Communication as a Catalyst for Change
Subject:
U.S. History (This lesson was created for an integrated course incorporating English 10 and U.S. History, with a few deletions it easily can be used in a standard U.S. History Class)
Time Frame:
5-10 Block Periods
Focus:
The central idea of this unit is for students to discover how, throughout history, significant "change" has been brought about by people who have "communicated" problems. Students will be introduced to the history of reform movements in America focusing on the following topics: Slavery/civil rights, Environment, Women's rights, Urban Poverty, Working Conditions, and Big Business Corruption. The final four center mostly on the Industrial/Progressive Era in American History. Students will learn to analyze and evaluate primary and secondary sources of information that were instrumental in the development of the reform movements.
Standards Addressed and Assessed:
History Standard 2: Students know how to use the processes and resources of historical inquiry.
2.2 Students know how to interpret and evaluate primary and secondary sources of historical information.
2.3 Students apply knowledge of the past to analyze present-day issues and events from multiple, historically objective perspectives.
Reading and Writing Standard 1:
Students read and understand a variety of materials.
Reading and Writing Standard 5:
Students read to locate, select, and make use of relevant information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sources.
Assessment:
The students will make a Bulletin Board designed to show how a problem has been exposed historically, how government has worked to make changes as result of this communication, and how people are still working to expose and correct this problem today. For what will be included on bulletin board, see below or attached assignment sheet. A rubric is included for grading the project.
Material/Teacher Preparation Section
1.Arrange for computer access for students.
2. Primary sources from the topics listed: historic sources, current sources (or primary sources of your choice)
2.If you cannot access primary sources on the web, use primary sources that come with many U.S. History textbooks both in the textbook itself and in the ancillary/teacher materials.
3.Copies of all handouts (see below).
4. Print out examples of different types of primary sources. Use an overhead projector and/or lightware to show these examples to your class.
5. Student U.S. History textbooks will be used as a secondary sources of information. Most will include information about all the topics used in this unit.
Possible Procedures
Your students should have prior knowledge of the Industrial/Progressive Era, and the other major topics you choose to cover, such as Slavery/civil rights, Environment, Women's rights, Urban Poverty, Working Conditions, and Big Business Corruption.
1. Provide an introduction to primary sources to your class. Print out examples of different types of primary sources. Use an overhead projector and/or lightware to show these examples to your class.The following site offers lessons for use in the classroom: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/index.html
2. Group your students into small groups of 2-4 (we choose homogenous groups based on ability and topic interest) and introduce them to the assignment by showing them the bulletin board template, the assignment sheet and the analysis sheet.
3. Point out the components of the assignment (all members of the group must do the starred parts. The other parts may be divided up) :
- Part 1 Statement of Problem or Issue (Environment, Slavery/Race, Poverty, Women's Rights, Working Conditions, Business Corruption).
- *Part 2 Several pieces of communication that exposed this problem (At least one piece of literature, at least one visual and at least one other of their choice). Provide communications for them from the attached list (or others of your choice). If they are attempting honors give them the list and they can chose their own communication.
a. A biography of at least one of the authors that helps us to see the author's point of view.
b. A a brief analysis of each communication piece. Use the analysis sheet as a guide.
Observations of details, facts or obvious content of the communication, dates of production and other bibliographic information.
Interpretations of what the author wants us to think/feel/do. This could include causes of the problem and/or possible solutions.
What else would you like to know?
- Part 3 Evidence of some change made by government with a short explanation of the change. From the top 50 government endeavors or top 100 documents in history or the top 100 stories of the century on the attached list under the heading Evidence of Change.
- *Part 4 Some current communications designed to bring about further change on this same issue.
a. You need to pick at least two different forms of communication (literature, songs, pictures, cartoons,) political cartoons can be found here: http://cagle.slate.msn.com/
Other current resources are available from this list.
b. An analysis of the current communication (observations and interpretations) on analysis sheet. - *Part 5 A places where you and those who read the bulletin board can pledge to take some action to help this problem in the future.
- Part 6 A timeline showing key events about this issue that are discussed on the bulletin board.
3. When the assignment is complete, have students complete the reflection questions to further demonstrate understanding of material.
Support Materials
- Handouts: assignment sheet, analysis sheet, bulletin board template, reflection questions
- Rubric
- Sites for finding primary sources on the topics: Slavery/civil rights, Environment, Women's rights, Urban Poverty, Working Conditions, and Big Business Corruption
- Sites for finding current resources
Kent Willmann, Social Studies Teacher, Silver Creek High, Longmont, Colorado
