Assessing Students’ Historical Thinking & Argument W riting

1. Assessing Students’ Historical Thinking & Argument Writing Chauncey Monte-Sano cmontesa@umich.edu

2. Types of writing in the CCSS • Informative text • Convey or describe major details pertaining to a topic, event, idea, or person. • Narrative • Tell the story of a person, event, or time period. Select what details to include, where to begin and end, cause-effect relationships • Argument • An argument has a claim that binds everything in the essay together. The writer includes evidence and explanation or analysis in building an argument.

3. Were africanamericans free after the civil war?

4. Were African Americans free after the Civil War?

7. Types of writing in the CCSS • Informative text • Convey or describe major details pertaining to a topic, event, idea, or person. • Narrative • Tell the story of a person, event, or time period. Select what details to include, where to begin and end, cause-effect relationships • Argument • An argument has a claim that binds everything in the essay together. The writer includes evidence and explanation or analysis in building an argument.

8. Why argument? • Argument is central to an inquiry approach to social studies (C3) • Critical to college and career readiness, yet only 20% of college students prepared (Graff,2003) • Key to civic preparation in promoting good decision making (Fulkerson, 1996) • Helps students learn content (Wiley & Voss, 1999) • Gives students a voice and an active role in studying social studies (Epstein, 2006)

9. Using the C3 to frame social studies writing

10. Goals for historical thinking & argument writing (and C3 overlap) • Take a position in response to question (D1). • Make a clear argument rather than simply summarizing (D4). • Support argument with evidence (D3). • Explain how the evidence supports the argument (D3, D4). • Judge the quality of the evidence (e.g., considers reliability of authors, time period, or strength of authors’ support- D2, D3). • Consider multiple perspectives (D2).

11. Examples of one student’s writing over time

12. Were African Americans free after the Civil War?

13. Examine Aaron’s pre-test • Look for the following: • The main claim • Evidence to support argument • Explanation of evidence • Judgments about the author, context, evidence • Consideration of multiple perspectives • What does Aaron need to improve?

14. Aaron’s pre-test

15. Aaron’s pre-test

16. Aaron’s pretest Praise: Good writing • Clear claim • Use of examples to support claim • Understanding of basic historical content Polish: Work on historical writing • Include specific examples and quotations from texts • Address challenging evidence • Evaluate the sources by noting authors/context

17. Examine Aaron’s posttest • Look for the following: • The main claim • Evidence to support argument • Explanation of evidence • Judgments about the author, context, evidence • Consideration of multiple perspectives • What improvements do you see between essays? What still needs improvement?

18. Aaron’s posttest

19. Aaron’s posttest

20. Aaron’s posttest Praise: • Clear claim • Structure to support claim • Use of examples and quotes to support claim • Explanation of evidence • Evaluation of evidence • Recognition of more than one perspective and complexity of topic • Beginning to evaluate sources Polish: • Rebut opposing perspectives • Evaluate the sources with greater attention to authors & context

21. Aaron’s writing and the C3

22. Assessing students’ essays

23. Substantiation

24. Rebuttal

25. Perspective

26. Contextualization

27. Formative assessment

28. Student self-assessment & goal setting

29. Supporting student growth

30. What supported Aaron’s growth? • 18-day curriculum (Revolution – Civil War) • Historical reading and writing tools • 6 “Investigations” with central question & conflicting primary sources (adapted) • Day 1= Background knowledge & reading • Day 2= Reading, analysis/discussion, & planning • Day 3= Composing & reflection • Investigations 1-3= Teacher modeling & guidance • Investigations 4-6= Increasing student independence

31. Teaching Principles • “Do” social studies • Approach social studies as inquiry (C3) • Pose debatable questions (D1) • Present contrasting documents/perspectives (D2, D3) • Structure and support reading (D2) • Provide opportunity for discussion (D2, D3) • Teach argument writing explicitly (D4) • Make expectations explicit • Provide models of good writing • Model aspects of the writing process

32. Assessment Principles • “Do” social studies • Approach social studies as inquiry (C3) • Pose debatable questions (D1) • Present contrasting documents/perspectives (D2, D3) • Structure and support reading (D2) • Provide opportunity for discussion (D2, D3) • Teach argument writing explicitly (D4) • Make expectations explicit • Provide models of good writing • Model aspects of the writing process

33. Pose debatable questions (D1) • Present social studies as an inquiry-oriented subject by posing questions that can be answered in multiple ways. • Were African Americans • free after the Civil War?

34. Good questions… • …have multiple possible interpretations • …require analysis and move beyond summary • …are illuminated by looking at evidence

35. Present contrasting perspectives (D2, D3) • Give students a chance to investigate and ground their writing in evidence by including sources that present multiple perspectives. • Select sources that present multiple perspectives • Sources should support more than one interpretation • Sources should align with the prompt

36. Prepare Sources • Consider students’ reading level and background knowledge • Orient students to the text • Make sure key information is visible • Create space around the source • Use large font (16 pt. or bigger)

37. http://historicalthinkingmatters.org

38. Make expectations for argument writing explicit (D4) • Students tend to be assigned summary writing, if assigned writing at all, so… • Explain to students what an argumentative essay should include. • Consider: • What do your students already know about argument? • How is argumentative writing being taught in other departments? • What are your students’ incoming basic writing skills?

40. Teaching Principles • “Do” social studies • Approach social studies as inquiry (C3) • Pose debatable questions (D1) • Present contrasting documents/perspectives (D2, D3) • Structure and support reading (D2) • Provide opportunity for discussion (D2, D3) • Teach argument writing explicitly (D4) • Make expectations explicit • Provide models of good writing • Model aspects of the writing process Assessment Principles Assessment Principle

42. cmontesa@umich.edu Thank you!