Sample Lesson Plans

Roman Empire - Do You Want to Build an Empire?
Goals & Objectives

Students will review the information they have learned about concerning the Roman
Empire by creating a song as a whole class and individually.
California State Content Standards
7.1.1: Study the early strengths and lasting contributions of Rome (e.g., significance of
Roman citizenship; rights under Roman law; Roman art, architecture, engineering, and
philosophy; preservation and transmission of Christianity) and its ultimate internal
weaknesses (e.g., rise of autonomous military powers within the empire, undermining of
citizenship by the growth of corruption and slavery, lack of education, and distribution of
news).
7.1.2: Discuss the geographic borders of the empire at its height and the factors that
threatened its territorial cohesion.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8. 2: Write informative/ explanatory texts, including the
narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and
information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include
formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful
to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples.
c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the
relationships among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the
topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) Time: 3 min
The teacher will play the song Do you want to build a Snowman for the class. The lyrics
for the song will also be displayed.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) Time: n/a
The class will have already had a lesson on the following vocabulary. Students will have
their key terms matrix available to them for extra support when needed.
- Primary Source
- Secondary Source
- Material Culture
Artifact
Republic
Julius Caesar
Assassinate
Augustus
Pax Romana
Diocletian
Citizenship
Corruption
Attila
Autonomous
Clovis
Public works
Multicultural
Romance Languages
Constantine
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time: 5 min

Explain to the students that they will be writing a new song about the Roman Empire using
the melody of Do you want to build a Snowman
Students will be given 7 minutes to brainstorm as many important facts as possible. The
teacher will walk around the class to make sure the lists are adequate. The teacher should
also encourage students to make these lists in sequential order.
The teacher will pass out the worksheets and bring up the lyrics and blank sheet on the
computer. As a class, we will create a new song. The teacher should come up with the first
lyric by doing a think aloud. Next, give the students about 5 minutes for each stanza to
come up with ideas and then ask students to share their ideas.
There should be one more stanza left at the end of class. This will be homework for the
students to get creative and come up with their own lyrics.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time: 30 min
Students will participate with their fellow students in whole class and small group
discussions to create a new song about the Roman Empire. Students will also need to
create a brainstorm list with their small groups as well. They will write down the lyrics the
class creates throughout the period on their lyrics worksheet.
HW: last stanza of the song.
Lesson Closure Time: 3-5 min
Small discussion: Did you enjoy writing a song instead of an essay or paragraph?
Why do you think it is important to write in different contexts?
Students will first discuss this question with their partner and then they will discuss their
opinions with the partner group next to them.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Entry Level:
Students will work with a partner to brainstorm a list of important facts concerning the
Roman Empire in sequential order. The teacher will walk around the class to observe these
lists to make sure that students remember key facts concerning the Roman Empire because
if students struggle to recall these facts, than more review will be necessary.
Progress Monitoring:
- While students discuss lyric ideas will, the teacher will walk around to see if some
students need more assistance in coming up with ideas. Modeling and added scaffolding
will be determined based on student discussions.
- The writing process with the whole class will allow the teacher to determine how well the
class has mastered the content and their ability to use that content with higher order
thinking and creativity.
Summative: students will complete the last stanza independently. They will turn this in on
Friday, unless this lesson has to carry over to the next day. The song is worth 10 points 4
points for at least two facts, 4 points for the facts being in chronological order, and 2 points
for creativity.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
Two students in my class, one who is a SSN student and one who is an EL and SNN student,
will need more individualized help during the writing process. Both are strategically seated
next to students that have proven to be good support for these students. The teacher,
however, should also walk around and help both of these students with the brainstorming
process.
Having the whole class write the song with the teacher will give these students great ideas
to help them write their own stanzas after class. The teacher should, however, offer these
students time during lunch or ISP to come in and get more help from the teacher in terms
with the writing process. Both students are very smart, but they will need extra support.
The teacher should also tell the special education teachers about the assignment and what
you expect so that they can work on this assignment with them during their study hall as
well.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
-
Do you Want to Build a Snowman? Lyrics and video

Overhead projector/camera
Previous worksheets from class
Hart, Diane (2006). Medieval and Early Modern Times: Teachers Edition. Boston,
Massachusetts: Pearson Education Inc. (Chapter 1)
Islam - Expansion of the Muslim Empire and Trade

