Rationale
History education in this country lags far behind the other subjects because of the old and archaic methods a lot of history teachers are still using. A lot of history teachers still use lecture as the main teaching method. The National Training Laboratories report that after two weeks, students only remember 5% of what they learned through the lecture method. More importantly, lecture creates an environment that is incredibly boring to the 21 st century learner. 21 st century learners are the technological generation. They have access to a huge range of videos, information, and all of the social networking that technology has created. It's hard for that type of learner to be involved in mainly lecture methodologies.
Another problem with history education today is the reliance on textbooks. Textbooks are tools of information that force opinions and ideas about the past that are mainly at the author's discretion. This does not allow the student to learn any critical thinking or problem solving skills that are very important to the 21 st century learner. This once again leads to a generation of history students who are uninterested in history class. The unit I am planning is going to be a fun, interactive unit that allows the students to question and form opinions about various people and topics in history. It will also take advantage of their 21 st century skills that each student possesses.
I choose to do this unit because my students view the world through very limited experiences. Due to their economic situations, they can't travel and view the world. Some of my students have never been more than a few blocks from their home. This causes them to view the world through only the eyes of being young and black in America.
This unit is designed to develop pride in my students. It's the story of their neighborhood and their family members. Throughout this unit, they will notice several of the people studied have the last name, lived on the same block, and attended the same school as them. The unit will highlight the contributions of blacks to the city. It will focus on the economic foundation of the slave trade during the 18 th and 19 th century and how blacks in Richmond experienced a form of slavery much different than what most slaves in the United States experienced. I want my students to finish this unit inspired by what they produce and what they can accomplish as black residents of the city.
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