I love being able to collaborate with my peers! From video star to voki, they are a wealth of knowledge about what works well in the classroom with and for students. We discussed ways to effectively store image and primary source galleries for student use and presentations, ways to layer media for video star presentations, and apps that can increase content knowledge and ease of presentation.

Lesson Plan For Avoiding Historical Presentism

Understanding By Design – Backwards Design Process

(Developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, 2002)

Here is the lesson that our group came up with for understanding multiple perspectives of events leading up to the Revolutionary War--Individually, I plan to use this with primary source documents that show contrasting perspectives of the Boston "Massacre."

Stage 1 – Desired Results
Standards: 1.    Historical Skill:  Comparing and contrasting the different perspective of an event through the analysis of primary source documents. 2.    Writing Standard: 2.2:  Write response to literature: a.  Demonstrate an understanding of a literary work. b.  Support judgments through references to the text and to prior knowledge. c.  Develop interpretations that exhibit careful reading and understanding. 3.    CA SS Standard: 5.5.1:  Understand how political, religious, and economic ideas and interests brought about the revolution (e.g. resistance to Imperial Policy, the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, taxes on tea, Coercive acts).
Understanding (s)/goals Students will understand that: 1.    the same historical event can be interpreted through multiple perspectives. 2.    it is important to evaluate historical events through the lens of the past.	Essential Question(s): 1.  What is the subjective viewpoint of the Patriots in the colonies in the time leading up to the Revolutionary War. 2. What is the subjective viewpoint of the Loyalists in the colonies in the time leading up to the Revolutionary War.
Student objectives (outcomes): Students will be able to: 1.    Historical Skill:  analyze and interpret primary sources from multiple accounts of a historical event leading up to the time of the Revolutionary War. 2.    Writing Skill:  write a double speak poem that will show their understanding of the different perspectives of the same historical event. 3.    CA SS Standard:  interpret and include relevant evidence supporting the contrasting perspectives.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s): 1.    Well organized “T” chart that shows correctly placed evidence under the perspective it supports. 2.    Write a “double speak” poem clearly presenting the contrasting perspectives using figurative language.	Other Evidence: 1.   Students will correctly identify the origin of a famous painting or primary source of that particular event. 2.
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Learning Activities: ·         Evaluate two primary source documents from differing perspectives. ·         Create a “T” chart. ·         Write a “double speak” poem.

Student Writing Wordle

This is a Wordle for my thoughts about the persuasive writing my students did about the lost colony of Roanoke.  It shows that my focus was on the lack or presence of maturity of perspective (mine as well as theirs--my pinnace is quite large)

Student Guide for Persuasive Writing about Roanoke

This was a guide that our group created to help scaffold students in their management of the new material.  It has been invaluable in the implementation of the assignment, as we do not have 32 copies of the book...

Roanoke Colony                                                                                                            Name ______________

Outline

I.                Introduction Paragraph

A.    Hook

B.      Counterpoint

C.    Topic Sentence

D.    Preview Sentence

E.      Summary of Facts

II.             Reason #1

A.    Support for Reason #1

B.      Support for Reason #1

C.    Support for Reason #1

III.           Reason #2

A.  Support for Reason #2

B.   Support for Reason #2

C.  Support for Reason #2

IV.         Reason #3

A.  Support for Reason #3

B.   Support for Reason #3

C.  Support for Reason #3

V.           Closing Paragraph

A.    Review the reasons

B.      Call to action

C.    Memorable Wrap-up tied to your hook

Spelling Bank

Roanoke,  Croatoan, 1587, England, Spanish, native, vanished, soldiers, John White, Sir Walter Raleigh, Manteo, flyboat, pinnace flagship, Lyon, skeleton, token, attack, Virginia Dare, destination, armada, privateering, palisade, blond, blue-eyed, North Carolina, archeologists, signet ring, Hatteras Island, clothed

Transition Words for Time

Initially, suddenly, at first, in the year 1587, soon, upon returning, after a time, occasionally, earlier, meanwhile, then, in the end, later that year/day/month, eventually, while, finally, when…, just then, soon thereafter, once