Goals & Objectives
Students will understand the three phases of Muslim expansion into Asia, Africa, and
Europe and how this expansion altered trade routes and goods. Students will apply their
knowledge on how geography can effect a civilization and its success and failures on the
quick success of Muslim expansion. Students will analyze the three phases of Muslim
expansion by completing the guided notes, that include critical thinking questions, and the
vocabulary terms sheet. Additionally, students will engage in classroom and partner
discussions on various maps, paintings, and critical thinking questions that describe the
three phases of Muslim expansion. Students will analyze, describe, and, in some cases,
predict how this affected trade throughout the world, the Muslim merchant culture, and
how geography affected the quick success of Muslim expansion.
7.2.4: Discuss the expansion of Muslim rule through military conquests and treaties,
emphasizing the cultural blending within Muslim civilization and the spread and
acceptance of Islam and the Arabic language.
7.2.5: Describe the growth of cities and the establishment of trade routes among Asia,
Africa, and Europe, the products and inventions that traveled along these routes (e.g.,
spices, textiles, paper, steel, new crops), and the role of merchants in Arab society.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 2d: Use precise language and domain-specific
vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which
the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 10: Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two)
for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases
as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social
studies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts,
graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
The teacher will ask the class to brainstorm 5 things they learned about from the guided
notes lesson the class before. This list will be written on the whiteboard.
Students will be given a vocabulary sheet that the class will fill out with the guided outline
worksheet. During the lesson, the class will stop to discuss the appropriate vocabulary
terms.
Abu Bakr
Umar ibn al-Khattab
Caliph
Jihad
Khalid ibn al-Walid

Sunnis
Shiites
Caliphate
Dynasty
Treaty
Abu al-Abbas
Sultan
Urban
Textile
Social Mobility
Souk
Letter of Credit
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time: 35-40

The teacher will deliver a lecture presentation on the three phases of Muslim Expansion,
the spread of Islam, and the impacts these changes made on trade routes and goods sold
throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia. The lecture will discuss the four caliphs that
immediately followed Muhammad, the Umayyad Dynasty, the Abbasid Dynasty, Islamic
Turks and Mongols, the splitting apart of the Empire due to invasions from primarily Turks
and Mongols, and the Ottoman Empire. Additionally, the lecture will describe the evolution
of trade routes due to Muslim expansion, popular goods during this time, methods of
traveling, and the significance of merchants in Islamic societies. Finally, students will be
encouraged to explore the idea of geography, how it affected Muslim Expansion and trade,
and, further, how geography affects societies today.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time: 35-40
Throughout the lecture, the teacher should stop to have the students discuss the maps and
a few of the pictures on the PowerPoint. The teacher should switch between having
students discuss these materials as a whole class and in small partner groups. The teacher
must also stop the lecture to discuss the questions presented in the PowerPoint. Students
should be allowed 2 minutes to discuss the questions (these questions range on Blooms
Taxonomy) with partners and then the teacher should ask a few students to share their
ideas before moving on with the lecture. Guided notes will be given for students to fill out
during and after the lecture.
Lesson Closure Time: 7-10
Students will engage in the snowball game. Students will answer the question: How did
geography play a role in the quick success of Muslim Expansion? on a blank piece of paper.
This should only take two minutes; teachers should use a timer. After students have
completed the question, students will be instructed to crumble up their paper and when
the teacher says snowball fight students will toss their paper. Students will quickly pick
up a snowball, read it, and throw it again when the teacher says snowball fight. The
teacher should try and do this at least twice, three or four times would be best. Before
leaving, students will un-crumble a snowball and hand it to the teacher before leaving.
There will be a place in the guided notes for students to record their favorite snowball idea
either before they leave or once they get home.
Entry Level: Having students recall information from the previous lesson will allow the
teacher to determine if the students understood the content from the previous lesson. If
students did not, then re-teaching will be necessary in order to move on.
Progress Monitoring: During the lecture the teacher will stop to ask questions and promote
discussions on several sources (maps and pictures). These questions span through Blooms
Taxonomy levels. As the teacher is lecturing, the teacher should also walk around to make
sure students are engaged with the guided notes and the vocabulary sheet. If students are
struggling varying adjustments will need to be made.
Summative: Evaluation of students guided notes that include answers to the various
questions, analyses of some of the sources, and their favorite snowball will help the
teacher determine if the objectives and goals of the lesson were met. It will also help the
teacher determine if students had difficulties in some topic areas and if the lesson and
lecture was successful or not. If the snowball activity is not done, the exit slip will also
serve as a summative assessment.
The vocabulary sheet where the basic definitions are already given and students are
required to add descriptions to the definitions and create pictures that represent individual
words and guided notes provide a scaffold to aid ELL students and students with
disabilities. Depending on the severity, the guided notes may have to be filled out more to
allow this student to focus on just one of the sheets, the vocabulary sheet. The guided notes
will be very similar to the PowerPoint and a multitude of pictures will be shown as well.
Questions span from knowledge/comprehension to Synthesis/Evaluation in order to allow
advanced students to go deeper into the content as well.
- Hart, Diane (2006). Medieval and Early Modern Times: Teachers Edition. Boston,
Massachusetts: Pearson Education Inc. (CH 3.3 and 4.1)
- The DBQ Project: Why did Islam Spread so Quickly?
- Google Images
- PowerPoint Presentation and guided notes
- Paper
- Pen/pencil
Islam - Muhammad and the Origins of Islam

