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MOVING THE MILLIONS New York City Transit

Brooklyn Connections Professional Learning March 7th, 2016

Materials from the Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library

Moving the Millions Professional Learning March 7th, 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Agenda 2

Presenter Information 3

Moving Millions Text Set 4

Primary Sources at the Brooklyn Collection 5

Brooklyn Transit Project Packet 17

Thick and Thin Questions Lesson Plan 49

Research Question Lesson Plan 59

Discussion Questions 67


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AGENDA

9:00am Check-In and Breakfast

9:30am New York Transit Museum Presentation

Break

10:45am New York Transit Museum Tour

12:15pm Lunch

1:15pm Brooklyn Connections & Brooklyn Collection Overview

1:45pm Primary Source Activities with Brooklyn Connections

2:30pm Group Breakout Sessions

2:50pm Evaluations and Closing


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PRESENTER CONTACT INFORMATION

New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn Heights Corner of Schermerhorn Street & Boerum Place

718.694.1600

Hours Tuesday – Friday: 10 AM to 4 PM

Saturday – Sunday: 11 AM to 5 PM Closed: Mondays, major holidays and for special events

For School Program Offerings

http://www.transitmuseumeducation.org/teachers/ [email protected] | 718.694.1848

Kristin Fields Education Coordinator

[email protected]

718.694.1406

Polly Desjarlais Education Assistant and Senior Educator

[email protected]

718.694.1406

Meredith Martin Special Education and Access Coordinator

[email protected]

718.694.1823

Desiree Alden-Gonzalez Archivist and Acting Collections Manager

[email protected]

Brooklyn Connections [email protected] bklynlibrary.org/connections

Brooklyn Collection Tours

The Brooklyn Collection offers one-off school tours for 4th – 12th graders as well as college and private groups. Programs can be general archival tours or

curated research sessions. To book a tour, contact:

June Koffi - Senior Librarian, Brooklyn Collection [email protected] | 718.230.2708


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FURTHER READING

We recommend the following books and resources, all available at the Brooklyn Public

Library, to enhance your understanding of how innovations in transportation have

affected both Brooklyn and New York City.

The City Beneath Us: Building the New York Subway

By the New York Transit Museum with Vivian Heller (Editor)

The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry That Built America's First Subway By Doug Most

722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York

By Clifton Hood

From A Nickel to A Token: The Journey From Board of Transportation to MTA By Andrew J. Sparberg

Subway Style: 100 Years of Architecture & Design in the New York City Subway

By the New York Transit Museum

Under the Sidewalks of New York: The Story of the Greatest Subway System in the World By Brian J. Cudahy

The Horse in the City: Living Machines in the Nineteenth Century

By Clay McShane and Joel A. Tarr


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PRIMARY SOURCES AT THE BROOKLYN COLLECTION

Guide to the Brooklyn Collection Overview of the Brooklyn Collection’s resources http://www.bklynlibrary.org/brooklyncollection/our-collections

Digitized Newspapers and Magazines http://bklyn.newspapers.com/

o Brooklyn Daily Eagle 1841 – 1955

o Brooklyn Life 1890-1931

Ephemera New York City Transit http://www.bklynlibrary.org/sites/default/files/files/pdf/bc/Ephemera(1).pdf

Maps and Atlases 1855 – 1969 Atlases show trolley lines, subway stations, etc. Various subway maps

Photographs 200,000 photographs, 25,000 digitized Irving Herzberg Subway Series – Candid photos of New Yorkers riding the subway Subway Construction Collection: Over 300 images from the early 20th century (c. 1905 -

1915) depicting the construction of subway lines throughout Brooklyn

Primary and Secondary Books 1830s – Present

**PRIMARY SOURCES AT THE NEW YORK TRANSIT MUSEUM Thousands of photographs, prints, maps, etc. Digital Collections: http://nytm.pastperfectonline.com/

Elevation renderings of Brooklyn Bridge. 1954. Print.

Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library.


7 “Hints to Omnibus Passengers.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle 27 May 1853. Print.


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Brooklyn Daily Eagle. The "L" crouches over Fulton Street. 1927. Print. Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library.


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Brooklyn Bridge Trolley. 194-?. Print. Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library.


13 Herzberg, Irving. Myrtle Avenue El. 1958. Print. Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library.


15 Herzberg, Irving. Man and Woman Wearing Winter Coats. 1957. Print. Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library.

