The Hour Glass The Hour Glass or the or the

Department Store?Department Store?

The Chronological v. Thematic The Chronological v. Thematic Approach Approach

to Teaching US Historyto Teaching US History 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsrBQ6AGo_g&feature=related

This presentation is not about giving you the magic potion for presenting US History to your students, but rather about giving you options for your approach.

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• Curriculum design that is done chronologically is the typical method as events, people, and dates occur in the order in which they happened.• This the most traditional

approach to teaching history. • Start at the beginning and

move forward.3

Era 1: Three Worlds Meet/ Beginnings – 1620s Era 2: Colonization and Settlement/ 1585 – 1763 Era 3: Revolution and the Nation/ 1754 – 1820sEra 4: Early Expansion and Reform/ 1801 – 1861Era 5: Civil War and Reconstruction/ 1850 – 1877 Era 6: Development of the Industrial US/ 1870 – 1900 Era 7: Emergence of Modern America/ 1890 – 1930Era 8: The Great Depression and WWII/ 1929 – 1945 Era 9: Postwar US/ 1945 – 1970s Era 10: Contemporary US/ 1968 – Present

National Standards for History, 1996

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• Also known as Conceptual and Categorical • Curriculum that is thematic is

broken up according to major themes (government, human rights, etc.). • There are numerous themes from

which to choose. See page 15 – 17 in Engagement in Teaching History: Theory and Practices for Middle and Secondary Teachers by Drake and Nelson.

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Two Dimensional Curriculum Model-

Processes & Skills

Factual Content

Topic-based

Concept-based

Three Dimensional Curriculum Model-

Processes &

Skills

Concepts &Principles

Factual

Content

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Think of—Think of—

KNOWKNOW = = Factual KnowledgeFactual Knowledge which is locked which is locked in time, place or situationin time, place or situation

UNDERSTANDUNDERSTAND = = Conceptual UnderstandingConceptual Understanding which transfers through time, acrosswhich transfers through time, across cultures, and across situationscultures, and across situations

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Factual Conceptual Procedural

Types of Knowledge

The Structure of Knowledge

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People migrate to meet a variety of needs.Migration may lead to new opportunities or greater freedom.

Early American settlers migrated west.

Early American settlers looked for new opportunities.

Westward Movement

• Migration • Opportunity• Needs • Freedom

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Concept

• Timeless• Universal• Abstract• Represented by 1 or 2 words• Examples share common

attributes

A concept is an organizing idea; a mental construct...

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Scaffolding Thinking to Complex Levels

Level 3– Traditions help to unify a people.

• So what—is the significance or effect…?Level 2– Celebrations express traditions of a culture.

– Why do cultures have celebrations?Level 1– All cultures have celebrations.

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Social Studies

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creates connections to prior experience and finds relevance;

synergistically works with factual level knowledge to develop the intellect;

creates deeper understanding at the factual and conceptual levels;

recognizes the transferablity of knowledge.

creates the motivation for learning

It is the conceptual mind that…

Middle Schoolers Answer the Question, “What does it Feel Like When Classes

Move too Slowly?

I try my best to pay attention, but it can be really hard. I try to copy down absolutely everything so I can maybe learn something.I always play with my shoes.I read ahead in the book.I draw tanks and airplanes.I make up complicated math problems.I figure out a 20 factorial.I plan out my day.I color my nails with my pen.I plan my after-school activities.Sometimes I try to answer a question and explain things in a different way so we can move the class forward, but it make teachers mad sometimes.One thing my sister taught me to do is to listen to music in my head, or to think back to a movie, to its funny parts.When I had braces, I used to play with my braces, and I had braces for four years!

Carol Ann Tomlinson16

Some Elementary Students Answer the Question, “What’s it Like When You Feel Lost in Class?”

I feel scared. Sometimes I try to listen harder but mostly it doesn’t work.I get mad.I want to go home and watch TV.After a while, I give up.I wish the teacher would know how I feel and would help me.I feel dumb.I don’t like the subject very much.I tell myself maybe I will get it tomorrow.I daydream.Sometimes I get in trouble.I play with my hair. My mom doesn’t like when I do that.I wish I was smart.

Carol Ann Tomlinson

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CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY THE TRADITIONAL CHRONOLOGICAL APPROACH

SOLUTIONS WITH THEMATIC APPROACH

1.Perhaps reaching the present by June 1.Reaching the present in the first few weeks of school

2.History as names and dates 2.History as a story3.Low interest 3.Something for everybody (art, politics,

women's history, economics)4.Reluctant readers 4.Textbook and topics adapted to student

interest5.Low recall 5.Short units within the memory span of

students6.Not relevant 6.Topics can relate more to student population

and geographic area (the West, women's history, Asian-American Studies, Chicano Studies, African-American Studies, the immigrant experience)

7.Text seems to control everything 7.Topics control data8.Get through the book 8.Time to incorporate special projects within

each theme9.Events seem equally important 9.Teacher prioritizes events/facts10.Success on SAT II and A.P. Exam requires vast memorization

10.Facts seem to fit in the flow of the narrative18

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• Clearly, it will be easier for the seasoned teacher to move to a fully thematic course. However, one can develop a three year plan to advance toward the ideal by expanding on themes encountered in the textbook currently used. • Teaching thematically requires more time for

planning, but the rewards for this approach are high: for the teacher, greater personal and professional satisfaction; for students, greater interest, performance, and retention.

What are the particular difficulties of What are the particular difficulties of teaching American history thematically? teaching American history thematically?

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Both have positives and negatives as any curriculum does; however there is little if any data to indicate as to which is more effective at teaching kids history. It often results in an “I prefer this” or “I prefer that” discussion that focuses on how the teacher thinks rather than how the student learns.

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Students and Teachers often prefer the chronological method because of the “neatness” of its organization. Comments by students indicate that “jumping around” makes history confusing. Students also state that combining chronological with thematic approach was helpful in gaining deeper understanding of historical events.

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Some teachers have embraced the idea of combining both approaches. See the example below:

Unit 1: European

Settlement of North America

Unit 2: Creation of

United States

Unit 3: Early

Expansion & Reform

Unit 4: Clash of

Beliefs and Ideals

Unit 5: Expansion

and ReformUnit 8: Societal Changes

1930-Present

Unit 6: America

at War

Unit 9: Political Changes

1945-Present

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Now using your Conceptual Lens and Drake and Nelson’s pp.15-17, use your prioritized list of terms and categorize them into themes within your groups.

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Conner, M. A Thematic Approach to United States History. Retrieved July 14, 2009. From

http://www.socialstudies.com/c/article.html?article@connor1+s@2ciWVgGnuAvEYWestridge School. Pasadena, California. Mary@KoreaAcademy.org

Drake, F.D., Nelson, L. R. 2005. Engagement in Teaching History: Theory and Practices for Middle and Secondary Teachers. Pearson. Columbus, OH.

Erickson, H. L. with Tomlinson, C. 2007. Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom. Corwin Press. Thousand Oaks, CA.

National Center for History in the Schools. 1996. National Standards for History. University of California Los Angeles.

National History Day Image. Retrieved July 14, 2009. From http://www.ncph.org/Portals/13/Education/NHD2007themeLogo.jpg