Social Studies Unit Process- Data Analysis Process Chuck Green - American History Department We started by dividing the social studies curriculum into several units e.g. Establishing English Colonies, Life in Colonies, Road to Revolution, Revolution, Confederation to Constitution, American Government, Key Themes 1789-1850, Road to Civil War, Civil War, and Reconstruction. For each of these units we have established essential questions/guiding questions. These serve as my broad higher-level understandings that I wish students to demonstrate proficiency with long after the specific facts of the unit are forgotten. We then break down the guiding questions into learning targets that define specifically what student’s need to master in order to demonstrate an understanding of each guiding question. For each guiding question and learning target set, we have created instructional lessons that are principally student centered, collaborative, and project based. This “chunking” of content enables me to periodically formatively assess student achievement using conferencing, cps, exit slips etc. as appropriate before moving further into the unit content. The class and individual results determine whether we re-teach content by taking a different approach, or provide individual students with conferencing or alternative activities i.e. information organizer, alternative reading, tutoring etc. with each designed to improve their understanding of the content. This process improves the chances that all students that choose to will be successful on this part of the summative assessment. Repeating this process throughout the unit for each guiding question and learning target set ensures a greater likelihood that most students, if they so choose, will be successful on the summative assessment. The summative assessment results that we have provided demonstrate this fact. For example, the 8th grade Life in the Colonies/Early Colonies results show that all classes averaged approximately 87% on the assessment. Of the 151 students tested, including IEP students, 95 + students scored above proficient. Only 8 students scored below proficient. We believe this success is due to the formative assessment process, the student -centered, high interest, project based instructional approaches taken with each unit of study and reflecting on our instruction made possible by our TBT collaborations. Also note that the test results provided do not reflect scores students have obtained by the contracting for reassessment opportunities that we provide. All students have the opportunity to meet with us and establish together areas of weakness, and set up an action plan to remediate as needed. Reassessment takes either written or oral form depending on the individual student. In many cases, students that wish to improve a proficient or above proficient score on the summative assessment can design an “Achievement Extension” activity that targets key content and when completed demonstrates that the student has achieved an even higher level of understanding. (With proficient and above proficient scores it is difficult to isolate on any significant student achievement weakness) Also note that each of summative assessments is common and organized by guiding question and associated learning targets. The common summative assessments serve us in two ways, assuring that all students are getting the necessary content and allowing for comparative conclusions in terms of test item reliability and best instructional practices. The summative assessments organized by guiding question and learning targets enable us to determine with individual students what specific parts of the unit gave them trouble and focusing our remediation on those weaknesses. (All tests are 25-30 multiple choice with 1 or 2 extended responses, 1 or 2 of the guiding questions) It is during our TBT meetings that results are analyzed and we can reflect on what instructional practices were successful, and which test items had to be improved for the following year. This year we have looked back at each of last years TBT meeting notes for the units covered to make sure the instructional or test item change suggestions we made the previous year have been corrected for this year.

British Boston Massacre Student Work on Popplet

Comment on this picture- What does it mean?

After looking at this picture and reading the caption, what is the author/artist saying about the French and Indian war. Comment below.

Describe this picture, What is the relationship between England and French During the time of the French and Indian War?

Diagnose this relationship between the French and English during the time of the French and Indian War.

The After Effects of the French and Indian War

Describe what this picture is representing?

What does the statement below this picture represent

Explain what this statement means      fought around the world

Mrs. Steffan said this is a very accurate. Explain what is accurate about this picture.

What is it about this picture that Mrs. Steffan thinks is very accurate? (Please ignore the shadow of my thumb on the left hand side)

Is this True?

Is this statement about the French and Indian War true or not? Explain why this is a true statement if you believe it to be so, if you disagree explain why it is not correct.

Who won the French and Indian War?

Who won the French and Indian War?
Who is kneeling in this picture?
Who is standing victorious in this picture?
What is the name of the paper that the man kneeling is holding?

Look at this picture and describe one of the causes of the French and Indian War?

Who are the participants in the French and Indian War and What was a major cause of the war? What did their conflict result in?

What is this picture representing?

After looking at this picture what can you state about the participants in the French and Indian War?

French & Indian War Cartoons Demonstrating Cause and Effects

What do you this is a CAUSE or an AFTER-EFFECT?

Open any one of the colonial regions tabs that you haven't investigated and read a few of the posts
about the land and climate there.  Then enter your own post giving at least one way your region is
different.  Please state your region- how it differs - and your name and class period.
thanks

Colonial Land and Climate Summaries

 For the region you are investigating click on your regions tab and post a summary of 4 sentences that describes your findings about the land and climate (only). Put your first name and class period at the end of the post.   (Example - chuck3)

Started the WebQuest "life in the Colonies" on Tuesday-  Went well except for the problem with Gaggle mail   failing to allow Zoho shared editing to function at times.  Working to complete the 1st of 4 parts of the project dealing with Land and Climate of either the New England, Middle or Southern Colonies.  Also working with Mrs. Steffan and Mr. LaValley on the tech immersion for our 8th period history class.  Students working with the option of creating a presentation using either Powerpoint or Weebly web site!

My hope for this school year is to incorporate even greater use of 21 century skills, centered around project based learning units that include;  interdisciplinary content, problem solving, and the sharing, creativity, and collaboration that only a variety of web 2.0 tech tools can provide.  This is to prepare students for the new curriculum and testing standards recently outlined by the Ohio Department of Education.   

Dear Parent/ Guardian:

     My name is Chuck Green and I will be your child’s eighth grade American history teacher for this school year.  Because I will be spending forty-three minutes each day with your child, I feel it is important to take this opportunity to tell you a few things about myself and my philosophy of teaching.

      I have been a teacher in this district for my entire twenty nine year career. I earned by B.S. from Urbana University in 1982 and my M . Ed .   from W right State University in 1991.    I continue to take graduate work and participate in professional development sessions to stay current and innovative. I earned an Ohio Master Teacher designation in 2011. I am married and have two adult children, both a daughter and a son. My wife, Peg, is also a teacher in the county.

     My mission is to hold students to high academic and personal standards within a warm and caring classroom environment.  My class routine is one that promotes mutual respect and understanding through fairness, clear expectations and open communication.  Throughout the year great effort will be made to celebrate student and class success for both academic and behavioral accomplishments.

     I will provide clear, concise lessons on a daily basis.  My lesson presentations will vary in order to promote interest and give every child their chance to shine.  At every opportunity, attempts will be made to take necessary student knowledge to practical levels though creative activities that required higher level thinking, teamwork, leadership, and technology use.  I believe student motivation requires history instruction to be made exciting, visual, and applicable to the students world today.

     In my classroom there will be a continual attempt to monitor individual student achievement and constant search for new ways to better intervene with struggling students.  My top priority over the year has been to create a classroom that makes it possible for all students to be successful if they are willing to consistently give their best effort.

     I will make myself available to you as needed and value you as a vital partner in your child’s education.  I can be reached any time before 9:00 p.m. at 937-409-8653.  You can also email me at greenc@urbana.k12.oh.us with ideas, concerns, or for student progress updates. I encourage you to visit the Urbana Junior High School Moodle account for my weekly lesson plan posting. You can also access my unit guides, materials and resources my going to my American history Moodle account.

Sincerely,

   

Chuck Green      

First week of American history classes completed. Exploring the English settlement of America from 1607-1750.  all students following the unit plan well mastering their assigned topic and preparing to instruct others later in the week in the breakout groups.  Best start with group of students I've ever had.   

This blog will serve as a log of all the cool, fun, exciting experiences that myself and students have in our American history classes during the 2012-2013 school year.