Thinking About History

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Social Studies

Happy Constitution Day!

Constitutional Fun Facts:• The Constitution was signed by members of

the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787.

• Only 39 of the original 55 delegates from 12 states signed; Rhode Island sent no delegates.

• It was not fully ratified until May of 1790.

Full Disclosure• I am not a Social Studies Teacher.• I am a Literacy Specialist.• I spent three years as Project Director of a

Teaching American History Grant.• I am not an expert; I am still learning

about History, Social Studies and historical thinking!

So…what can I share with you?

What I have learned about the teaching and learning of history:

• a framework for how history works• a few thoughts about disciplinary literacy

in social studies• some application of historical thinking

skills

Over the RainbowInto

Balance of Content and Skills

Starting your historical thinking…

The Gettysburg Address

On your own, write for 2 minutes• What do you know about the Gettysburg

Address?• What questions do you have about it?• What do you think was the reaction to the

Gettysburg Address at the time?

Share your ideas with a partner for 2 minutes. Jot down any more thoughts you have as you share.

(Bain, 2000)

How History Works

How History Works• History is interpretive.• History is contested and contestable.• History is an argument in favor of a

particular narrative based on evidence.• Some events or issues are more

significant than others.

(adapted from Gifford, Kansas SDE, May 12, 2011 and Shanahan, 2013)

How History Works• Who the author is matters. • The author’s purpose matters. • A single text is problematic. • Multiple texts are crucial.

(adapted from Gifford, Kansas SDE, May 12, 2011 and Shanahan, 2013)

Literacy in Social Studies• Every social studies lesson is a literacy

lesson.• Social studies instruction must explicitly

attend to challenges in using and producing text . . . (even if you only want to teach the “facts”).

• Every social studies teacher is a disciplinary literacy teacher.

(Dr. Robert Bain, University of Michigan, November 4, 2012)

We must focus on the literacy practices required to “do the learning” of history and social studies by making . . .• all thinking visible• historical problems the organizer for

instruction• cognitive tools to help learners• discipline-specific texts accessible for

learners

(Dr. Robert Bain, University of Michigan, November 4, 2012)

History is contested and contestable.

We contest it through reading and writing, speaking and

listening.

Time to

historically!

The Gettysburg AddressOur historical problem:• How did people living at the time think about

what President Lincoln said at Gettysburg?• Are these reactions similar or different to today’s

opinions about the speech and Lincoln’s ideas about democracy, government and community?

• Have American's views of their democracy, government and community changed over time?

• Does it make a difference?

The Gettysburg AddressWith a partner:• Read the speech (what is your reaction?)• Read through the comments and

reactions and decide:– What does each reviewer think about the

speech? What is your evidence?– What factors might account for any

differences of opinion?

The Gettysburg Address• As you read and discuss take note of your

thinking.– What are you paying attention to?– What surprises you?– What doesn’t make sense?– What questions are you asking?– What connections are you making?– What literacy skills are you using?

The Gettysburg AddressOur historical problem:• How did people living at the time think about

what President Lincoln said at Gettysburg?• Are these reactions similar or different to today’s

opinions about the speech and Lincoln’s ideas about democracy, government and community?

• Have American's views of their democracy, government and community changed over time?

• Does it make a difference?

Over the RainbowInto

Balance of Content and Skills

Digging in…

Common Core Learning Standards • The kinds of reading and writing we want

our students to know and be able to do in order to think critically and learn social studies content– Citing evidence– Reading closely– Writing from sources– Conducting research

Digging in…

Social Studies Practices• Social science and historical thinking skills

to prepare students for civic participation, college, and careers.

• Infused with social studies content – a way of thinking in the social studies classroom

Digging in…

Social Studies Practices• Gathering, Using and Interpreting Evidence• Chronological Reasoning and Causation• Comparison and Contextualization• Geographic Reasoning• Economics and Economic Systems• Civic Participation

NYS K-12 Social Studies Framework Introduction, p. 9

What literacy skills from the Common Core Learning Standards were you using to think about our historical problem?• Citing evidence?• Reading closely?• Writing from sources?• Conducting research?

What Social Studies Practices were you using to think about our historical problem?• Gathering, Using and Interpreting Evidence?• Chronological Reasoning and Causation?• Comparison and Contextualization?• Geographic Reasoning?• Economics and Economic Systems?• Civic Participation?

NYS K-12 Social Studies Framework Introduction, p. 9

Thinking About the Rainbow

Things to think about…

Common Core Learning Standards • What kinds of reading and writing

strategies do students and teachers need to be successful?

• What resources and support can we provide?

Things to think about…

Social Studies Practices• What kinds of cognitive tools for

disciplinary thinking do students and teachers need to be successful?

• What resources and support can we provide?

Resources to Check Out• EngageNY (of course!)• Stanford History Education Group:

– Reading Like a Historian– Beyond the Bubble - assessment– www.sheg.stanford.edu

• Teachinghistory.org – www.teachinghistory.org

• National Council for the Social Studies– www.socialstudies.org

Thank you!