Middle School Students Investigate Nationalism, Racial Bias, and Genocide.

Shane Fletcher &Carol Brown

New Literacies InstituteJuly 12-17, 2009

Prewar photograph of three Jewish children with their babysitter. Two of the children perished in 1942. Warsaw, Poland, 1925-1926.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museumhttp://www.ushmm.org/wlc/media_ph.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005143&MediaId=573

Introduction of Model

Punya Mishra (2006) TPACK, online < http://punya.educ.msu.edu/research/tpck >

Description of student inquiry process

Compelling QuestionHow can nationalism and racial bias lead to hatred and

then to genocide? Instructional Events Leading to The Project:• Question generally asked by students when

reading historical fiction related to Holocaust.• Imbedded research project in WWII unit • Culminating project following discussion and

investigation of topics related to how wars emerge, consequences for individuals, and long range effect on general population.

• Teacher’s thoughts in how does this supports the NC curriculum.

Gathering and Analyzing Information

Tools: ThinkQuest, Wordl, ManyEyes, other audio and video devices.

Process: • Gather documents, podcasts with speeches,

video, and other online resources related to Germany and Poland in the early 20th century.

• Collaborative sharing data social networks (Thinkquest.com; Wikispaces.com)

• Discuss and reflect on data gathered (F2F classroom discussion, Skype communications, blogs, email exchange)

Technology that supports the Instructional Plan

Students analysis of documents, images, and other media related to the compelling question.

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Creative Synthesis

Remixing podcasts, video clips, and other resources to show an elaboration of information gathered.

Student produced videos describing changes in perspective and new understanding related to genocide.

Critically Evaluate and Revise

On social networks, students write, reflect, offer critical commentary and feedback.

Peer review of podcasts and other multimedia products (rubrics with student generated criteria)

Share Publish, and Act

Publish podcasts with personal reflection on racial bias, hatred, and genocide.

Produce video mixes portraying new thoughts related to genocide.

Venue is Thinkquest or wikispace.

Share through dialog in blogs (Thinkquest).

Literature Circles

• Literature Circles - Students choose a book from the booklist. (Sample list provided in "Additional Resources")

There are two literature circles they are assigned to:

• Others reading the same book • Others reading different books

Bibliography for Literature Circles

• Number the starsLois LowryPublisher: Boston, Mass. : Houghton Mifflin, 1989.ISBN: 0440403278 Edition: (Dell; pbk.)

The Devil's ArithmeticJane Yolen, Publisher: ScholasticISBN: 0590965786 Edition: Paperback; 2000

Daniel's storyCarol MatasPublisher: New York : Scholastic, c1993.ISBN: 0590469207 LCC: PZ7

The Upstairs Room –Johanna ReissPublisher: New York: Harper Collins Children's Books. c. 1972ISBN: 9780064403702; ISBN10: 006440370X;

Room in the heartSonia Levitin, Publisher: New York : Dutton Children's Books, c2003.ISBN: 0525468714 LCC: PZ7– Anne Frank

Anne FrankAnne Frank: the diary of a young girl translated from the Dutch by B. M. Mooyaart-Doubleday; with an introduction by Eleanor Roosevelt Publisher: New York : Bantam Books, 1993.ISBN: 0553296981 DDC: 940.5318092 Edition: (pbk.)

Anne Frank rememberedAnne Frank remembered: the story of Miep Gies, who helped to hide the Frank familyMiep Gies with Alison Leslie GoldPublisher: New York : Simon and Schuster, c1987.ISBN: 0329097997 DDC: 940.531503924 LCC: DS135

The ButterflyPatricia Polacco, Publisher: ScholasticISBN: 0439287138 Edition: Paperback; 2001Lisette’s Angel – Amy Littlesugar

Additional Books set during World War II (With related themes i.e. hiding, lying, secrets, protection)

Lily's CrossingLily's Crossing (Yearling Newbery)PATRICIA REILLY GIFFPublisher: YearlingISBN: 0440414539 Edition: Paperback; 1999-01-12

Willow RunPatricia Reilly Giff, Publisher: New York : Wendy Lamb Books, c2005.ISBN: 0385730675

Early Sunday Morning: The Pearl Harbor Diary of Amber Billows, Hawaii 1941Early Sunday Morning: The Pearl Harbor Diary of Amber Billows, Hawaii 1941 (Dear America Series)Barry Denenberg,Publisher: ScholasticISBN: 0439555132 Edition: Hardcover; 2003-11-01

Content Knowledge StrategiesContent Knowledge Western Europe early 20th century

Political landscape of Europe in Germany and surrounding nations.

Cultural characteristics and nationalism of German peoples.

Cultural characteristics and personal identity of German and Polish Jews.

Political strategy for military aggression in Europe in early 20th century.

Contexts—Nationalism, racial and cultural bias, hatred of a particular people group, political persuasion, genocide.

Technological Knowledge Strategies

Technological Knowledge

Search strategies to locate, access, and evaluate appropriate information.

Open and listen to podcasts

Use Garage band or Audacity to produce a podcast

Use Flip camera or other digital camera to produce videos

Use a blog to dialog with other students

Contexts—Nationalism, racial and cultural bias, hatred of a particular people group, political persuasion, genocide.

Pedagogical Knowledge StrategiesPedagogical Knowledge

Facilitate small group discussions

Provide dialog prompts

Provide Think Sheets to facilitate students’ search process and analysis of data related to the compelling question.Inquiry learning methods that include a focused research question, gathering of information resources, analysis of data, and thinking processes for synthesis of new ideas at the completion of the research process.

Use of Wordl and other word analysis tools.

Contexts—Nationalism, racial and cultural bias, hatred of a particular people group, political persuasion, genocide.

Fletchers.uces@robeson.k12.nc.us