District Reform Agenda

1
The PPS Core Curriculum in Social Studies
Social Studies In-Service Session August 13th
14th Heinz History Center

• Michael Dreger, Social Studies Supervisor
• Anita Ravi, Social Studies Curriculum Consultant
• Ellen Rubinsky, Pittsburgh Arlington ALA
• David Pilarski, Pittsburgh South Hills
• 1

2
Agenda Day 1

• 815-845 Summary of the 2007-08 Student
  Achievement Results
• 845-915 Review the Social Studies Handbook
• 915-930- Short Break
• 930-1100-Tools, Routines and Practices that
  Support DL Ways of Thinking
• 1100-1200 Lunch and Mingle with colleagues
• 1200-100 - 6th Grade Activity
• 100-200- Complete the Grade 6 Unit 1 Study
  Guide Discuss
• 200-215- Short Break
• 215-300 7th Grade Activity

3
Goals for the 13th 14th

• Learn to utilize the instructional handbook to
  guide every day teaching
• Understand the features of Disciplinary Literacy
  units of study in History/Social Studies and how
  they apply to the PPS core curriculum in Social
  Studies
• Gain an in-depth understanding of what kinds of
  clues historians use to understand how people
  lived in the past by engaging with the
  instructional materials
• To provide preliminary feed back on Units 1 2
  of each course.

4
What Is Meant by Core Curriculum?

• The Social Studies units produced by the PPS
  curriculum writers ARE NOT
• Completely comprehensive they do not cover all
  the content that could be covered in the
  designated unit of study each module comes with
  a set of lessons to support student understanding
  of specific objectives.
• The Social Studies units produced by the PPS
  curriculum writers ARE
• Core all students are meant to have a core
  set of lessons within each unit of study that
  have the following characteristics
• Engage students in deep understanding
• Embody the Disciplinary Literacy Principles in
  History
• A perspective on a set of events, people, and
  content in history/Social Studies there are many
  ways to teach this content. These units
  represent a particular pathway with particular
  purposes.

5
Disciplinary Literacy Foundations of Our Work

• A practice-based approach to teacher professional
  development in history.
• An instructional design that derives from two
  bodies of research
• Research theories and findings in the teaching
  and learning of history (cognitive studies)
• Current historical scholarship (historical
  studies)
• These two bodies of work provide tools and ideas
  that can be useful in understanding, reflecting
  on, and designing history instruction.
• A commitment to high quality and rigorous
  activity for all students as embodied in the
  Principles of Learning.

6
What is Disciplinary Literacy in History/Social
Studies?

• Teaching students how to learn, think and reason
  within the disciplines of Social Studies
  (history, geography, archeology, economics)
• Providing learning opportunities (i.e., lessons)
  that enable students to practice these skills and
  habits.
• Enabling and empowering students to act as
  historians, geographers, etc.
• Providing students with a range of sources and
  interpretations and teaching them how to create
  their own arguments (in writing, in talk) from
  careful analysis of these sources.

7
Features of Disciplinary Literacy Units of Study

• Students are asked to
• Analyze different types of documents (e.g.,
  primary sources letters, artwork, diaries,
  maps, charts, graphs, etc.)
• Understand the document itself as well as the
  context in which it was produced
• Support interpretations with evidence
• Discuss and debate interpretations with others
  learn from each other
• Recognize differing perspectives and understand
  that there are many sides to a story

8
The Social Studies Instructional Framework for a
Unit of Study (Structure)

• Unit Overview
• A Brief description of the overall content and
  skills that the unit will address.
• Overarching questions
• These questions drive the unit all instruction
  is linked to them. For each overarching question
  in a unit there is a corresponding module of
  instruction (set of lessons) within the unit
  plan.
• Alignment to Standards
• These are the PA and NCHS (National Council for
  History Standards), along with Content
  Expectations, that describe what the unit is
  about.
• 4. Unit Texts, Materials, and Resources
• The core texts are those that are central to this
  unit of study and the lessons provided within it.
  The suggested resources are additional texts and
  resources that teachers may use to augment their
  instruction within this unit.
• The above can be found on pages 8-9 In your
  Social Studies Handbook

9
The Social Studies Instructional Framework for a
Unit of Study (Structure) cont.

• 5. Unit at a Glance
• This provides an overview of each module within
  the unit. It gives the recommended pacing, the
  link to overarching questions/key understandings,
  the focus content and skills and student products
  related to each module within the unit. The
  student products may be used as formative or
  summative assessments throughout the unit.
• A module is a set of related lessons that enables
  students to go in-depth in exploring one of the
  overarching questions for the unit.
• The Unit at a Glance also lists the culminating
  project for the unit. The project will vary
  from unit to unit and may take the form of an
  essay, reflective piece, an exam, or portfolio
  piece.
• The above can be found on pages 8-9 In your
  Social Studies Handbook

