American History through American Lives

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 20.01.03

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction and Rationale: The False Narrative
  2. The False Narrative in Education
  3. Demographics
  4. The Benefit of Biography
  5. Unit Objectives and Components
  6. What is humanity? (1600s-1800s)
  7. What is Freedom? (1800s-1900s)
  8. What is Citizenship? What is Justice? (1900s to Present)
  9. Teaching Strategies
  10. Classroom Activities
  11. Conclusion and Unit Product
  12. Adaptations and Extensions
  13. Annotated Bibliography
  14. Appendix for District Standards
  15. Notes

“Faces in the Frame: More than a Narrative”-The Lives that Frame the True History of the United States through Primary Sources

Taryn Elise Coullier

Published September 2020

Tools for this Unit:

Teaching Strategies

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Culturally Responsive teaching, refers to the ability to change, adapt and mold the curriculum and content you teach to the time in which you live and adapting to all current events effecting your population of students. We must be aware of and intentional about understanding the different cultural backgrounds our students carry with them. Culturally responsive teaching is vital; now more than ever in 2020. We must adopt Culturally Responsive Long-term Practices rather than just temporary strategies. This practice will be used as the through-line and overall practice of the Unit itself, as it addresses the need for African American Studies as well as Indigenous and Global Studies and a reshaping of Historical Lenses.

Inquiry Based Learning and Teacher Modeling

The strategy of Inquiry Based Learning, is essentially, allowing students in the history curriculum to analyze primary and secondary sources in order to approach the overall lesson. This means instead of starting the lesson each day with just an introduction about the historical figure and biography we will be learning about that week, there will be certain days within the week, the lesson will begin with a primary source, or secondary source students will analyze, along with a guiding, overarching question they will address. This will be modeled by the teacher during the Prerequisite Project and will be used during the project as well as in the teaching of the historical figures each week, over the duration of the year.

Cooperative Learning and Discussion

This portion of Cooperative Learning and Discussion will take place at the end of each biographical week, as well as during the final project of the unit. This will entail students working together to find out more about a topic or person and discussing their learning as a class. Students will utilize this strategy at the end of each week when we have discussed a historical figure; and extend research on the classroom technology to complete a writing assignment which will go through the processes of writer’s workshop to engage in cooperative learning as well. One component of the final product is a cooperative learning piece, where students will complete three (mini biographies, with an image, to large collaborative piece as class: “In my family tree, I see me”). This will allow students to use the cooperative learning strategy. Students will also discuss and present their work.

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