Historical Concepts

Context: In the first session of Block II in the summer of 2005 as a requirement of Dr. Eric Groce's CI 3110 class, I created time lines, a cause and effect tree, designed my own NC state quarter, and studied Jean Fritz's Shh... We're Writing the Constitution. The artifacts were created using simple paper and markers.

Impact: By creating these simple artifacts with a focus on historical concepts, I have a reference by which to address the same issues with my future students. I will be able to use these ideas as ways to reinforce the importance of historical concepts. Students will think these activities are fun and not even realize how much they are really learning about the history of our country.

Alignment:

NC DPI Standard 4:

• Indicator 8: After reading Building Liberty by Serge Hochain, I created a timeline of the events occurring therein. I also created several “cause and effect trees” tracing initial causes and their subsequent effects throughout the story. In addition to the timeline about the story, I also created one about my own life including in it significant events. I researched and designed a new NC quarter including on it things that are significant to this state: Grandfather Mountain profile, a lighthouse, and the Pepsi Cola symbol. On another sheet of paper I listed additional facts about NC that I could not fit on the quarter itself. To learn about US history, we read Shh… We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritzer. Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution is an exceptional book that portrays all that went into writing the Constitution.  This book is an excellent resource especially for teaching history.  Unlike many books focusing on history, this story really keeps the reader’s attention.  Instead of just plainly listing the boring facts that went into creating our Constitution this book goes about it in a better way.  The author of this book, Jean Fritz, went beyond the usual facts found in history books.  Fritz found fun and interesting facts that really capture the reader’s attention.  Even if the reader does not enjoy reading about history this book will still be appealing.  Fritz tells of the delegates taking a ten-day vacation and that George Washington decided to go fishing during his break.  While one man, Luther Martin, was speaking he was so boring that Benjamin Franklin went to sleep.  Interesting facts like these really add to the story of how the Constitution came into existence.