What Is History?

1. What Is History? LPS 7TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES INTRODUCTORY LESSON 2013-2014

2. What is history to YOU! • Think - Pair- Share! • On a sheet of paper, write three (3) sentences describing what history is to you! • After you have finished, quietly turn to your “Elbow/Table Partner” and share your answers with that person

3. What is History? • History is an account of the past – (underline any words you may not be familiar with) • 1. Accounts/narratives differ depending on one’s perspective • 2. We rely on evidence to construct our account of the past • 3. We must question the reliability of each piece of evidence • 4. One piece of evidence is insufficient • 5. We must consult multiple pieces of evidence to build a reliable account

4. Did you see any words YOU did not recognize? • 1. Accounts/narratives differ depending on one’s perspective (Stories/opinions)(viewpoint) • 2. We rely on evidence to construct our account of the past (clues) (build) • 3. We must question the reliability of each piece of evidence (accuracy) • 4. One piece of evidence is insufficient (not enough) • 5. We must consult multiple pieces of evidence to build a reliable account

5. Discussion Questions Answer the following questions with a sentence and be prepared to discuss: • Why would someone’s story differ depending their perspective? • Why do we have to rely on evidence to construct our account of the past? • Why is it important to make sure sources are reliable? • Why is it important to have multiple pieces of evidence?

6. Suggested Activity • SHEG Snapshot Autobiography Activity – Multiple Perspectives • http://sheg.stanford.edu/snapshot-autobiography • You will need: • Piece of construction paper • Markers, colored pencils, pencil • 3 MAJOR events from your life that you can remember and describe

7. Snapshot Autobiography Instructions • 1) Take an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper and fold it “accordion” style (like a letter you’d mail), so that it forms 3 panels, or counting front and back, you should have 6 panels. • 2) The first panel is the cover for your Snapshot Autobiography. • Give your autobiography a title (for example, “Snapshots from the life of Kathy”)

8. 3) On the back panel write a brief “About the Author” section: • Include your name • Place and date of birth • Anything else you want people of know about you. (hobbies, interests, family members, etc.)

9. 4) This leaves four panels. In the first of these panels, write about your birth. • In the other 3 panels, pick 3 events from your life that stand out to you. • For each of these three events, write a narrative (story) describing what happened. Make sure you describe it from start to finish. Be sure to include details! • Illustrate each event with a small, hand-written picture.

10. Part 2 • Hand out Part 2 of The Snapshot Autobiography • HOMEWORK: Complete Part 2 for tomorrow.

11. Part 2 Discussion/Review • Students will share the 2nd account of the life event they chose with their Elbow/Table Partner • Students will want to share the similarities and differences they may have encountered when interviewing their counterpart • Take some volunteers who would like to share with the class what they discovered from their interview

12. REVISITING Discussion Questions • Why would someone’s story differ depending on their perspective? • Why do we have to rely on evidence to construct our account of the past? • Why is it important to make sure sources are reliable? • Why is it important to have multiple pieces of evidence?

13. Tweet Your Knowledge and Understanding! (Formative Assessment) • Using the following key words, Tweet out your understanding of what history is. Remember, your description must be 140 characters or less. Be sure to use the words and phrases below in your answer. • Multiple pieces of evidence • Account • Perspective • History is…

14. Close Reading LPS 7th Grade Social Studies Introductory Lesson 2013-2014

15. Think About It! Who is depicted in the following photos?

16. Answer: Sherlock Holmes On a piece of paper, please answer the following questions about the man in the photos. You may list your answers, but be ready and able to explain your ideas. • 1) What does this man do for a living? • 2) When he is investigating a crime scene, what would that look like and sound like? • 3) What items would he need to help him do his job most effectively? • DISCUSS YOUR ANSWERS!

