Textbook Fail and Finesse Zoe Wright-Bell EDRD 6530 Professor Kristine Gritter

Essential question: How can I teach students about the rise of labor unions in the Progressive Era in the United States in a way that enables them to have a deep and enduring understanding about causes, AND that enables students to make connections between the past and what is happening in the present?

in what ways Does the Textbook fail kids In a 9th grade history class? ➢ Not clear what students are supposed to DO with the material ○ No clear learning target with actionable language function (verb) ○ Students in passive role ○ Gritter’s teaching as telling metaphor

in what ways Does the Textbook fail? ➢ No clear learning target ➢ Breadth over depth

in what ways Does the Textbook fail? ➢ No clear learning target ➢ Breadth over depth ➢ Facts, facts, facts

in what ways Does the Textbook fail? ➢ No clear learning target ➢ Breadth over depth ➢ Facts, facts, facts ➢ No opportunity to personally connect with material

in what ways Does the Textbook fail? ➢ No clear learning target ➢ Breadth over depth ➢ Facts, facts, facts ➢ No chance to personally connect with material ➢ No opportunity to make connections to present ➢ Does not encourage use of thinking strategies ○ Visualize, connections, questions, predictions, synthesis

in what ways Does the Textbook fail? ➢ No language supports ➢ Does not take into account student reading levels

How do I finesse the Textbook In a 9th grade history class? ➢ Provide quantifiable learning target with actionable language function (verb) I can infer from reading the primary source document “My First Job” by Rose Cohen, three labor conditions that may have given rise to labor unions in the Progressive Era.

How do I finesse the Textbook In a 9th grade history class? ➢ Front Load Lesson with Powerful Images ○ Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) ■ What’s going on in this picture? ■ What do you see that makes you say that? ■ What more can we find? ·

How do I finesse the Textbook In a 9th grade history class? ➢ Groups of three use reading strategies to analyze the text ○ Ability grouping ○ Discuss as whole class

How do I finesse the Textbook In a 9th grade history class? ➢ LT: I can infer from reading the primary source document “My First Job” by Rose Cohen, three labor conditions that may have given rise to labor unions in the Progressive Era. ➢ List three working conditions described by Rose Cohen ○ Groups of three make a list ○ Formative check on LT understanding

How do I finesse the Textbook In a 9th grade history class? ➢ Illicit student background knowledge and student voice ○ Groups of three brainstorm three ways that their lives are similar to Rose Cohen’s, and three ways they are different

How do I finesse the Textbook In a 9th grade history class? ➢ Student voice ○ Kinesthetic activity: “Four Corners” ■ What would you do if you were in Rose Cohen’s shoes? ● Organize? ● Quit? ● Turn violent? ● Do nothing?

How do I finesse the Textbook In a 9th grade history class? ➢ Connecting Past to Present ○ Homework assignment ■ Explore UNITE the Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees website

textbook fail and finesse what i learned ★ Need a clear learning target with actionable language function (verb)

textbook fail and finesse what i learned ★ Need a clear learning target with actionable language function (verb) ★ Need a “hook” to draw students in

textbook fail and finesse what i learned ★ Need a clear learning target with actionable language function (verb) ★ Need a “hook” to draw students in ★ Need to supplement textbook with engaging material

textbook fail and finesse what i learned ★ Need a clear learning target with actionable language function (verb) ★ Need a “hook” to draw students in ★ Need to supplement textbook with engaging material ★ Need to provide opportunities for students to illicit background knowledge and use student voice

textbook fail and finesse what i learned ★ Need a clear learning target with actionable language function (verb) ★ Need a “hook” to draw students in ★ Need to supplement textbook with engaging material ★ Need to provide opportunities for students to illicit background knowledge and use student voice ★ Need to choose materials that lend themselves well to utilizing “thinking strategies”

textbook fail and finesse what i learned ★ Need a clear learning target with actionable language function (verb) ★ Need a “hook” to draw students in ★ Need to supplement textbook with material with narrative structure ★ Need to provide opportunities for students to illicit background knowledge and use student voice ★ Need to choose materials that lend themselves well to utilizing “thinking strategies”

textbook fail and finesse what i learned ★ Need a clear learning target with actionable language function (verb) ★ Need a “hook” to draw students in ★ Need to supplement textbook with material with narrative structure ★ Need to provide opportunities for students to illicit background knowledge and use student voice ★ Need to choose materials that lend themselves well to utilizing “thinking strategies” ★ Need to use varied instructional strategies i.e. cooperative learning and multiple modalities i.e. kinesthetic activities

textbook fail and finesse what i learned ★ Need a clear learning target with actionable language function (verb) ★ Need a “hook” to draw students in ★ Need to supplement textbook with material with narrative structure ★ Need to provide opportunities for students to illicit background knowledge and student voice ★ Need to choose materials that lend themselves well to utilizing “thinking strategies” ★ Need to use varied instructional strategies i.e. cooperative learning and multiple modalities i.e. kinesthetic activities ★ Need to utilize activities that enable students to make connections between the past and present

Textbook Fail and Finesse Zoe Wright-Bell EDRD 6530