10
The Social Studies Instructional Framework for a
Unit of Study (Structure) cont.

• 6. Module Snapshot
• An overview of a set of related lessons that
  explore one of the overarching questions for the
  unit. The snapshot includes
• Pacing A range of days for the teaching of the
  module
• Rationale the curriculum writers explanation of
  the key features of this module and their
  reasoning behind the design of this particular
  module.
• Objectives What students should know and be able
  to do by the end of the unit.
• Texts Materials A list of all materials and
  resources need to teach this module.
• Instructional pathway A sequential agenda of
  what lessons activities are in the unit.
• Assessments A listing of the different types of
  student products within the unit.
• Differentiation Specific recommendations for
  engaging all students with the big ideas of the
  unit.
• The above can be found on pages 8-9 In your
  Social Studies Handbook

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The Social Studies Instructional Framework for a
Unit of Study (Structure) cont.

• 7. Detailed Lesson Plans Student Materials
• Detailed lesson plans are provided along with
  corresponding student materials. Currently, there
  are no corresponding times for each lesson. Some
  lessons may take one class period, some lessons
  may stretch across multiple class periods. The
  curriculum writing team is looking for explicit
  feedback from teachers. As you teach these units,
  please keep track of what worked for you and your
  students and how much time you actually spent
  with each activity. We will solicit your feedback
  throughout the school year.
• The above can be found on pages 8-9 In your
  Social Studies Handbook

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The Social Studies Instructional Framework for a
Unit of Study (Routines)

• Access Prior Knowledge
• Students tackle one or more of the overarching
  questions for the unit via material that allows
  them to do 2 things
• Review what they already know about the topic.
• Learn something new about that topic OR learn
  about that topic in a new way.
• Engage
• Students are taught (via modeling) how to analyze
  one source that will become a key source or key
  type of source in the learning for the unit
  mini-case study following the format of
  to-with-by.
• Mini-Case Study
• Students develop the expertise they need to
  fully answer the overarching questions for the
  unit by analyzing multiple sources related to the
  study of the big ideas of the unit.
• 4. Culminating Assessment
• Students are supported to demonstrate their
  learning via an engaging assessment or project.
• The above can be found on p. 10 In your Social
  Studies Handbook

13
What are the key tools, routines and social
practices that support student learning in Social
Studies?

• Habits of Thinking tools that apprentice students
  in thinking and working as historians,
  geographers, and archeologists
• Primary source analysis
• Art analysis
• Artifact analysis
• To Do
• Turn to pages 12-18 in your Social Studies
  handbook.
• Read through the three tools provided.
• Discuss
• What kinds of skills are students being
  apprenticed in via the use of these tools?
• If you were in a classroom in which one of these
  tools was being used by the class to analyze a
  source or an artifact, what would you expect to
  see and hear?

14
Differentiated instruction

• PPS Definition of Differentiated Instruction
  Within the effort-based learning theory embraced
  by the district, DI is the deliberate effort by
  the teachers with administrative and district
  support to provide academically rigorous
  instruction that is responsive to the differing
  needs of all students.
• Short Discussion Within your tables/groups you
  will discuss ways in which you have
  differentiated instruction within your classroom
  and will report out

15
Differentiated instruction in Social Studies some
suggested ideas

• Differentiation with difficult text
• Chunking documents allowing students to process
  and understand pieces of text one chunk at a
  time
• Pull out the most relevant piece for text and
  focusing on these with students
• Have students translate these into modern
  language
• Put simpler text before more difficult text to
  build a knowledge base
• Other suggestions can be found on page 20 of your
  handbook

16
Differentiated instruction in Social Studies some
suggested ideas cont.

• Be intentional about why we are engaging in study
  of this topic, this text CREATE engagement, or a
  reason why students should care.
• Build Concepts over time-layering the ideas
• Group students so they scaffold each others
  learning (mixed ability groups)
• Other suggestions can be found on page 20 of your
  handbook

17
Accountable Talk

• Short Discussion Within your group discuss the
  topic of accountable talk. Complete the first two
  tasks.
• Prior to looking in your handbook what does
  accountable talk mean to your group?
• Once your group creates a definition, next look
  on page 23 of the handbook. Read the text and
  then list two ways in which your group can
  implement accountable talk strategies within your
  own classrooms.