17. Make the Connection! • Remember, history is an account of the past • 1. Accounts/narratives differ depending on one’s perspective • 2. We rely on evidence to construct our account of the past • 3. We must question the reliability of each piece of evidence • 4. One piece of evidence is insufficient • 5. We must consult multiple pieces of evidence to build a reliable account • HISTORY IS LIKE A CRIME SCENE! WE NEED TO EXAMINE MULTIPLE PIECES OF EVIDENCE TO CONSTRUCT THE PAST

18. Here Is a Strategy to Help Us Do That • CLOSE READINGhas us evaluate sources and analyze ideas by actively asking these questions when we are reading: • What claims does the author make? • What evidence does the author use to support those claims? • How is this document supposed to make me feel? • What words or phrases does the author use to convince me that he/she is right? • What information does the author leave out?

19. How to Close Read • 1. Read with a pencil in hand, and annotate the text • Annotate means underline, highlighting, or circling • Take notes in the margins (sides, top, bottom) of the paper • 2. Look for patterns in the things you've noticed about the text, including repetitions, contradictions, similarities • This is similar, This is different • I noticed…, This is interesting…, I’m not sure… • 3. Ask questions about the patterns you've noticed—especially how and why • Why did this happen?, What does this mean?

20. Close Reading in Action! Here is an example of Close Reading using “Oh The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adXdTXEzmzE

21. Let’s Practice Ourselves! • You should (have): • Document A that you will be Close Reading • Pencil, Pen, or Highlighter • Be ready to actively read and annotate your document • Be ready to ask questions and make predictions

22. Tweet Your Knowledge and Understanding! (Formative Assessment) • Using the following key words, Tweet out your understanding of Close Reading. Remember, your description must be 140 characters or less. Be sure to use the words and phrases below in your answer. • Analyze • Evaluate • Actively ask questions • Pencil • Close Reading helps us…

23. Introduction to Sourcing LPS 7th Grade Social Studies 2013-2014

24. What’s Wrong With This Photo?

25. What is Sourcing? • Sourcing asks the reader to consider who wrote a document as well as the circumstances of its creation. Who authored a given document? When? For what purpose?

26. Key Points of Sourcing • Who wrote this? • What is the author’s point of view? • Why was it written? • When was it written? (A long time or short time      after the event?) • Is this source believable? Why? Why not?

27. Present Day Application (PDA) • The Huskers were in the BCS National Championship last night. Unfortunately, because you did not do your Social Studies homework you were grounded from television and all electronics, so you missed the game. The next day you want to get an idea of how the game went and what it was like in the stadium when the Huskers won the game. Which account of the game do you think would give you the most accurate account of how the game went and what it was like?

28. Options • 1) An online blog from #1HuskerrzFan following the game • 2) A radio podcast from your local sports announcer • 3) Your best friend who was at the game and had seats on the 50 yd. line • 4) Replays on ESPN SportsCenter showing 5-second highlights

29. Discuss • With your elbow/table partner, discuss which source you think would give you the best idea of what it was like at the game • Be ready to explain/defend your answer • Why is it important to make sure our sources are accurate and credible?

30. Historical Example #1 • Question: Who was present at the signing of the Declaration of Independence? • Source 1: Hollywood movie about the American Revolution made in 2001 • Source 2: Book written by a famous historian who is an expert on the American Revolution, published in 1999 • Which do you trust more? Why?

31. Historical Example #2 • Question: What was the layout of the Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz? • Source 1: Interview with an 85 year-old Holocaust survivor in 1995. • Source 2: Map of the concentration camp found in Nazi files. • Which do you trust more? Why?

32. Historical Example #3 • Question: Did American soldiers commit cruel acts during the Vietnam War in 1969? • Source 1: Sworn testimony by American Sergeant in Congressional hearings in 1969 • Source 2: Speech by American General touring the US in 1969 • Which do you trust more? Why?

33. Answer Key • #1: Source 2 – Historians base their work on multiple resources, extensive research, and primary documents. Movies have no standards or accountability for historical accuracy. • #2: Source 2 – Human memory is not always reliable. A map of the camp is hypothetically “objective” and accurate. However, it also may not be entirely accurate. • #3: Source 1 – Sworn testimony is the gold standard of evidence. Although someone could lie, it is far more reliable than a public speech by a General who was trying to keep morale high for the US public.