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BROOKLYN TRANSIT PROJECT PACKET

Name: _______________________________________________________________

©Brooklyn Connections, Brooklyn Public Library 18

NOTES:

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INTRODUCTORY READING: "New York City Transit - History and Chronology." Mta.info. Metropolitan Transit Authority. Web. 28 Dec. 2015.

Adaptation

Private companies originally managed rapid transit routes. Abraham Brower established New York City's first public transportation route in 1827, a 12-seat stagecoach that ran along Broadway from the Battery to Bleecker Street. By 1831, Brower had added the Omnibus to his fleet. The next year, John Mason organized the New York and Harlem Railroad, a street railway that used horse-drawn cars with metal wheels and ran on metal track. By 1855, 593 omnibuses traveled on 27 Manhattan routes and horse-drawn cars ran on street railways on Third, Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth Avenues. Toward the end of the century, electricity led to the development of electric trolley cars, which soon replaced horses. Trolley bus lines, also called trackless trolley coaches, used overhead lines for power. They first served Staten Island in the 1920s and were part of Brooklyn's surface transit for three decades, beginning in 1930. However, motor buses completely replaced New York City public transit trolley cars and trolley buses by 1960. The city's first regular elevated railway (el) service began on February 14, 1870. The El ran along Greenwich Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan. Elevated train service expanded and dominated rapid transit for the next few decades. On September 24, 1883, a Brooklyn Bridge cable-powered railway opened between Park Row, New York City, and Sands Street in the city of Brooklyn. New York City's first official subway system opened in Manhattan on October 27, 1904. The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) operated the 9.1-mile long subway line that consisted of 28 stations from City Hall to 145th Street and Broadway. IRT service expanded to the Bronx in 1905, to Brooklyn in 1908, and to Queens in 1915. The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) began subway service between Brooklyn and Manhattan in 1915. The Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) took over the BRT a few years later. Private companies also operated the city's earliest motor buses. The Fifth Avenue Coach Company began passenger service between Washington Square and 90th Street with gasoline-powered buses and open-top double-deckers on July 13, 1907. In 1932, the city's Board of Transportation completed construction of the Eighth Avenue line and created the Independent Rapid Transit Railroad (IND), the first city-run subway service. When the city purchased the BMT and IRT in 1940, it became the sole owner and operator of all New York City subway and elevated lines. On June 15, 1953, the New York State Legislature created the New York City Transit Authority (now Metropolitan Transportation Authority or MTA) as a separate public corporation to manage and operate all city-owned bus, trolley, and subway routes.


DOCUMENT 1: "New York Transit Museum - Teacher Resource Center." History of Public Transportation in New York City. New York Transit Museum, Web. 28 Dec. 2015.


DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. According to DOCUMENT 1, how many modes of public transportation have existed in New York

City? List them below:

2. Which mode of transportation existed for the longest period of time? And the shortest?

3. Which TWO modes of transportation still exist in New York City today?


OMNIBUSES*

Public transportation in New York City began in the late 1820s with horse power. Omnibuses were oversized stagecoaches that ran along a fixed route. They were meant to seat fifteen passengers, although they were often cramped with more – both inside and on top! The driver stopped when passengers tugged on a strap attached to

his ankle. DOCUMENT 2a: Roth, H.C. “Some Old Time Transportation.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1954.

DOCUMENT 2b: “Brooklyn Omnibus Drivers.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 30 Jul 1845.

* "New York Transit Museum - Teacher Resource Center." History of Public Transportation in New York City. New York Transit Museum, Web. 28 Dec. 2015.



1. According to DOCUMENT 2a, what powered the omnibuses? What issues might there have been with

this power source?

2. How did passengers alert the conductor to stop the omnibus?

3. Describe the problem identified in DOCUMENT 2b:

4. What does it predict will happen if the problem isn’t addressed?


HORSECARS* Horsecars, streetcars that rode along embedded iron or steel tracks, were designed to carry more people and offer a smoother ride than omnibuses. Passengers asked the conductor, who rode at the back, to signal their stops to the driver by ringing a bell.

Horse-drawn vehicles jammed city streets because their numbers weren’t regulated. In addition, horses were slow, they had trouble climbing hilly streets, they ate lots of hay and grain (and produced lots of manure), and most could only work an average of five years. The deadly outbreak of horse flu caused the death of many horses in 1872 and showed that only one source of public transportation invited disaster.

DOCUMENT 3: Froger-Doudement, Raoul. Street Scene. Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library. ca 1900.




