USCHS Illinois Teacher Workshop Discussion Post #2

by Eric Denyer 1 month, 1 week ago

Hello everyone!

Let's continue our collaboration by engaging with the second discussion topic:

Discussion Board Topic #2: Which primary source, lesson plan, presentation, or artifact from the workshop were you most excited to share with your students upon your return to the classroom? Please feel free to choose from resources offered by the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, The Dirksen Center, The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, and the National Park Service. 

Please also provide feedback that would allow us to improve these resources and help teachers implement them in the classroom. Thanks so much - I look forward to our discussion!

  

Aaron Toler 1 month, 1 week ago

I showed my students many of the pictures I took while at the workshop, but the one that I couldn't wait to share with them was the stack of letters with the bullet lodge into it. The students were amazed that someone actually wrote that many letters! This opened up a discussion about life back then and forms of communication used by soldiers, where they would get paper from, the strength of the weapons, and more. It was so cool!

Rich Pyszczek 1 month, 1 week ago

Hello All, 

Lesson #8 1964 Civil Rights Lesson Plan would be good for the US History & Government courses that teach at the Regents Level and AP Level course. This course encourages students to compare primary resources for "bias", "point of view", "context", and "reliability". The comparison of these two speeches from a difference of 100 years is a great for the Part II (Short Response Questions) or Part III (Civic Literacy Essay). This curriculum is from Colonial Period to Present Day. We cover 300 years of history in 180 days, a fast pace. 

Lesson #6 Reconstruction Refresh would be great to start the Grade 8 US History and NYS History II Course. That curriculum goes from 1877-Present. This lesson would be a great way to begin the school year for these students.

To share these We the People Lesson Plans out with teachers in NYS I have aligned them to the NYS Standards and Social Studies Framework: https://www.nfcss.org/united-states-capitol-historical-society.html 

Tyrone Johnson 1 month ago

Hi everyone,

the one resource I look forward to sharing with my students is the 1964 Civil Rights Act material we received. Being in the Chicagoland area, students are familiar with the Dirksen name as there are several schools, parks, and a Federal building downtown Chicago that bears his name. I think the students will be surprised as well as enlightened upon learning the pivotal role that one of our very own senators, and a Republican Senator at that,  spearheded the final vote on the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It will certainly be a change from the  boldface names that the students have learned about and I think the documents that was supplied will give them the opportunity to enhance their critical-thinking skills.

Thanks again-

Ty Johnson

Rich Township