Transcript Slide 1
Struggling with Standards? Need a way to break out
and find creative ways to meet your teaching goals?
Maybe you need a trip to an island…
Alcatraz Island!
Alcatraz
Standards of the Rock
A look at the history of Alcatraz, its
residents, and how one place can help
you address standards in four subjects
Brief Explanation of this Presentation for L551
audience
This presentation will provide a
framework for a collaborative project
and analyze the ways it links to the
principles and key ideas as well as
academic standards for four areas
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On to the Presentation…
Al Capone Lived there,
but who else?
Students are probably familiar with gangsters
and the big names such as Al Capone,
Machine Gun Kelly, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty
Boy Floyd, the Birdman of Alcatraz and others
who have been portrayed in movies
Photos from A Brief History of Alcatraz Island (http://www.alcatrazhistory.com)
Families on Alcatraz…and Native
Americans?
Students will doubtfully have thought of
the history of Alcatraz prior to the prison
Students may not have considered the
prison guards and other civilians who
lived on the Rock
Students may also be surprised to learn
that Native Americans lived on Alcatraz
Island for 19 months from 1969-1971.
Rock Populations
Introduce students to
not
the original jailbirds
Alcatraz was named for
Let them in on the fact that there was
another prison there before the home
of Al Capone
Give them the true story of some of the
legends of attempted escapes
Project Aspects
This is a series of ideas for collaborative
projects for eighth grade students and
involves the media specialist, English teacher,
science teacher, and social studies teacher.
Students will be challenged to move beyond
their initial ideas of Alcatraz and think about
the true history of the island, what life was
really like there for its various inhabitants and
just who exactly those inhabitants were.
Project Aspects
Using the aspects of Information Inquiry
Methods—questioning (I wonder), exploration
(I find), assimilation (I relate to what I know),
inference (what I think this means and what I
will share with others), and reflection (how the
process went) students will research Alcatraz
to move beyond their limited knowledge.
Projects can be pursued in groups or by
individual students
Project Aspects
Assessment of projects will be conducted by
both the teacher and the media specialist
Assessment will take into account the
creativity of the student and group questions
as well as the project
Students will be expected to choose an area
and look at the way it connects with
something they know about or are learning in
another class
Media Specialist’s Role
The media specialist would meet with the
teacher and discuss possible directions for
student inquiry projects
Assistance would be offered in the form of
recommended books, websites, videos that
pertain to the project
The media specialist would also meet with
student groups and guide them toward useful
resources
The media specialist would also teach minilessons related to the project and the
research process
Project Notes
Students should be encouraged to follow
topics about Alcatraz that interest them.
“Allowing students to focus on what interests
them and figuring out ways they will learn
material best will get them out of the mindset
of homework just being a means for a grade
instead of a way to practice and learn new
concepts (Vaughn, 2005).”
Project Notes
Along the way students should ask themselves:
What resources are available, and which ones should I
use to learn this information?
How much information do I already know about this
topic, and where are the gaps in my understanding?
How much and what type of practice should I engage
in?
When should I complete this work?
Do I want to work alone, or would it be more helpful to
work with a classmate?
Source: Vaughan, A. L. (2005). "The Self-Paced Student."
Educational Leadership 62(7).
Addressing the Standards
Standards Slide Order
Standards are grouped into major areas:
Social Studies
English/Language Arts
Science
Math
Projects suggestions are also grouped within
these categories, but English/Language Arts
overlaps with presentations in all areas
Social Studies
Standards
Standard 1—History
(discovery, exploration of America; social
reform; westward expansion)
Social Studies Standards
Standard 1—History Specifics
Chronological Thinking—develop and interpret U.S.
history timelines from 1750-1877
Comprehension, Analysis, and Interpretation—
recognize historical perspective, avoid evaluation
of past solely in terms of present-day norms
Issues-Analysis, Decision-Making, Planning and
Problem-Solving—examine causes of problems;
evaluate solutions; consider alternative courses of
actions
Social Studies Standard 1
Timelines
Chronological Thinking—develop and
interpret U.S. history timelines from 17501877
Alcatraz Prison In American History (1998)
presents a timeline of Alcatraz history from
1542-1973.
Students can evaluate these dates and
relate them to other U.S. events to begin to
see correlations in historical events
Alcatraz Timeline
1542 Explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sails
along the coast of California and claims Alta
(Upper) California for the King of Spain
1769 Sergeant Jose Ortega discovers San
Francisco Bay
1775 Spanish explorers Juan Manuel de Ayala
and Jose Canizares chart the islands in the
bay; Ayala names one island “Alcatraces”
after the large number of pelicans seen there
Alcatraz Timeline
1846 Julian Workman obtains a land
grant for Alcatraz Island and is ordered
to build a lighthouse there
1854 A forty-foot tall lighthouse is put
into operation on the island
1859 Company H of the Third Artillery
occupies Alcatraz, beginning a 70-year
occupation of the island by the U.S.
