1. Do Now 5 minutes Close Reading: Except 1, American Pageant.
What does your textbook have to say about today’s essential question: Who “discovered” America, when, how, and how do we know?
Search for and write down any theories from the excerpt, with supporting evidence.
“(The author/source) claims that __________ discovered America in…“
“(The author/source) cites as evidence that…”
5 minutes

2. Who “discovered” America? When? How?How do we know?
Period 1. Lesson 1.

3. Learning Objectives 2 minutes
I will be able to apply the key historical thinking skill of corroboration to determine the most plausible answer to the question, who “discovered” America, when, how, and how do we know?
I will do this by…
Close reading secondary sources—accounts written by professional historians—to locate claims and evidence.
Working in small groups to jigsaw share and take notes on multiple historical accounts.
Writing an analysis of secondary source accounts to determine the extent to which they corroborate/contradict the dominant textbook account.
Writing my evaluation, or answer to the essential question.
2 minutes

4. Who “discovered” America? When? How?
When did people first reach the land that we now call the United States?
How did they get here?
How do we know?
Key terms
“Discovered”
Corroboration
Plausible
3 minutes

5. Corroboration Jigsaw Groups of 3-4 Jigsaw readings:
Gavin Menzies
Ivan Van Sertima
James Loewen
(for groups of 4) David Kennedy, Lizabeth Cohen, Thomas Bailey
Individual work: read, fill in upper chart (15 min)
Jigsaw share. You are responsible for completing your worksheet based on your colleagues’ analysis (10 min)

6. Processing
Complete the Processing section of your worksheet:
Which theory do you find most plausible, based on the available evidence? Explain why.
b) What does today’s investigation reveal to you about the importance of the key historical thinking skill, corroboration?
5 minutes

7. Homework
Complete class work Evaluation writing assignment (1 page, written, white-lined paper, to pass in).
Complete the Chapter 1 Video Notes (pgs. 2-3 in your packet).
Read the first ten pages of chapter 2. You do not have to take notes yet.
Chapter 1 Quiz Wednesday (9/10)
Packet due Friday (9/12)
Period 1 Test Monday (9/15)
2 minute