RAFT Writing strategy

Taking the Massachusetts Sheltered English Immersion class, I came across a writing strategy that seems to fit the mold of authentic assessments.  This writing strategy is called RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic).  Basically, you provide a list of different scenarios in which a student can write about in order to approach a particular topic.  This gives the student a bit more ownership in choosing the role that they are most interested in.  

If anyone reading has some experience using RAFT, or something similar, please comment on what has worked for you in the past.  Here is a sample that I created on the roles / job requirements of leaders in each of the three branches of federal government:

Role	Audience	Format/Genre	Topic	Assigned to ELL? Which level(s)? Were your students able to access the content with this role?	Language Functions
Newspaper Advertisement Writer	American public	Advertisement	Need new applicants to run for the Senate and the House of Representatives.  What is needed?	1.       Yes 2.      WIDA 3, 5 3.      With assistance and sentence frames	Reading, writing sentence frames, Drafting an advertisement
Outgoing President of the United States	New President of the United States	Letter / Explanatory	Describe the many roles of the President of the United States	1.       No 2.      N/A 3.      N/A	Reading, writing a letter.
Justice of the Supreme Court	The diary of the Justice	Letter / Explanatory	Typical day as a Supreme Court Justice	1.       Yes 2.      WIDA 5 3.      Assistance with given summary of reading	Reading, summarizing, writing a letter

ELL = English Language Learner

WIDA = World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (tools for teaching ELLs)

Business Proposal Presentations

Image Credit - History Vault Website 

In order to teach mercantilism in the British Colonies, I have been trying in-class presentations for a pretend business proposal.  Students are assigned a colony and are pressed to do research on the colony in order to figure out what type of business would make the most amount of money for Britain.  After all, making money for Britain was the deal-breaker for colonies to keep charters going.  Students are to pretend that they are on a mission to research their colonies and then propose one particular business that would be best for the conditions in that colony.

Here are the slides that students are to include in their business proposal:

1. What types of labor are available? (slavery, indentured servants, female labor, skilled labor)
2. What resources are available in your colony: (indigo, timber, fur, etc.)
3. Where are the major port cities in each area?
4. What type of agriculture in each area? (small farms, plantations, etc.)
5. What products would likely be shipped as exports (from the region) and imports (into the region)
6. What type of local government is in that region  (example – House of Burgesses in Virginia, Fundamental orders in Connecticut, etc.)
7. What religions are present in this colony?
8. What levels of education people have in your colony? (colleges, home schools, no schools, etc.)
9. What major native tribes exist in this region?
10. What new business will make Macrosoft (the fictional joint-stock company) the largest profit possible?

Looking for ways to make this a bit more engaging and authentic for students in order to create more excitement.  Any suggestions appreciated as always.

Geotagging Historic Landmardks

Geotagging can be used for so many different things in U.S. History.  Attached is one plan to use geotagging as an opening ice-breaker for students to identify their favorite places in America.

It can also be used to enrich the curriculum by having students document all of the historical landmarks that they have visited in their own time.  Flickr and google maps are great platforms to design these projects.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t9BuYQ-RcJW-k2Af5Wq-gAughcWjXEK9MbxAkGjpBkU/edit?usp=sharing

Cooking the Curriculum

When trying to make History more tangible and alive for students, could there be a more perfect medium than eating content based food?  If there is a better medium, I haven't found one...especially for 8th grade students.  

Although I know that I need to integrate this more frequently in my class, u can point out a couple of times that it has worked.  One group of students was giving a presentation on a Colonial region of the United States.  In order to highlight the resources in the region, (the South), the students made biscuits using an authentic recipe from the time.  Not only did the class enjoy the treat, but it was a great way to show exactly how the resources available in that region could be used.  I would like to take credit for this, but it was completely the idea of the group.

Another time that I have seen this work well is through enrichment activities.  If a student is looking for a challenge, they can try a relevant time period recipe and bring it in for the class to enjoy.  Of course you need to get this approved by the nurse and principal, and make sure students are clear from allergies to an ingredients.  One resource for recipes is a great book called "Cooking Up U.S. History."  I am also adding a link to a PBS site with recipes.  Bon Apetit!

http://www.pbs.org/food/shows/a-taste-of-history/

A meal preparation activity at Old Sturbridge Village

Writing a letter to a Representative

For U.S. History I teachers, especially those in Massachusetts who are also responsible for teaching civics, we have a major section of the curriculum that is more authentic for students.  The whole civics portion of the class lends itself to relate the structure and basic concepts of our government to current events or things that affect the lives of students on a current and personal basis.