Army.
Alcatraz Timeline
Timeline example
1933—The army announces
that the military prison on
Alcatraz Island would be
closed; The federal government
announces plans to make Alcatraz a
federal prison for the most dangerous
inmates in the federal prison system.
What else was happening in America in
1933? (Volstead Act, final year of
Prohibition)
Alcatraz Timeline
1963 Attorney General Robert Kennedy
orders Alcatraz federal prison closed; the last
inmates leave
Questions for students to research—why did
Alcatraz close in 1963? What else was
happening?
What kinds of important historical events took
place while Alcatraz was a prison (from 19341963)?
How did these events effect the inmates or
change the face of crimes committed?
Information Inquiry Aspects
Ask students to reflect on what else they are
studying and link these dates to what they
know
Have students research some events they
know about but are unsure of dates
Have students work in groups to create
different pieces of a timeline. Write it out on
large sheets of paper and hang it up in the
classroom to help students see the linear
qualities of history
Add dates of importance as they are
discussed in class
Timeline Project
Use a timeline website such as World
Almanac for Kids
www.worldalmanacforkids.com
Or the Library of Congress American
Memory Timeline
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/
timeline/
Social Studies Standard 1
Comprehension, Analysis, and
Interpretation—There are may stories
about Alcatraz, some true, others
embellished.
Students can, study maps, read primary
source documents and compare their
findings to fictional accounts as well as
movies
Social Studies Standard 1
Projects might include comparing and
contrasting non-fictional accounts with
fictional stories
These could take the form of papers
but might also include student-written
plays to illustrate truth vs. fiction
Another project might be to build a
model based on the map in the
previous slide
Social Studies Standard 1
Recommend reading Al Capone Does My
Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
This provides some background knowledge
for students about life on Alcatraz
Students should question how they might
have reacted to life on Alcatraz
Students could record these thoughts in a
journal as if they were living on the island
Students would be encouraged to include
another event on Alcatraz, an escape or the
last week before the prison was closed
Social Studies Standard 1
Issues-Analysis, Decision-Making, Planning
and Problem-Solving
Students can look at the reasons prisoners
were sent to Alcatraz and what
psychological effect that had on both the
prisoners and people afraid of some of those
prisoners
Students might be challenged to question
whether the Alcatraz concept of isolation
worked better than current prison standards
Social Studies Standard 1
Another issue students can look at is the
Native American occupation
Students should go beyond just the facts and
analyze why Native Americans chose
Alcatraz
The Alcatraz Proclamation lists the reasons
Native Americans declared Alcatraz
“suitable” for them
Students should read the list and link the
statements to the history these statements are
based on
Social Studies Standard 1
Alcatraz Proclamation
We feel that this so-called Alcatraz Island is more than
suitable for an Indian reservation, as determined by the white
man's own standards. By this, we mean that this place
resembles most Indian reservations in that:
1. It is isolated from modern facilities, and without adequate
means of transportation.
2. It has no fresh running water.
3. It has inadequate sanitation facilities.
4. There are no oil or mineral rights.
5. There is no industry and so unemployment is very great.
Social Studies Standard 1
6. There are no health-care facilities.
7. The soil is rocky and non-productive, and the land does not
support game.
8. There are no educational facilities.
9. The population has always exceeded the land base.
10. The population has always been held as prisoners and kept
dependent upon others.
Further, it would be fitting and symbolic that ships from all over the
world, entering the Golden Gate, would first see Indian land, and
thus be reminded of the true history of this nation. This tiny island
would be a symbol of the great lands once ruled by free and noble
Indians.
- Indians of All Nations, The Alcatraz Proclamation to the Great White
Father and His People
Source: http://www.pbs.org/itvs/alcatrazisnotanisland/landings.html
Information Inquiry Aspects
Students might want to delve more into how
the Alcatraz Proclamation relates to current
situations for Native Americans
Students could research the PBS website and
watch a video about the occupation to get
a better understanding
Students who choose this aspect could share
their findings by linking the proclamation to
other historical events linked to Native
Americans
English/Language Arts Standards
Standard 2—Reading Comprehension
Comprehension and Analysis of GradeLevel Appropriate Text
Standard 4—Writing Process
Research and Technology
Standard 5—Writing Applications
Write responses to literature
Write research reports
English/Language Arts Standards
Standard 6—English
Language Conventions
Sentence Structure
Grammar
Punctuation
Capitalization
Spelling
English/Language Arts Standards
Standard 7—Listening and Speaking
Speaking Applications
English/Language Arts Standard 2
Reading Comprehension
Comprehension and Analysis of GradeLevel Appropriate Text
Students could read books and websites
about Alcatraz
Students could choose both fiction and
nonfiction to learn more about life on
Alcatraz Island
Information Inquiry Aspects
Introduce students to the concepts of families
living on Alcatraz by reading Al Capone Does
My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko.
