LI 877 School Library Media Secondary Practicum

Assignment 2 Collaborative Lesson Plan

Touching a Piece of History: Primary Sources ~Archives and Artifacts

Grade Level: 11th grade American History Class

Overview:
o Students will use the website www.archives.gov to locate and analyze primary sources
that enrich units in American History. The students will examine artifacts from a
traveling resource trunk from the Kansas Historical Society.
http://www.kshs.org/p/educate/19386
o The students will choose a primary source from www.archives.gov and communicate the
relationship to a unit of study in American History class.

Projected Time Frame: The introductory lesson about primary sources takes one class period.
The positive results of the introductory lesson have lasting influences throughout the semester.
Using artifacts and archives heightens the students engagement in learning. As the semester
continues, the classroom teacher assigns students a unit of study to incorporate a primary source
to present to the class.

Content Area Standards:

Social Studies: http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=12PQrLsG_Xg

%3d&tabid=472&portalid=0&mid=1587

The specific content contained in these units is not mandated, but is made available as a
suggested grade level scope and sequence to assist in the planning of local lessons and
units.

o Immigration, Industrialization, Progressives

o Expansion and Imperialism
o World War I and the Roaring 20s
o Great Depression, New Deal
o World War II and the Aftermath
o Cold War Conflicts
o Civil Rights and Social Change
o Moving into the 21st Century

Standards
o Choices have consequences.
o Individuals have rights and responsibilities.
o Societies are shaped by beliefs, idea, and diversity.
o Societies experience continuity and change over time.
o Relationships between people, place, idea, and environments are dynamic.
English/Language Arts: http://community.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?
fileticket=Y_VNdMnhWs8%3d&tabid=5559&mid=13575

Speaking/Listening 11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of

collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grades 1112 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Speaking/Listening 11-12.4 Present information, findings, and supporting

evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow
the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the
organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose,
audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

Reading for History 11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of
primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details
to an understanding of the text as a whole.

Reading for History 11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a

primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the
relationships among the key details and ideas.

Library Media Technology 11- 1.4.1 Recognize alternative systems for organizing
and accessing information (e.g., archives, government sources, digital collections,
and electronic databases, paper and electronic journals).

Library Media Technology 11- 3.3.1 Analyze a problem solving process and
evaluate resulting knowledge for relevance, effectiveness, and overall
appropriateness.

Information Literacy:
o Students will identify primary sources as an alternative source of information in the
pursuit of knowledge.
o Students will locate, evaluate, and clearly communicate information using primary
sources from the website www.archives.gov and the DOCs Teach instruction piece that is
on the website.

Cooperative Teaching Plan:

Librarians responsibility:
o The librarian will present information to a history teacher at Turner High School,
about the website www.archives.gov and the traveling resource trunks offered by
the Kansas Historical Society. Their website is
http://www.kshs.org/p/educate/19386 .
 o The librarian will show him how to create an account on DOCs Teach, an
educators site on www.archives.gov where he/she can search, create, and access
premade lessons using the primary sources on the site.
o The librarian will engage students with primary resources by showing students the
website www.archives.gov.
o The librarian will teach a lesson to students from the DOCs Teach section on that
website.

Teachers responsibility:
o The teacher will learn about a new resource that will engage students and enrich
lessons and student research using artifacts and archives.
o The teacher will give Mrs. Davis feedback on the lesson plan.
o The teacher will allow a few students a pass to go to the library for the librarians
lesson with DOCs Teach.

Resources/Technology:
Websites: www.archives.gov and http://www.kshs.org/p/educate/19386
Student i-Pads

Culminating Activity:
The students, working in pairs or individually, will locate a primary source found
on www.archives.gov that supports an event in history that has been covered this
semester.
The pairs or individuals will present their primary source and explain its
significance and connection to a historical period or event.

Assessment
Overview:
o The librarian assesses the students through observation and higher level
questioning.
o The librarian reinforces the guidelines and offers suggestions for those who may
struggle with the assignment.
o The librarian presents an additional historical event for those who surpass the
others and need a challenge.
Statements about students improved abilities as a result of assignment:
o The students recognize and appreciate the connections that primary sources
provide in research.
o The students develop the skills to navigate through a new website.
o The students enhance their presentation skills.
Improvements for future use:
o If I present this lesson again, I would have some historical events written on cards
for the students to draw out of a box. This would make it more like a game.
o I would include a follow-up lesson on citing primary sources.
Collaboration notes with teacher:
January 23: My practicum teacher, Chaur Jacobson, and I discussed having an idea in
hand for a collaboration lesson, rather than just asking to collaborate with teachers. It is
less work for them, and they may be more likely to agree. There is not a lot of
collaboration between the teachers and the librarian.
January 30: I contacted Mr. Kelley, the history teacher, by email about his knowledge of
www.archives.gov and the DOCs Teach lessons that they provide. I asked him if he
would be interested in collaborating on a lesson using it.
Feb. 8: Mr. Kelly came through the library, and Chaur called him over. She introduced
me, and she mentioned that he never responded to my email. I was a little embarrassed at
her boldness, but he explained that he has been busy. He has a student teacher this
semester, and that is taking up a lot of his time. I explained my idea for a lesson, and
asked him if he would look it over and give me some feedback. He liked the concept, but
said he could give me no time to present the lesson in his classroom. He has his lessons
scheduled until the end of the year, and the student teacher has her lessons, too. Im
going to put out some more feelers for other collaboration opportunities.
March 1: I cannot find a teacher that wants or has time to collaborate. There are a lot of
student teachers in the building this spring. I really like my first lesson, and I feel
strongly about the power of engagement and the technology component that it provides
for a history lesson. If I cannot present the lesson in the classroom, I will present it to the
TAs in the library. I think I was expecting too much, coming from the elementary
environment where more collaboration takes place. Chaur told me she is used to working
with the English teachers, mainly for finding books for literature circles. I think at THS it
is just not an expectation of the librarian to collaborate in the instruction mode. As
mentioned in my journal, the English instructors teach plagiarism, citing sources, Internet
searches, etc. I think there should be more collaboration with those that do research, too.
March 25: I put the final touches on my lesson, and I sent Mr. Kelley a copy. Although
his schedule is busy this spring, I asked if he would survey my lesson plan, and just give
me some feedback. I felt that I need to be a little assertive to encourage a culture of
collaboration. Simply, I asked him if he thought this lesson would be helpful to his
students, and I requested any feedback.
April 4: I did not receive any response from Mr. Kelley. I asked Chaur to look over my
lesson and she gave me some feedback. I presented the lesson to a few of the TAs in the
library.