“The qualifications for self-government in society are not innate. They are the result of habit and long training.”

Thomas Jefferson, 1824.

The Persistent Issues in History Framework

Civil Rights Unit: Separatist group presentation of argument: “What should be done to promote greater social justice (1968)?”

What is different?

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PIH Curriculum Design Principles

1. Scaffolded Instruction

2. Authenticity

3. Multiple Intelligences

4. Effective Collaboration

PIH Curriculum Design Principles

Scaffolded Instruction

• All students can perform at a higher level with appropriate structure and support

PIH Curriculum Design Principles

Scaffolded Instruction

• Hard Scaffolds• Support planned in advance based on typical difficulties• Built into structure of learning environment or into available tools or resources

• Soft Scaffolds• Spontaneous, timely support provided by the teacher based upon learner responses

PIH Curriculum Design Principles

Authenticity: Work must seem worth the effort.

"I don't enjoy history that much because you just, like, you listen to the teachers and they just lecture you, and you have no idea. Like, in math you're always doing all the problems and in science you're always doing labs and stuff. In history you just never interact with it or anything, and doing this [the PIH unit], you got to do it yourself and look at it.”

PIH Curriculum Design Principles

Multiple Intelligences

• Verbal-Linguistic• Logical-Mathematical

• Visual-Spatial• Body-Kinesthetic• Musical-Rhythmic• Interpersonal• Intrapersonal

PIH Curriculum Design Principles

Multiple Intelligences

• Richness & Complexity of Tasks• Multiple activities• Multiple media• Multiple perspectives

PIH Curriculum Design Principles

Collaboration

Effective groupwork design promotes:

•Healthier classroom environments

•More complex learning for all students• Task requires varied talents and group effort• Distributed intelligence

PIH Curriculum Design Principles

•Group Unit Overview

Purposeful, Motivating Unit Design

A Model for PIH Units

1. A Central, Focusing Question

2. An Introductory Grabber

3. Deep, Rich Content

4. Multiple Perspectives & Ways of Knowing

5. Culminating Activity

A Model for PIH Units

1. A Central, Focusing Question

2. An Introductory Grabber

3. Deep, Rich Content

4. Multiple Perspectives & Ways of Knowing

5. Culminating Activity

Unit Focus

Container (Topic) or Backbone (Enduring Question)

CentralQuestion

CulminatingActivity

LessonOne

LessonTwo

LessonThree

LessonFour

PIH Curriculum Organization:

Persistent Issue: Representative Topics Topic-Specific Issue:

When are citizens justified in resisting governmental authority?

American Revolution

English Civil War

Palestinian Intifada

Revolution: Were the colonists justified in revolting from Great Britain?

What actions are justified in the interest of national or community security?

Native Americans

Chinese Ming Dynasty Isolationism

Rise of Fascism

Native Americans: Were European-American policies toward Native Americans justified?

When are nations justified in intervening in the affairs of other countries?

Crusades

War of 1812

Vietnam

Vietnam War: Should the U.S. be praised or condemned for its foreign policy toward Vietnam?

What policies should the government pursue to promote social and economic justice?

Reconstruction

Irish Potato Famine

New Deal

New Deal: What should the government do to protect the public interest in a free market economy?

A Model for PIH Units

1. A Central, Focusing Question

2. An Introductory Grabber

3. Deep, Rich Content

4. Multiple Perspectives & Ways of Knowing

5. Culminating Activity

Plan Backwards From Central Question to Culminating Activity

Central Question: What should be done (in 1968) to continue the struggle for a more just, equal society?

Culminating Activity: Presentation to Committee on Civil Rights Progress

Unit Focus

Central Question Backbone

CentralQuestion

CulminatingActivity

LessonOne

LessonTwo

LessonThree

LessonFour

A Model for PIH Units

1. A Central, Focusing Question

2. An Introductory Grabber

3. Deep, Rich Content

4. Multiple Perspectives & Ways of Knowing

5. Culminating Activity

Why does it matter? The “Grabber”

• How can I demonstrate that this is connected to my students’ lives and concerns?

Introductory Grabber

1st day of a unit is the most important day

Topic: Supreme Court

Central Question: Should the power of the Supreme Court be

limited?

Keeping it Real

Introductory Grabber

Central Question: Should the power of the Supreme Court be

limited?

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Brainstorming Unit Content & Experiences

• What do students need to successfully accomplish the culminating activity and address the central question?

A Model for PIH Units

1. A Central, Focusing Question

2. An Introductory Grabber

3. Deep, Rich Content

4. Multiple Perspectives & Ways of Knowing

5. Culminating Activity

A Model for PIH Units

Authenticity: Beyond the Textbook• Rich material• Real people• Real-life tasks

A Model for PIH Units

• George Washington Unit OverviewCQ: When is the federal government justified in

imposing its will on American citizens?

CA: Press Conference: Did actions taken by the Washington administration exceed its Constitutional powers?

Dissecting A Simple Model Unit:The American Revolution - p. 25

• Lesson 1: Introducing the Question

• Lesson 2: Expert Group Hypothesizing

• Lesson 3: Expert Group Hypothesis Testing

• Lesson 4: Decision-making GroupsDebate on the CQ

Dissecting A Simple Model Unit:The American Revolution

• Lesson 1: Introducing the Question• Grabber• Hypothesis Formation• Limit Investigation Categories• Preview Unit Activities

Dissecting A Simple Model Unit:The American Revolution

• Lesson 2: Expert Group Hypothesizing• Groups subdivide the work• Pre-think questions to test hypotheses• Accountability for intermediate step• Teacher oversight & reinforcement

Dissecting A Simple Model Unit:The American Revolution

• Lesson 3: Expert Group Hypothesis Testing• Individual accountability for one question• Group sharing of data• Synthesis task: Rate factors• Individual accountability for all group knowledge• Teacher probes & redirects as needed

Dissecting A Simple Model Unit:The American Revolution

• Lesson 4: Decision-making GroupsDebate on the CQ

• Jigsaw: New groups share information• Groups debate and answer the CQ• Groups report decisions to class• Teacher refocuses: Discussion & debate of

differences

• Individual accountability: Essay on CQ

A Model for PIH Units

• George Washington Unit OverviewCQ: When is the federal government justified in

imposing its will on American citizens?

CA: Press Conference: Did actions taken by the Washington administration exceed its Constitutional powers?

A Model for PIH Units: G. Washington

EngagingStudent Interest QuickTime™ and a

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A Model for PIH Units: G. Washington

IntroducingThe CentralQuestion QuickTime™ and a

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A Model for PIH Units: G. Washington

BroadeningThe Issue

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A Model for PIH Units: G. Washington

• Lesson 2: The National Bank Issue

A Model for PIH Units: G. Washington

• Lesson 2: The National Bank Issue

• Competing Arguments• Multiple ways of knowing• Collaboration