TLT 412, Fall 2020 - Course record

Owned by Tom Hammond
Last updated: Nov 30, 2020
13 min read

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Session 1 - Monday, 24 Aug

Before class

  • Buy a copy of the textbook (Maxim, 2017, Dynamic Social Studies for Constructivist Classrooms). Amazon has it 
  • Cruise this wiki and the CourseSite.
  • Preview the syllabus. We will discuss it during class.

During class (ppts: main ideas; digression into What is Social Studies for?)

  • Housekeeping
    • Introductions
    • Looking at our toolbox: CourseSite, wiki, bookmarks, etc.
    • Reviewing syllabus
      • Assignments and grading
      • First step: Completing your first WTL entries
    • Questions thus far?
  • Conceptual work
    • What is social studies for?
    • Social studies as a set of disciplines vs. social studies as something bigger, more integrated
  • Closure
    • Review of what's due next week – reminder about filling in info for "Weaving the Globe"
    • Review of what's where (wiki, CourseSite)
    • Any questions?
    • Stick around for portfolio work

After class

  • Reading
    • Maxim, Ch. 1 (What is?)
    • Gaudelli & Laverty, 2017 (as an overview and critique of the field – if nothing else, this should motivate you to be an informed, critical consumer of social studies materials. Also note historical connection with Dewey...and the scholarly record of the Lehigh COE dean !)
    • NCSS, 2009

  • Assignments
    • WTL
    • Update your profile in CourseSite to include your picture
    • Starting planning out your upcoming assignments: Original Instructional Materials product #1, who you'll interview for HTCE, etc. 
    • Bookmark class websites on your computer (e.g., CourseSite, relevant wiki pages)
    • Fill out the “Weaving the Globe” input form.

    • Input your portfolio URL ASAP


Session 2 - Monday, 31 Aug

Before class

  • Complete reading
  • Complete WTL 
  • Think ahead: What do you want to do for your Original Instructional Materials assignments? Are you able to find a preK-4 student to interview for the HTCE? 

During class (ppt)

  • Housekeeping
  • Conceptual work
    • Three stances towards social studies education
    • Three quick demo lessons to illustrate
    • Standards for social studies (just a quick look)
    • Curriculum frameworks for social studies (again, a quick look)
    • Discussion of student schema in social studies
    • Time permitting: Going further on standards & curriculum frameworks, NCSS statement, etc. 
  • Closure: Can you name and organize the instructional methods we used tonight? I have another JamBoard for this.

After class

  • Reading

    • Maxim, re-visit Ch. 1 section on standards, read Ch. 10 (Geography)

    • Re-visit NCSS, 2009

    • skim Brophy & Alleman, 2002

    • optional: Wade, 2002

    • skim: Keeler & Langhorst, 2008 (to get ideas for orig inst materials assigns)

  • Assignments 
    • WTL – see forum in CourseSite

    • Complete instructional product #1, bring it to class ready to share!


Session 3 - Monday, 7 Sep

Before class

  • Complete reading
  • Complete and bring in your Original Instructional Material assignment #1, have it ready for class. (But don't forget to also upload it to CourseSite!)
  • Complete the WTL

During class (ppt)

  • Housekeeping
  • Original instructional materials work
    • Getting ready to share our OIP #1s. I'll be demoing using a map about European settlements in the Lehigh Valley. (If you're interested in the technology, I created this using the university's subscription to ArcGIS Online – your computing account will let you log in and get started in here: lu.maps.arcgis.com.) 
    • Sharing 
    • Talking about OIM #2:
      • My example: A sequence of instruction on Community Needs & Community Resources.
        • Opening worksheet
        • Set of QR codes that I put up around the building
        • Google Earth overlay that shows these resources in the community
        • FYI: I created this with Julie Oltman, who teaches our geospatial tools class. If you haven't checked it out before, it's a great opportunity to learn more about Google Earth, ArcGIS, augmented reality, virtual reality, and more!
      • Why not try...
        • ...a new-to-you technology – Google Earth? Augmented reality? ArcGIS?
        • ...a different lens – traditional vs. disciplinary vs. student-centered?
        • ...a different content area (history, econ, geo, civics) – mix it up! Stretch your thinking and your tech skills!
  • Conceptual work
    • What's new in our instructional methods toolbox? Let's revisit our recurring JamBoard of methods. Which of these are specific to geography?
    • Taking a look at the geography ed resources you identified after last week's class 
    • Taking a look at curriculum and standards for geography
    • Digging into geography's Big Ideas
      • Natural environment vs. built environment
      • Physical geography vs. political, economic, or human geography
      • Human-environment interaction
      • Tools of geographic representation
  • Closure: Since we already talked about methods, let's re-visit the concept of the three possible teachers' stances (traditional, disciplinary, community-focused). Which of these do you think is privileged by the standards documents? 

