Indiana Humanities Council

Voices From the Past

Standards Tapestry | Assessment Rationale | Humanities-rich Resources | Instructional Plan | Teacher Inquiry Kiosk

General Information

Description:

The toolkit is a social studies unit, which explores the discontent many people living in the United States openly expressed during the early 19th century. Students will analyze letters and speeches of influential individuals and conduct research to better understand the context of this time period. Students will recognize and exercise their rights to voice their opinion as active citizens of society.

Grade Level	Grade 8	Topic	Influential Individuals During National Expansion and Reform
Creator	Rachel Ninness	Geographic Area	There are two focal points to consider. The first is the U.S. Senate. The second is Charleston, South Carolina as relating to the nullification movement.
		Time Period	1801-1861
		Duration	8 days
		Academic Standards	SS.8.1.18; SS.8.1.20; SS.8.1.26; SS.8.1.27; SS.8.1.30; SS.8.1.31; SS.8.2.12; LA 8.3.7; LA 8.4.2; LA 8.4.7; LA 8.4.8; LA 8.4.9; LA 8.6.4; LA 8.6.5; LA 8.6.6; LA 8.6.7; LA 8.7.1; LA 8.7.2; LA 8.7.10

Standards Tapestry
“Voices from the Past” focuses on the universal main idea that all people deserve an opportunity to openly voice their discontent with society.

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Standards Tapestry Files
Standards Tapestry

Assessment Rationale

Students will be assessed on their mastery of both social studies and language arts standards. Their summary will be graded based on completion and participation in small group discussion. The oral presentation will be assessed according to the given requirements as delineated in the requirements handout. The literary criticism and persuasive argument will be graded according to rubrics developed with the 6+1 writing traits model in mind. Teachers can assess the students' understanding of the timeline and the discussion topics through observation.

Standards	Summary and Questions	Research and Literary Criticism	Oral Presentation	Timeline	Choice Board Activity
SS 8.1.18 Analyze different interests and points of view of individuals and groups involved in the abolitionist, feminist, and social reform movements and in sectional conflicts.	X	X	X
SS 8.1.20 Explain the influence of individuals on key events and developments of the early United States.	X	X	X
SS 8.1.26 Develop and interpret United States history timelines from 1750 to 1877 by designating appropriate intervals of time and recording events according to the chronological order in which they occurred.				X
SS 8.1.30 Form historical research questions and seek responses by analyzing primary resources - such as autobiographies, diaries, maps, photographs, letters, and government documents - and secondary resources, such as biographies and other nonfiction books and articles on the history of the United States.	X	X	X
SS 8.2.12 Explain how citizens can monitor and influence the development and implementation of public policies.					X
LA 8.3.7 Analyze a work of literature, showing how it reflects the heritage, traditions, attitudes, and beliefs of its author.		X	X
LA 8.4.2 Create compositions that have a clear message, a coherent thesis (a statement of position on the topic), and end with a clear and well-supported conclusion.	X
LA 8.4.7 Review, evaluate, and revise writing for meaning and clarity.	X
LA 8.4.8 Edit and proofread one's own writing, as well as that of others, using an editing checklist or set of rules, with specific examples of corrections of frequent errors.		X
LA 8.4.9 Revise writing for word choice; appropriate organization; consistent point of view; and transitions among paragraphs, passages, and ideas.		X
LA 8.6.4 Edit written manuscripts to ensure that correct grammar is used.		X
LA 8.6.5 Use correct punctuation.		X
LA 8.6.6 Use correct capitalization.		X
LA 8.6.7 Use correct spelling conventions.		X
LA 8.7.1 Paraphrase (restate) a speaker's purpose and point of view and ask questions concerning the speaker's content, delivery, and attitude toward the subject.	X
LA 8.7.2 Match the message, vocabulary, voice modulation (changes in tone), expression, and tone to the audience and purpose.			X
LA 8.7.10 Deliver narrative (story) presentations, such as biographical or autobiographical information that: relate a clear incident, event, or situation, using well-chosen details. reveal the significance of the incident, event, or situation. use narrative and descriptive strategies to support the presentation, including relevant dialogue, specific action, physical description, background description, and comparison or contrast of characters.			X

Humanities-rich Resources

Type (book link, etc.)
Name
URL (if any)
Annotation (can include description and notes on how to use.

Link USA article about free speech http://www.usatoday.com/educate/ Anticipatory article

Link Article from Jane Grey Swisshelm, Crusader and Feminist http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/

Link Letter by Sarah Grimke on the Condition of Women in the United States http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/jwb/

Link Sojourner Truth's speech delivered at the First Annual Meeting of the American Equal Rights Association http://afroamhistory.about.com/

Link “Ain't I a Woman” delivered by Sojourner Truth 1851 http://afroamhistory.about.com/

Link Carla Paterson analyzes speeches http://historymatters.gmu.edu/ This website can provide teachers with ideas for helping students analyze the speeches they read.

Link The Seneca Falls Declaration on Women's Rights – Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton http://search.eb.com/women/

Link William Lloyd Garrison http://members.aol.com/jfepperson/
http://www.sewanee.edu/

Link Three Speeches from Frederick Douglass http://www.frederickdouglass.org/

Link Chief Tecumseh's address to General William Henry Harrison http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

Link Black Hawk's Surrender Speech http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/

Link Microsoft website http://www.microsoft.com/ Teachers can learn here how to have their students create timelines in Microsoft Excel

Link Our Documents website http://ourdocuments.gov/ Have students find documents from 1801-1861 to put on their timeline

Instructional Plan

This social studies unit was designed to be used in conjunction with language arts. On day one of the social studies unit, language arts classes could review how to write a summary. On day two of the social studies unit, it would be helpful for students to see and example of a literary criticism in language arts class. They could also work on a vocabulary list of the unknown words from their speech or letter. On day three of the social studies unit, students could work on peer editing and revising their literary criticisms in language arts class. At the unit's close, language arts classes can work editing the letters, editorials, and speeches.

Instructional Day

Description

Day 1

Introduction, Actively read letter or speech (see links in Humanities Rich Resources), Summarize, Pose questions (see lesson plan)

Day 2-5
Get into groups, Research, Literary Criticism
(see lesson plan) (see rubric) (see Literary Criticism document)

Day 6

Explain oral presentation requirements (see handout), Work in groups

Day 7

Work on oral presentations

Day 8

Presentations (see rubric)

Students should take brief notes during presentation. They need to note the date, author, and subject of each of the letters and speeches being presented.

Day 9

Presentations

Day 10

Timeline

Day 11
Choice Board - Letter, Speech, or Newspaper Editorial (see handout), (see rubric)

Instructional Plan Files

Choice Board Handout (Rubric)

Day 1 Lesson Plan

Day 2 Lesson Plan

Day 7 Lesson Plan

Day 8 Lesson Plan

Day 9 Lesson Plan

Literary Criticism-Rubric

Oral Presentation Guidelines (Rubric)

Teacher Inquiry Kiosk

Women's History Bibliography