social studies -- you’ll need our help! argument writing in history and social studies mark stout,...
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social studies -- you’ll social studies -- you’ll need our help!need our help!
Argument writing in history and Argument writing in history and social studiessocial studies
Mark Stout, Coordinator of Advanced Programs & Secondary Social Studies
ELA Retreat -- October 5, 2011
GoalsGoalsDevelop an awareness of recent developments in best practices for history and social studies
Increase understanding about the natural connections between Language Arts and Social Studies
See examples of how social studies teachers are implementing argument writing and engaging students with complex text.
History and Social History and Social StudiesStudies
Take a moment at your tables and generate 2 or 3 “buzzwords” typically associated with history and social studies instruction.
Feel free to be brutally honest!
Going, going,...Going, going,...
“Giving notes” from powerpoint presentations...
“This is important, write this down...”
“Read pages 56-67 in your textbook and answer...”
“Complete the worksheet...”
...OK, not gone, but a lot less prevalent.
New History New History InstructionInstruction
Based on research about how students understand history and read historical documents
Research is primarily from fields of History Education (Wineburg, VanSledright, Levstik, Barton), and Reading/Language Arts Education (Guthrie, Afflerback, Torney-Purta)
Students show interest and learn history best when it is taught as an investigative process -- like the practices of real historians
New History New History InstructionInstruction
Research coincided with the introduction of Teaching American History Grants
Has influenced both instruction and instructional materials unlike any other movement in social studies
Students read and analyze primary and secondary sources to develop interpretations of historical events, and then conduct evidence-based argumentative writing to support their conclusions.
Social Studies is primarily the Social Studies is primarily the application of language arts application of language arts and critical thinking skills to and critical thinking skills to specific concepts and contentspecific concepts and content
What is History?What is History?Accounts/narratives different depending on perspective
We rely on evidence to construct account of the past
We must question the reliability of evidence
Any single piece of evidence is insufficient
We must use multiple sources to build a plausible account
Accounts/narratives different depending on perspective
We rely on evidence to construct account of the past
We must question the reliability of evidence
Any single piece of evidence is insufficient
We must use multiple sources to build a plausible account
Reading Like a HistorianStanford History Education Group
SourcingSourcing
Who wrote this?
What is the author’s point of view?
Why was it written?
When was it written?
Is the source believable?
Who wrote this?
What is the author’s point of view?
Why was it written?
When was it written?
Is the source believable?
Reading Like a HistorianStanford History Education Group
ContextualizingContextualizing
What else was going on?
What was it like to live in this time?
What things were different?...the same?
What would it look like to see this event through the eyes of someone who lived back then?
What else was going on?
What was it like to live in this time?
What things were different?...the same?
What would it look like to see this event through the eyes of someone who lived back then?
Reading Like a HistorianStanford History Education Group
CorroborationCorroboration
What do other pieces of evidence say?
Am I finding the same information everywhere?
Am I finding different versions? Why?
Where else could I look to find out about this?
What evidence is most believable?
What do other pieces of evidence say?
Am I finding the same information everywhere?
Am I finding different versions? Why?
Where else could I look to find out about this?
What evidence is most believable?
Close ReadingClose ReadingWhat claims does the author make?
What evidence does the author use to support those claims?
How is this document supposed to make me feel?
What words of phrases does the author use to convince me?
What information does the author leave out?
What claims does the author make?
What evidence does the author use to support those claims?
How is this document supposed to make me feel?
What words of phrases does the author use to convince me?
What information does the author leave out?
Reading Like a HistorianStanford History Education Group
Comparing Sources
Comparing Sources
Conduct a close reading of the two textbook excerpts about the Boston Massacre
In what ways do the authors attempt to influence the reader?
Which source would you consider more reliable? Why?
Are textbooks reliable sources?
Conduct a close reading of the two textbook excerpts about the Boston Massacre
In what ways do the authors attempt to influence the reader?
Which source would you consider more reliable? Why?
Are textbooks reliable sources?
Argument Writing Quick Cards
What do we think this looks like in social studies?
What do we think this looks like in social studies?
Instructional Support
Materials
Instructional Support
Materials At your tables, examine the instructional materials
What kinds of skills are students expected to demonstrate?
Describe how these materials support the systemwide initiative of argument writing
At your tables, examine the instructional materials
What kinds of skills are students expected to demonstrate?
Describe how these materials support the systemwide initiative of argument writing
Historical Investigations, DBQs, History Labs
Historical Investigations, DBQs, History Labs
Essential Question
Use Historical Thinking Skills to Examine, Evaluate, Analyze, and Interpret Sources
Develop a claim based on the evaluation of evidence
Support claim with evidence from sources
Address counterclaims with evidence from sources
Essential Question
Use Historical Thinking Skills to Examine, Evaluate, Analyze, and Interpret Sources
Develop a claim based on the evaluation of evidence
Support claim with evidence from sources
Address counterclaims with evidence from sources
Questions and Comments...