After class

  • Reading

    • Review Geography standards: PDE, C3; see other nat’l orgs as you see fit

    • Read Barton & Levstik, 1996 (at least to the point where you understand context of HTCE assignment)

    • Getting more context on social studies curriculum: skim Brophy & Alleman, 2002, and Wade, 2002.
  • Assignments

    • Complete and turn in HTCE prep work

    • WTL

    • Work on original instructional materials assignment, product #2

    • Please consider sharing your OIM #1 by uploading to the Forum in CourseSite for this week’s class

  • ...and an invitation! If you'd like to try out the 'community resources, community needs' activity, I have set up a version that you can do at home

Session 4 - Monday, 14 Sep

Before class

  • Complete reading
  • Prepare and turn in HTCE prep
  • Complete WTL

During class (ppt)

After class

  • Reading
    • If you haven't already: Read through PDE ELPS, or at least the stuff I extracted for social studies.
  • Assignments
    • Complete & turn in OIP #2. (If you need help thinking of something: re-read Keeler & Langhorst, 2008)
    • Explore the LUAG website, check out the ‘Doing Democracy’ exhibit. We’ll have a guest speaker next week about this exhibit and LUAG.
    • Some hands-on work with the fundamental tool of geography: Latitude and longitude!
      • Download and install this app, or an equivalent: My GPS Coordinates (Apple, Android)
      • Complete the following exercise (these are opening steps to my 'scaffolded geocache' activity
        • Go outside, open up the app. Figure out which way is south. (If you look at Google Maps, you should be able to figure it out) 
        • Take 10 big steps to the south. Which number (lat or lon) changes and why? What imaginary line are you getting closer to?
        • Take 10 big steps to the east. Which number (lat or lon) changes and why? What imaginary line are you getting closer to?
        • Now predict: If you take 10 steps to the north, which number will change and why? Which way will it change – up or down?
        • Predict again: If you take 10 big steps to the west, which number will change and why? Which way will it change? 
      • If you're interested, here's a website for REAL geocaching: https://www.geocaching.com/play ; you can also get the app (Apple, Android) – note that you don't  use lat-lon when doing this...which I don't like (for teaching purposes).
      • optional reading: Hammond, Bodzin, & Stanlick, 2014
    • Bring to class next week: A citrus fruit, unpeeled! I recommend a clementine, since they're easy to peel....


Session 5 - Monday, 21 Sep

Before class

  • Complete reading
  • Prepare and turn in OIM #2

During class (ppt)

  • We're starting off with a guest speaker! We'll be discussing the Lehigh University Art Galleries, but particularly this exhibit: https://luag.lehigh.edu/exhibitions/doing-democracy-photography-george-stephanopoulos-collection
  • A little pause for reflection on methods & geography – we'll re-visit our JamBoard of methods for this
  • Tools of geography: Lots of stuff here, but with emphasis on...
    • How about the latitude & longitude activity I had you guys do outside of class this past week?
    • And a lesson plan that I've slightly adapted: The Grapefruit Activity. (While you're there: Note that it's billed as social studies AND science. Geography is the place where social studies starts to overlap with earth science / environmental science / physical science.)
    • What this lesson has to do with: Map projections
    • If you want to see the Flickr map I used, it's here: https://www.flickr.com/map – search 'Islam' or something else with a strong cultural gradient: 'mosque', for example.
  • Physical geography: Not a perfect demonstration, but here's a Google Earth overlay that I created to divide continents into regions.
  • Human geography: Families and Food activity. This is material borrowed from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats. 
  • Human-environment interaction: Set of YouTube videos, plus some web images and materials drawn from the Teachers Curriculum Institute geography lessons
  • Social studies and (de-)"othering"
  • Closure

After class

  • Reading: Maxim, Ch. 4-5-6 – just get started on these, start digging into what Maxim has to say about pedagogy
  • Assignments
    • Start thinking about the curriculum map assignment!
    • WTL on geography & geography education take-aways


Session 6 - Monday, 28 Sep

Before class

During class (ppt)

  • Let's first re-visit the point I was trying to make at the end of the last class: The danger of the single story
    • How does this apply in geography? 
    • How might it apply in history? 
    • What are some tactics you might use to counteract it? 
  • History education
    • We're talking about the "three big tools" of history education via an opening exercise called "The Story of Aaron". The materials in this activity are drawn from the Virginia Center for Digital History (vcdh.virginia.edu/), specifically their Geography of Slavery project (http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/gos/) 
    • We're also doing a sequence of image-based activities. Several of these images are from the National Archives' collection of child labor photographs by Lewis Hine. See their DocsTeach database for more materials and resources.
  • Closure

After class

  • Reading
    • Read over history standards in CourseSite
    • Read the history ed chapter in Maxim (ch. 9)
  • Assignments
    • Complete and turn in the curriculum map. Don’t forget the reflection! Note that if you need more time: I will also accept submissions by Monday, Oct 12
    • WTL to get us started on history ed


Session 7 - Monday, 5 Oct

Before class

  • Curriculum map: Remember that I'm offering the option to complete it and turn it in this week...or next week. But the deal is this: Please work in it in advance of this class (Mon, 5 Oct) so you have a sense of how this assignment flows. 
  • Complete WTL in CourseSite

During class (ppt)

After class

  • Reading
    • Maxim, Ch. 3 & 4– these expand upon the pedagogical points I was making tonight, but with a much better theory base.
    • Maxim, Ch. 5-8 – keep working through these.
    • Hammond & Manfra, 2009 (skim) – this is the giving-prompting-making piece
    • Read 1 additional history ed piece among what's in CourseSite
  • Assignments
    • If you didn't already: Complete and turn in your curriculum map. Don't forget the reflection!
    • There's a WTL about Wikipedia in CourseSite...


