French Revolution

5/6/2011 Print Preview

Student Teaching Teaching and Assessment Event "^YbSStMsm.**: : :"• ..-;,'ii':': >.'•>;: ;.-.,,-,£• I ;

fcfeSS : . " . - • : •;:,;Author: R. Scott Fenwick 04/26/2011 10:59:00 AM CDT

Note: What's important in this Teaching/Assessment Event is yourunderstanding of your own learning and that of your students.

OVERVIEW OF LESSON OR UNIT

Main Subject(s)/Content Area(s): Social Studies

Topic and FOCUS: Topic and Focus: The French Revolution

Essential Question: How much violence, if any, isjustified during the overthrow of an unjust politicalsystem?

Grade/Level: 10

Type of Classroom: Secondary Honors

Estimated Time Required: One Week

- Two regular periods (44 minutes)

- Two block periods (75 minutes)

Part I: PLANNING & IMPLEMENTING A LESSON/UNIT

Learning Context: 1) My 10th grade honors class is approximately 50/50female/male and approximately 50/50 African-American/European-American. I have one Asian-American student and one Latino-American student.Their prior knowledge relates to discussions about

the idea of "revolutions" - particularly how theyoccur, why they occur, and what they look like inpractice.

2) My students' community is a mixed-income,mixed-race community in the south suburbs ofChicago. Their high school is well-funded and has areputation for academic excellence. The high schoolis approximately 65% African-American/30%European-American/5% mixed race, Latino, andAsian-American. My students come from

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socioeconomic backgrounds that range from upper-middle class and professional to working-class andpoor.

3) The curriculum focus for this particular lesson is"Enlightenment and Revolutions". The course is aworld history survey and the curriculum model isstandardized coverage. Previous lessons focused onthe Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment.Connections are made to these lessons with respect

to changing attitudes about freedom of thought andpolitical rights. Subsequent lessons will focus onhow the French Revolution and Napoleon's actions inEurope led to the Congress of Vienna and the rise ofNationalism.

Lesson/Unit Purpose andLesson/Unit Outcomes:

First, this series of lessons is designed to meet thecoverage requirements of the department'sstandardized curriculum. Second, after completingthis lesson, students will be able to write anevaluative statement on the essential question,"How much violence, if any, is justified during theoverthrow of an unjust system?" Third, usingevidence, students will be able to complete a five-paragraph essay in which they will answer thequestion, "Explain the causes and consequences ofthe French Revolution. What was its greatestachievement, its greatest failure?

Local or StateObjectives/Descriptors/Benchmarks:

•OIL- Illinois Learning Standards• Learning Area: Social Science

• Goal 16: HistoryGeorge Santayana said "those who cannot remember the past arecondemned to repeat it." In a broader sense, students who canexamine and analyze the events of the past have a powerful tool forunderstanding the events of today and the future. They develop anunderstanding of how people, nations, actions and interactions haveled to today's realities. In the process, they can better define their ownroles as participating citizens.

* Standard / Ability A. : Apply the skills of historical analysis andinterpretation.

* Grade Level: Early High School

• Learning Benchmark 16.A.4a : Analyze and report historicalevents to determine cause-and-effect relationships.

* Grade Level: Late High School

• Learning Benchmark 16.A.5a : Analyze historical andcontemporary developments using methods of historical inquiry(pose questions, collect and analyze data, make and supportinferences with evidence, report findings).

• Standard / Ability B.: Understand the development of significantpolitical events.


• Learning Benchmark 16.B.4a (W) : Identify political ideasthat began during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment and

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5/6/2011 Print Previewthat persist today (e.g., church/state relationships).

* Standard / Ability D.: Understand Illinois, United States and worldsocial history.


• Learning Benchmark 16.D.4 (W): Identify significant eventsand developments since 1500 that altered world social historyin ways that persist today including colonization, ProtestantReformation, industrialization, the rise of technology andhuman rights movements.

