Alaska Network for Understanding American History (A.N.U.A.H.)

1. Alaska Network for Understanding American History(A.N.U.A.H.) A new model for collaboration and professional development among American History teachers in Alaska --Funded by a Teaching American History grant

2. If you are busy like we are, you might be asking. . . .--What’s the point?--Is this really worth my time?

3. We’re this grant’s first Teacher Leader Cohort • We want to show you what we have done, but we also want you to imagine. . . . .

4. By the end of this presentation, we’d like to brainstorm ideas --collaborate-- about how this tool could change professional development around the state. • What could you do with this tool?

5. Here’s what we’ve been trying this spring!

6. Idea # One: Sharing Lesson Plans • Think about the value of having a clearing house for Alaskan American History Lesson Plans Here’s some examples:

7. Brittany. . . . • Technology Inclusion: A C.D. player will be used to play the song. A copier was used to print the lyrics to the song for each student. • Assessment of Student Learning: Student will be able to describe methods that slaves used to send secret messages. Students will be able to explain the meaning of the song Follow the Drinking Gourd. • Materials/ Tools/ Resources: • Books: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt • The Drinking Gourd • The Secret to Freedom • Lyrics to “The Drinking Gourd” a copy for every student • Pencils • The song “The Drinking Gourd” • A C.D. Player • White construction paper for every student • Large poster paper one for every group • Markers • Crayons • Alaska State Flag • A gourd • Picture of the Big Dipper constellation • Differentiation Strategies/ Individual Modifications/ Special Arrangements: Por Yee (monolingual student) will be partnered with Chelsea who also speaks Hmong. Chelsea will help explain the assignment to Por Yee. Their predictions will be done together. The groups have also been prearranged to include students that are at all different levels. This will allow them to help one another. I will also be circulating and assisting students as needed. • The Drinking Gourd • Brittany Nerland • Two Day Lesson: 1 hour • Grade 5 • Planning for Instruction • Purpose: To demonstrate to students how slaves were able to escape to freedom. To introduce students to historical songs from the Civil War. • Standards Addressed: Language Arts: [5] 2.2.5 Students will make and confirm or contradict predictions by using prior knowledge, illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words, and foreshadowing. (also working on fluency) • Art: A.1 Students should be able to participate in …music. • A.5 Students should be able to collaborate with others to create and perform works of art. Student Learning Goals/ Outcomes: Students will predict what the meaning is of the song “The Drinking Gourd” and then evaluate those predictions. Students will understand that slaves during the civil war used songs and quilts to send secret messages about how to escape. Students will create their own quilt to help slaves run away based on the song “The Drinking Gourd.”

8. sing the song together with each team singing the chorus and their assigned verse (line up and recite). This will help us with fluency and understanding. Students have heard, read, and now sung the song. During tomorrow’s lesson they will illustrate the lyrics, further increasing their understanding. • Classroom Environment: During this lesson we will be in three different areas of the room. We will also be listening, reading, and singing. We will make predictions and evaluate those predictions. Students will continuously be engaged and learning. • Assignment: Students will be asked to begin thinking about how they would illustrate their verse and be ready to begin illustrating tomorrow. • Day Two • Opening Activity (10min): We will again listen to the song “The Drinking Gourd.” We will have a class discussion of the meaning of the song. Teams will be given two minutes to discuss the meaning of their verse. Then each team will stand and share the meaning of their verse. We will go over the vocabulary from yesterday. • Learning Activity (40min): Students will each be given a piece of white construction paper. They will be asked to illustrate what they think their verse means. Each student will complete their own rough draft illustration on this construction paper (numbered heads together to check for understanding). Then teams will have to decide on an aspect of every team members drawing to include in their final draft. Students will circle the part on their drawing that they and their team decided would be included in the final draft. Each student must have a part in the final draft (numbered heads to check for understanding). I will circulate around to the teams and once they have shown me that each team member has a part to be included in the final draft I will given them their final draft paper. Students will be given ten minutes for their rough draft and thirty minutes for their final draft. • Closure (10min): Students will again be asked to line up in order of their verses. This time they will bring up with them their illustrations. We will do a choral singing of the song while displaying our illustrations. Students will then connect their pieces with the other team’s pieces in a way that would make sense in a quilt for runaway slaves to follow. We will display this in the hall for others to see with the verse of the song next to the illustration. Instructional Sequence Prior Assignment/ Preparation: Students have been learning about the Underground Railroad for a week prior to this assignment. Students were read “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt” last Friday. They were asked to think about how hard it would have been to try and make a map using just fabric and stitching without being able to use words. Opening Activity: (20min)We will gather in the read-a-loud area. I will introduce some of the vocabulary in the books and song with a vocabulary anchor chart. I will also have several realia materials such as a picture of the Big Dipper constellation, the Alaska state flag, and a quilt that tells a story. As we discuss the vocabulary I will pass these materials out and let the students explore them. We will then read “The Secret to Freedom.” Learning Activity: (30min) We will move from the read-a-loud area back to our teams. I will distribute a copy of the lyrics to “The Drinking Gourd” to every student. I will tell students that today we will continue our exploration of the Underground Railroad and that we are going to listen to a song that was sung by the slaves. I will ask students to keep in mind what they already know about the Underground Railroad and to use what they know to make predictions about what the song means. Students will be instructed to track with their fingers and eyes as we listen to the song. At this point I will do a numbered heads together to check for understanding of the directions. I will ask students to work in their groups to figure out what the song means, and to write their predictions on the back of their lyrics. We will discuss these predictions as a class. I will then have students move to the front of the room, where we will read “The Drinking Gourd” by Jeanette Winter. We will discuss some of the history behind the song and book, and then we will read the book. After reading the book we will discuss how accurate our predictions were. • Closure (10min): I will then assign each group a verse of the song. I will instruct students that tomorrow we will be illustrating these verses and making them into a paper quilt. They will have to illustrate them so that if I was a slave I could look at their quilt and be able to make it North. Students will be instructed to practice singing the song with their shoulder partners (they will be given two minutes). Pairs will then take turns listening to the other pairs in their team. Then the entire group will be given two minutes to practice singing their verse. Finally, students will be instructed to get out of their seats and put themselves in order of the verses of the song. We will then

