Enhancing Student Learning on Visits to National Parks Webinar

1. Enhancing Student Learning on Visits to National Parks Webinar Derek Hughes Tuesday, July 26, 2016

2. Welcome!

3. Introductions BSEd and Social Studies – Bloomsburg University MA in History – concentration American History – American Public University Applying to West Virginia University Curriculum and Instruction Doctoral Program Teacher in Jefferson County, WV for nine years Taught one year at Jefferson High School and eight years at Washington High School Currently teaching at Harpers Ferry Middle School in Harpers Ferry, WV for the 2016-2017 school year Taught AP US History and US Studies (among other classes) Wrote curriculum for AP US History, AP World History, AP European History, and Sociology

4. Introductions Briefly introduce yourself – name, your park/office, and position

5. Why study history? Take a minute or two and list 2-3 reasons why you think it is important to study history. Post your answers in BLUE using the message section.

6. Why study history? Peter N. Stearns – George Mason University Wrote an article titled Why Study History? and came up with several reasons

7. Why study history? 1. History Helps Us Understand People and Societies 2. History Helps Us Understand Change and How the Society We Live in Came to Be 3. The Importance of History in Our Own Lives 4. History Contributes to Moral Understanding 5. History Provides Identity 6. Studying History Is Essential for Good Citizenship

8. Why study history? After looking at the list above which do you think would be the most important? Give your answer in RED and explain why you think this is most important. How could you incorporate your chosen answer to enhance educational experiences for students and park visitors? Post your answer in RED

9. Enhancing Student Learning The use of historical thinking skills taught in history classrooms can be utilized to enhance student learning in our national parks. In an effective social studies classroom students are expected to be able to learn, exercise, and master skills that provide them with analytical abilities. These abilities can be used in other academic courses and in other aspects of life. It is also helpful to use these skills while visiting parks and not just learning about them.

10. Possible Historical Thinking Skills 1.Historical Causation 2.Patterns of Continuity and Change Over Time 3.Periodization 4.Comparison and Contextualization 5.Interpretation and Synthesis

11. Definitions of Historical Thinking Skills Historical Causation – Why did it happen? Patterns of Continuity and Change Over Time -How did things stay the same? How did things change from point A to point B? Periodization – When did it happen? What else happened at the same time?

12. Definitions of Historical Thinking Skills Comparison – How is one thing similar and/or different from another thing? Contextualization – perspective of an era What is the purpose of what is being discussed? Why did it matter at the time? What else was happening at the same time? How does one thing relate with another thing with the same period/place?

13. Definitions of Historical Thinking Skills Interpretation – What does it mean? Synthesis – How do you put together all other historical thinking skills? What is created? Basically – bring together and reduce complexity

14. Historical Causation Again this is basically WHY something happened One way to address historical causation is to show connections or relationships between historical events, topics, or people. Ex: Six Degrees of Separation Activity

15. Historical Causation Six Degrees of Separation - American Revolution  -You must find four connecting events, people, or topics that connect the provided events below:  1. Stamp Act of 1765  to 6. Treaty of Paris 1783 -What four possible events, people, or topics could connect the Stamp Act of 1765 to the Treaty of Paris 1783? *hint: Think of it as a flow chart with six squares - the first and sixth squares have the topics with information about each in them. Between the first and sixth squares are four more blank squares. You must fill in those four blank squares with the events, topics, or people that illustrate how we went from being directly taxed for the first time by the British to a treaty that recognized our independence by the British. When you choose your topics for your four squares you must include information about all four and all make a connection to the next square (or previous square) and/or the sixth square.

16. Historical Causation Ex:  1. Columbian Exchange --> 2. Spanish colonization of New World --> 3. Spanish acquire great wealth from the Aztec and Incan Empires --> 4. Spanish Armada defeated in 1588 --> 5. Jamestown settled in 1607 --> 6. England grows tobacco and gains wealth by growing this cash crop

17. Historical Causation The use of a cause and effect chart can also help to illustrate for visual learners the factors involving causes and effects. It also is an example of how to possibly organize information given to them at a park or in the classroom.

18. Historical Causation

19. Patterns of Continuity and Change Over Time This basically requires a student to identify what stays the same and what changes over a selected period. Students need to also identify and explain why topics remain the same over the period and why changes may have occurred over the period. This practice reinforces analytical thinking and synthesis. Students usually have to support themselves with specific historical evidence.

20. Patterns of Continuity and Change Over Time Sample

21. Periodization Organizing your parks historical content in a chronological format that is easily understood by students and visitors helps them to comprehend what is being discussed. Along with organized periodization there may also be a clarification of historical context.

22. Periodization Essential periodization can be achieved using: Timelines Flow charts Time periods – traditional – ie Colonial Period, Antebellum Era, Reconstruction Non-traditional – ie AP US History manufactured time periods

23. Example -Nine Periods of the AP US History Course Period 1: 1491 - 1607 Period 2: 1607 - 1754 Period 3: 1754 - 1800 Period 4: 1800 - 1848 Period 5: 1844 - 1877 Period 6: 1865 - 1898 Period 7: 1890 - 1945 Period 8: 1945 - 1980 Period 9: 1980 - Present 

24. Comparison Surprisingly this is a hard concept for students to comprehend and master. The basic concept again is to identify similarities and differences. Students also need to explain reasons for the similarities and differences. Again like other historical thinking skills students need to support their analysis with specific historical evidence.