Transition Words for Persuasion

Additionally, furthermore, for example, on the other hand, contrary to…, to prove this point, one reason, perhaps

Five Main Theories

1.       No colonist survivors—they were killed by Croatoans or Spanish explorers

2.      Absorbed by Native tribe—they either went to live with or were captured and enslaved by the Croatoans or Lumbee

3.      Lost at sea—the colonists tried to sail back to England on the pinnace and either got lost, sunk, or were captured by the Spanish

4.      The colonists split into more than one group—some tried to sail away and others stayed and were killed

5.      The White Doe—an Indian legend that says Virginia Dare was raised by Croatoans, but was turned into a white deer by an old medicine man that she refused to marry--some historians say that she is the mother or grandmother of Pocahontas

Circle the theory that you think states what actually happened to the settlers of Roanoke.  Place a star by a theory that is not yours, but that you think also has a lot of evidence (this starred item is what you will address in your counterpoint).

Tier One Historical Thinking

For the past two weeks, my class has been working on their Roanoke persuasive writing after reading Roanoke, An Unsolved Mystery from History. 

The good news is that it does seem to give students that buy in, a personal and intimate connection to the material they are learning.  The bad news is that I now know what happened to the lost colony of Roanoke...they threw themselves into the sea rather than edit another persuasive essay about their fate.

All kidding aside, I now have some very motivated writers and historians that also happen to be fifth graders.  A writing assignment that began as five paragraphs and a single source has blossomed into a part time occupation in research and a thesis for some, so I can't complain too much.

Roanoke Lesson Plan for Foundations

Understanding By Design – Backwards Design Process

(Developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, 2002)

Stage 1 – Desired Results
Standards: 1.    Historical Skill: Students will build a connection to the past. 2.    Writing Standard: Write persuasive letters or compositions:  state a clear position in support of a proposal, support a position with relevant evidence, follow a simple organizational pattern, and address reader concerns. (2.4) 3.    S.S. Standard: Students describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among the American Indians and between the Indian nations and the new settlers. (5.3)
Understanding (s)/goals Students will understand that: 1.    There are multiple interpretations that can be supported by the evidence left behind from the first colonists of Roanoke. 2.    They need to choose the particular evidence that best supports their interpretation of the events.	Essential Question(s): 1.    What became of the first English settlers that disappeared from the Roanoke Colony? 2.    What evidence best supports this viewpoint?
Student objectives (outcomes):Students will be able to: 1.    Historical Skill: Express multiple theories of the Roanoke Colony events and identify evidence that would support or counter each theory. 2.    Writing Skill: Write a five paragraph persuasive essay with supporting evidence that clearly states the student’s opinion of what became of the settlers of the Lost Colony and addresses reader concerns.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s): 1.    Well organized graphic organizer that shows correctly placed evidence under the theory it supports 2.    Five paragraph persuasive essay clearly presenting their theories, counterpoints, and support	Other Evidence: 1.    Bonnie Bishop anticipation guide (pre and post)
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Learning Activities: ·         Anticipation Guide—true or false ·         Read aloud Roanoke—An Unsolved Mystery from History by Heidi Stemple and Jane Yolen ·         Construct an evidence chart with columns for each of the seven theories ·         In small groups, examine images of primary sources and evaluate first-person accounts of these events—discuss how to best refute evidence that supports another position ·         Discuss and decide upon individual opinions of the evidence ·         Construct five-paragraph persuasive essay supporting their opinions

Summary of Initial Brainstorming for Foundations Project

Our group discussed using the picture book Roanoke, An Unsolved Mystery from History to teach persuasive writing.  We pulled together images of primary and secondary sources from the internet that lend themselves to an investigation into one of the seven theories of the outcome of the settlers from the first English colony in North America (for example, firsthand accounts of what was found on the second return, images of the signet ring discovered in North Carolina, quote of the discription of the appearance of Native Americans with Anglo features, etc.)

We decided to read this book slowly, constructing an evidence chart as we go with our classes.  Students will then choose the theory that they are most partial to and write a persuasive essay to convince their classmates that their survival theory is the best supported.  We are still discussing which goal this lesson best supports--it seems to both connect students with the past and help them to develop the big idea!