A Tool Box of RtI Strategies for Social Studies Teachers Presented by Marianne Kenney, Secondary Social Studies Instructional Specialist

By the end of our time together, you will: Acquire information and practice active social studies strategies Gather some tools for differentiating in an RtI environment Gain some ideas for getting kids to think critically and participate

Metaphorically Speaking Choose one tool at your table that most closely expresses your feelings… “How does this tool represent a concept I could use for good instruction in my classroom?” Introduce yourself to the people at your table and share your metaphor

Common Ground Prioritize where you think your greatest challenges will be in teaching this year based on the list provided on the half sheet of paper Now…. Red dot = greatest challenge Blue dot = 2nd greatest challenge

Four Square Allows students to: See multiple opinions and connections between answers Retell or share information on the subject to others Synthesize information in a different format

Relevant Connections Allows students to: To significant connections between people, places, and events Practice critical thinking skills to make connections Practice writing

Summarizing/Main idea Strategy Allows students to: Learn summarization techniques Easily find the main point of any passage

Concept Attainment What is it? Why? An inductive process that helps bring meaning to concepts by looking for common understanding Why? To engage student thinking and assist own knowledge

Graphic Organizers Using graphic organizers They convert complex and messy information collections into meaningful displays They compress They focus They make interpretation, understanding, and insight easier

Choice Boards Allows students: The opportunity to decide what projects he/she will complete during the unit The chance to work on independent research skills The ability to use his/her preferred learning style

Showdown Allows the student: Time for individual processing Collaboration with others for information Gets immediate reinforcement or correction of knowledge Let’s give it a try…..ready?

Showdown Explain what the following places have in common. Kashmir Palestine Tibet Former Yugoslavia

And the Answer Is… In all these places, long-standing conflicts occurred over land with strong cultural, ethnic and/or religious meaning.

Showdown Explain what the following events have in common. The requirement that South African blacks carry passes. The encomienda system in colonial Latin America. Ukrainian collectives under Josef Stalin. Mao’s Cultural Revolution in China.

And the answer is… All are ways that one group ( a minority) dominated and/or subjugated another group (the masses) in order to keep control and power.

Showdown Explain what the following people have in common. Napoleon Bonaparte Adolf Hitler Mao Tse-Tung Kim Jong Il Saddam Hussein

And the Answer Is…. All of these are leaders who have used propaganda and the media to create cult of personalities, to gain or maintain power.

Marianne Kenney, Secondary Social Studies Instructional Specialist What is it that you do? I’m here to support you and help your students succeed!! Please call on me… Marianne Kenney, Secondary Social Studies Instructional Specialist marianne_kenney@dpsk12.org 303-551-3373 (cell)