2 Social Studies: Integrating Reading & Writing
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THE CUNY HSE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK 2 Social Studies: Integrating Reading & Writing Contents Overview: The CUNY HSE Social Studies Curriculum Framework 3 Curriculum Map 22 Unit Descriptions 33 Lesson Plans 55 Unit 1: Colonialism and the Road to Revolution Lesson Plan 1 55 Lesson Plan 2 81 Lesson Plan 3 107 Unit 2: The Constitution and the Structure of the U.S. Government Lesson Plan 4 125 Lesson Plan 5 153 Unit 3: Westward Expansion Lesson Plan 6 187 Resources for HSE Social Studies 210 THE CUNY HSE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK • SS/RW SECTION NAME 1 The CUNY HSE Curriculum Framework 2015 Principal Authors Kate Brandt Social Studies: Integrating Reading and Writing Curriculum Framework Rebecca Leece Science: Matter and Energy Curriculum Framework Mark Trushkowsky Math: Problem Solving in Functions and Algebra Curriculum Framework Eric Appleton Math and Science: Contributing Author and Curriculum Framework Production Coordinator The City University Associate Author of New York, Office Tyler Holzer, Math: Problem Solving in Functions and Algebra Curriculum Framework of Academic Affairs Special Acknowledgement Steve Hinds, for his visionary contributions to CUNY HSE math instruction John Mogulescu Senior University Dean Significant Contributions for Academic Affairs and Erna Golden, Shirley Miller Dean of the School of Acknowledgements Professional Studies Ellen Baxt, Gary Dine, Arnitta McKinley, Joan Stern, Ramon Tercero, Kevin Winkler Project Director: Leslee Oppenheim Suri Duitch University Dean for Design and Layout: Renée Skuba | Graphic Design Continuing Education and Video Production: Kieran O’Hare, Zachary Timm Workforce Development The authors would like to thank their students in the Spring 2015 CUNY HSE Demonstration Class who inspired their teaching and writing. Leslee Oppenheim University Director of Sabrina Abreu Fabio Castro Edith Leon Language and Literacy Adam Alicea Iquis Dickerson Lashana Linton Programs Janet Alicea Sandra Eisenberg Angel Osorio Netea Banks Julien Fils Roxanne Perez Eileen Berrios Renee Gulliver Miyako Smith Asbury Brown Brad Lee Natasha Williams Tiffany Carrian Ron Lee For information about the CUNY Adult Literacy/HSE Program—its services, educational curricula and instructional materials, or to inquire about training options, please contact CUNY’s HSE Professional Development Team at: http://literacy.cuny.edu This project was made possible through WIA Incentive Grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, with support from the New York State Department of Labor, Division of Employment and Workforce Solutions, in collaboration with the New York State Education Department, Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, expressed or implied, with respect to such information, including any information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability or ownership. CUNY is an equal opportunity employer/program and auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. THE CUNY HSE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK 2 Social Studies: Integrating Reading & Writing Overview The Social Studies: Integrating Reading & Writing Curriculum Framework incorporates U.S. history, basic economics and civics concepts, and geography, using the U.S. timeline as an organizing principle, or “backbone.” For each time period in U.S. history, certain economic and civics concepts are taught, as they fit naturally in that era. The lessons are also aimed at helping students develop skill in reading a range of genres, including maps, graphs, expository text, memoir, and poetry as well as writing personal, persuasive and informative essays. One additional thread is periodic mini-lessons to help students make connections between the skills and knowledge they are acquiring in the classroom, and future career choices. This Framework tries to walk the line between focusing too much on coverage, and providing students with some exposure to the broad content knowledge they need for the social studies subtest of the HSE test, as well as the skills they need for the reading and writing subtests. This is a tall order! There is always a shortage of time in the adult education classroom, and it is tempting to try to fly through the periods of U.S. history. Even so, some teachers may feel that the lessons in this unit move too fast. By all means, slow it down to a pace that you feel fits your students. Think of these lessons as an outline with gaps that can be filled in, embellished, revised and refined to better facilitate student learning. Because so much is covered—history, civics, economics, and geography as well as skills for reading a wide range of texts—there are a few overall guidelines to bear in mind. ESTABLISHING A PURPOSE FOR LEARNING HISTORY Adult students need more motivation than K-12 students because school attendance for adults is voluntary. It’s a good idea to always explain the purpose of an activity that is being introduced. In addition, I try to engage students in a conversation about why we learn history at all. Is it just because it’s on the test? I try to have this conversation with students more than once. They have ideas about it, but it’s good to articulate these. THE CUNY HSE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK • SS/RW OVERVIEW 3 Another way to raise this issue is to draw parallels between historical and present day events, or to help students see the connection between an event in the past and an ongoing problem in the present. Racism as a legacy of slavery is an excellent example. How did slavery create the conditions for racism, and how is racism still dividing our society today? Slavery also brings up the issue of cheap labor. The question of whether the use of underpaid or abused workers justifies the prosperity that results (at least for some) is an ongoing issue. Just as slaves were abused so that people could profit from cotton, workers in some developing countries are mistreated in order to produce cheap clothing for an international market. These, of course, are not identical situations—exploited labor is not the same as slavery—so it’s important to look at both the similarities and the differences. It’s also helpful to make students aware of the skills they develop in the course of learning history—the ability to interpret graphs and analyze data; to read challenging text; to apply concepts learned in one context to another; and to verify hunches with evidence. These are skills they will use in college and on the job. An additional reason, of course, is that in a democratic society, the ability to persuade others of one’s point of view is paramount, as is the ability to evaluate the validity of arguments that others present. By learning to use evidence to support claims about both the past and the present, students empower themselves to speak up for themselves and be heard. They use these skills every time they write to a politician, requesting funding to support the HSE or pre-HSE classes they attend! USING TIMELINES Because much is being covered, it is important to have a history timeline on the wall in the classroom that is returned to again and again. Ideally, if a teacher has dedicated space, the timeline will be posted at the front of the room and added to as study continues. It’s a good idea to return to it continually so that students become familiar with the progression of events. An activity that is used several times throughout this Curriculum Framework is to have students write summaries of events for the timeline. This provides summary-writing practice and also makes the timeline a class-owned product. 4 OVERVIEW THE CUNY HSE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK • SS/RW REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW Nobody learns anything from just one exposure. Most of us read about American history all through grammar school, middle school, and high school, and we have “overlearned” some facts. That is not necessarily true for our students. Every lesson begins with a review of skills and content presented in previous sessions. In this set of lessons, I have depended upon “Review Stations” to provide students with review they need while balancing review with new content learning. Each review session—always at the beginning of class—begins with a packet entitled “Review Stations” that is given to students as they enter the classroom. Students, with a partner, choose one station to work on and present work to the class. As an example: n STATION 1 might consist of sentence combining, using stem sentences that draw upon texts given for homework, and thus reinforce content learning. n STATION 2 might consist of vocabulary review related to the content. n STATION 3 might involve drawing and labeling a diagram of triangular trade routes on a large map (when triangular trade was covered the previous class). n STATION 4 might task students with placing major events on the U.S. history timeline, using their notes from a previous class. Key to this approach is that the students at each station need to create something that is visual—a large map, a timeline drawn on the board, sentences written on the board or on flip chart paper—and can be seen by all as they gather around. After 30-40 minutes of working in stations, the class then comes together and students as a whole group move from one station to another with the teacher directing and students from each group presenting their work. In this way, all students have some exposure to the review, but time is used efficiently.