I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think. -Socrates
It seems appropriate that as I am learning while teaching social studies that I would reach far back in history to perhaps the greatest teacher of all time, one who asked a series of questions, encouraging his students to think for themselves. This quote above connects with me now in so many ways, as a mother, as a friend, and as an educator through my interactions with both adults and students as I continue to learn in the company of others as a literacy coach.
As our fifth graders navigated through the Westward Expansion unit of study over the past several weeks they spent most of their time in the messy kind of learning that comes with inquiry. I watched as students and teachers tried to embrace the mess, sometimes frustrated, but always learning. I asked questions, perhaps to the point I might have seemed a bit annoying or interrogative (I may have to soften my questioning a bit, perhaps my prior training as an investigator came through a bit too much at times), but I continued to ask and I learned and I realized how blessed I was as I watched learning happening right before my eyes. It is truly one of the greatest gifts, to be an educator and have the privilege to watch learning each and every day.
Among the many documents that our students studied, they conducted an analysis of images from this time period when our nation moved west. Teachers established centers where students worked collaboratively in inquiry around media, primary source documents, images, maps and reading. At each center students followed task cards which asked a series of questions, students discussed the questions, were coached in by teachers and then answered questions using the materials in the center, their notebooks and resources they have gathered to that point.
The image center contained several images showing people in groups during the time of Westward Expansion. Laurel Schmidt, author of Social Studies that Sticks speaks about making images speak to us and explains how "images are the perfect tool for getting to the past--fast." Students read a task card that asked a series of questions that sparked inquiry. Some such questions included:
Following the image analysis we prepared students for a tableau activity we would do the following day. In small groups students would study one of the images and discuss and re-examine their own notes, timelines and maps as a way to look through a more critical lens as they further develop their knowledge and understanding. In two classes we watched a video of the tableau activity performed by students in another school and in another class the teacher showed a clip from Night at the Museum when exhibits came to life. Both ways demonstrated to the students the work they would be engaging in as a result of their inquiry in small groups. In addition students understood that they would pose together in a frozen picture of their shared image, and they would remain frozen until a teacher tapped them and they would then speak their monologue and then return to the frozen image. As the teachers or facilitators in the room, we listened into each group and coached into their conversations to push them to look further at the image, their various resources, their dialogue, correct any possible inaccuracies and even pushing students to revise their notes on the run. We coached in with a quick "I wonder why..." and other probing questions to push their inquiries deeper. As I reflect back on the quote from Socrates, we were making them think, the room was full of conversation and learning. Some might say messy, but I know that is where the learning is happening. Students were then prompted to begin a quick draft of a short monologue that they would read in their tableau. In this instructional activity, the bulk of the learning is in the small groups that happen before the actual tableau performance. The quick writing of the monologue and the tableau itself are extensions of the thinking and learning that was happening. The compiling, organizing and synthesizing are the skills that are practiced as they write the monologue.
We encouraged students to complete their short monologue and then plan their collaborative image, how they would be positioned, would they need any quick props from around the room, Students quickly grabbed classroom materials and worked together to created the group's tableau. One group performed at a time and students were aware this was a one period activity, so they performances would be fast moving.
Through using drama in the tableau activity students made connections from past to the present, they experienced empathy and understanding for the people in the images and we watched as students interest in history was increased. The historical empathy allowed students to understand the struggles of people at that time in history while also fostered learning and making that learning stick.
As our fifth graders navigated through the Westward Expansion unit of study over the past several weeks they spent most of their time in the messy kind of learning that comes with inquiry. I watched as students and teachers tried to embrace the mess, sometimes frustrated, but always learning. I asked questions, perhaps to the point I might have seemed a bit annoying or interrogative (I may have to soften my questioning a bit, perhaps my prior training as an investigator came through a bit too much at times), but I continued to ask and I learned and I realized how blessed I was as I watched learning happening right before my eyes. It is truly one of the greatest gifts, to be an educator and have the privilege to watch learning each and every day.
Among the many documents that our students studied, they conducted an analysis of images from this time period when our nation moved west. Teachers established centers where students worked collaboratively in inquiry around media, primary source documents, images, maps and reading. At each center students followed task cards which asked a series of questions, students discussed the questions, were coached in by teachers and then answered questions using the materials in the center, their notebooks and resources they have gathered to that point.
The image center contained several images showing people in groups during the time of Westward Expansion. Laurel Schmidt, author of Social Studies that Sticks speaks about making images speak to us and explains how "images are the perfect tool for getting to the past--fast." Students read a task card that asked a series of questions that sparked inquiry. Some such questions included:
- What do you see?
- What is going on in the picture?
- What is happening in the focal point? In the foreground? In the background?
- Use a magnifying glass to zoom into a smaller section of the image, what do you see?
- Who do you think the people are in the image? What makes you say that?
- Look at their positions in the image, why do you think they are positioned that way?
- Study the setting of the image, look at your map, where do you think they are or where do you think they are headed?
- Do you notice any conflicts in the image? Use your notes, what can you say about this conflict? Refer to your timeline, where do you think this image would fit
- What does this image say about change during this time period?
Following the image analysis we prepared students for a tableau activity we would do the following day. In small groups students would study one of the images and discuss and re-examine their own notes, timelines and maps as a way to look through a more critical lens as they further develop their knowledge and understanding. In two classes we watched a video of the tableau activity performed by students in another school and in another class the teacher showed a clip from Night at the Museum when exhibits came to life. Both ways demonstrated to the students the work they would be engaging in as a result of their inquiry in small groups. In addition students understood that they would pose together in a frozen picture of their shared image, and they would remain frozen until a teacher tapped them and they would then speak their monologue and then return to the frozen image. As the teachers or facilitators in the room, we listened into each group and coached into their conversations to push them to look further at the image, their various resources, their dialogue, correct any possible inaccuracies and even pushing students to revise their notes on the run. We coached in with a quick "I wonder why..." and other probing questions to push their inquiries deeper. As I reflect back on the quote from Socrates, we were making them think, the room was full of conversation and learning. Some might say messy, but I know that is where the learning is happening. Students were then prompted to begin a quick draft of a short monologue that they would read in their tableau. In this instructional activity, the bulk of the learning is in the small groups that happen before the actual tableau performance. The quick writing of the monologue and the tableau itself are extensions of the thinking and learning that was happening. The compiling, organizing and synthesizing are the skills that are practiced as they write the monologue.
We encouraged students to complete their short monologue and then plan their collaborative image, how they would be positioned, would they need any quick props from around the room, Students quickly grabbed classroom materials and worked together to created the group's tableau. One group performed at a time and students were aware this was a one period activity, so they performances would be fast moving.
Through using drama in the tableau activity students made connections from past to the present, they experienced empathy and understanding for the people in the images and we watched as students interest in history was increased. The historical empathy allowed students to understand the struggles of people at that time in history while also fostered learning and making that learning stick.