debate?

DC Standards Used:

Historical Chronology and Interpretation

1. Students compare the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of past events and decisions and determining the lessons that were learned.
7. Students understand the meaning, implication, and impact of historical events and recognize that events could have taken other directions.

Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills: Historical Research, Evidence and Point of View

1. Students distinguish valid arguments from fallacious arguments in historical interpretations (e.g., appeal to false authority, unconfirmed citations,
ad hominem argument, appeal to popular opinion).
2. Students identify bias and prejudice in historical interpretations.
3. Students evaluate major debates among historians concerning alternative interpretations of the past, including an analysis of authors’ use of
evidence and the distinctions between sound generalizations and misleading oversimplifications.
4. Students construct and test hypotheses; collect, evaluate, and employ information from multiple primary and secondary sources; and apply it in oral and written presentations.

Assessment:
Prior to start of lessons students will be asked if they have done research before, what classes did they have to do research for, what product (paper, presentation, exhibit for example) did they have to produce to show the research they had done and how many students have participated in debates.
The teacher will have a rubric to show how the student did during the debate and how effectively they used the material during the debate.
Students will be asked to supply an annotated bibliography discussing the sources used, where the sources was located, how the source was used when preparing for the debate and why the source was important in the research process.
Students will be given a test using a primary source and will have to analyze it. The test will also include information on how to analyze resources used in research be it on or offline.
During each class students will be asked questions relating to the previous class to see if students have retained information or if review is required.

The sequence starts with the introduction of the debate and the requirements for the debate including the development of an annotated bibliography. Then it moves forward into discussions on how to locate primary and secondary sources then how to locate and evaluate web resources and then ends with a focus on the debate itself and how to prepare for the debate. The instructor will model research and debate activities by showing how s/he would do research and debate a person of interest.

The classes will be interactive with lots of time for discussion and for practicing what has been learned in class. Students will be able to practice what they have learned in their research, in homework assignments and eventually in the actual debate.

This class will allow students to use what they have learned about American history to put the person they are debating about in context of the time period where they lived and showing how this person shaped or changed the United States or pushed events in a different way. Students would be able to show how society was different because this person lived or what would have happened had they not lived. Students will need to do research when in college or in their professional lives. They should know the basics of doing research in an archives, in a library and online. In terms of the debate students need to learn how to defend their point of view in a calm, logical manner using information to back up their beliefs. The skills learned in this class will help them become more effective in representing their points of view and in speaking with and in front of others.

Students may work together to share ideas, support each other while doing research or by letting the teacher and their colleagues know of problems they may be having so that the group can brainstorm ideas and develop suggestions that will help create solutions or provide ideas for other avenues of research.

In terms of differentiation students will be given homework assignments to complete that the teacher can review to make sure students are on the right path. The teacher can also listen to class discussion and questions to see where there are problems and can work quickly to answer questions and help students get the information they need to complete the assignment. There will be opportunities for the teacher to assist the students with research and help them if they are having problem locating material on a specific person and possibly direct the students to librarians and researchers who may be able to assist them in locating material of interest.

Daily classes:

Day 1: What are primary sources?

Learning Objectives: To introduce students to May Madness debates and the preparatory work they will do to prepare to participate in the debates.
To introduce students to primary sources.

Student will be told about May Madness, asked to select a person they would like to debate about and told that they will also be given another person to debate based on my list of suggestions. They will be informed that debates will start two weeks from today and that they will need to do research to learn more about the people they need to debate. Student will learn that during the next class periods they will learn about debating and how to do research effectively.

Students will be asked about their experience with debates and with doing research. They will be asked if they have used primary sources in their research.

Students will be lead through the mindwalk presented at
<http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/psources/mindwalk.html>. When they complete the mind walk they will be given a definition of what a primary source is and what primary sources they may have in their homes. Students will be given the information presented at < http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/psources/types.html> as a handout.

Homework is to come up with a person they want to defend in May Madness

Day 2: Primary Source Analysis

Learning Objective: To teach students how to analyze primary sources.

Students will review what a primary source is. Then we will follow the exercises given at < http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/psources/analyze.html>. Students will discuss why primary sources are important parts of research. Students will then be given a KWL chart (see example at http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/doc_analysis/graphic_organizer.pdf) and an image to analyze (see example at < http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/i?pp/ils:@field(NUMBER+@band(cph+3a52034)):displayType=1:m856sd=cph:m856sf=3a52034>). If time permits students will also be asked to analyze a sound recording using the information provided at http://memory.loc.gov/learn/educators/workshop/primary/whathear.html. A sample recording can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzGd4Xg6YK4 with the lyrics found at
< http://www.mtv.com/thinkmtv/features/minority_report/>

For homework students will be given a KWL chart and another item found at http://memory.loc.gov/mss/magbell/253/25300201/0022.jpg and asked to fill out a KWL chart on that particular item.

