Reading and Thinking
Like a Historian
Office nameofgoes
here
Department
Literacy
Date Dec. 1st, 2012
Reading and Thinking
Like a Historian
Sub-headline goes here
Why do we teach history]
 Is history relevant to society?
Coverage vs. Un-coverage
 Depth vs. Breadth
Common Core and the New Direction in Teaching History
 Reading Like a Historian activity: Contextualization and
Close reading
Thematic Teaching vs. Chronological Teaching
 Teaching for Learning
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Office nameofgoes
here]
Department
Literacy
Dec. 1st, 2012
Why do we teach history?
• To understand the present in
light of the past?
• To be able to read through
documents and construct a
probable account of the past?
• To appreciate historical
narratives?
• To be able to give reflective and
discriminating answers to
thoughtful historical questions?
• To be able to answer factual
questions about historical
personalities and events?
Use this as a divider slide
According to
national data
only 11% of high
school seniors
are proficient in
history
• The assertion has been that students
will have more historical knowledge if
we teach content rather than “skills.”
• The role of history is to promote
literacy,
• but of discernment,
• History, comes from the Greek
“Istoria” means to gain
knowledge through inquiry.
CHALLENGES PRESENTED
BY THE TRADITIONAL
CHRONOLOGICAL APPROACH
May reach present by June
SOLUTIONS WITH
THEMATIC APPROACH
Can reach present at any time
History as
names and dates
History as an investigation
Low Interest
Something of interest
for everyone
Low interest
texts
No strategies to
ensure long term memory
Texts and topic
adapted to student interest
Strategies specifically
designed to ensure long term
memory
CHALLENGES PRESENTED
BY THE TRADITIONAL
CHRONOLOGICAL APPROACH
Seldom relevant
Textbook controls
instruction
Goal is to get
through the book
SOLUTIONS WITH
THEMATIC APPROACH
Relevant by design
Teacher controls
instruction
Goal is to ensure
multiple literacies
CCSS reading
skills not implicit
CCSS reading skills
are essential
CCSS writing
skills
Not implicit
CCSS writing skills
are essential
Early
America
Colonial
One Year
Revolution
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolution
One Year
Expansion
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolution
One Year
Expansion
Civil War
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolution
Expansion
One Year
Civil War
Westward
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolution
Expansion
Civil War
One Year
Westward
Gilded
Age
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolution
Expansion
Civil War
One Year
Westward
Gilded Age
Reform
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolution
Expansion
Civil War
Westward
One Year
Gilded Age
Reform
World War I
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolution
Expansion
Civil War
Westward
Gilded Age
One Year
Reform
World War
I
World War
II
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolution
Expansion
Civil War
Westward
Gilded Age
One Year
Reform
World War I
World War
II
Cold War
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolution
Expansion
Civil War
Westward
Gilded Age
Reform
One Year
World War
I
World War
II
Cold War
Vietnam
Columbus
Colonial
Period
Revolutio
n
Expansion
Civil War
Westward
Gilded
Age
Reform
One Year
World
War I
World
War II
Cold War
Vietnam
End of the
Century
Columbu
s
Colonial
Period
Revoluti
on
Expansio
n
Civil
War
Westwar
d
Gilded
Age
Reform
World
War I
One Year
World
War II
Cold
War
Vietnam
End of
the
Century
The New
Milleniu
m
Coverage and Content
are not the same thing
Coverage
• In terms of
course design,
coverage refers
to the amount of
information
covered by a
class
Content
• Refers to the
various subjects,
topics or themes
within a course
of study.
When
the
only
way
There from
was the
a time
when
Roughly
early
1800s
to access historical information
teaching
from
a
textbook
to
the
late
1980s
that was available was from
made
sense.
a textbook
The problem today
is
in sorting
through
isn’t
in the ability
to
the vastinformation…
amounts of
acquire
Information and making
informed decisions about
what is and isn’t true and
relevant
Depth vs. Breadth
Complex
Texts
Building Deeper
Content Knowledge
Through Social Science
3.0, CCSS and Content
Based Literacy
SS
3.0
Content
Skills
Literacy in Civic Connections
Reading Like a Historian
Exercise
•
•
•
•
Sourcing
Contextualization
Close Reading
Corroboration
Guidance
You have 6 documents:
1. The first is an excerpt from a speech by Stephen
Douglas during their first debate in 1858.
2. The second is Abraham Lincolns reply to Douglas’s
speech.
3. The third is a letter from Lincoln to Mary Speed in
1841
4. The fourth is a speech Lincoln gave to a group of
freed Blacks at the White House in 1862
5. The fifth is an excerpt from Pictures of Slavery and
Anti-slavery. Advantages of Negro Slavery and the
Benefits of Negro Freedom, Morally, socially and
Politically Considered by John Bell Robinson.
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What does document one tell us?
Where is Ottawa and does it matter?
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What does document two tell us?
Lincoln’s response to Douglas.
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What does document three tell us?
.
Lincoln’ letter to Mrs. Speed.
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What does document four tell us?
Lincoln’s address to free African
Americans on colonization
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What does document five tell us?
John Bell Robinson on slavery
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What does document six tell us?
William Lloyd Garrison on
equality
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• Share out - Reflection
Challenges and Opportunities
THANK YOU!
For more information please contact:
 Contact Gary McNaney (773) 553-2428 glmcnaney@cps.edu
 Contact Monica Swope, (773) 553-1964 maswope@cps.edu
 Contact Marty Moe, (773) 553-1932 msmoe@cps.edu
Department of Literacy
Dec. 12th, 2012