It's Debatable
Created By:
Debra Kay Logan
Title/Role:
Librarian/Media Specialist
Organization/School Name:
Mount Gilead EVSD
Location:
Ohio
Grade Level:
8 Type of Lesson:
Lesson in a unit Type of Schedule:
Flexible Collaboration Continuum:
Intensive Content Area:
Social studies Content Topic:
Connect historical events and issues to the present i.e. child labor, genocide, unionism, etc. Scenario:
The eighth grade social studies teacher approaches the SL about developing a research-based debate project to help students make connections between historical issues such as child labor with current issues in the modern world. This unit addresses how history relates to modern issues meeting social studies standards and district curricula. The teacher and the SL discuss that developmentally many eighth graders are transitioning between concrete operations and abstract thinking. The SL suggests introducing students to print and online resources that present current and historical issues showing diverse viewpoints. Note taking guides/organizers are selected for the project. (The teacher found a note taking organizer from another source.) During a series of planning sessions it is decided that the teacher is to introduce the debate project, debate basics/procedures and assign debate groups. The SL is to review basic research skills; to introduce the eighth graders to the school’s viewpoints database(s) and the ebook collection; and to provide with a brief lesson on verbally citing sources in the context of the debate. As the students are researching, the SL is responsible for a daily formative assessment of students’ research processes. The teachers schedule a time for a post project evaluation Overview:
Eighth graders will be able to articulate connections between selected historical and current issues. Students will be able to explain at least two sides of an issue. This lesson is designed to help students answer two essential questions. Is history relevant to modern issues? Do issues have clear wrongs and rights? Final Product:
Each student will participate as a team member in a debate of their respective issues. Students will submit a works cited document at the time of their debate. Library Lesson:
Students will learn to access, use and cite information from the ebook collection and the controversial issues database(s). The introductory lesson will conclude with a brief review of basic research process skills such as recording the source of each fact noted. On the students' last day in the library, there is a brief lesson on verbally acknowledging sources during the course of the debate. Estimated Lesson Time:
30 minutes Have you taught this lesson before:
Yes Strategies for differentiation:
Two different note taking organizers are used for the project. The original version was found by the collaborating teacher. It scaffolds looking for the main idea and then identifies supporting ideas. A simplified version based on the original is made available as appropriate.
A modified version of citation tools is available as needed.
Since this is a collaborative learning activity, groups can be stacked to accommodate student learning needs.
More or less challenging topics are assigned as appropriate.
A variation on this unit is to emphasize a essential question focus. Students develop their own essential questions to drive their research process. This can be done on an individual or group basis.