1. Describe the difference between an omnibus and horsecar (HINT: use DOCUMENTS 1, 2a and 3 for

help):

2. What were some benefits horsecars offered over omnibuses?

3. What problems would’ve still existed from using horses to power this mode of public transportation?

4. What other dangers can you identify from DOCUMENT 3 that passengers might have encountered

when riding horsecars?


CABLE CARS*

New York City’s first cable car line opened in 1883 on the new Brooklyn Bridge. Cable Cars were moved by steam-driven machinery in a powerhouse, which continuously drew a loop of wire cables through a slot beneath the street. When the cable car operator wanted the car to go forward, he gripped the running cable with a special

device. When he wanted to stop, he released the moving cable. Cable cars were useful on streets that were too steep for horses. Steam-powered cable became less valuable once electricity became available for trolleys and resulted in ending the run of cable cars in New York City in 1909. DOCUMENT 4: Brooklyn Bridge Roadway. Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library. 188-?




1. According to DOCUMENT 4, where did the first cable cars appear?

2. What powered cable cars?

3. What could cable cars more easily do than horsecars?

4. What eventually contributed to the end of the cable cars?


DOCUMENT 5: “Opening of the Bridge Railroad.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 24 Sept 1883.

Adaptation

Opening the Bridge Railroad.

After a delay of some months, the bridge

railroad was thrown open to the public and

the cars were put in operation on schedule

time without a hitch.

They will probably continue to run without

interruption, for the delay has been due to the

extraordinary care taken in testing the

apparatus to make sure it’s safe.

The cars run at intervals of five minutes and

can be run more frequently if there is any

necessity for it. It will be clear very soon if the

bridge railroad has a capacity for all the

passengers that want to ride it.

The EAGLE favors that the bridge be free to

cross except for railroad passengers.

A handsome income can be made from the

[cable] cars fares. The Bridge might earn

enough from these fares to take away those

currently paid by pedestrians and eventually

reduce of the fare on the railroad.



1. According to DOCUMENT 5, why was opening the railroad over the Brooklyn Bridge so delayed?

2. The article implies that a lot of people plan to ride the railroad over the Brooklyn Bridge. Provide

TWO pieces of evidence to support this claim:

3. Who does the Brooklyn Daily Eagle think to pay to cross the Brooklyn Bridge?

4. What does the author argue will be gained by making railroad passengers pay for their rides?


TROLLEYS*

For 70 years, trolleys ran in all five boroughs of New York City. Trolleys operated by electrical power delivered through wires running overhead or underground. They were faster and cleaner than horsecars and cheaper to build and operate than cable cars. However, the rapid increase in fuel-powered cars and trucks in the 1920s

doomed the trolleys. Running on fixed tracks in the middle of the city’s streets, trolleys became a nuisance in traffic and getting on and off them was dangerous. During the 1930s and 40s, motor buses gradually replaced trolleys, though some trolley routes continued into the 1950s. DOCUMENT 6: Third Avenue Trolley. The Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library. 1898.




1. How were trollies powered? Circle the part of the trolley in DOCUMENT 5 that would have been used

to power it (HINT: it connects to above or below ground power lines).

2. List TWO reasons why trollies were better than some earlier modes of transportation?

3. Where did trollies run and why did this make getting on and off them so dangerous in the early 20th

Century?

4. Reflect on your knowledge of what it’s like to take the subway today. How might trollies have been

better than the subway? How might they be worse?


DOCUMENT 7: “Death by the Trolley.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 30 Dec 1894.



1. Describe what is happening in DOCUMENT 7’s image:

2. What point of view do you think DOCUMENT 7 is trying to convey to the reader? Is it positive or

negative?

3. What advice does the headline give to readers to protect themselves from trolleys?


MOTOR BUSES*

New York was the first American city to use motor buses for public transit. In 1905 the Fifth Avenue Coach Company introduced gasoline-powered double-decker buses that operated on crosstown and uptown lines. Within two years, it had replaced all of its horse-drawn vehicles with motor buses.

Motor bus service expanded greatly in the 1920s and 30s when Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia ordered that they replace all electric-traction vehicles, including trolleys. More than 700 buses were purchased for the Manhattan conversion in 1935-36 that established the standard in bus design, with two doors, a rear-mounted engine and transmission, and a hoodless front end. Today, nearly 5,000 buses operate in all five boroughs, covering almost 3,000 miles of routes. DOCUMENT 8: Abbot, Berenice. Fifth Avenue Coach Company. Estate of Berenice Abbott. 1932.