34. Let’s Practice Ourselves! You should (have): • Document A that you will be Close Reading • Pencil, Pen, or Highlighter • Be ready to actively read and annotate your document • Be ready to ask questions and make predictions

35. Tweet Your Knowledge and Understanding! (Formative Assessment) • Using the following key words, Tweet out your understanding of what Sourcing is. Remember, your description must be 140 characters or less. Be sure to use the words and phrases below in your answer. • Who wrote this • What were the circumstances • When • What purpose • Sourcing has us ask…

36. Introducing Contextualization LPS 7TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES 2013-2014

37. What is Contextualization? Contextualization is when a student locates a document in time and place in order to understand how these factors shape its content/message.

38. Key Points of Contextualization • What else was going on at the time this was written? • What was it like to be alive at this time? • What things were different back then? • What things were the same? • What would it look like to see this event through the eyes of someone who lived back then?

39. Let’s see an example… • John and Dylan had planned to hang out on Friday evening after school. John told Dylan, “I’ll call you later when I am free and we can meet up.” After eating supper and getting ready, Dylan was ready to go and meet John. However, four hours later John had still not called Dylan or texted him to let him know what the plans were. Dylan began to think, “John is such a jerk, he hasn’t gotten a hold of me yet and it’s nearly 10 o’clock!” • What could be some of the reasons John has not contacted Dylan yet? – Write down 3 reasons

40. Putting the situation into context… • What Dylan did not know is that John had forgotten to do his Social Studies homework despite his parents reminding him several times to do so. Because of this, they took John’s phone away from him and turned it off so it could not receive calls or texts. John felt horrible about not contacting Dylan and hoped he wouldn’t be too angry at him for leaving him hanging on a Friday night. • How did putting things into context help clarify the situation and how we might feel about John’s actions?

41. Further explanation of Contextualization • “Big C” – BIG PICTURE – What was going on in the society/country/region during this time period? • “Little c”– Because of what was going on in the “Big C” determines what actions/thoughts/words were taken in the “Little c”

42. Context Diagram

43. Historical Contextualization Example • Refer to the historical documents provided in the packet you received • Use Close Reading and actively investigate what is going on in the document • When you are finished, make a prediction on what you believe is occurring in the world during this time period. • How does putting things into context help you understand what is occurring in the document?

44. Let’s Practice Using Contextualization • You should (have): • Document A and the Timeline to help you Contextualize • Pencil, Pen, or Highlighter • Be ready to actively read and annotate your document • Be ready to ask questions and make predictions

45. Tweet Your Knowledge and Understanding! (Formative Assessment) • Using the following key words, Tweet out your understanding of what Contextualization is. Remember, your description must be 140 characters or less. Be sure to use the words and phrases below in your answer. • Time • Place • Bigger picture • Document • Contextualization is when we ask…

46. Introduction to Multiple Perspectives LPs 7th Grade Social Studies 2013-2014

47. Present Day Application (PDA) #1: Imagine… You are the principal at your school and you just found out there was a food fight in the lunchroom. You’ve asked many students and teachers who witnessed the fight to write down what they saw and who they think started the fight. Unfortunately, you have received many conflicting stories that disagree not only regarding who started the fight, but who was involved. It’s important to remember NO ONE is lying!

48. From Twitter… Tweet from @Sarah_Jane (7th Grade Girl) Ewww! Food fight today at lunch. I think it was one of the immature 8th grade boys near the trashcans. They are so annoying! #ruinedmynewshirt

49. From Twitter… Tweet from @BBaller23 (8th Grade Boy) Crazy! Food fight at lunch today. I saw a 7th grader start it over near the entrance. I think it was a girl! #spaghettihairdontcare

50. From Twitter… Tweet from @Counselor (Guidance Counselor) Its days like these I’d like to retire. A 7th Grade boy started a food fight today and threw applesauce on another students hair. #ItsOnlyTuesday?