Goals & Objectives
Students will understand the life and legacy of Muhammad and his impact on the origins of
Islam. Students will further understand the birth and initial development of Islam. Students
will create their own comic strip (using toondoo.com) illustrating a segment of the
text/guided notes, which discusses the beginning of Islam and the life of Muhammad.
7.2.2: Trace the origins of Islam and the life and teachings of Muhammad, including Islamic
teachings on the connection with Judaism and Christianity.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 2: Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 3: Identify key steps in a texts description of a
process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates
are raised or lowered).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 2: Write informative/explanatory texts, including
the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical
processes.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 2a: Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is
to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories as appropriate
to achieving purpose; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and
multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 2b: Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen
facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 2c: Use appropriate and varied transitions to
create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 6: Use technology, including the Internet, to
produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas
clearly and efficiently.
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) Time:5-7 min
The lesson introduction for the computer lab day will be to show the teachers example
again and ask questions about toondoo.com to make sure students remember how to use
the site. If students have a lot of question, the teacher may need to go through the functions
of the website again as well as the rubric for the comic strip.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) Time:
These terms will have been defined and discussed the day before when students created notes
about this section of the beginning of Islam in their textbook.
Mecca
Khadija
Kaaba
Allah
Hijra
Medina (previously named Yathrib)
Sunni
Shiites
The teacher will instruct students to work with their partner to create their comic strip
using toondoo.com. This comic strip needs to depict a scene from Muhammads life or from
the origins of the Islamic religion. The teacher will also remind students that, due to
cultural respect, they cannot represent Muhammad as a person or object. He can only be
represented by a common shape in order to not be disrespectful to the Islamic religion that
prohibits the visual characterization of Muhammad or the use of icons. The teacher should
walk around and help students print the comic strips when they are done.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time: 40-45 min
Students will work with their partners to create their comic strip that must have 3 or more
slides. Students will create this comic strip using a website where students can create
unique comic strips called Toondoo.com. This was a website I found on a teaching
strategies website where teachers post various lessons and different tools to use in the
classroom. In the comic strip students will need to create at least 3 slides, use at least two
characters, have at least one dialogue/thought bubble, one quote, and make the story
legible, easy to understand, and creative.
The lesson closure for this computer lab day will be to have students contribute to a 5
minute discussion. The teacher will ask students what they thought about toondoo.com and
about making their own comics what did they like? Dislike?
Entry-Level: The teacher will ask various questions about toondoo.com to determine if students
remember how to use the program. If students are having a difficult time recalling this information,
than the teacher will have to re-teach how to use the program.
Progress-monitoring: The teacher should walk around while student pairs are working on their
comics. Redirecting and support should be given when needed, whether it has to do with the
toondoo.com program or the content as a whole. It is important to make sure students are being
respectful of the topic as well.
Formal Summative: Students will be given 30 points for the comic. The guidelines and points will be
outlined in the rubric. When the teacher is observing students in the computer lab, the teacher
should be marking up students who are not working with their partner. This will be shown in their
participation portion of the grade. Students will also be asked to reflect on this technology and
discuss what the positive and negative characteristics of this type of technology. It has been proven
that adding a reflection element in lessons promotes a positive environment, encourages critical
thinking, and makes students feel responsible for their education.
Students will work with a partner on the comic strip. This will help students to be able to
communicate with their partner, share their ideas, and mold these ideas together. The
actual creation of a comic strip will also help students visualize the content in addition to
summarizing the important parts. After all the comics are done, they will be put together on
a PowerPoint for students to reference to as well. This will also allow creative and
advanced students to be pushed.
-
Paper
Guided notes worksheet
Comic rubric
Computers
Hart, Diane (2006). Medieval and Early Modern Times: Teachers Edition. Boston, Massachusetts:
Pearson Education Inc. (Ch 3.1)
- www.toondoo.com
Byzantine Empire - What is the Primary Reason to Study the