18
Portfolio Requirements for Social Studies, Grades
6-12

• The core curriculum units of study provide ample
  opportunities for students to write and produce
  multiple samples of work for inclusion in their
  portfolios. The basic requirements for Social
  Studies are
• Per quarter 1 summary
• Per semester 1 multi-paragraph essay (one
  presented as a speech)
• Grades 6-8 will produce extensive mid-year and
  end-of-year portfolio projects. Middle grades
  teachers will receive more specific information
  about this in October.

19
Curriculum Feedback Survey

• Please refer to page 25 in the Instructional
  Handbook.
• Please take the time to submit feedback once you
  teach each unit
• Your feedback is critical to the revision process

20
Social Studies Teaching and Learning Feedback Tool

• Please refer to pages 26-29 in your instructional
  handbook.
• Starting second semester this tool may be used by
  coaches, teachers, administrators, and
  supervisors during classroom visitations and
  learning walks. The intent is to provide feedback
  to inform the professional development training.
  This tool is not to be used in evaluative ways.
  This tool supports the recursive cycle of
  professional development and professional
  learning of teachers.

21
Tools, Routines and Practices that Support DL
Ways of Working

• Today, we want to focus on tools, routines and
  practices we will be using with our students when
  teaching the new curriculum. In the following
  lesson, we will focus on two of these tools
• Art Analysis Tool
• Primary Source Analysis Tool

22
Grade 8 U.S. History, Unit 1Module 3, Lesson 2

• Overarching Question What were the experiences
  of Africans in the English colonies and how do we
  know about them?

• Objectives
• Explain what work and daily life were like for
  most slaves.
• Evaluate the treatment of slaves on colonial
  plantations.
• Analyze and draw conclusions from a primary
  source document.
• Analyze and draw conclusions from a work of art.

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Procedure

• In small groups you will be assigned one of the
  three pictures depicting African Americans on
  tobacco plantations.
• In your group you will analyze the pictures and
  will complete the art analysis tool.
• Your group will be responsible to share out its
  findings with the whole class.

24
A Tobacco Plantation
25
Packing Tobacco in Barrels
26
Slaves on a Tobacco Farm
27
Summing Up

• How would you describe the working conditions of
  enslaved African Americans after viewing this
  painting?
• After completing the art analysis tool with your
  group please share out how you feel an activity
  like this one could enrich the instruction for
  your own students.

28
Utilizing the Primary Source Tool to analyze a
primary source text

• The class will be split into pairs. As a pair you
  will read through the text on Slavery on a
  Tobacco Farm. As you read through the document
  you will complete the primary source analysis
  tool.
• Once complete you will share out your findings
  with the whole class.

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Summing Up

• What conclusions can you draw about life on a
  tobacco at the time the document was written?
• How does this add to what you learned from the
  paintings?

30
Disciplinary Literacy in Grade 6

• Learning and Thinking like a Geographer
• Introduced in Unit 1
• Skills used throughout Units 1 8
• Learning and Thinking like an Archeologist
• Introduced in Unit 3
• Skills used primarily in Units 3, 6, 7, 8

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What habits/skills do geographers use to
describe the earth?The Five Themes of Geography

• Location
• Absolute Location
• The specific location on earth that is
  determined by an imaginary grid of lines denoting
  latitude and longitude
• Relative Location
• How a place is related to other places the
  interaction that occurs between and among places
• Place
• The human and physical characteristics that give
  places meaning and character and distinguish them
  from other places on earth
• Movement
• How people interact with other people, places,
  and things in the course of their everyday lives
  how they travel, communicate with one another,
  and get products, information, and ideas that
  come from beyond their immediate environment
• Region
• An area on the earths surface that is defined
  by certain unifying characteristics that may be
  physical, human, or cultural
• Human/Environment Interaction
• The effects, positive and negative, that occur
  when people interact with their surroundings

32
Continent ChallengeA group activity to
introduce the Geographic Theme of Place

• For use with Module 2, Lesson 1
• Continent Challenge
• Names of Team Members ___________________________
  __________________________
• __________________________________________________
  ___________
• Continent Explored ______________________________
  _______
• On your journey, which physical features will be
  obstacles (things that slow you down) and why?
  What forms of transportation will you use to
  travel through these areas?
• On your journey, which physical features will be
  of help on your journey and why? What forms of
  transportation will you use to travel through
  these areas?
• Describe the journey that your team will take as
  you cross your assigned continent. Include all
  of the physical features that you encounter.
  Explain how each is a help or a hindrance to you
  as you travel and describe the modes of
  transportation that you will use on your
  expedition. Prepare a presentation to share your
  findings with the class.

