Background Building Strategies
We will use these strategies to build background knowledge for students in this study of history. Students have difficulty understanding the differences in time periods and the sometimes linear fashion in which history unfolds. It is important that students have some knowledge to hook their new learning to, otherwise it is just an exercise in regurgitating information. We will use these activities to increase their historical perspective and to use different learning styles to facilitate their deeper understanding.
Exploratory/research activities
Initially just using the index in their textbooks and the citations noted by the authors of Forge, Founding Myths, and George vs. George, students will work on researching, with the assistance of our school librarian, to find some relevant primary source documents and prints/broadsides to use for comparative discussions. They will also be working within small groups to determine the discrepancies that they may find within these documents. The second step will be determining their level of understanding by conducting some whole class discussions, in a seminar format, so that I can support them in delving deeper into this study to be able to reason and think as well as provide resources to support their conclusions.
Mapping the story
Students are unaware of where Valley Forge, Pennsylvania is located and the geographic features within this valley. We will use a map of Pennsylvania and locate this basic area and then use some basic research skills to find out about the natural features surrounding the original campsite. This will complement the standards of integrating visual information with other textual information. It will also provide clues as to why the military would have chosen this site, and the human to environment connections.
Comments: