In addition to the relevant elements of the Core Curriculum noted by each workshop, all workshops provide content that aligns with various elements of the curriculum for English programme subjects, and several with the curriculum for history.
Teaching History as Mystery
This workshop helps teachers develop historical materials into student inquiries. The key strategy involves developing a mystery that students can see in one or two clear examples. More complex problems develop after students understand a simpler question. The workshop helps teachers create a question, develop simple, medium and complex mysteries, and structure evidence so students can explore.
Core Curriculum 1.3 Critical Thinking and Ethical Awareness
I would love to build a custom workshop around teacher interests with three week’s notice
I have prepared materials that demonstrate the mystery approach for these topics:
- the origins of slavery in colonial America
- Declaring War under the US Constitution (using the Vietnam War)
- Comparing the US wars in Iraq and Vietnam
- Moving towns in early America – a census mystery
- Reconstruction after the Civil War
- Exploring Race and History through Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings
- Interpreting the Constitution in Early America – the Alien and Sedition laws
- Women in the “old West” – fact and fiction
Thinking Historically
What does it mean to think historically? How does teaching students about “sourcing” help students tell the difference between texts, or understand a primary source? What new, simple, assessments help check how students think historically?
This workshop starts images of the Mayflower Compact, the First Thanksgiving, and the Signing of the Declaration of Independence to develop a quick understanding of sourcing and how to assess sourcing, and how sourcing helps students think past deep myths. Moving to iconic photographs Jacob Riis on slum housing, Dorthea Lange from the Great Depression we explore how contextualizing helps students question evidence once they have established the source.
Core curriculum: 1.2 Identity and Cultural Diversity, 1.3 Critical Thinking and Ethical Awareness, 1.6 Democracy and Participation
With advance notice I can customize the workshop to specific teacher interests.
Teachers find free resources from the image collections of the United States Library of Congress to create “sourcing” exercises for their own classrooms on different topics and explore free assessments from the Digital Inquiry Group.
Exploring the idea of “progress” in American History
Bruce VanSledright, an American history education researcher, argued that most American history courses are not true history that acknowledges multiple interpretations of the past, and that evidence is not always conclusive. Rather, he argued that most courses are really about American “heritage.” Instead of presenting students with questions, debates and evidence to investigate, students get a set of facts organized around the idea of progress. This workshop uses the “1776 curriculum” and other sources to explore history curriculum that promotes American pride through a “progress narrative” of American history. Should schools promote pride? What is history “for”? What happens in the U.S. if we cannot agree on what “progress” or “freedom” means anymore? Does this matter to Norwegians?
Core curriculum: 1.1 Human Dignity, 1.2 Identity and Cultural Diversity, 1.6 Democracy and Participation
English: Curriculum examples require complex English
Simulations? Using a Supreme Court Simulation to explore the benefits and constraints of using role-plays to understand history and civics
In this workshop teachers get a made-up case about the “Denver Dispatch” publishing an article about biological weapons research near Boulder Colorado. They have a copy of the “article” and some “facts” about the case. The US Government wants to stop publication. Teachers become lawyers for the government, lawyers for the newspaper, and US Supreme Court Justices. The simulation takes about 1 hour. Afterwards, we discuss how this simulation helps students see historical change in American understanding of “free speech,” how much time simulations can take, and the trade-offs between simulating a made-up case set in “the present” versus a simulation of “the past” involving real people or general roles.
Core curriculum: 1.3 Critical Thinking and Ethical Awareness, 1.6 Democracy and Participation
This workshop requires at least 90 minutes
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David’s Workshops for Videregående Students