Brainstorming the Essays:Change Over Time

Comparison and ContrastDBQ

Writing Series

Training #2

3 Types of History Essays

• Comparison and Contrast (C/C)

• Change Over Time (COT)

• Document-Based Question (DBQ)

3 Types of History Essays• Comparison and Contrast (C/C)

– You gather information on two items or topics– Analyze what is the same and what is different between the two

topics

• Change Over Time (COT)– COT is a type of C/C because you are comparing and contrasting

one time and place with another time and place– Analyze what is the same and what is different between the two

times

• Document-Based Question (DBQ)– A DBQ is an essay question that requires you to use documents in

your response– Take a position from the essay question, analyze the documents and

then choose documents which support your position

Comparison and Contrast (C/C)

Comparison and Contrast

Essay Question: How are Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July the same and different?

So what do you do first?1) What are the 2 topics that are being

compared and contrasted?2) Think of everything you can about each topic…

C/C Thanksgiving and July 4th 1) Thanksgiving brainstorming2) On a scrap of paper, write one word that

you think of when you think of Thanksgiving.

3) Post your word on the wall. Note: If your word is already on the wall,

you must write a different word on your piece of paper

4) July 4th brainstorming – repeat steps 1 – 3

Brainstorming C/C#1 – Write down everything you think of

Thanksgiving

July 4th

Brainstorming C/C#1 – Write down everything you think of

Turkey Cranberries Pumpkin pie Family Football Pilgrims American Indians Corn Blessing Thursday

Christmas shopping Final exams Cold Prayer Harvest cornucopia Travel charity

BBQ Hot dogsSwimming Sousa Flags

Red, white, blueFireworks 1812 Overture

Bands Picnics Parades

Declaration of Independence Country’s birthday

HolidayUncle Sam Statue of Liberty

Neighborhood baseball

Thanksgiving

July 4th

Categorize the Brainstorming• Rearrange the brainstormed words into

categories• Discuss different ways to categorize the

words• What connections can you make between

ideas?

Note: As you categorize, more words and ideas will occur to you. Add them to your lists, circles, and categories!

Possible Ways to Categorize

• ESP – Economic, Social, Political

• SPEC – Social, Political, Economic, Cultural

• PERSIA – Political, Economic, Religious, Social, Intellectual, Artistic

• GRIPE – Geographic, Religious, Intellectual, Political, Economic

Categorize the Words for Each HolidayEconomic Social Political

Thanks-giving

Food (corn…)

Christmas shopping

Harvest

Travel

Family

Football

Prayer

Travel

Holiday

Started with Pilgrims giving thanks for harvest

Fourth of July

Food (BBQ…) Baseball

Swimming

Neighborhood

Fireworks

Parades

Bands

Holiday

Dec. of Ind.

U.S. birthday

Uncle Sam

Statue of Liberty

Parades

Double Bubble Categorizing

Topic #1 Topic #2

Similarity #1

Similarity #2

Similarity #3

Difference #1

Difference #1

Difference #2 Difference

#2

Difference #3

Difference #3

Double Bubble Categorizing

Thanks-giving

July 4th

Food

Activities are

secular, not

religious

Federal holiday

unique to U.S.

With family: turkey, corn,

pumpkin

With neighbors: BBQ, hot dogs, ice

cream

FootballFireworks

Parades

Origin: Pilgrims

giving thanks for harvest

Origin: Birthday of U.S.

Social/EconomicPoliticalSocial

Thesis and Body Paragraphs• Body Paragraph #1—Who we celebrate with

– Thanksgiving = family– July 4th = neighbors

• Body Paragraph #2—Why we celebrate– Thanksgiving = giving thanks– July 4th = U.S. birthday

• Body Paragraph #3—What we do to celebrate– Thanksgiving = football and food– July 4th = parades, music, and fireworks

Thesis: Thanksgiving and July 4th, two federal holidays unique to the U.S., are both similar and different in who they are celebrated with, why they are celebrated, and what is done to celebrate them.

Comparison and Contrast

Essay question: How are football and basketball similar and different?

Brainstorming steps:1) Draw 2 circles and write down every

word you can think of that goes with each topic

2) Categorize the words. You could use social, economic, and political as your categories.