33
Unit 1 Web Diagram
Relative Location
Absolute Location
Location
GEOGRAPHY The Study of Earth
34
Habits of thinking tools review activity

• How did the structure of these tools support your
  learning?
• What aspects of this process will you need to
  model for your students and why?

35
Lesson Based Experience Grade 6, Unit 1 The
Five Themes of Geography

• Overarching Questions/Modules
• A module is a set of lessons and student
  materials that correspond to one of the
  overarching questions for the unit.
• Module 1 The Five Themes of Geography
• How does a geographer use the Five Themes of
  Geography to study the world around us?
• Module 2 Geographic theme of place
• How are maps used to answer geographic questions.
• How does the location of a place on the surface
  of the earth influence the way in which people
  live?
• Module 3 Geographic Theme of Movement
• How are maps used to answer geographic questions?
• What are the effects of movement on the
  characteristics of a place?
• Module 4 Geographic Theme of Regions
• How are places within regions connected
• Module 5Geographic Theme of Human/Environment
  Interaction
• How do human actions modify the environment?
• How do physical characteristics of a place affect
  human activities?

36
Thinking Like A Geographer Getting
StartedUnit 1, Module 1, Lesson 1Introduction
to the Five Themes of Geography
Overarching Question for Module 1 How does a
geographer use the Five Themes of Geography to
study the world around us?

• Notebook Warm-Up
• Write a paragraph to answer the question If
  you could travel to any city in the world, where
  would you choose to visit and why? (Encourage
  students to look through the atlas section of
  their textbooks for ideas.)

37
Thinking Like A Geographer Getting
StartedUnit 1, Module 1Introduction to the
Five Themes of Geography

• Lessons 1, 2, and 3 of Module 1
• Introduce the role of a geographer.
• Introduce the geographic theme of Location.
• Teach the distinction between absolute and
  relative location.
• Provide practice with using a geographic grid.
• Provide practice with using latitude and
  longitude.
• Provide practice with using a compass rose.

38
Thinking Like A Geographer Getting
StartedUnit 1, Module 1The Geographic Theme of
Location

• From Lesson 2
• 10. Have students find the absolute location
  (latitude and longitude) of Pittsburgh. Direct
  students to find the absolute locations of their
  selected cities and record it in their notebooks.
• From Lesson 3
• Using a map of the United States, have students
  write a description of the relative location of
  Pittsburgh in their notebooks. (Share ideas and
  record responses on chart paper.)
• The teacher should then work with the class to
  use the information listed to write a paragraph
  that describes the location of Pittsburgh, thus
  creating a model. The paragraph should include a
  description of both the absolute and relative
  locations of Pittsburgh.
• Direct students to use the atlas section of their
  textbooks as a resource and list several ways to
  describe the relative location of their selected
  cities. The paragraph should include
  descriptions of both absolute and relative
  locations.

39
Studying the Whole Unit Grade 6

• Next you will be provided the opportunity to
  analyze the student materials in all of the
  modules to facilitate your planning for teaching
  this Unit.
• Procedure
• In your small group (3-4 people), read through
  the materials for the first module and discuss
  the Study Questions that accompany the module
  (handout) and make note of the big ideas and
  concepts embedded in this module
• Repeat this process for modules 2 3, utilizing
  the Study Questions that accompany each module.
• Be prepared to share your thinking with the whole
  group.

40
Lesson Based Experience Grade 7, Unit 2
Exploration of Ancient Egyptian Civilization

• Overarching Questions/Modules
• A module is a set of lessons and student
  materials that correspond to one of the
  overarching questions for the unit.
• Module 1 Geography and natural resources of
  Ancient Egypt
• How did physical geography affect the growth of
  Ancient Egyptian civilizations?
• Module 2 Egyptians belief in the afterlife
• What were the religious beliefs and values of the
  Ancient Egyptians?
• Module 3 Accomplishments of the Ancient
  Egyptians
• What historical accomplishments are the Ancient
  Egyptians known for and how have we learned about
  them?

41
Module 1, Activity 3 Thinking like a Geographer

• Materials
• History of Our World The Early Ages textbook,
  maps Natural Resources, Farming, Importance of
  Agriculture and the Foreign Trade in Ancient
  Egypt.
• Our Guiding Question (s)
• 1. How did physical geography affect the growth
  of Ancient Egyptian civilizations?
• 2. How did geographic features and natural
  resources of the Nile River Valley lead to its
  development as one of the greatest civilizations
  of the Ancient World?
• Procedure
• As a whole class discuss the following questions
  what are some of the basic necessities of life
  needed for survival? How have natural resources
  and landscape of a place can affect whether or
  not people settle there. Can people grow food
  there? Is there an adequate and sustainable water
  source.
• In groups of 3-4 people you will each receive a
  copy of the Nile River Valley chart. Your group
  will complete the chart using information from
  the text, the maps, and the various handout
  provided to them.
• Once your group completes the Nile River Valley
  charts, you will have to present it to the whole
  class.

