American History: Cooperation, Toleration, and Conflict in Early America 1 st Grade

1. American History: Cooperation, Toleration, and Conflict in Early America1st Grade

2. Unit focus • Native America • Culture of • Differences within • European Exploration • Different explorers • Mapping • Conditions of travel • European/ Native Encounters • Cooperation • Conflict • Tolerance • Change over time

3. Why is this important? • Foundation of America • Deals with reoccurring important social issues • Issues can be related to students’ lives (getting along, cooperation)

4. What is currently being taught? • Limited social studies coverage overall • Many teachers try to stay away from controversy (i.e. Columbus) • Some cover Native America, Columbus, Thanksgiving in a superficial manner • Material is either outdated or stereotypical

5. Background info • Hard to evaluate resources • Many recently published, updated materials • Shift towards acknowledging multiple perspectives • Much of the new information is contrary to what those in our generation were taught

6. Unit Sketch: essential questions • When there are two different groups, what are some conflicts that may arise? • What are some ways to overcome these conflicts and learn to cooperate? • When something is different, how do you learn to accept and tolerate it?

7. Unit Sketch: enduring understandings • The discovery and settlement of America by Europeans caused conflict with the Native Americans already living there. • Explorers came from many different places and there was not just one person who “discovered” America. • Understand that there are many different people who fall under the heading of Native American and the differences between those people. • Traveling across an ocean in the past was very different than it is today.

8. Unit Sketch: tuning in • Simulation of “discovery” • 2 groups: one playing a game, the other “invades” the game • Discussion of how it made each group feel and invasion vs. discovery based on different perspectives. • “Where have you seen conflict before?” Record results.

9. Unit Sketch: preparing to find out • Record students’ prior knowledge of Native Americans using a web • Introduce vocabulary and create a word wall • Student generated questions on what they would like to find out about Native Americans

10. Unit Sketch: finding out • Explore lives of Native American children • Typical day • Clothing • Music • responsibilities • Play authentic games of Native Americans

11. Unit Sketch: sorting out • Create timeline of different explorers and chart reasons for exploration • Color code by country the explorers came from • Portugal • Italy • Spain • Scandinavia

12. Unit Sketch: going further • Learning about the voyages • Length of and conditions of journey • What would you pack back then vs. now? • Responsibilities and duties on board • Role of gender, age, and social class

13. Unit Sketch: making connections • How were maps made of a place you had never seen or visited before? • Make maps of the community and test them for accuracy • Compare map making of the past and present

14. Unit Sketch: taking action • Revisit conflict chart and brainstorm resolutions • Look at inequalities present today • Give example of a conflict relevant to their lives, and have them identify the multiple viewpoints • Role play

15. Assessment • Students will keep journals throughout the unit which will be assessed on: focus, thoughtfulness, and comprehension of content • Create multiple perspectives book • Create and perform a play which illustrates European and Native American conflict and cooperation

16. Adaptations • For students from diverse backgrounds, incorporate their experiences and have them take on a teacher role. • For diverse needs, incorporate small group and partner work • Keep activities short, hands on, and engaging.