Day 3

Learning Objectives: To introduce students to archives, explain what they are, what kinds of resources they hold and the procedures to be followed when using archival collections.
To prepare students for field trip to the DCPL Washingtoniana Division reading room.

Students will turn in and discuss homework item to show what they have learned about primary source analysis. Teacher will talk about the item and indicate it is from an archives. Students will be asked to say what an archives is. Use the information at <http://www.archives.gov/about/info/whats-an-archives.html> and at to help provide a definition and to help students learn about the different kinds of places where archival materials are help. Ask if material found in archives are considered primary sources?

Students will be asked if they have done research in libraries. They will be asked about the procedures they used when going to the library (using online catalog, going to shelves to look for books, being able to check out books and take them home). They will be asked if they have done research in archives. If not teacher will provide information about the differences between libraries and archives (good starting places are <http://www.kennesaw.edu/archives/archiveslibrary.shtml> and < http://www.newenglandarchivists.org/resources/about_archives/>). They will be told about the procedures one must use when using archives. Students will be informed of a field trip in the next class where they will visit the Washingtoniana Division at the DC Public Library and meet the archivist there.

Students will be given an assignment to complete while at Washingtoniana (will work with staff there to make sure students have access to resources and will be able to complete the assignment with a minimum of discomfort to the staff). Students will also be given the names of the people to research for May Madness.

Day 4

Learning Objective: To allow students to use what they have learned about using archives during a tour at an actual archives.

Students will travel to DCPL’s Washingtoniana Division. They will have a tour of the archives and meet with the archivist. They will have the opportunity to work with archival collections.

If possible students will also be given a tour of the MLK Library and information about using other resources at DCPL.

Day 5

Learning Objectives: To examine problems with primary sources including the issue of bias.
To introduce students to secondary sources and provide information on the importance and use of secondary sources.
To remind students how to use the library to locate secondary sources.

Teacher will debrief visit to archives and review assignment completed during visit to archival repository.
Teacher will review information about primary sources and discuss the positives and negatives of using primary sources. Students will discuss the issue of bias and point of view in primary sources and asked how to deal with the issue of bias in primary sources. Teacher will suggest the use of secondary sources in research. Students will be asked to define secondary sources (see definition at < http://memory.loc.gov/learn/start/prim_sources.html> and at ) and asked to provide a list of items that are considered secondary sources. Students will be asked if some of the items they listed could be primary sources (such as a person’s autobiography or a newspaper article written at the time of an event). Students will be asked how they can find secondary sources. Will bring school librarian in to discuss how to use the library and to supplement what they heard during tour of DCPL resources outside of Washingtoniana. Students will be told that they must do an annotated bibliography of resources they use for May Madness and that it must include at least two primary and 10 secondary sources.

Homework will be to start doing research on their May Madness person and to bring in an annotated list of three resources they found. Extra Credit will be given to students who take a tour of the Public Vaults exhibit at the National Archives and Records Administration <http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/visit/public_vaults.html> noting some of the archival materials they saw and their impression of the exhibit.

Day 6

Learning Objective: To introduce students to online resources they can use for research and to locate primary sources and secondary sources.

Teacher will collect annotated bibliographies and extra credit assignment. Students will be asked about their research activities and about any questions they have about the research process. Students will then learn about web resources they can use to locate primary sources. This will be more of a tour of websites from places including the Library of Congress (including the list of primary source links and links to other resources), National Archives, Smithsonian, National History Day, Federal Resources for Educational Excellence, History Matters, and Gilder-Lehman. Students will discuss the resources they can use to look for other websites and what to look for when first visiting a website and how to get comfortable searching a website. Students will be given a list of web resources to use. If possible this class would be done in the computer lab with time given at the end for students to do research using these sites.

Homework is to continue research and to visit one of the websites shown in class and locate a resource they might use in their research.

Handout

List of Web Resources Discussed in Class

Library of Congress <http://www.loc.gov/index.html>
National Archives and Records Administration <http://www.archives.gov/>
Smithsonian Institute <http://www.si.edu/>
National History Day <http://www.nhd.org/ResearchSources.htm>
Federal Resources for Educational Excellence <http://www.free.ed.gov/>
History Matters <http://historymatters.gmu.edu/>
Gilder-Lehman http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/index.html
Avalon Project <http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/statech.htm>
Public Broadcasting System <http://www.pbs.org/>
American Experience <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/>
Our Documents <http://www.ourdocuments.gov/>
Commonplace <http://www.common-place.org/>
Harpweek <http://www.harpweek.com/>
Women Working 1830-1900 <http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/ww/>
American Studies Project at the University of Virginia <http://xroads.virginia.edu/>
New York Times Learning Network Student Connections <http://www.nytimes.com/learning/students/index.html>
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame <http://www.rockhall.com/>
Time Person of the Year Archives <http://www.time.com/time/personoftheyear/archive/stories/>
Biography from Infoplease <http://www.infoplease.com/people.html>
Biography <http://www.biography.com/>
Historic Figures <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/>


Day 7
Learning Objective: To teach students how to analyze material found in the web and how to review a website to determine if the website has reliable, high quality information.