Learning Area: English Language Arts• Goal 3: WritingWrite to communicate for a variety of purposes.

The ability to write clearly is essential to any person's effectivecommunications. Students with high-level writing skills can producedocuments that show planning and organization and can effectivelyconvey the intended message and meaning. Clear writing is critical toemployment and production in today's world. Individuals must becapable of writing for a variety of audiences in differing styles, includingstandard rhetoric themes, business letters and reports, financialproposals, and technical and professional communications. Studentsshould be able to use word processors and computers to enhance theirwriting proficiency and improve their career opportunities.

• Standard / Ability B.: Compose well-organized and coherentwriting for specific purposes and audiences.


• Learning Benchmark 3.B.4a : Produce documents thatexhibit a range of writing techniques appropriate to purposeand audience, with clarity of focus, logic of organization,appropriate elaboration and support and overall coherence.

Materials and Resources: Materials and resources:History Channel's French Revolution DVDLarry Gonick Cartoon History of the Modern World HandoutFilm Viewing GuideEssay Assessment HandoutTechnology resources:ProjectorScreenThe number of computers required is 1.

Teaching Strategies & Activities: Monday: Day One (44 minute regular period)

Tap Prior Knowledge

1) Pose the question, "What do Revolutions look like and how/whydo they happen?" Refer students to "Revolution" concept map (innotebooks) completed a few weeks earlier on Martin Luther KingDay (students read an excerpt from a speech by Dr. King called "ARevolution of Values").

2) Solicit responses and guide with further questioning.

Larry Gonick Cartoon Handout (see attachment)

3) Pass out one-page handout from The Cartoon History of theModern World, Vol. 2 by Larry Gonick and ask students to read it

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and think about the tone of the piece (sarcasm).

4) Solicit responses and guide with further questioning. Why isthe character in the cartoon laughing?

Introduce The History Channel's French Revolution documentaryfilm http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=68316&v=historv&ecid=PRF-2101815&pa=PRF-2101815

5) Make a connection to previous lessons by explaining that wewill now see how Enlightenment philosophers' ideas inspirerevolutionary action by the French people in the late 18thcentury. Highlight the fact that this event marks a major turningpoint in world history, as changes in political thought and behaviorculminated in an extraordinary attempt to establish democracy inEurope. The French Revolution was the beginning of the end ofEuropean absolute monarchy (a term students learned recently).

6) Pass out film discussion guide (see attachment). Explain tostudents that the film is divided into nine parts. As studentswatch each part, they are to answer the questions for thatparticular part. Tell them not to worry if they did not catchsomething, as we will stop to debrief and discuss the questionsafter each part.

7) Explain to students that it is very important that they writedetailed answers for each question, as they will use their filmguides to help them complete the summative assessment, which isa five-paragraph historical thinking essay.

Plav the film

8) Read the introductory statement for part one and start thefilm.

9) Stop film at the completion of part one (10:25)

Debrief and Discuss

10) Solicit answers to part one questions. Use Socraticquestioning to elicit correct (or plausible) responses. When acorrect (or plausible) answer is given, acknowledge it and ask ifany one has anything to add. Ask for alternative answers. Doesanyone disagree?

11) Encourage students to ask questions of each other andcomment to each other. Redirect students' questions to otherstudents in an attempt to engender discussion among them

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without teacher approval or authorization.

12) Do not move on to the next question until there is consensusthat the correct (or plausible) answer has been given.

13) Emphasize that students are responsible for taking their ownnotes and recording answers on the film discussion guide.However, it's okay to consult with fellow students.

14) After the debrief/discussion segment for part one is over,solicit some predictions for what might happen in part two.

Tuesday: Day Two (75 minute block period)

15) Repeat procedures 8-14 from day one (play each film part andconduct debrief/discussion segment) for film discussion guideparts 2-5.

Thursday: Day Three (75 minute block period)

16) Repeat procedures 8-14 from day one (play each film part andconduct debrief/discussion segment) for film discussion guideparts 6-9.

