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Return to: ETAP 623 Spring 2015 taught by Zhang |

Primary Sources to Enhance History

About me

Earned a Bachelor's Degree in Adolescent Education/Special Education/History from St. John Fisher college in 2013. Currently an initially certified 8th grade US History teacher at UPREP Charter School for Young Men, in Rochester NY. I am enrolled in the graduate CDIT program at SUNY University at Albany to earn my Master's. Once completed, I would like to become professionally certified in accordance with NYS. Besides my education and my current employment, I find multiple outlets to fill my time. I played football for 10 years of my life, 4 being in college; and now am a Varsity Offensive Line coach at UPREP. I am also highly interested and active in fitness. Another passion of mine that has lead me to pursue becoming a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). If you don't find me in the school, on the football field, or in the gym, you'll probably find me watching a movie or cooking (I love food).

My Topic/Purpose

With this mini course, I want to educate and support other professionals on not only the benefits of using maps/primary sources for a better understanding of History but also HOW to do so. It is already known in many classrooms that history courses will look at and use maps, but there are some misconceptions and mis-uses of these. Also, it is overlooked of how literary connections can be made while using these sources.

What questions will be addressed in this course:

How can maps benefit the classroom and a better understanding of History?

What kinds of things can be done in the classroom with maps/primary sources?

What types of maps can be used?

How can we use each type of map?

How can we integrate maps and primary sources as a literary connection in the classroom?

How can we assess students on their abilities while using maps?

Needs Assessment

One of the troubles in teaching history or social studies to students is that there is a skill set that is required. Not only a skill set for the instructors, but also the students, as they develop an understanding of content. Content that ranges from centuries in the past to current events displayed in the daily news. A wide range of skills are needed to interpret and analyze this information given to the students.In this case, the problem to focus on is building an invaluable skill in the historical and social studies world - using primary sources such as maps and speeches. In order for these sources to be valuable to the learning for the students, the instructors will need to know how to apply them in the classroom. There is more than just looking at these sources for added content, but for the students to enhance their understanding and increasing their skill set that goes far beyond the classroom.

Learners: This course is intended to educate instructors and educators that may wish to enhance their classroom and content for their students, through the use of maps, speeches, and other primary sources. Any educator may decide on using this resource for their own website or instructional support.

What is to be learned: Throughout this course, students will be exposed to multiple types of primary sources and how to use them in the classroom.

Content: This entire course will be online, but some of the products to be created by the instructors can be done as hard copies to be used in their own classroom. There are no restrictions in place for this course. It is suggested to complete the course module by module, but the learner has the freedom to choose however they wish to complete it.

Goals: The range of goals of this course can be subjective to the learner, but the main goal is to create a lesson based on the use of primary sources that enhance not only content understanding but skill development in analysis.

Performance Objectives

Once completed with this course, educators will be able to:

Identify the benefits of maps/primary sources in a classroom.

Identify the different types and uses of maps to gain a better understanding of History.

Use maps/primary sources to provide an authentic and effective lesson on History.

Create a project focused on the use and analysis of maps/primary sources.

Create an assessment on the use and analysis of maps/primary sources.

References and Resources

https://blueprintforhistory.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/civil-war-lesson-4-perspective-final.pdf

Touhill, L. (2014). Inquiry Based Learning.

http://subjectguides.library.american.edu/speeches/speeches-general

Kövecses. Z. Metaphor and Emotion: Language, Culture, and Body in Human Feeling. 2000

Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/selfdirected/