Well, the second attempt in decorating the room was certainly more thoughtful than the first. During the first few days of school, I welcomed students (in groups) to claim a portion of the classroom wall and bulletin board space as their own and decorate it according to interests and maybe things that pertain to history, even their personal history. Some attempts were good; others, not as good. However, this time around, we had a renewed purpose; and what a difference.
As you read last week, we were to be making posters this week. On Tuesday, after completing the long week of learning about the historical process, I asked them to design (plan that combined both form and function, looks and content) a poster about any part of the process (see slide image below). Overall, it was a success. I'll be sharing some pics of a few of my favorites. And above all, it showed me that we have enough of a grasp of the process that we can move forward with our first unit.
Often, the best historical investigations begin with an artifact... a letter, a poster or a print of some kind. These things almost instantly make us wonder about the letter writer and it's recipient; or about what the picture means? For this reason, I began today by introducing a unit on the nature and consequences of the American Revolution with a letter written by the most misunderstood (in my opinion) of our Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton. It was written during the fifth year of the war and reveals a depth of despair we never read about in textbooks.
As Washington's "aide-de-camp" (personal secretary of sorts), Hamilton certainly had a unique perspective on the war. We want to use this document to insert us into the study of the American Revolution using an array of big questions to choose from. From there, students determine the sources needed to give them what they need to answer their question. And we're off! I can't wait to see where this takes us.
If you are so inclined this weekend and into the coming week, inquire about this letter. I've attached it for you (along with a special intro sheet students don't have ;) Also, ask them questions about the process of doing history: remember it's questions, evidence, and interpretation. Use the "Thinking Like a Historian Guidesheet" (attached) to make it clear to them that you know what you're talking about.
Lastly, ask about their week overall. What was the best thing that happened, what brought them down (don't forget to follow that with "What did they do to overcome that?").
Next week, I am going to try to mention what I'm doing in Extension. It's worth sharing...
Until then, yours,
Mr. Bruce
P.S. Have you seen the class website: mrbruceshistory.wikispaces.com ? I am going to be referring you there more and more as we go forward.
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