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Monday, November 21, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Boston Field Trip
We just came back from our 6th annual U.S. History field trip to Boston (6th year I've planned the trip, different group of kids each year, of course)! We started the day with lunch at Quincy Market, followed by a 90 minute guided walking tour of the Freedom Trail, then finished with a tour of the U.S.S. Constitution. This trip is a great way for the students to see some of the places they've been reading and learning about in regards to the American Revolution and colonial American history.
Lunch & Exploring Quincy Market
Tour of the Freedom Trail with Costumed Guides
Tour of the USS Constitution (saw battle in the War of 1812)
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Rise to Rebellion
We are starting a unit on the American Revolution. As a way to discuss viewpoint and perspective, we look at the events surrounding the Boston Massacre from multiple sources, one of which is by reading a chapter from the novel Rise to Rebellion.
The first chapter of the historical fiction novel is from the perspective of a British soldier, Hugh White, who is stationed in Boston in the early 1770s. He is standing guard in front of a custom house when he is antagonized by a group of rowdy young men. The events that follow would become known as the Boston Massacre.
We then view the opening scene of the HBO mini-series John Adams in which Adams comes upon the scene just after the Bostonians have been shot by the Redcoats.
We finish the exercise on perspective by reading primary source accounts from the perspective of Captain Prescott, a British officer involved in the incident, and an anonymous colonist's account of the event. This leads us in to a discussion about fact vs. interpretation when it comes to history.
The first chapter of the historical fiction novel is from the perspective of a British soldier, Hugh White, who is stationed in Boston in the early 1770s. He is standing guard in front of a custom house when he is antagonized by a group of rowdy young men. The events that follow would become known as the Boston Massacre.
We then view the opening scene of the HBO mini-series John Adams in which Adams comes upon the scene just after the Bostonians have been shot by the Redcoats.
A third perspective is offered when viewing and interpreting Paul Revere's famous etching in which he termed this event 'The Bloody Massacre':
We finish the exercise on perspective by reading primary source accounts from the perspective of Captain Prescott, a British officer involved in the incident, and an anonymous colonist's account of the event. This leads us in to a discussion about fact vs. interpretation when it comes to history.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Junto Society Tea
Last week we had our Junto Society Colonial Tea party. Students were to bring a dish to share made from a colonial recipe as well as their Hot Topic discussion questions. I provided a variety of teas for them to sample as well as Goat's milk (the earliest colonists in America brought goats instead of cows). Here are some pictures of the fun...
Sampling Goat's Milk (some of their expressions are priceless!)
Tea Party Fun
Hot Topic Discussion Questions
Each week while in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin got together with members of the Junto Society, his social networking group. He prepared a list of Hot Topic questions for the group to discuss. As preparation for their own Junto Society meeting, the students were asked to 'decode' eight of Franklin's questions.
First, they were to use the dictionary application on their laptops to look up all vocabulary in the question that they didn't know or that I thought may be more complex...words like 'folly', 'remarkable', and 'vice', for example.
After the words in the sentence were defined, the students were asked to rewrite Franklin's question in their own words. For example, "What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed or heard? Or of any other vice or folly?" Defining key vocab first helps them decode the question.
After they figured out what the question was asking and had written it in their own words, they were to answer the questions based on what is going on in their lives, their community, and their world today. So, the question above is asking if they've witnessed any bad habits or wicked behaviors lately and they were to answer with their own experiences. On the day of the Junto Society tea, they brought their list of questions and responses.
First, they were to use the dictionary application on their laptops to look up all vocabulary in the question that they didn't know or that I thought may be more complex...words like 'folly', 'remarkable', and 'vice', for example.
After the words in the sentence were defined, the students were asked to rewrite Franklin's question in their own words. For example, "What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed or heard? Or of any other vice or folly?" Defining key vocab first helps them decode the question.
After they figured out what the question was asking and had written it in their own words, they were to answer the questions based on what is going on in their lives, their community, and their world today. So, the question above is asking if they've witnessed any bad habits or wicked behaviors lately and they were to answer with their own experiences. On the day of the Junto Society tea, they brought their list of questions and responses.
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