Byzantines? debate
Goals & Objectives
Students will use their knowledge of the Byzantine Empire from 5 primary/secondary
sources (map of invasions on Constantinople, passage and image about the walls of
Constantinople, chart of Eastern Orthodox Christians around the world, passages from
Justinians Code, John Locke, and Thomas Jefferson, and a list of Ancient Greek literature
preserved by Byzantine Scribes) to write a paragraph with a partner about the primary
reasons to study the Byzantines. Students will also reflect through discussion about why
this period in history is not more expansive in their textbook.
7.1.3: Describe the establishment by Constantine of the new capital in Constantinople and
the development of the Byzantine Empire, with an emphasis on the consequences of the
development of two distinct European civilizations, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic,
and their two distinct views on church-state relations.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 1: Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources.
studies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 8: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned
judgment in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific
content.
a. Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s)
from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that
demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among
claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument
presented.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 5: With some guidance and support from peers
and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been
addressed.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 7: Conduct short research projects to answer a
question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating
additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 9: Draw evidence from informational texts to
support analysis reflection, and research.
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) Time: 7-10
min
Students will get with their class partners to brainstorm 2 reasons for why we should study
the Byzantines. The class will share their 2 reasons and the teacher will write these
answers on the board. Students will then be given about 3 extra minutes to pick their top 3
reasons for their partner paragraphs.
Students have been working with this vocabulary since the first day working with this DBQ.
After 5 days, students should have full knowledge of these terms.
Imperial Capital
Constantinople
Hagia Sophia
Justinian
Crusaders
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time:7 min
The teacher will review the Answer-Cite-Explain (ACE) format that the class has been using
all quarter. The teacher will then review how this format can fit into a paragraph format for
them to use with their partners:
Answer topic sentence/thesis
Cite concrete material/fact
Explain argument/expansion
Answer (Conclusion) rewrite thesis
This format/color codes lines up with the format the English teacher uses making it easier
for students to write well in both classes. The teacher will explain how the 3 reasons the
students chose will be the source for each of their Cite-Explain components of their
paragraph. The class will then be taken to the computer lab to write their partner
paragraphs on the Byzantine Empire. Students will be encouraged to explain why
historians, especially the writers of their textbook, have downplayed the Byzantine
Empires influence in history.
Students will work with a partner to write an 8-sentence paragraph about why we should
study the Byzantine Empire and why it has not received the recognition it deserves in their
textbook specifically. Students will use the format provided above and their 5 documents
about various accomplishments and characteristics of the Byzantine Empire from the DBQ
to write the paragraph with their partner.
Students will first talk with their partner and another partner group about why they think
historians and especially their textbooks have not emphasized the Byzantine Empire in
history. The teacher will then bring the class back together to have a whole-class
discussion. If the class does not seem to be drawing the conclusion that the winners write
history and since the Western World, which is more affiliated with Rome and Greece, has
dominated the World since the Age of Expansion that this has affected what aspects of
history have received more attention throughout the years, than the teacher will need to
ask guided questions to get the students to this conclusion. While students are constantly
asked to evaluate their textbooks as a source with a bias and perspective, this lesson
focuses more on this skill because it calls historians into question concerning basic public
knowledge of the Byzantine Empire vs. the Roman Empire and why there is an off-balance.
Entry Level:
Having students brainstorm ideas for their paragraphs will demonstrate to the teacher that
the class will be able to write successfully on this topic. If the class is not able to brainstorm
many ideas as a class, than re-teaching will need to occur in order for the teacher to feel
confident about their ability to write successfully on the topic.
While partners are working on their paragraphs, the teacher will walk around the
computer lab to make sure that students are successfully working through their materials
and paragraphs. The teacher will stop whenever needed at various students
desks/computers to provide further support or advice.
Summative:
The paper will be graded out of 30 points. The teacher will follow the rubric that was
passed out to students before starting the paragraph. In this rubric, organization and
highlighting is where most of the points are given since they have not written a formal
paragraph yet and need more practice in writing sentences that demonstrate higher levels
of critical thinking successfully.
Additionally, the teacher will determine from student response whether the class made the
connection between history written by the winners and the lack of popular knowledge on
the Byzantine Empire. This will demonstrate a higher level of critical thinking and the
knowledge that cultural perspectives of people and historians influence how we view and
study history.
With the population of students I have, the only other modification that will be needed is
more time. I have two students in my class who have an IEP and they have a resource class
together where they get one-on-one support from a teacher or aid. These students will be
asked to outline their paragraph using bullet points together so that they can then write
their paragraphs over the span of a week in their resource classroom with the additional
support. Both of their IEPs require more time, but it would be impractical to do this if they
had an average student as their partner who does not get the same time modification this
is why these two students will work together. With these modifications, the students
should be successful with this assignment.
-
Class computers
Paper
Highlighters
DBQ documents
Aztecs - Agriculture or Sacrifice Debate