25. Comparison One way to teach comparison is to utilize the visual benefits of a venn diagram.

26. Comparison Students could complete a comparison diagram like the one shown in park during or after presentations, as well as, lessons/activities. Students can also complete this before a park visit to prepare or after to review in class. This could be coordinated with a classroom teacher (local or distance learning)

27. Comparison To take student analysis a step further students could be expected to explain and support why there are particular similarities and differences using prior historical knowledge. Practicing this kind of exercise will help to reinforce what is already practiced in the classrooms. Comparison can also be connected to continuities and changes over time, periodization, and selected historical themes to show direct or indirect relationships.

28. Contextualization - Review Contextualization – perspective of an era What is the purpose of what is being discussed? Why did it matter at the time? What else was happening at the same time? How does one thing relate with another thing with the same period/place?

29. Contextualization One way to examine contextualization is with a web diagram. This helps visual and kinesthetic learners while teaching how to organize information in a practical, efficient way. The use of a web diagram also allows students to see the connections between a topic, the time period, and what else is going on at the same time directly or indirectly related to the topic. Another method is the use of a flowchart to achieve the same outcome.

30. Contextualization

31. Contextualization

32. Interpretation Interpretation involves how a student or visitor may analyze and understand a source they read or see at your park. Analysis practices are taught to students in the classrooms that can be utilized in parks to coincide with what is learned in schools. Ex: SOAPSTone Technique Four Corner Analysis Technique Point of View Comparison Technique

33. SOAPSTone Technique This is an acronym used commonly in History and English classes to help students to focus on creating detailed analysis. S – Speaker O – Occasion A – Audience P – Purpose S – Subject Tone – potential emotion of the source *Note - there can be other acronyms used to help students (and park visitors) to consider other aspects about a topic

34. Four Corner Analysis Technique Usually used to help students analyze photographs, paintings, maps, etc. Students divide the source into four quadrants. Students then carefully take notes of what they see in each quadrant. Listing notes of what they identify will help them to construct an analytical view of what they see in a practical, organized way.

35. Four Corner Analysis Technique

36. Point of View Comparison Technique This works well with practicing historical interpretations. Two small primary or secondary source quotes are given to students. Students read and identify the point of views from each source. This helps students to identify differing historical interpretations on the same topic. This leads students to further examine reasons for the differing opinions or views on the same subject.

37. Point of View Comparison Technique – Civil War Interpretation A - “It is better to have war for one year than anarchy and revolution for fifty years—If the government should suffer rebels to go on with their work with impunity there would be no end to it and in a short time we would be without any law or order.” – Indiana lawyer who enlisted in the Union Army Interpretation B - “life, liberty and property [i.e. slaves] are at stake…any man in the South would rather die battling for civil and political liberty, than submit to the base usurpations of a northern tyrant.” - farmer who enlisted in the 26th Tennessee

38. Synthesis This is where the student or park visitor takes all of the historical thinking skills used to create a well developed complete analysis of the topic examined.

39. Possible Historical Themes - American Identity– nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, class, majority/minority -Work, Exchange, and Technology– agriculture, industry, exports, inventions, labor - Migration and Settlement -immigration, migration, demographics, interactions, groups -Politics– politics, government, laws, lawmakers, voters

40. Possible Historical Themes - Geography and Environment- physical and human– interactions with or changes to the environment, decisions that could change the environment or does change the landscape -Culture and Society– movements, art, religion, music, literature

41. Possible Historical Themes Can you identify any other possible historical themes that could be part of the visitor and educational experiences at your park? Post your answers in BLUE

42. Primary Sources A primary source provides direct or firsthand evidence about an event, object, person, or work of art. Primary sources include historical and legal documents, eyewitness accounts, results of experiments, statistical data, pieces of creative writing, audio and video recordings, speeches, and art objects *Ithaca College Library

43. Secondary Sources Secondary sources are documents written after an event has occurred, providing secondhand accounts of that event, person, or topic. Unlike primary sources, which provide first-hand accounts, secondary sources offer different perspectives, analysis, and conclusions of those accounts. *University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library

44. The Importance of Turning Points “Turning Point” – not just what changed but what lead to it Turning points are events, moments, etc. that create permanent changes. Ex: inventions – telegraph, television, internet Political decisions – Declaration of Independence Events – Battle of Saratoga, Battle of Vicksburg

45. Historiography Historiography – study of historical writing and the history of historical analysis (and how historians view historical topics) This is important to consider utilizing – this helps provide students and visitors with an historically responsible opportunity to have alternative interpretations to consider.

46. Examples of Historiography – Civil War 1.James Ford Rhodes-believed that slavery was the cause of the war and that the war ended slavery and preserved the Union. 2.David Potter-wrote in The Impending Crisis that the basic causes of the Civil War was the result of an unavoidable conflict between two societies (one free and one slave). Moral, social, political, economic, and cultural ties fell apart between sections of the country. 3. Eric Foner-argues that the North and South BOTH had a paranoid fear of disrupting their particular ways of life. There were also other factors including the North and the free labor movement which feared that slavery would replace free labor while the South viewed the nature of the factory system as inhuman.

47. Academic Requirements of Students – try to nurture during park visits • Analysis (the ability to read and assess material) • Use of evidence (the ability to apply facts in support of an argument) • The capacity to recognize connections (context, causation) • The Ability to synthesize: to integrate event into the larger narrative of American history (when possible)

48. Q & A Are there any questions? Please feel free to type any questions in RED or BLUE

49. Thank you for your time If you have further questions dealing with specifics related to your particular national park If you would like help with developing or reviewing curriculum Feel free to contact me Derek Hughes 304-839-9910 dhughes@k12.wv.us