Friday: Day Four (44 minute regular period)

Review Film Discussion Guide

17) Ask students to review their film discussion guides. Are thereany "holes to plug"? Is there anything that needs furtherclarification? Are there answers still needed?

18) After questions are answered, have students trade filmdiscussion guides with a partner. Instruct them to review it foraccuracy.

19) Instruct students to give their assessment of their partners'answers.

Assign Summative Assessment (Five-paragraph Historical Thinking

20) Pass out summative assessment handout (see attachment).

21) Read the directions aloud. Explain that students should use

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their film guides as a resource to help them answer the historicalquestion.

22) Students may use remaining class time to outline their essayand ask questions about the assessment.

23) The assessment is due Monday (next class session)

Attachments

I 1. Essay Writing Rubric

2. Larry Gonick Cartoon Intro to French Revolution

3. The French Revolution Essay Assessment

4. The French Revolution Film Discussion Guide

Planning for Diverse Learners: This multimedia, interactive series of lessonsaddresses the four domains of Listening, Speaking,Reading, and Writing. Scaffolds (film discussionguide, writing rubric, detailed instructions forconstructed essay response) exist to ensure thatstudents meet the objectives. Use of a discussionguide with an engaging documentary film helps keepstudents focused and organized and removes barriersto learning. Teacher-led Socratic questioning attargeted intervals helps students comprehend theevents, issues, and concepts under examination.Evaluative questioning during teacher-led

discussions gives students an opportunity to makemeaning and construct knowledge as they watch thefilm.

Description after Implementation: 1) Motivation, Behavior, Interaction, andEngagement

Most students were engaged during the lesson. Afew, however, chose to rely too heavily on theircolleagues for answers to the questions posed. If Isensed that a student was not participating, I calledon him to make a contribution. I did not alwayssolicit answers and comments from volunteers. Itried to get full participation.

2) Reactions to Instructional Strategies andActivities

Most students seemed to like this activity. The filmis engaging and the method employed ensured thatthey got an opportunity to think about the content,grapple with it, and evaluate it. I saw a lot ofsmiling faces and facilitated some heated debates

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throughout the lesson. I thought that I asked goodquestions across a wide spectrum from knowledge-level to evaluation-level (see film discussion guideattachment).

3) Communication

This format plays to my strengths as a discussionleader and Socratic questioner. I enjoy guidingstudents toward objectives via their own responses.It gives them a sense of ownership and control over

the learning process. Most students had a lot to sayabout the content.

Part II: ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING

Assessment strategies: Constructed Response: Film Discussion Guide(formative assessment)

Personal Communication: Debriefing andDiscussion Segments (formative assessment)

Constructed Response: Historical Thinking Five-paragraph Essay (summative assessment)

1) Objective: In a five-paragraph essay, usingevidence from the documentary film The FrenchRevolution, explain the causes and consequences ofthe French Revolution and determine its greatestsuccess and greatest failure.

2) Appropriateness: The assessment allows studentsto engage in historical thinking and writing whilethey use evidence to support their claims. Thisexercise also helps prepare students practice skillsthat they will use when working on their individualhistory research paper projects (part of thestandardized curriculum).

3) Strengths and Limitations: The strength of thisassessment lies in its format, which compelsstudents to demonstrate writing skills that they mustuse within the discipline and on standardizedachievement tests and college-entrance exams.

Attachments

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1. Essay Writing Rubric

2. The French Revolution Essay Assessment

3. The French Revolution Film Discussion Guide

Using Assessment Results - Group: 1) The majority of my class met the objective, asmost scored in the "A" or "B" range. I believe thatmy design facilitated high achievement. Most of theclass exhibited a good or excellent understanding ofthe content material and the essential questionposed.