42
Nile River Valley Chart

• Directions Complete the chart below using
  information from the text, maps and the Natural
  Resources, Farming, Importance of Agriculture and
  Foreign Trade in Ancient Egypt supplementary
  information handouts.

43
Summing Up

• Quick Write On a separate sheet of paper please
  answer the following question How did geographic
  features and natural resources of the Nile River
  Valley lead to its development as one of the
  greatest civilizations of the Ancient World?
• Please be prepared to share out your responses.

44
Reflecting on our learning today

• What are the tools, routines and/or practices
  that supported your learning today?
• Which tools, routines and practices will be most
  supportive for your students and why?

45
Agenda Day 2

• 800-815 Welcome back review agenda
• 815-900 Complete the grade 7 Unit 1 Study
  Guide
• 900-1000- Activity based on U.S. History
• 1000-1015 Short Break
• 1015-1100- Complete the grade 8 Unit 2 Study
  Guide
• 1100-1200 Lunch and Mingle with colleagues
• 1200-200 - Museum Learning and the Core
  Curriculum Presented by the Heinz History Center
  Education Staff
• 200-215- Short Break
• 215-300 Provide Written Feedback on the Units
  of Study

46
Goals for the 13th 14th

• Learn to utilize the instructional handbook to
  guide every day teaching
• Understand the features of Disciplinary Literacy
  units of study in History/Social Studies and how
  they apply to the PPS core curriculum in Social
  Studies
• Gain an in-depth understanding of what kinds of
  clues historians use to understand how people
  lived in the past by engaging with the
  instructional materials
• To provide preliminary feed back on Units 1 2
  of each course.

47
Studying the Whole Unit Grade 7

• Yesterday you completed an activity from Grade 7,
  next you will be provided the opportunity to
  analyze the student materials in all of the
  modules to facilitate your planning for teaching
  this Unit.
• Procedure
• In your small group (3-4 people), read through
  the materials for the first module and discuss
  the Study Questions that accompany the module
  (handout) and make note of the big ideas and
  concepts embedded in this module
• Repeat this process for modules 2 3, utilizing
  the Study Questions that accompany each module.
• Be prepared to share your thinking with the whole
  group.

48
Our Work Together in the Past U.S. History

• Read and analyzed documents about the Boston
  Massacre
• Viewed and discussed a slideshow showing how the
  5 Themes of Geography relate to the French and
  Indian War (This slideshow accompanies Unit 2 on
  the website)
• Read and analyzed the Emancipation Proclamation
• Analyzed Art about Slavery on a Tobacco Farm
• Read and analyzed a Primary Source Document about
  Slavery on a Tobacco Farm

49
Our Work Together Today

• Our Over Arching Question (s)
• How and why did the colonists declare
  independence from Great Britain?
• Procedure
• As a whole class we will read and analyze the
  Declaration of Independence, and create a
  translation of the document into modern English.
• Use a Graphic Organizer to categorize the
  colonists complaints about the King and the
  British government.

50
Studying the Whole Unit Grade 8

• Next you will be provided the opportunity to
  analyze the student materials in all of the
  modules to facilitate your planning for teaching
  this Unit.
• Procedure
• In your small group (3-4 people), read through
  the materials for the first module and discuss
  the Study Questions that accompany the module
  (handout) and make note of the big ideas and
  concepts embedded in this module
• Repeat this process for modules 2 3, utilizing
  the Study Questions that accompany each module.
• Be prepared to share your thinking with the whole
  group.

51
Reflecting on our learning today

• What are the tools, routines and/or practices
  that supported your learning today?
• Which tools, routines and practices will be most
  supportive for your students and why?

52
Museum Learning and the Core Curriculum

• The Heinz History staff will present an overview
  of the museums educational materials and tours.

53
Providing Feedback on Units 1 2

• Please take time to complete the feedback
  evaluation form with as much detail as possible.
• To provide feedback during and/or after youve
  taught these units, please see the directions in
  your Social Studies handbook on page 25. Or
  e-mail your feedback to
• mdreger1_at_pghboe.net or
• aravi1_at_pghboe.net