1. Use DOCUMENT 8 to describe what New York City’s first motor buses looked like:

2. How were motor buses powered?

3. Why do you think Mayor La Guardia preferred motor buses over horsecars?

4. What mode of transportation have motor buses evolved into today?


DOCUMENT 9: “Fifth Avenue Association of Bay Ridge.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1949.



1. What year was this photo taken?

2. Are Bay Ridge residents happy or saddened by motor buses in their neighborhood? Cite evidence

from DOCUMENT 9 to support your position:

3. What would have made a motor bus more comfortable than other modes of transportation prior to

1949?

4. What similarities can you identify between the motor bus in this photo and the versions we currently

find in New York City today?


ELEVATED TRAINS (EL)*

New York City’s earliest form of rapid transit was the elevated railway, or el. New York Elevated Railway was introduced to replace cables in 1871 and ran on tracks nearly three stories above city avenues. Els drastically changed the way in which New Yorkers viewed their city and lived

their lives. By 1880 most Manhattan residents were within a ten-minute walk from an el. They allowed residents to live, work, and shop in different parts of the city and interact with people from other neighborhoods. Although the els were dirty and noisy and blocked sunlight from the streets below, they allowed people to travel quickly and cheaply throughout the city like never before. By 1903 the elevated systems changed from steam to electric power, offering a smoother, cleaner ride. DOCUMENT 10: Fulton Street El. Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. 1909.

* "New York Transit Museum - Teacher Resource Center." History of Public Transportation in New York City. New York Transit Museum, Web. 28 Dec 2015.



1. Describe what an elevated train (el) looks like according to DOCUMENT 10:

2. How do you think els changed the look of Brooklyn’s streets (HINT: examine previous documents to

compare and contrast what the streets looked like before the els were built)?

3. Why was this mode of transportation considered better than previous examples? Provide TWO

reasons:

4. List TWO positive impacts the el had on residents’ lives. List TWO negative impacts.


SUBWAY*

To ease New York City’s demand for rapid transit, city authorities determined to build a subway that would meet two objectives. First, it would quickly move people about in crowded Manhattan. Secondly, it would move them out of crowded Manhattan. Subway lines would extend out to vast

tracts of undeveloped land, where new neighborhoods could be created, helping to turn the cramped island of Manhattan into a sprawling metropolitan area.

The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) began construction on the first subway line in 1900, and less than four years later, it began moving New Yorkers beneath city streets, carrying over 100,000 riders on its very first day. Subways, traveling at close to 40 miles per hour, were much faster than trolleys (6 miles per hour) and elevated trains (12 miles per hour). Passengers appreciated choices between local and express service and fewer weather-related delays than street transportation.

Most of the subway system we know today was built from 1913 to 1931 when the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) was formed to build new subway lines and Independent Subway System (IND) was founded to replace many older El trains. In 1940 the city combined all three subway companies and it became part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority when the MTA was created in 1968.

New York City’s subway system is one of the busiest and most extensive in the world, serving nearly 5 million passengers every day with 26 train lines operating on over 800 miles of track. The subway runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and connects all boroughs except Staten Island. Plans included expanding the system to Staten Island, but the route was never built. However, Staten Islanders can depend on the Staten Island Railway, which became part of MTA in 1971, linking 22 communities across the island.



DOCUMENT 11: “Tunnel is Open: Rejoicing in Brooklyn.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 9 Jan. 1908.



1. What is DOCUMENT 11 and when was it produced?

2. What is The Brooklyn Daily Eagle celebrating?

3. Examine the photo and headlines in DOCUMENT 11 and describe how Brooklyn celebrated the

occasion:

4. What two locations is the subway traveling between? Why is this significant?


DOCUMENT 12: Surface Division. B.M.T. (Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corp) Lines. 1928.



1. Examine DOCUMENT 12. What do you think the B.M.T. was?

2. What do the dark and light solid lines represent on the map? Did Brooklyn have more elevated or

underground lines?

3. What do the dotted lines represent? What does this tell you about subway construction in Brooklyn

during the early 20th Century?

4. What areas of Brooklyn did not have public transportation? What do you think they looked like

(rural, suburban)?


DOCUMENT 13: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Sunset. 1964. Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library.

By Richard Wurts.



1. How do you think people crossed the New York Harbor from Brooklyn to Staten Island before the

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was built?

2. When the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was completed, it stretched over two miles making it the

longest bridge in the world at that time. What impact do you think building this bridge had on New York

City?

