Transcript Create Your Own History Labs

Create Your Own
Social Studies Labs
To engage your students using Social Sciences best practices!
Step 1 – Select Benchmark
• Use item specs or pacing guide
• Social studies pacing guides
(http://socialsciences.dadeschools.
net/pacingguides.asp)
Step 2 – Create an Essential
Question
• Essential questions should be thought-provoking, have
multiple possible answers, and lend themselves to
thinking, discussion and debate.
• Where to find essential questions:
• Pacing guides
• Other good resources:
• Guide to understanding and developing essential questions
(http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109004/chapters/What-Makes-aQuestion-Essential%A2.aspx)
• Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
(http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/resources/essential-questionsteaching-american-history)
Essential Questions
built into pacing guides
Step 3 – Find Sources
• Find a variety of sources (can be visual or written) that can
help students answer the essential question.
• Try to find sources that will present various viewpoints.
• For example:
• Essential Question: Should the United States have aided the
Allies against the Axis powers in Europe?
• Some of the sources should provide evidence that YES, the United
States SHOULD HAVE aided the Allies; while other sources should
provide counter-evidence.
• How might
this political
cartoon help
students to
answer the
essential
question?
• How might this
propaganda
poster help
students to
answer the
essential
question?
Step 4 – Create an Activity
• Organize the
activity in a way
that makes it
clear for students.
• For example,
create a graphic
organizer that
students can use
to help them
analyze each
source.
• Sample template:
Step 5 – Complete!