Session 8- Monday, 12 Oct

Before class

  • Complete reading
  • Complete and turn in the curriculum map 
  • Complete WTL in CourseSite

During class (ppt)

Assignments

  • Reading: Download and read through instructional planning materials in CourseSite



Session 9- Monday, 19 Oct

Before class

  • Complete reading – it's the instructional materials files in CourseSite

During class (ppt)

  • Housekeeping
    • Talking about microteaching
    • Talking about instructional unit; overview is due next week
  • Conceptual work: Getting started in civics ed
    • We're going to refer to the citizenship test – here it is online, if you're interested.
    • Branches of government activity – I run this using a ppt I created; feel free to ask for a copy
  • Closure

After class

  • Reading
    • Civics standards in CourseSite
    • Maxim, Ch. 9
  • Assignments
    • Write up unit overview and turn it in
    • Sign up for a microteaching time slot – see sign-up form linked from CourseSite


Session 10 - Monday, 26 October

Before class

  • Complete reading (civics standards in CourseSite, Maxim Ch. 9)
  • Complete and turn in unit overview

During class (ppt)


After class

  • Reading: Re-visit civics standards in CourseSite. You should now have a more critical eye for this...
  • Optional reading: Westheimer & Kahne, 2004 ('What kind of citizen?')
  • Assignments
    • Work on microteaching! Even if you're not presenting next week!
    • HTCE paper: Turn it in if you can. If you need more time, not a problem. Just let me know

Session 11 - Monday, 2 November

Before class

  • If you can: Complete and turn in your HTCE
  • Re-visit the civics standards – what kind of citizen are they aiming for?
  • Microteaching: Prep it or at least work on it!

During class (ppt)


After class


Session 12 - Monday, 9 November

Before class

  • Microteaching prep / reflection
  • Complete reading
  • Complete WTL


During class – no ppt tonight

  • Microteaching
    • Gaby
    • Emma
    • Joe
  • Talking about next week & Thanksgiving week content. Focus will be assessment, with some attention to the Praxis.
    • Sample practice test – social studies items are in Module 2, items 20, 34-42; answers are on pp. 58-59.
    • Fun test of something that I've become more and more convinced of over time: Look at the science items (Module 3); how many of them overlap with social studies? (My answer to that question: A lot! Science and social studies should be friends!)
  • Discussion of election – how does it change the way you think about social studies? Civic ed? What are the implications for elementary education?


After class

  • Microteaching prep/reflection
  • Work on major assignments
  • Take a look at Praxis materials posted in CourseSite


Session 13 - Monday, 16 November

Before class


During class 

  • Microteaching
    • Julie 
    • Rachel 
    • Miki
    • Joe


After class

Monday, 23 November?

...no class, but do see materials on assessment posted in CourseSite


Monday, 30 November

Before class

  • Work on instructional unit. If you can: Turn it in! If not: Turn it in next week or (worst case scenario) by December 10
  • Complete any other remaining assignments (ex: History Through a Child's Eyes) and turn in ASAP
  • Don't forget to check out the assessment materials in CourseSite!

During class (ppt)

  • Conceptual work: Digging into economics
    • What is economics and why isn't it more prominently featured?
    • Some econ resources
      • Ohio State University Research Foundation (OSURF) materials
      • Day, 2006: What is Economics?
      • VanFossen, 2003: suggestions for teaching econ in elementary SS Council Economic Education
      • The classic: Play Doh Economics (to be demo'd in a few minutes)
    • Some econ activities
      • Warm up: The economics of candy consumption – sticker selection
      • And now for a slam-dunk: A lesson adapted from Play-Doh economics.
    • Putting our class sessions to bed – so much more to be learned!
      • Content goes on forever
      • Unfolding pedagogical interests – see, for example, growing support for anti-racist social studies content: Signers of the Declaration of Independence & enslavement
      • Rising stakes of our current political situation (specifically, the loser's veto power in a post-election transition)
      • Re-visiting 'What is the purpose of social studies?' I think it's time to add: Pro-democracy social studies education


After class

  • Final textbook chapter: Maxim, Ch. 12
  • Read over econ standards
  • Read one or more econ pieces; stow the rest away for future reference! Strongly  recommend keeping the Play-Doh Economics materials somewhere that you know you can find them....
  • Complete remaining major assignments
  • Is anyone interested in office hours / bonus session next Monday? I'll be online if you want to consult / discuss


(Any final  outstanding work due: Monday, 14 December)