Goals & Objectives
Students will be able to demonstrate their use of analysis and close reading of 6 primary
and secondary sources about two very important characteristics of the Aztecs: Agriculture
Achievements (aqueducts, Chinampas, dikes, etc.) or their ritual use of human sacrifice.
Students will need to argue in a debate whether historians should focus more on this
societys agricultural achievements or on their practice of human sacrifice. This is an
influential debate among historians on whether to concentrate on the
political/economic/technology society of a society or the political/religious/cultural aspect
of a society and students will need to add their voice to this debate in the context of Aztec
society.
7.7 Students compare and contrast the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social
structures of the Meso-American and Andean civilizations.
1. Study the locations, landforms, and climates of Mexico, Central America, and South
America and their effects on Mayan, Aztec, and Incan economies, trade, and
development of urban societies.
2. Study the roles of people in each society, including class structures, family life, warfare, religious beliefs and practices, and slavery.
3. Explain how and where each empire arose and how the Aztec and Incan empires
were defeated by the Spanish.
4. Describe the artistic and oral traditions and architecture in the three civilizations.
5. Describe the Meso-American achievements in astronomy and mathematics,
including the development of the calendar and the Meso-American knowledge of
seasonal changes to the civilizations' agricultural systems.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 1: Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources.
studies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an authors
point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 8: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned
judgment in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 9: Analyze the relationship between a primary
and secondary source on the same topic.
Students will be asked to make a Chicken Foot individually at their desks. A Chicken
Foot looks something like this:
1) Fact/Support from Doc
Thesis Argument