9. Julie. . . .WWI Letter Home

10. Melodie. . . .Civil War

11. Melodie’s supporting docs

12. Sarah’s. . . . .Immigration

14. Susan’s Mock Trial

15. Susan’s trial continued….

16. Idea # Two: Distance Delivery of American History courses to teachers throughout our state • . This is Professor Haycox teaching Egalitarianism and Democracy

17. Idea # Three: Sharing Student work • Example: after returning from nationals, Cam made this report when he was in 8th grade. • (If you want the whole power point, just ask)

18. There is so much to learn about History at NHD!

19. Decide on the format for your project, display, group or individual performance, multi-media, etc. Read and follow the NHD rule book. Research the topic, gather information and read the information. Gather pictures from the archives and other places If possible, interview people who know about the topic. Type a rough draft & create a drawing of your project board. Have someone proofread your draft and help with corrections. Type a final draft. Proofread, proofread, proofread! Creating a project to fit the theme takes many steps !

20. Making sure everything is just right at your display area before judging is important.

21. I liked the “unusual” displays!

22. I made friends with Quinlan, an Indian from Wyoming who created this project on Chief Joseph

23. A display must tell the story by itself. You are allowed only 500 words to tell the story. Quotes are not counted.

24. Use # Four: Teaching • There are many ways you can use this for teaching. • Here’s one. . . Cindee’s lesson

25. Group ReviewBranches of Gov’t Cindee Karns

26. Agenda • Make sure all are paying attention by giving me the thumbs up. • Take control of the screen and make everyone see my screen • Allow answers to be given by voice or chat. • Talk about the validity of this type of group processing method. • Summarize • Give me a round of applause.

27. Rules for the quiz • No idea is a bad idea • Be creative • Take risks • No criticism allowed

28. Go to the quiz!

29. Use # Five: State-Wide Collaboration • Example: The 2010 National History Day topic: “Innovation in History: Impact and Change”

30. My first stop each year is always here:This page takes students and teacher through a step by step process to organize their projects.

31. From that page, there are several downloadable slide shows to use in class. • NHD Historical Inquiry • NHD Making Exhibits • NHD Writing Editing • NHD Exhibit Guide • Planning Guide • NHD Editing Exhibits • Of course you can also go to the official NHD web site to get things like: The official rules Judging Criteria Judging Score Sheet

32. Our hand-outs so far. . .

33. The 8th grade teachers need to build a rubric together. Something other than the NHD judging criteria. We’re using our e-meeting room to collaborate:

34. http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=NewRubric&module=Rubistarhttp://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=NewRubric&module=Rubistar

35. Questions? • What questions do you have?

36. Let’s continue the conversation and let’s brainstorm together! • If you have time, drop in for more conversation about this idea. It can be now, or next week. Let’s talk. • http://anuahforum.ning.com/group/welcomeANUAH