Ethan+Am+Rev

= Using Fiction and Empathy to Boost Understanding of the American Revolution =

Summary:
 In their article, MacPhee and Whitecotton observe two fourth-grade classes in the southeastern US. These classrooms are somewhat departmentalized with ELA and social studies being taught by the same teacher for nearly 3 hours each day. In this study, lasting six weeks, the teacher devote full ELA and social studies class time to “building literacy skills through learning about the revolutionary period” (263). In the paper, the authors argue “that literacy is a tool for learning and should be treated as such in classrooms” (263). In this way, the authors suggest certain literacy strategies to expand reading and writing skills as well as introduce and reinforce content knowledge. To do this, they teach the American Revolution through the novel //Chains// by Laurie Halse Anderson, which provides alternate perspectives on the Imperial Crisis in New York City. The authors claim that by using literature, it connects students “emotionally and strategically” to build understanding of point-of-view and increase relevance (264). The authors examine three main strategies: Facilitated daily discussions focused on critical and civic discourse, subtext and tableau creation, and culminating with a two-page nonfiction publication. The authors claim that by combining literacy and discipline instruction, students were able to “construct deep understandings of history, self, others, and what it means to live and learn in a democratic classroom when engaged in reading, writing, and discourse…around the social studies curriculum” (267).

Reflection & Application:
 The aspect of this assignment that was especially intriguing is the use of nonfiction reflections to summarize their learning through reading a work of fiction. It is usually the case where the affective aspect of learning is at the end of a lesson – where students construct a narrative that shows a connection between created lived experience and content knowledge (much like Austin, Rachel, and I did in our lesson). In a way, it becomes a “tell me what you know” paper, and that might need to be focused in order for students to write some good scholarship. The authors discuss that in their “big idea discourse” they asked students to pay close attention to power as a concept. This would translate well to possible essay topic (if we are sticking with their non-fiction spread) that shows a conceptual understanding, which can be supported by specific events and people. In a middle school setting, I might offer a choice project instead, just to ensure some sort of differentiation.

 This article seems a strange fit to middle/secondary literacy, but there are some key justifications for selecting it. First, this unit is very well aligned to state standards (Standards 1, 3, 5), Common Core (based in literacy instruction), and Middle-Level education standards (integrated studies, developing the whole child). Secondly, the departmentalized nature of the classroom makes this lesson feel like middle school instruction. Also, regardless of age, the concepts involved are relevant and the material can be spiraled up a few grades, and compacted if need be. The strategies discussed offer a good range of in-class work that the students are involved with: traditional “discussions” focusing on concepts, open-ended creative writing projects, and traditional essays that showcase mastery (though a bit backwards in a way).

Article:

MacPhee, Deborah A. and Whitecotton, Emily J. “Bringing the ‘Social’ Back to Social Studies: Literacy Strategies as Tools for Understanding History.” //The Social Studies // 102 (2011): 263-267.

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