Using this diagram, students will write a simplified form of their thesis. They will need to
make an opinion and find/write three facts to support their claim.
The class will have already defined and analyzed these definitions before this lesson.
- Conquistadors
- Pre-conquest
- Tribute
- Chinampas
- Deities
- Huitzilopochtli
- Agriculture
- Sacrifice
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time: 10 min (total)
During this lesson the teacher is meant to be a facilitator. The teacher will instruct students
to write their names on the 2 chips that were passed out to each student and then to go to
one of two sides of the room that represent either agricultural achievements or human
sacrifice. The two sides will then have about 5-7 minutes to plan a strategy. The teacher
will remind students to also figure out what counter-arguments the other side may use in
order to better strategize; this requires students to use both analytical and critical thinking
skills in preparing for the debate.
After the groups have had an opportunity to collaborate, the teacher will bring the class
back to discuss the rules. The teacher will first do this by asking the class what the various
rules are and what they should be focusing on during this debate, such as things we
struggled with during the previous debate. This is important in order to allow students to
reflect on their own abilities to analyze historical documents and arguments. The teacher
will fill in any missing rules or goals that were not addressed after about 3 minutes. The
teacher will also stop the debate after 15 minutes to notify the class that if they would like
to switch sides, this is the time to do so and that the debate is now open meaning students
can move sides throughout the debate.
Students will participate with their team during the debate to construct and argue a valid
argument about what historians should focus on when studying the Aztec society
agricultural achievements or human sacrifice rituals. Students will need to draw upon their
6 documents and the analyses they have made about these documents in correlation to the
overarching question. Each student can only speak twice making it so that students have to
work as a team and support their teammates in creating arguments. Students will also need
to listen to the opposing side and create counter-arguments based off of these arguments.
Lesson Closure Time: 5 min
Students will need to write 4 bullet points in the form of an exit slip. Students will need to
write down 2 things that they did individually, or as a class, well and 2 things that they or
the class need to work on for the next debate. This happens at the end of every debate in
order for students to reflect on their abilities concerning this academic skill because I
believe personal reflection is one of the best, if not the best, to grow as an academic.
Entry-Level:
While students create their own individual Chicken Foot, the teacher will walk around
and observe the students writing. The teacher needs to be looking for not only completion,
but logical pieces of evidence in the toes of the Chicken Foot in order to feel confident in
the classs ability to participate in the debate. If students are struggling, then some reteaching or re-directing will be necessary. This will also provide an opportunity for the
teacher to help struggling students.
During the teams strategizing time, the teacher will walk around and observe the students
discussions. The teacher should be looking for their ability to think analytically about not
only the documents, but about how historians should approach writing history. The
teacher should chime in when necessary to guide students to more complex thinking and
encourage teamwork as well.
Summative:
The actual debate will be the class summative assessment. While not all students will have
participated, they will have participated as a team to provide and support arguments.
Depending on the arguments and counter-arguments made, I will be able to determine if
students were able to critically and analytically think about the content and the debate
question that pertains to a repeated historical controversial argument.
The exit slips will also allow the students to demonstrate their knowledge of their own
skills in terms of debating, which requires analytical thinking.
Considering my own population, the only thing that may need to be modified is the Chicken
Foot. I still want it to be an individual activity because it needs to represent their individual
opinion, but I would not make them directly quote or cite a fact from the document. I would
instead have them state an observation from a Document and then write which document
it came from so that students in their team can help them during the collaboration segment
of the lesson. Most of this lesson has students working as a team and not all students are
required to participate in the debate portion, making any shy students more comfortable to
participate behind-the-scenes.
-
Chips (pieces of paper)
Pencil/pen
Documents
Chicken Foot worksheet
Islam - Arabian Peninsula/Timeline Project Introduction

