Professional Development Module: Creative Presentation of History

Professional Development for the Bored, Befuddled and Bereft.

I love you all, but you knew this was coming.


In the coming weeks, we're going to be looking at a few ways that you can include some new ways to showcase history in your classrooms, yes, all of you...even the math teachers.  Sometimes it's just a fun way of presenting something and sometimes it is differentiating instruction to make things more interesting for you and the kids in general.  

This course is based on differentiating.  I know you hear that word a great deal when you talk to our SPED stars, but it does make the kids happier, keeps you more engaged, and makes everyone think more deeply while taking the time to appreciate what others do really well.

The goals of the course is relatively simple, I would like to help you be a bit more creative in the ways you present information to children by DOING what you will ask them to be doing and all while staying within the NETS, GPS, and CCSS.  Yes, all of them.  One lesson.  No problem.


You are all adults and this should be a great deal of fun!




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Introduction


Greetings Colleagues!


This page is currently full of the product of my efforts in instructional design resources. Below is a week by week outline.  This course is set up in a way to give you ideas on a differentiated lesson plan that could be immediately used in your own classrooms.  Originally this module was spread across multiple pages of my blog, but I have condensed it for archiving purposes, and to progress please just continue reading.


This group of instructional ideas meets all the NETS implementation goals in some form and also meets several of the key GPS and CCSS for literacy and American History.  Further details of specifics can be found in the 'rationale' secion.  In a nutshell, here's what we're going to do...



Assignments

Week 1:  Building a Scaffolding
View and complete online module on Georgia Virtual School that fully explains the American Revolution in all its multimedia, disability accessible glory.  Go through all of the modules and make notes about the resources they use to engage students, like online flash cards, movies, quizzes, and audio.  I won't make you show all your work, but please answer the questions as appropriate on paper or on Word.  I want you to get an idea of how a student would approach this and how long it would reasonably take them to do it on their own.

Begin reading and listening to the additional resources.  Several of them can be downloaded to your phone/mp3 player and listened to anywhere.  This differentiates instruction to aid students with low attention spans, difficulty following lectures, or those who need extra time to take notes.


Most of all, I want you to have a firm idea of the facts surrounding the American Revolution and the arguments that abounded at the time.   Contact me when you finish the module and then get started on supplementary resources or begin to plan what you will need to complete your assessment.


Week 2:  Filling in the boards
Access all available resources listed on this module and evaluate them based on their usefulness to complete the assignment.  

Assignment:  Listen/read/view to 10 resources available on this module.  Write a review of that resource that includes:


  1. The Title
  2. The Source
  3. Summary of Resource
  4. What you Learned from the Resource
  5. How you could use this Resource in your own Classroom.
  6. A list of 5 similar resources that would change the way children access information in your subject field.  Think podcasts, online videos, virtual schools, modelling, anything other than you giving a lecture and them taking notes.
  7. FIRST:  Send your annotated resource list to your instructor...then!!! Post your findings to your own blogs, email them to each other, hang them from the clock tower in the middle of the town.  These resources are not to be guarded, the knowledge can only help.

Week 3:  Climb up on those boards and start building an argument on Your scaffolding. 

Yep, your scaffolding.  The one you built.  It only took two weeks, not so shabby! Just like the one you're going to teach your students to build.  Encounter a new subject, gather information to inform yourself, evaluate that information, and then MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND.  Defend it!  Fight for it!  It's your opinion.


This week you will begin and complete your choice board and develop your debate stance.  I'm sure *cough cough* you've been working on them all along, but they do need to be done before our face-to-face meeting next week.  (Whoa...did you just realize you spent three weeks in a flipped classroom? Crazy.  And it didn't even hurt.)

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Reasoning

To begin, there is a reflective exercise to explain my reasoning...


Assess Yourself and the Audience
Ideally, I would like the audience for this module to be secondary school teachers of all disciplines who are a bit tired of the way they are presenting information or want to integrate technology in a controlled way to their classrooms.  As a Historian, I can easily be drawn into the old habit of becoming the sage on stage at talking at my students for hours on end, so methods like this remind me to stop and reflect on what I'm teaching to make sure it aligns to my instructional goals.
Analyze the Learner
It is likely that the learners during this module will display a large variation of academic ability. having some college (parapro) to an advanced degree.  The student will be emotionally and academically secure enough to discuss differing viewpoints without a major meltdown. 
Select Instructional Objectives

Instructor Objective:
To provide a selection set of tools and techniques to support the creative presentation of History within the GPS and CCSS work.