3) Choose your 3 body paragraphs and write your thesis

Brainstorming C/C#1 – Write down everything you think of

Football

Basketball

Brainstorming C/C#1 – Write down everything you think of

fall plays

middle/high school, college, pro

pads and helmets stadium

tailgating

goal posts 100 yds.

cheerleaders band quarterback pigskin

jersey tackle

court net

middle/high school, college, pro

March Madness hoops neighborhood

driveway uniform3 points foul

free throwtall players dribble

NBA

Football

Basketball

Categorize the Words for Each SportEconomic –

Equipment

Social –

Behavior

Political –

U.S. and rules

Football Pads and helmets

Football

Stadium

Goal posts

Tailgating

Super Bowl

Cheerleaders

Band

Violent

Tackles

Downs

Basket- ball

Hoop

Basketball

Shoes

Driveway

March Madness Jump shots

3 points

Dribbling

Double Bubble Categorizing

Football Basketball

Required equipment

Rules

Community event – brings people

together

Football pads

helmet weight room

Basketball hoop

cement

Playstackling

Jump shotsdribbling

Tailgating Super Bowl

Stadium

March Madness

court

EconomicSocialPolitical

Thesis and Body Paragraphs• Body Paragraph #1—Equipment and cost

– Football = Expensive (lots of equipment and people)– Basketball = Inexpensive (not much equipment)

• Body Paragraph #2—Brings people together– Football = All day event with hundreds of thousands– Basketball = Shorter, more frequent events

• Body Paragraph #3—Players and Rules– Football = Large and aggressive; tackling and plays– Basketball = Tall and agile players; jump shots and

dribblingThesis: Football and basketball both reflect the U.S.’s

need to be bigger, more powerful, and wealthier than the rest of the world even as they differ in what is needed to play the games, how they bring people together, and how the games are played.

Change Over Time (COT)

Change Over Time (COT)

• A type of Comparison and Contrast (C/C)

• Compares how something occurred at one time and place in history with how something occurred at another time and place in history

Change Over Time (COT)

Essay Question: How have elementary schools in the U.S. changed

since the 1950s?

Brainstorming steps:

1) What is being compared?

2) Write down everything you can think of for each time and place.

3) Categorize

Brainstorming COT#1 – Write down everything you think of

Elementary schools 1950s

Elementary schools today

memorization

reading, writing, arithmetic

paddling

summers to work in fields

segregated

no kids with disabilities

smaller schools

chalkboards women teachers

creativity investigation

art, sports, music school acts as parent

Need post-high school education

desegregated

Grades K-5 women teachers

No Child Left Behind

detention

Categorize the Words for Each Time/Place

Economic Social Political

Elemen-tary schools in 1950s

--Summers off to work in fields in rural areas

--8th gr. Education was enough for many jobs

--Memorization of facts

--Corporal punishment

--Parental support of teachers

--Segregated

--Locally controlled

Elemen-tary schools today

--Lower student-teacher ratio

--Neighborhoods determine school’s socio-economic make up

--Creativity and investigation

--Schools take on many parental responsibilities

--NCLB

--IDEA

--Locally controlled

Thesis and Body Paragraphs

• Body Paragraph #1—Economic– 1950s = chalkboards and paper– Today = projectors, computers, interactive boards

• Body Paragraph #2—Social– 1950s = Memorization of facts, paddling, parent support– Today = Creativity, schools take on parental roles

• Body Paragraph #3—Political– 1950s = Segregated, failure is student’s responsibility– Today = Desegregated, IDEA, NCLB, failure is school’s

responsibility

Thesis: Since the 1950s, schools in the U.S. have become more inclusive and more responsible for preparing all students for success in tomorrow’s world.

Change Over Time (COT)

Essay question: How has the internet changed shopping?

1) Brainstorm circles

2) Categorize brainstorming

3) Choose 3 categories and write thesis

Document-Based Question (DBQ)

Document-Based Question (DBQ)

• A DBQ is an essay question that requires you to use documents in your response

How to Tackle a DBQ:1) Read and analyze the question2) Brainstorm information about the question3) Analyze the documents4) Use your brainstorming and the

documents in your organization

Essay question: Is Austin a great place to live?#1 – Write down everything you think of

Austin is Great!

Austin is Terrible!

Document Analysis – ACAPS

A – Author

C – Context

A – Audience

P – Purpose

S – Significance

Document Analysis – APPARTS

APPARTS

A – Author

P – Place and Time

P – Prior Knowledge

A – Audience

R – Reason

T – The Main Idea

S – Significance

Mini – APPARTS

A – Author/Point of View

M – Main Idea

For each document, make a sticky note with the following information:

Document #

1) Author/Point of View

2) Main idea

Tape Documents on T-Chart

Austin is Great! Austin is Terrible!

Document #1

ACL attendee

People having fun at ACL music

Document #9

Student News reporter

Highland Mall closes for Texas Relays. Decision could be racist.

Thesis and Body Paragraphs

Thesis: Austin has many benefits which keep its residents happy and fulfilled.

• Body Paragraph #1 – Entertainment – Documents 1, 8

• Body Paragraph #2 – Cost of Living – Documents 6

• Body Paragraph #3 – Community Spirit – Documents 4, 7

Websites with DBQshttp://www.edteck.com/dbq/testing/dbq.htm

http://www.upstatehistory.org/services/DHP/DBQ.html

http://www.dbqproject.com/

http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/examoverview/dbq.cfm

http://www5.esc13.net/socialstudies/Teaching_American_History.html