Learning Goal:  Evaluate the extent to which human civilization has changed.

Lesson Information:

• Students began the lesson by reviewing their most recent quiz and then looking at their scores on their writing

• I had then posted student historical thesis statement examples for us to discuss in class (with student permission and without names) to look at what was good and the areas of improvement 

• Then students were given a new prompt to write with 1 partner, they had to decide what it was asking and how they would respond 

• In many writing activities I have students do a bucketing activity (where they would cut up primary and secondary sources and place them in thematic buckets). 

• Students reviewed historical thesis statement requirements and wrote a thesis statement and paragraph (with learning how to analyze and apply information and connecting it back to the prompt) 

Ways to Differentiate: 

• Students, if needed, were given the option to type their final paragraph or write it

• They could select which resources/what angle they were taking to address the prompt 

• Students had the option to use a "Thesis Statement Guide" to assist them with their writing and organization 

Learning Goal: 

1. Investigate the importance of laws and rights of citizens 

2. Evaluate the purpose of laws and rights of citizens using the 12 Tables and the Bill of Rights

Lesson Information: 

• Students were given the election results (lesson was designed to take place on election day) and compared it to their class election 

• Students then were prompted to create a law and a right (this was review and linked to readings in class)

• Students then took notes on content discussing the 12 Tables and the US Bill of Rights (fitting in World History Curriculum with the state required civics unit) 

• After this students were given a copy of the readings (linked above) and asked to use the readings to explain whether they agreed or disagreed using the readings as evidence for their argument

• They would then cut out and glue the specific law and/or right to that section 

• Prompts were also on the board for student access  

Ways to Differentiate: 

• Fill in the blank notes sheets were provided to students that may need it to help them focus on the lecture portion 

• Font size changed (for students with dyslexia) 

• Readings available at easier reading level for students with IEP's requesting such 

• Readings available prior to class

• Supplemental readings and videos linked throughout the slides for further research/information to engaged GIEP students (gifted students) 

• Slides/materials posted to the Agenda for student access at their desk 

Learning Goal:  Analyze the role of religion in ancient India.

Lesson Information:

• On this day students began their lesson by taking a map quiz.  I incorporated these to connect regions we studied with modern countries to promote further understanding of how history shapes the modern world

• Specifically for the lesson on India we began by talking about modern Hinduism and India and after discussion watched a brief video

• We then took notes (guided sheets provided if needed) on the origins of Hinduism and what/why religions are created

• After discussing beliefs of Hinduism we simulated the caste system.  I had color coded paper and made that match up with an action.  Students were randomly assigned a color and this matched up with a level of the caste.  They could visualize in the classroom setting how the caste system worked (not allowed to change roles, could only interact with certain people, had specific obligations etc.)

• We then answered mini table discussion questions and I explained the origins of Moksha Patam and we played this in class (similar to snakes and ladders) 

• More info on their for later lessons (Ramayana reading)

Ways to Differentiate: 

• students were given guided notes to help follow lecture materials

• they were given a sheet that further explained the caste system to the color 

• Bigger font on their notes/access to slides and materials ahead of time and on their laptop

Learning Goal:  Analyze the importance of origin stories in religion via the Greek Origin Story/Creation Story 

Lesson Information: 

• Students began the lesson by brainstorming key terms/things they knew about Greek Mythology.  They passed the beach ball around and all shared their answers. 

• We connected Greek Mythology to modern day examples/how Greek Mythology impacts present day (Achille's Heel, Nike)

• As a class we read the Greek Origin Story, linked above, and every few paragraphs I had directed students to answer one of the questions (seen on the slides and their worksheet) and had them summarize what we read via drawings.  

• They would then be told to share their drawings and explained what they drew to their peers 

• With the figures in the story they also created a family tree to show how interconnected the gods were/what their roles were

• We then reviewed this and presented a few of the cartoons that students drew 

Ways to Differentiate: 

• Their was a digital copy of the cartoon made for students that physically could not hold a pen steady

• Some readings came with bigger font/spaced out for students with dyslexia 

• Reading available ahead of time on classroom 

• Students could use color or write sentences in the boxes for their summaries 

Learning Goal: Analyze the significance of Feudal Europe via the textbook creation assignment.

Lesson Information: 

• Begin the lesson by ranking different positions in social hierarchies to display/discuss what a hierarchy is and how it impacts modern life 

• Apply hierarchies to facts learned about Feudalism 

• Simulate Feudalism by distributing sugar cubes to students as crops.  It would begin with the serfs then paying it to the knights, then to the noble, then to the King.  The class would have been proportioned similar to how Feudal European society would have been distributed

• Begin creating a textbook where students would take information researched and answer questions

Ways to Differentiate: 

• Physical note copies provided to students to help them follow along 

• A schedule for the textbook activity provided to ensure that students were able to stay on track with larger assignments 

• Students asked to define words that they were not comfortable to ensure comprehension 

• Crash Course provided for additional support 

Learning Goal:  Investigate the beliefs of Confucianism through Confucian Analects. 

Lesson Information: 

• In this lesson students were continuing to learn about Confucius and his impact on various dynasties in China.  

• As students had a base knowledge, here they were challenged to read primary sources to gather historical knowledge 

• They were given 1 saying (chosen out of a mug) and told to read it out loud with their group and then to complete the guided sheet before being prompted to discuss their answers as a class and to put their drawings on the board.

Ways to Differentiate: 

• The guided reading sheet had a spot for students to put words and definitions for words they may not understand to further reading comprehension and ability to understand primary source texts 

• Students were strategically placed in groups to ensure learning would actively take place 

• Online/Bigger Font copies were available as well as the reading ahead of time