OCC GATE Conference October 19, 2013 Teaching Gifted Learners to Think Like Historians Tim Mulvehill Millikan High School, LBUSD USC, Rossier School of Education

Session 3: 12:30-1:30 pm OBJECTIVE This afternoon, we’ll analyze techniques for teaching gifted learners to think like historians by integrating “The Big Six” historical thinking skills with differentiated instructional strategies and the Common Core standards.

Session 3: Thinking like historians AGENDA Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Sam Wineburg Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Sam Wineburg ‘The Big Six’ Historical Thinking Skills: Peter Seixas ‘The Big Six’ Historical Thinking Skills: Peter Seixas Integrating ‘Historical Thinking’, the Common Core & Differentiated Instruction Integrating ‘Historical Thinking’, the Common Core & Differentiated Instruction

Historical Thinking And other unnatural Acts Sam Wineburg Stanford University Read the 3-page excerpt. Discuss questions 2 & 3 with a colleague.

Historical Thinking And other unnatural Acts Sam Wineburg Stanford University Sourcing, asking relevant questions of documents, identifying motive, identifying subtext, avoiding presentism How do we teach students to do this?

Historical Consciousness Peter Seixas University of British Columbia Director of the Centre for the Study of Historical Consciousness (

‘The Big Six’ Historical Thinking skills 1.Historical Significance How did this event, person or development result in change?How did this event, person or development result in change? What does this event, person or development reveal about issues in history or contemporary life?What does this event, person or development reveal about issues in history or contemporary life? How is historical significance constructed through narrative in textbooks or other historical accounts?How is historical significance constructed through narrative in textbooks or other historical accounts? How does historical significance vary over time or from group to group?How does historical significance vary over time or from group to group? 2.Evidence What can be inferred based on this primary source?What can be inferred based on this primary source? What questions can be asked about this primary source that will provide evidence for an inquiry, argument or account?What questions can be asked about this primary source that will provide evidence for an inquiry, argument or account? Who created this source? When, where and why was it created?Who created this source? When, where and why was it created? What conditions and worldviews were prevalent at the time the source was created?What conditions and worldviews were prevalent at the time the source was created? Can this source be corroborated by other primary or secondary sources?Can this source be corroborated by other primary or secondary sources?

‘The Big Six’ Historical Thinking skills 3. Continuity and Change What historical turning points can be identified?What historical turning points can be identified? What evidence of progress and/or decline can be identified? Does progress occur for some while decline occurs for others?What evidence of progress and/or decline can be identified? Does progress occur for some while decline occurs for others? What are the historical markers that begin and end this time period? Could an alternative periodization be plausible?What are the historical markers that begin and end this time period? Could an alternative periodization be plausible? 4. Cause and Consequence What are the short-term and long-term causes and consequences?What are the short-term and long-term causes and consequences? How can historical causes be ranked in order of importance?How can historical causes be ranked in order of importance? What is the relationship between the actions of historical actors and the conditions at the time?What is the relationship between the actions of historical actors and the conditions at the time? Which consequences were intended and which were unintended?Which consequences were intended and which were unintended? Was this historical event inevitable?Was this historical event inevitable?

‘The Big Six’ Historical Thinking skills 5. Historical Perspectives How do worldviews today differ from worldviews in the time and place under study?How do worldviews today differ from worldviews in the time and place under study? How did people think and feel in the time and place under study?How did people think and feel in the time and place under study? How did different people’s perspectives differ in the time and place under study?How did different people’s perspectives differ in the time and place under study? 6. Ethical Dimension What responsibilities do we have to remember and respond to the contributions, sacrifices and injustices of the past?What responsibilities do we have to remember and respond to the contributions, sacrifices and injustices of the past?

Depth & Complexity Sandra Kaplan USC, Rossier School of Education Do we find overlap between the ‘Big Six’ and the Depth & Complexity icons?

Common Core

Integrating Historical Thinking, Differentiated Instruction & the Common Core Take a few minutes to compare the ‘Big Six’, the Depth & Complexity Icons & the Common Core standards. Do you see overlap or integration? Feel free to discuss with a colleague.

Integrated History Instruction for Gifted Learners Depth & Complexity State Standards Common Core Acceleratio n & Advanced Placement Historical Thinking Novelty

Thank you Materials from this presentation will be available online at Materials from this presentation will be available online at Sources: Sources: Seixas, P. & Morton, T. (2012). The Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts. Nelson College Indigenous. Wineburg, S. (2001). Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts. Temple University Press.