To provide practice in the collaborative techniques within the NETS implementation framework.


Adult Objectives (NETS):
Explore Creativity and Innovation
Consider Communication and Collaboration
Explore Research and Information Fluency
Apply Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Use Digital Citizenship
Operate Technology Operations and Concepts

Child/End Target Objectives:

SSUSH2-4
SSCG1-2
All current CCSS-ELA Literacy Standards Grades 9-12
Provide Incentives
5 PLU Points upon completion.
Plan Materials and Activities in Relation to Audience and Objectives
There are multimedia and traditional options available for reference on the website.  
Activities included in a choice board.
Use Guided Practice
Over the course of this module, students will complete three choices from the attached choice board and submit their work for review to the instructor.  Work may also be posted for comment below.  

Work will be graded by rubric and students must complete work at 80% or higher to receive PLU points.
Evaluate the Professional Development Materials
There will be a survey available at the end of the course.  
Email instructor with any questions or inconsistencies regarding materials and coursework.
Continue to be Available to the adults after they have completed the Professional Development Module
Please retain the list of resources used for your own lesson ideas after the completion of this course.  


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Goal


Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to use the reading, listening, and watching materials provided to complete three square of the choice board.  That's it, but it will take some time and I have only given you 'starter resources.'  Utilized fully, these 'starters' are actually enough to complete the whole board, but I don't want to restrict your creativity.  Just make sure your sources are valid and reputable...and most of all...FUN to use.


It is always better to teach and learn with a goal in mind, and the below choice board is your goal.  Get a feeling for what your strengths are and pick three assignments in a row to complete, but only using the 'debate' option once.  


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Rubric

Each assignment is worth 25% of your grade (so 25 points).

12.5 Points  =  Show both the British and Colonial point-of-view in thoughtful comparison.

  5.0 Points  =  Reference List is consistent with MLA or APA format.

  7.5 Points  =  No grammatical errors.  Complete thoughts.  Well presented and laid-out.

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Hints

•  You must always present both the British and the Colonial point of view.  If you only have one, you're half way there.  Keep going.

•  Keep a list of references that you used while preparing your assignments.  This is best practice for teachers and students.

•  If you have questions, you should just ask!  Post them in comments below and the instructor (or classmates) will answer you as soon as they can.

• None of these are one word, stick figure, single response questions.  They were constructed to make you think about the relationships that existed at the time of historical comparison...keep that in mind.  One word answers are boring and that's not really what you were looking for when you signed up, was it? 
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Summary of FAQ


•  Use the materials on the site to complete your choice board.  These are just a start, but if you use other resources, make sure to cite them.  The worksheets have reminders to do this.  I prefer MLA format, but whatever makes you happy and consistent is fine.

•  The choice board is available in the 'Print Resources' section.

•  There are worksheets and organizers available in the 'Print Resources' section to help you organize your work.  You don't have to use them, but they could help me, help you if you go astray. They will also help on during the face-to-face session.

• Work is due on May 26th to allow for comment before the session.  What good is formative instruction if you don't get feedback,eh?  You must receive 80% to get your PLU points and your work is 75% of the grade. (Three blocks of the choice board and a debate 25%+25%+25%+25%=100%)

•  During the face-to-face session we will be working in two large groups to hash out the truth behind the Revolution.  Come with all your work, all your notes, and ready to work!  This is worth the final 25% of your 100 points.

•  The debate will take place under Oxford Style Debate rules.  Examples have been provided for you to listen to and are just to your left.  After the debate, I will edit for time and content.
• Oxford debate winners are determined by which team changed the minds of the most people.  We will show/listen to the debate in the school's social studies classroom who will be doing the same curriculum as you and preparing for their own debates!  We will then poll the children both before and after they watch your debate to determine a change in mindset.  Winner gets pride, admiration and chocolate.
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Resources

Required Reading, websites, and choice boards are below and are followed by helpful worksheets and graphic organizers. Feel free to contact the instructor for any questions!







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Forthcoming Events and Sessions

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