3. In 1950 the population of Staten Island was 191,555. In 1970, six years after the Verrazano-Narrows

Bridge was completed, the population of Staten Island nearly doubled to 295,443 people. Why do you

think that was?


GLOSSARY:

Apparatus – a complicated instrument or device

Cable-powered – powered by steam-driven machinery that continuously draws a loop of wire cables

through a slot beneath the street

Capacity – the largest amount or number that can be contained.

Crosstown – transit that moves across the city from east to west

Dominate – to have controlling power over

Double-decker – bus that has two levels separated by a stairway

Drastically – acting rapidly, severe in effect

Elevated Railway – Railway that operates above ground

Embed – to enclose or surround

Extensive – having wide or large extent

Extraordinary – so unusual as to be remarkable

Fleet – a group of vehicles that move together or are under one management

Handsome – very large, sizeable

Hitch – jerky movement or pool, unexpected stop or obstacle

Interval – a period of time between events

Manure – horse poop

Metropolitan – characteristics of something that lives in a large important city

Nuisance – something annoying or troublesome

Omnibus - oversized stagecoach that runs along a fixed route and carries 15 passengers

Powerhouse – a building in which electric power is generated

Rapid Transit – very fast transit

Sprawling – spread out

Stagecoach – a coach pulled by horses that carries passengers and runs on a schedule between stops

Surface Transit – transit running on the surface of the ground

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THICK AND THIN QUESTIONS

LESSON PLAN

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AIM:

Students will practice asking both closed and open ended questions. By asking strong thick questions, students lay the base for writing more complex research questions.

OBJECTIVE: Students will: Learn the difference between thin (closed) and thick (open) questions Students will practice using both strategies Students will recognize how questioning jumpstarts research Students will learn how to transform their thick questions into research

questions

MATERIALS: Thick and Thin Questions handout Two or more primary source documents

PROCEDURE:

1. Warm up a. Provide students with primary source – preferably one with

people doing an activity b. Ask students thin questions (closed) ie.

i. What are these people doing? ii. How many people are in the photo?

c. Engage students in a discussion about why we ask questions i. To figure out what to look for, to expand on a topic, to gain

evidence, etc. 2. Introduce thin questions

a. Questions that are closed, can be easily answered, and the information is readily available

b. Who, What, When, Where, How Many, Why Is 3. Give an example of a thin question and then ask students to ask thin

questions about the original source 4. Introduce thick questions

a. Questions that make you think and search, take time to answer b. Often start with How or Why

5. Give an example of a thick question and then ask students to ask thick questions about the original source

6. Distribute Thick and Thin Questions handout a. Ensure students that the questions are the important part, not the

answer 7. Distribute different primary source document 8. Ask students to ask both thick and thin questions about the source 9. Connect thick questions and research questions

a. A research question will never be a thin question 10. Wrap up

a. Ask students to share out their own questions b. Ask students what was challenging about writing thin and thick

questions c. Ask students which thick question they believe would be best for a

research question and have them support their answer

ASSESSMENT: Handouts can be collected to assess student comprehension

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DIFFERENTIATION: This activity can also be done with secondary text Generally, this activity’s focus is questions, not correctness. However, for

more advanced students require them to use base knowledge o Give them a date and let them sketch out a general historic

overview of that time period For more advanced students, require them to locate answers for their

questions over the course of their research Provide students with historical content before they ask their questions to

conduct a more focused activity

C.C.S.S. ADDRESSED: 4th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

5th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3 Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

6th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.4 Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

7th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

8th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

9th – 10th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research

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projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

11th – 12th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain

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THIN QUESTIONS

I wonder what: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

I wonder who: ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

I wonder when: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

I wonder where: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

I wonder why: ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

I wonder how: ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: _______________________________________________

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THICK QUESTIONS

What if: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Why did: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

What caused: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Would you: __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Why do you think: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Why might: __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

What would happen if: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

55 Kids, Too, Protest Against L. 1952. Print. Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library.

57 Elevated Train Crash, Coney Island. 13 Aug 1939. Print. Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library.

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CRAFTING A RESEARCH QUESTION

LESSON PLAN

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AIM:

The student will learn to craft a strong research question.

OBJECTIVE:

Students will: Discuss the importance of strong research questions Evaluate weak questions and identify issues Improve weak educator-generated questions Write strong self-generated questions

MATERIALS:

Research Question Companion Document Narrowing Your Topic (Handout) Think Small (Handout) Research Question KW Chart (Handout)

PROCEDURE:

1. Warm Up a. Why do we ask questions?

2. Introduce Research Questions a. A strong research question provides a framework for your

research - gives you a focus and a goal. b. Strong questions help researchers avoid the “all about” papers. c. Strong questions are vital for argumentative papers.