Goals & Objectives
Students will understand how the environment of the Arabian Peninsula affected how
people lived and settled in the area. Students will outline the sections on The Arabian
Setting and A Tribal Culture from their textbook using a foldable. Students will analyze a
map of the Arabian Peninsula and infer how this may have affected Arabs. Students will
annotate and record important details on their foldable of two documents discussing
current nomadic tribes in Africa collaboratively with a partner.
7.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of
the civilizations of Islam in the Middle Ages.
1. Identify the physical features and describe the climate of the Arabian Peninsula, its
relationship to surrounding bodies of land and water, and nomadic and sedentary
ways of life.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary
and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior
knowledge or opinions.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used
in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an authors point of view
or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,
photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.8: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a
text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2b: Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts,
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2d: Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to
inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
The teacher will pass out paper to the students and instruct them to fold it 2 times in order
for there to be 4 boxes on each side. On the front, students will write Arabian Peninsula,
Map, Nomadic Tribes, and Sedentary Tribes. On the Back, students will write Pro-Nomads
and Anti-Nomads. Next, the teacher will instruct the students to go to page 67 in their
textbook and look at the map. Students will have 2 minutes to write as much as they can on
what they see on the map. After the 2 minutes, students will be asked to get with their
shoulder partner to predict how people may have lived or how the environment might
have affected Arabs during this time. The teacher will randomly select three to five
students by the use of cards to see what the student and their partner came up with.
These terms will be further explained and expanded on during the think-aloud and outline
of the section A Tribal Culture.
Rub al-Khali
Oasis
Nomadic
Sedentary
Bedouins
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time:
The teacher will instruct students to follow along as the teacher reads the text. The teacher
will stop after each paragraph to think-aloud about the material presented and right down
notes. The teacher needs to make sure to stop and highlight the vocabulary words.
Towards the end of the A Tribal Culture the teacher should ask the students what they
think is important from each paragraph. This should take anywhere from 7-10 minutes.
The purpose of this is to demonstrate to students how to extract important information
from a text and record this information in a quick, efficient manner. The teacher will also
take this time to describe why and where nomadic and sedentary tribes settled and
traveled based on the discussions from the introduction activity on the map of the Arabian
Peninsula.
Next the teacher will pass out a sheet of paper with two exerts: one highlights the positive
characteristics of nomadic tribes and the other highlights some of the negative
characteristics.
Leave time at the end of class to introduce the timeline project and hand out the rubric.
This timeline project will require students to identify 8 important dates involving the
expansion of Islam throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Africa. Student will
further need to explain why each date is important in a creative way of their choice. This
project is due November, 19.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time:
Students will work with their shoulder partners again to read, determine if it is a pro or
anti nomadic culture argument, annotate the document, and record important points made.
The teacher will give the students a maximum of 10 minutes to do this with their partners.
After this partner work, students will meet with a group that did the other exert and teach
each exert to each other. Students should record what they learn about the other exert on
their foldable. The teacher should set a timer so that each group gets 5 minutes to talk
about their excerpt and for the other two students to record the information.
Lesson Closure Time:
Students will do a quick write about whether they would like the nomadic lifestyle or not.
They will need to use at least one fact that they learned from this lesson.
Entry Level:
During the Lesson Introduction, the teacher will assess if students can recall their prior
knowledge on how environment impacts its inhabitants and how. This will be important
because the teacher will need to explain why the two primary ways of life were nomadic
and sedentary and why the people settle in specific places. This will take much more time if
students do not understand this initial connection. Taking notes on the text will also
demonstrate how well students are able to take effective notes. The teacher should try and
ask students what they think should be written down to get a better idea of where they are
at in their note-taking abilities.
While students work with their partners to analyze, annotate, and record notes on their
assigned exert, the teacher should be walking around to make sure the students are
identifying the exert accurately as a pro or con argument and if they are recording efficient
notes. The teacher should also monitor how students are teaching their assigned exerts to
each other and that the students are recording appropriate notes from their peers.
Summative:
The summative assessment will be the quick write paragraph. This will demonstrate
individual knowledge of the material and the ability to use various sources in their
argument. Format should be in paragraph form, but it is the ideas that are of most
importance.
Having the teacher complete the notes in a read-aloud/think-aloud format for the English
learners, striving readers, and students with special needs will allow them to follow along.
This will provide a framework for how students should approach analyzing a text and
taking notes on the same text. Student will then work with partners to go through the same
process of analyzing a shorter text and taking notes. Students who are English learners,
struggling readers, or have special needs will be strategically partnered with a proficient
English speaker that is relatively more advanced than them. Students will then work in
slightly bigger groups of four to share ideas. This group work will help students who are
struggling and need accommodations because they will be able to listen to their peers and
discuss their ideas in a smaller, less intimidating, environment.
Lastly, during the quick write, students will be able to use their notes. Depending on the
proficiency level of the English Learner and the severity of the special need of a student, it
may be necessary for the student to use bullet points instead of a paragraph form or for a
list of sentence starters to be given to the student. These modifications will depend on the
student.
Massachusetts: Pearson Education Inc.
(Ch 3.1)
Roman Empire - Factors for the Fall of Rome