2)

A. No. I do not intend on re-teaching. However, Iwill make modifications the next time I employ thislesson.

B. I will use this format in future units for differentfilms and programs, as I feel that it is effective.

Attachments

1. Assessment Summary Table

Using Assessment Results -Individual:

1) With respect to the lowest-scoring student, I know that she iscapable of meeting the learning objective, as I've seen such workproduct from her previously. However, this student "checks out"quite frequently and is despondent most of the time. I've tried totalk to her outside of class time, but receive little response. I'vespoken to her mother and it seems to me that there are problemsin the home and that their relationship is strained. This studentneeds motivation, but it is difficult for me to determine how tomotivate her if she is unwilling to communicate with me.

2)

A. Check-in with her immediately after the assignment is givenand ask her if she thinks she can accomplish the task.

B. I'm not sure on this one.

Part III: LESSON EVALUATION AND REFLECTION ON YOUR PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT

Reflection: My biggest challenge was time constraints.Specifically, I wanted to make sure that I provided

ample time for the debriefing/discussion segmentsthat followed each part of the film.

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Next time I will use a graded discussion format (seeattachment) to get more student participation. Ineed to do a better job of tapping prior knowledgeregarding ideas of Enlightenment politicalphilosophers and how they connect to the FrenchRevolution. Also, I failed to tie the content toimportant current events - specifically the social andpolitical revolutions taking place in North Africa andthe Middle East, aka "The Arab Spring".

Time permitting, I'd like to incorporate a primarydocument analysis of 1) the French Declaration of theRights of Man and Citizen and 2) Robespierre'sSpeech to the National Convention - "The TerrorJustified". With the Declaration, I'd have students(in groups) rank each statement in terms of itsimportance and ask students to justify theirdecisions. I believe that this activity would engenderlively debate. Students would have to explain whythey agree or disagree with their classmates'decisions. Yet, such activities may prove difficult todo in a coverage model (time constraints).

Finally, I will insert a "your question/comment" intoeach part of the film guide to pique student interestand dig deeper into issues that the students findrelevant and important.

Attachments

1 Graded Discussion Rules

Evidence of Professional TeachingStandards:

#1 Content Knowledge

The teacher understands the central concepts,methods of inquiry, and structure of thediscipline(s) and creates learning experiences thatmake the content meaningful to all students.

This lesson engages student in historical thinkingand writing. It employs Socratic method to leadstudents toward achievement of the learningobjective. It meets the standards of the disciplineand allows students to engage in evaluativecommunication through listening, speaking, reading,and writing.

I will continue to learn more about the FrenchRevolution. Doing so will help me ask better followup questions and provide additional information

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during the debrief/discussion segments of the lesson.My focus will be supplemental material that is not

addressed in the documentary film.

#7 Communication

The teacher uses knowledge of effective written,verbal, nonverbal, and visual communicationtechniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration,and supportive interaction in the classroom.

It is apparent that this lesson's design meets thisstandard. The film, discussion facilitation, andformative and summative assessments engagestudents in an inquiry activity with multiple scaffolds.A collaborative element exists, as students are

given an opportunity to share and check each others'work on the film discussion guide (formativeassessment).

See reflection section for details on how I plan tocontinue working on this standard.

conceptual Framework: "UIC educators are knowledgeable about thecontent of their field, human growth anddevelopment, and the creation of rich learningenvironments."

This lesson allows students to engage in the fullbreadth and depth of one of the most importantturning points in Western Civilization - the FrenchRevolution. I employ a multimedia Socratic approachto guide students toward being able to answer theessential question while they hone their analyticalwriting skills. Most of my students enjoyed thelesson and performed well on the summativeassessment.

"UIC educators are competent practitioners whodemonstrate the complex skills of professionals intheir fie Ids."

This lesson is carefully crafted and employs a numberof different activities and assessments that arebased in historical thinking skills. It's goal is to usea popular documentary film as the basis for an in-depth, analytical examination of a major historicalevent. I believe that the use of this film engenderedstudent interest and performance that would nothave been possible if I had just used text resources.

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French Revolution

Documents

Transcript of French Revolution