One way to make this unit even more personal is to give students an assessment in which they create their own business letter about an issue that they are passionate about, and to send that letter by mail or email to the proper government official.  The draw for the students is that it can be about any legitimate issue that they are concerned about, from animal rights to making banning smoking.  The connection to the civics curriculum is that students must address the issue to a representative who can actually do something about it.  In this sense, students are getting an authentic lesson on concurrent powers and the three domains of government (Federal, State, and Local).

It also teaches students how to write a proper business letter.  Here is a site that can help serve as an example to students.  I am also attaching a link to a model letter that I share with students (though mine goes on too long of course, curse of being a history teacher).

Purdue OWL help on writing a business letter:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/653/01/

Mr. Wright's example of a letter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/174I59PvKsXhGnxLQeLpqn3aiSTK2Nn8BLbbMJM6qE-o/edit?usp=sharing

Mock Town Meeting... Then Authentic Town Meeting

One of the best ways to bridge the gap between history and modern civics has been to do a mock town meeting with students.  You can do a mock town meeting on an historical issue, and then at some point, or in another class period you can transition to a more current issue.  For example, you could start off with a mock town meeting about something like raising taxes for a new bridge or school and then transition to a modern day issue such as requiring bike helmets for people in town.

Credit to Pixabay.com

I made a lesson on this topic in which I made up all of the roles for students to use during the mock portion of the town meeting.  I had some help from a Harvard Board of Selectmen member Stu Sklar both as an advisor and as a helper for the day.

Feel free to adapt the plan as you see fit, or comment on any ways to make it more effective.

Google Doc Lesson Plan for Mock Town Meeting

Explorer Interview Tea Party

One unit that I have had a bit of trouble finding an authentic assessment for learning is the Exploration unit.  It is so far back, and contains such a variety of cultures, countries and important events that have seemed difficult to find a way to connect to students own lives and experiences.

A teacher that I had spoken to about a different topic was to have an actual tea party in class in which students take turns win a partner being a modern day interviewer and also playing the role of an historical figure in the European Exploration of the Americas time period.  Students will be moving around trying to interview as many Explorers as possible.

In preparation of the interview, each student should be prepared for whatever the interviewer may wish to ask out of the following categories:

Why did you leave your home country? What is your home country?

What is your biggest motivation to explore the Americas?

Can you describe any interactions with native people?

Do you think that you will be staying in your new location?

Does your religion have any influence on your reasons to explore?

What do you think of the land / waterways that you have had contact with in the Americas?

What do you miss most about your home country?

Have you found any gold, silver, or other valuable items in your new location?

Are you having any issues with your crew?

Hopefully this will go alright in September.  If anyone has any dead to improve or spice it up a bit, please let me know or comment on the post.

On a side note, I found some good ideas on his site created by another teacher.  http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/examples/examples_tasks_socialscience.htm

Blog Roll

These are four blogs that I am reading:

Teaching Now - http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_now/
US History Teachers Blog - http://ushistoryeducatorblog.blogspot.com/
History Tech - https://historytech.wordpress.com/
Blogging About the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom - http://blog.web20classroom.org/

Visit Lowell National Historical Park!

If you are learning about the rise of industry and factories in America, there are few places that will give you more of a complete first person introduction than Lowell.  As a city bought and formed by ambitious textile manufacturers from the Boston area, much of the Lowell mills remain preserved and even operational.  From the impressive turbine and canal system visible from the Suffolk Mills to the functioning looms and educational activities at the Boott Cotton Mills, this site is a must-see.  Here is a link to the Lowell National Historical Park website: http://www.nps.gov/lowe/index.htm

Another resource that you may find useful, especially if you are hunting for primary sources on the topic would be the University of Massachusetts Lowell Center for Lowell History: http://libweb.uml.edu/clh/mo.htm

And even more resources, check out the lessons and teaching ideas through the Tsongas Industrial History Center.  The ideas for activities are incredible: http://www.uml.edu/tsongas/

And now, take a look at some pictures and video taken from my recent trip to the mills.

Note the Pawtucket Canal on the right of the picture.  This was used to power the mills. Hoot taken at the Suffolk Mills.

Bird's eye view of the turbine system at Suffolk Mills.

An attempt at weaving using loom replicas at  the Boott Cotton Mills.  This is just one of the many authentic experiences students can take part in.

Tribute to Sarah Bagley, Lucy Larcom and all of the women who helped to demand better working conditions and pay, including a ten-hour workday (instead of up to fourteen hours).

Welcome!

This blog is set up to be a place to share authentic history experiences.  These experiences could range from a visit to a historic location to a hands-on activity that makes learning about U.S. History an exciting and interactive experience.  The site is designed by Mr. Wright, 8th grade teacher at the Bromfield School in Harvard, Massachusetts.  Comments, suggestions and new ideas welcome!