social+studies+lesson


 * Class Mind-Set** A historian is a person who is an authority on history and who studies it and writes about it. In my classes I want my students to think, write and converse like they are the historians. I want them to question, challenge and make connections to past history and to what is happening in the world today. In doing so, students will be thoroughly involved in the material being studied. They will be thinking critically by applying, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating the information. Through conversation and think-pair-share activities students wrap their minds around history. They discuss, question and come to conclusions.


 * Class Conversation** In the beginning of the year I had my students review for chapter tests by engaging in class conversations on the material they were to be tested on. My hope was that students would be thoroughly engaged in the material that they would find on the test. A great way to review. Students through class discussions have the opportunity to freely explore the material and to think about their ideas on the topic. You may ask, how does class conversation improve the ability of my students to become literate in history?

1. A class discussion helps make the thinking process overt to all in the room. This will especially help those students who struggle in communicating information to others. It will also help them learn pertinent information that they may need for their test. In general, all students are practicing and learning to be literate people.

2. Students really need to be prepared to converse about content information. The onus in now on the students and since students don’t like to look silly to their peers, they are better prepared.

3. Teachers become facilitators who can direct students to the most important information, the bigger picture. Students can also gain confidence since their voices are heard. They feel that their ideas are important to the conversation and consequently they will be active participants in the discussion.

4. Conversation gives students the ability to try out ideas or even change information that they have already internalized. They learn and even change their minds based on what their peers have to say.