Some students may feel this book is for
younger students, but for struggling readers it
might be a good way to introduce the topic
Students who don’t struggle with reading
might enjoy trying to extend the story by
introducing other inmates or by writing about
what might have happened in the years
following the story (the book is set in 1935)
Information Inquiry Aspects
A note about levels of reading material:
“The books that help (students become lifelong
learners) are those that allow youngsters to think
about and read about the things they want to
think about and read about. They’re books that let
students discover issues and topics they may have
never imagined...It’s OK for students to move up
and down within reading levels—most people do
this all the time. We read based on interest not
necessarily on what’s at our appropriate level.”
Source: Carter, B. (2000). "Formula for Failure." School
Library Journal 46(7).
Information Inquiry Aspects
As mentioned previously, students should ask
themselves how their lives might have been if
they had lived on Alcatraz
Students could research fiction and
nonfiction and relate to a family member,
guard, or even a prisoner
Students might also want to write a journal
from the perspective of someone living on
the island
English/Language Arts Standard 4
Writing Process
Research and Technology
The media specialist will help students
locate helpful websites to explore more
about Alcatraz—from the look of the island
through virtual tours, to populations on
history websites
Students can present their findings through
websites, power point presentations, or
blogs
English/Language Arts Standard 5
Writing Applications
Write responses to literature
Write research reports
This standard could be worked in with any
of the standards. Students will write to take
notes on their research and their
presentations will rely on a written aspect
English/Language Arts Standard 6
English Language Conventions
Sentence Structure
Grammar
Punctuation
Capitalization
Spelling
Also covered in anything written.
English/Language Arts Standard 7
Listening and Speaking
Speaking Applications
Students may wish to share the results of
their research through a play or an oral
presentation to their classmates
Science Standards
Standard 3—The Physical Setting
Forces of nature
Standard 4—The Living Environment
How living things function and interact with
each other
Science Standard 3
The Physical Setting
Earth and the Processes that Shape it—
how physical features of the earth formed
Students can do a more in-depth look at
how many notable geographic
landscapes were formed—Grand Canyon,
Mount Everest, etc.
Science Standard 4
The Living Environment
Interdependence of Life and Evolution—
how environmental conditions affect the
survival of individual organisms and how
entire species may prosper in spite of poor
survivability or bad fortune of individuals
Science Standard 4
The Living Environment
Originally there were no native plants on
Alcatraz Island. Students could conduct a
botanical study of vegetation introduced
and study the plant varieties to see which
might have thrived and what in the
conditions of the island allowed this
survival.
Students might also do a study on the bird
populations and how sea gulls acted as
nature’s alarms.
Math Standards
Standard 5—Measurement
Convert common measurements for
length, area, volume, weight, capacity,
and time to equivalent measurements
within the same system
Math Standard 5
Measurement
Convert common measurements for length, area,
volume, weight, capacity, and time to equivalent
measurements within the same system
Students could study escape attempts and figure
the distance from Alcatraz to the nearest shore in
different measurements (miles, kilometers, feet,
meters, nautical miles—whatever makes the most
sense).
They could also try and factor in variable such as
wind speed, current, water temperature, etc. on
the probability that a person could survive in these
factors.
Conclusion
These are just brief sketches of ideas that
should serve as jumping off places for
projects
The real goal of the presentation is to show
just how many standards you can meet in just
one place. Choose another location and
imagine the possibilities
Every place has history and anything can be
linked to knowledge students already have
Internet Resources
AlcatrazHistory.com
http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/mainpg.htm
Alcatraz—A Merry and Illustrated History
http://members.aol.com/OtherToons/alcatraz.html
Alcatraz Indian Occupation
http://www.nps.gov/alcatraz/indian.html
Alcatraz is Not an Island—Reclaiming
Native Land
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/alcatrazisnotanisland/landings.html
Internet Resources
Alcatraz! (A WebQuest)
http://www.users.interport.net/r/-/r-acaron/Alcatraz/
Federal Bureau of Prisons: Alcatraz
http://www.bop.gov//about/history/alcatraz.jsp
Historic Posts, Camps, Stations, and
Airfields: Post at Alcatraz Island
http://www.militarymuseum.org/Alcatraz.html
Tour Alcatraz
http://www.nps.gov/alcatraz/tours/
Virtual Tour
http://www.virtuar.com/alcatraz/
Other Resources
Choldenko, Gennifer, 2004. Al Capone Does
My Shirts. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Oliver, Marilyn Tower. 1998. Alcatraz Prison in
American History. Springfield, New Jersey:
Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Brownlie, Alison. 2000. Crime and Punishment:
Changing Attitudes 1900-2000. Austin, Texas:
Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers.
Gregory, George H. 2002. Alcatraz Screw: My
Years as a Guard in America’s Most Notorious
Prison. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri
Press.