Students will be given an opportunity to ask questions about their research up to this point and about the previous class and the web resources. They will be asked if they have used the web to do research before and what they have learned about using the web for research. They will be asked if they know the difference between Google, Yahoo, Ask.com, and Dogpile and how they handle searching. Students will learn about how these search engines handle searches. They will also be shown Kartoo another kind of search engine. They will then be given the Left Handed Whopper press release from Burger King < http://www.bk.com/companyinfo/newsreleases.aspx?target=main>. This will lead to a discussion of how to analyze websites to make sure they are getting high quality information that is reliable.
Students will be given a handout with information on how to analyze a website. The handout will come from the Hopkins Guide to evaluating a website <http://www.library.jhu.edu/researchhelp/general/evaluating/index.html>.

For homework students will be given the paper text of a website and asked to analyze it to determine if it is a valid website.

Performance Assessment
Inquiry Question: How can students tell determine if the web resources they are using for their research are valid and reliable?

Standards and Skills:

From DC Standards

Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills: Historical Evidence, Research and Point of View Grades 9-12

1. Students distinguish valid arguments from fallacious arguments in historical interpretations (e.g., appeal to false authority, unconfirmed citations, ad hominem argument, appeal to popular opinion).
2. Students identify bias and prejudice in historical interpretations.
3. Students evaluate major debates among historians concerning alternative interpretations of the past, including an analysis of authors’ use of evidence and the distinctions between sound generalizations and misleading oversimplifications.
4. Students construct and test hypotheses; collect, evaluate, and employ information from multiple primary and secondary sources; and apply it in oral and written presentations.

Observable Indicators:

Students will be able to provide examples of websites that normally provide high quality primary and secondary sources.

Students will be able to explain the ways to examine a website to determine if the website provides valid resources.

Students will be able to identify bogus websites or websites sharing spurious information.

Students will be able to list ways to identify bias in a document or on a web resource and will be able to show examples in a document.

Context for Task

Students will be doing research for a debate (the final assessment for the full unit) which will include providing an annotated bibliography including both primary and secondary sources. Students must learn how to identify resources that will help them complete their research or they will not be successful in locating resources that will help them to effectively debate an opponent or answer questions about their person presented by the panel of judges. They must understand that most resources have a bias and that not all material presented on the internet is valid.

Products and Performances for the Assessment Task

As part of a homework assignment, students will be required to review a website and determine if the website is a valid website or not. This will allow the instructor to determine if they have learned the information taught during the lesson. In addition during the debate students will be required to turn in an annotated bibliography. The instructor will be able to review the websites listed and the annotations to see if the students have picked web resources that are valid and reliable.

Stimulus Questions
Compare and contrast a high valid website with one that is not.
Explain the ways that one can determine if a website is high quality or not.

Criteria for Evaluating Student Performance and Student Products

An excellent student will be able to explain how to determine if a website is biased and whether or not the website is valid or not. The student will consistently be able to identify valid websites and determine the bias found in documents or on website at least 90% of the time.

An average student will be able to explain how to determine if a website is valid or not but may not always be able to consistently determine the validity or bias found on a website or in a document.

A failing student will be unable to identify between valid or invalid web resources and unable to determine the bias of a website.

Day 8

Learning Objective: To insure that students are using a variety of resources for research.

Students will be asked if the website they are given is valid and how they determined if it were valid.

Class will focus on bringing the research process to a close. Teacher will ask how students are doing with their research and what problems they are having. Class will focus on looking at ways to make sure they are getting the information they need to answer the primary debate question and how to make sure they are getting a variety of sources. Students will list questions they will need to answer about the person they are working on. If possible part of this class will take place in the computer lab or library to allow students time to work on their research with the teacher and librarian present. At end of class teacher will provide list of questions students should make sure they can answer about their person. (See Hunt, Isaac Cosby. “May Madness! A Classroom Competition Merges Historical Research with Public Debate”. Social Education, Volume 70, Number 5 (September 2006). p. 304-311. Note: Questions can be found on page 307).

Homework: Students to continue research and check to make sure they are answering the questions listed on the handout. Ask students to read handout on debating (See sample at <http://www.bookrags.com/articles/31.html>

Day 9

Lesson Objective: To introduce students to debating and the procedures used in debating.