3. Discuss pitfalls of bad questions a. Too much information, too little information, information not

applicable to your overall topic, harder to stay organized, etc. 4. Walk students through the steps to forming a strong question

a. Pick a topic b. Do background research

i. Students must know something about their topic to ask questions about it

ii. If students do not have background information, ask them to look at an encyclopedia entry to gain basic knowledge

c. ASK: What do you know? What do you want to know? d. Write an open ended research question e. Evaluate question

i. Is your research question clear? 1. Does the sentence structure make sense? Would

someone else know what you’re asking? ii. Is your research question focused?

1. Is the question too broad, making it hard to find a clear answer? Is the question too narrow, making it hard to find enough information?

iii. Is your research question arguable? 1. Research questions allow a student to form an

opinion and must be opened ended enough that students will have to support the opinion

2. Research questions cannot be Yes or No iv. Invite your students to include active words that increase

complexity: Cause, Effect, Compare, Impact, Change, Influence

5. Ask students to write down a potential research question, to be examined later in the lesson.

6. Activity: Fixing Weak Questions a. Pass out Research Question Companion Document

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b. Go through each question and invite students to discuss why each question is NOT strong.

i. Question 1’s problem: Yes or No ii. Question 2’s problem: Value judgement, hard to argue and

support with clear evidence iii. Question 3’s problem: Too narrow iv. Question 4’s problem: Too broad

7. Ask students to fix all four questions, addressing the discussed problems. a. Students should not simply change words around, but rewrite

questions about the same topics that are stronger b. Examples:

i. How did horsecar design change to benefit horses? ii. In what ways did people fight discriminatory practices on

early public transit? iii. How did technological advancements change the design of

the early subway cars? iv. How did the construction of the elevated train impact

Downtown Brooklyn? 8. Assess: Ask one student to share out their answers and share out example

answers as needed. 9. Ask students to pass their original research question to their neighbor for

evaluation using learned tools 10. Allow students time to use comments to fix their questions

DIFFERENTIATION: Use Narrowing Your Topic (handout) to help students better visualize the lesson

Use Think Small (handout) to help students break down topics that are too large

Use Research Questions KW Chart (handout) for lower level students Allow more time for guided practice for lower level students For younger grades, simply focus on KW chart Alter given questions to better fit class needs

C.C.S.S. ADDRESSED: 4th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

5th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

6th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1a Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

7th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question,

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/4/2/


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/6/8/


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/6-8/1/a/



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drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1a Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

8th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1a Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

9th – 10th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.1b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form and in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.

11th – 12th Grade CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1 - Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1b - Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.7 - Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.1b - Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.





http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/9-10/1/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/9-10/1/b/


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/9-10/1/b/


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/11-12/1/b/


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/11-12/1/b/

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Name: ____________________________

CRAFTING A STRONG RESEARCH QUESTION

Below are poorly written research questions.

Practice writing strong research questions by fixing them to make them

clear, focused, and arguable.

Use strong words to make your question more complex:

cause, effect, compare, impact, change, influence.

1. Were horsecars pulled by horses?

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2. Were trolley drivers that upheld discriminatory practices bad people?

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3. Who invented the first subway car?

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4. How have subways changed New York City?

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Name: _________________________________

NARROWING YOUR TOPIC

1. What is your topic?

2. What interests you about this topic?

3. List three questions you have about this topic?

4. Look at the above questions. Is there a common theme? Remember: a good

question is clear, focused, and arguable. Write down a possible research question

below.

5. Evaluate your question. Is it clear? Is it focused? Is it arguable? Reword and

rewrite your question below.

6. Based on your main research question, list three sub-questions below.

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RESEARCH QUESTION – KW CHART

Topic:

This topic is interesting because:

WANT TO KNOW KNOW

What is one strong question you will work to answer with your project?

This question cannot be a yes or no question.

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THINK SMALL

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why is it important for students to learn about local transit history?

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2. Where might you fit transit history into your current curricula?

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3. How might you use transit history to connect to larger social, political, and historical

topics/issues?

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4. How might you link local transit history to the present day?

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GROUP DISCUSSION

What are some practical ways that you can apply information or ideas from today’s workshop to your teaching? As a group, please identify at least three ideas and be

prepared to share out.

1. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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2. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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3. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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