Students will have the opportunity to ask questions about research. Students will be asked what a debate is and what the rules in a normal debate. The teacher will hand out the rules and structure of the May Madness debate

The teacher and another colleague will model a debate and students will be asked to take notes of what they saw that was good and bad, what tactics were successful and which were not and what rules were broken and which were not. They will be asked who won the debate and why.

At end of class students will be given the brackets for the first round of May Madness and to start looking for information on their opponents.

Lesson Plan for Day 9

Situating the Lesson

This lesson will take place in day nine of the ten day preparatory unit for May Madness. They have been working on doing the research for the debate and during this and the next lesson they will actually learn about debating and the rules for the May Madness debate.
During the next class period students will be able to ask final questions about the debate process, make comments about the debate they saw in the previous day’s class and be reminded of the best ways to highlight the opponent’s weaknesses. The debates will begin two days after this lesson is presented.

Students will have the opportunity to watch the teacher and another participant model the debate process. They will be able to see the results of effective research and how the resources they have gathered can help them in being successful with the debate.
Instructional Goals:
Students will learn what a debate is and the rules to be used during the May Madness debates.
Students will learn how to identify what makes a debater successful.
Students will learn techniques they will be able to use in their May Madness debates.

Standards

DC Public Schools

Historical Chronology and Interpretation

1. Students compare the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of past events and decisions and determining the lessons that were learned.
7. Students understand the meaning, implication, and impact of historical events and recognize that events could have taken other directions.

Historical Research, Evidence and Point of View

4. Students construct and test hypotheses; collect, evaluate, and employ information from multiple primary and secondary sources; and apply it in oral and written presentations.

Materials

For Students

What is Debate from International Debate Association http://www.idebate.org/debate/what.php

Debate Formats
http://www.idebate.org/teaching/debate_formats.php

Debate directions
See attached document

For Teacher

DC Urban Debate League
http://www.dcdebate.org/index.php/hsdebate/

Hunt, Isaac Cosby. “May Madness! A Classroom Competition Merges Historical Research with Public Debate”. Social Education, Volume 70, Number 5 (September 2006). p. 304-311. Note: Judges’ scoring sheet comes from page 311 of the article.

Set Induction

Remind students that May Madness will start in two days.
Ask students if they have questions about the research they are doing and remind them that the annotated bibliography will be due at the start of May Madness.
Note that most of our work has focused on doing the research for the debate. Note that the next two days will focus on the debate process itself. Will start the lesson by asking the students what a debate is?

Lesson Content/Skills/Teaching & Learning Strategies (Procedures)

2 minutes Students will be asked to define what a debate is. We will then begin discussion on the May Madness debates.
5 minutes Students will be given the rules and the procedures to be used in the May Madness debate. Also hand out judges sheets and note the importance of the judges in the process. Make sure students know that these are the same sheets judges will use to rate them when watching them debate.

Next state that teacher and a guest are going to model a sample debate and that the students are to rate the debate using the judges’ form. While watching the debate they should come up with questions to ask each debater at the end of the debate. Introduce guest and guest referee for the debate.
20 minutes Mock debate between teacher and guest modeling the May Madness format.
10 minutes Students question debaters about their topics.
10 minutes Students will identify strengths and weaknesses of the debaters. Students will note any rules infractions they saw and any positive or negative things they saw during the debate. Teacher will also note thing s/he saw that the students missed and will also ask guided questions to help students locate other issues they may have missed while watching the debate.
3 minutes Give students homework assignment to write an essay indicating who they think won the debate and why using the information provided during class on proper debating skills. Students will also be asked to write about what skills are needed to be an effective debater and how they think these skills can be used outside of the classroom.

Essential Questions:
What is a debate? (Students should be able define what a debate is.)
What do debate participants need to do during a debate to insure success and victory when participating in a debate? (Students should be able to identify why skills and activities are needed to insure success when participating in a debate.)
Assessment/Closure:
Some information will be gathered from the writing assignment given in class where the students write about who won the debate based on the information on debating and the information on the rules of May Madness given in class.
Much more information for assessment will be gathered from watching the students debate and how they follow the rules during the debate process.

Day 10

Learning Objective: To review the procedures involved in a debate.
To make sure students are prepared to participate in the debate.

Students will be asked if they have questions on the debate process.

They will be asked to think about the debate they saw the day before and how the teachers dealt with the questions they were asked about the person they were debating for. The students will be asked how they can prepare for the question and answer session and how they can expose their opponent’s weaknesses in knowledge. Students will also learn how to effectively deal with the judges that will be watching them and how to appeal to them.

For homework Students should finish annotated bibliography and bring it to class on Monday. They should also be ready to debate on Monday having completed their research.

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