Goals & Objectives
Students will understand that many factors lead to the fall of Rome. Students will write about
these factors with a small group and present information about a specific factor as well. Student
will further listen to presentations and record their own notes for the various other factors
that led to the fall of Rome.
7.1.1: Study the early strengths and lasting contributions of Rome (e.g., significance of Roman
citizenship; rights under Roman law; Roman art, architecture, engineering, and philosophy;
preservation and transmission of Christianity) and its ultimate internal weaknesses (e.g., rise of
autonomous military powers within the empire, undermining of citizenship by the growth of
corruption and slavery, lack of education, and distribution of news).
7.1.2: Discuss the geographic borders of the empire at its height and the factors that threatened
its territorial cohesion
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8.1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a. Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from
alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8.2:
a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and
information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include formatting
(e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8. 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8. 9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis
reflection, and research.
secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or
opinions.
The teacher will bring in a Jenga game. The teacher will use this game to show that by pulling
one out it does not make it fall. Students at random will be called to come up and pull out pieces.
Explain that when it does fall it was not that specific persons fault, but everybodys fault just
like how Rome (and every other empire in history) did not collapse because of one factor, but
because of many sequential causes and effects.
Students will need to define these vocabulary terms in their sections. Students will, however,
have already done a gallery walk with vocabulary posters that included these terms in a previous
lesson.
Citizenship
Corruption
Attila
Autonomous
Clovis
The teacher will briefly introduce the section on the fall of Rome and the graphic organizer. The
teacher will then have the students split off into 7 groups for each of the factors for the fall of
Rome. The teacher will instruct students to complete their section in their graphic organizers.
Students will need to highlight any of the vocabulary words in their section and be ready to
define them. They will have 10 minutes to do this. The groups will then present their sections to
the class. The teacher will instruct the class to record what student groups present.
The teacher will then discuss some of the big reasons for why Rome fell in more depth and
different historians' perspectives on the fall of Rome throughout history that were not included in
their textbook. The teacher will further explain how the rise and fall of empires throughout
history is a theme and that there is never one reason that leads to the fall of an Empire. Each rise
and fall, however, does have unique factors that must be understood in order to understand the
time period and culture of the Empire.
Students will work with their group to fill out their section of the graphic organizer. Groups will
then present their section to the class. When other groups are presenting, the students will record
their information down on their graphic organizer. Finally students will actively listen to the
teachers small 5 minute lecture on historians perspectives on the fall of Rome (and other
Empires) throughout history.
Exit Slip: Which factor do you think was the most influential to Romes collapse?
Why is this important to know in terms of studying future Empires and societies?
Progress monitoring: the teacher will walk around the room to the various groups to make
sure students are working well together, staying on task, and drawing the important
information from the text. The teacher should also do this while students take notes on the
other groups presentations.
Informal Summative:
- Students will be graded according to participation during the presentation since this is
the students first presentation. This presentation, however, will inform the teacher how
students work together, their competency in the content, and their strengths and
weaknesses in terms of presenting.
- The exit slip will allow the teacher to determine if students were able to master the
content using this type of lesson or not. It will also demonstrate their ability to argue their
point.
Based on my current EL and SNN population the accommodations inserted into the lesson
will allow these students to be successful. The two accommodations are the graphic
organizer, which will visibly display the content in a way that is easier to understand, and
the small group work/presentation. Having these students work in a small group will
hopefully give them more opportunities to participate and experiment with their language
usage and vocabulary. Additionally, these students would not be comfortable presenting
independently and may become nervous to participate in class as a result. Presenting with
a group, however, will give them the opportunity to participate in a safe environment and
make them more comfortable to present in the future.
-
Massachusetts: Pearson Education Inc. (CH 1.3)
Jenga Game
The Constitution - Constitutional Convention Simulation (Day 2)

Goals & Objectives
Students will examine the issues that the Founding Fathers faced while creating the United
States Constitution by acting as member of the Constitutional Convention. Students will
take on the persona of one of 5 types of people: plantation owners, enslaved African
Americans, bankers, farmers, and workers. Students will create a class Constitution
focusing on 5 of the burning issues during the original Constitutional Convention and
reflect through discussions and writing on how different the class Constitution is
considering the groups of people included that were not invited to the original
Constitutional Convention.
8.2.3: Evaluate the major debates that occurred during the development of the Constitution
and their ultimate resolutions in such areas as shared power among institutions, divided
state-federal power, slavery, the rights of individuals and states (later addressed by the
addition of the Bill of Rights), and the status of American Indian nations under the
commerce clause.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8. 7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8. 9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 8: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a
text.
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) Time: 5-7 min
Students will have already worked with their group to answer questions regarding their
characters and will have started working on the burning issues worksheet regarding their
characters opinion towards key issues debated during the Constitutional Convention
such as slavery, paying debts in kind (using animals, corn, tobacco, etc.) to the banks,
revolutionary bonds, and the question of who should be allowed to vote. Students will,
therefore, meet back with their groups to finish the burning issues worksheet and then
discuss, as a group, which burning issue affects them, as a group, the most.
These terms will have already been discussed the previous day, but will be addressed
throughout the lesson if there seems to be confusion.
Constitutional Convention
Founding Fathers
Plantation owners
Enslaved African Americans
Bankers
Farmers
Workers
Runaway slaves
in kind
Debtors
Bonds
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time: 10 (total)

The teacher will then instruct students to write a resolution with their group about the
burning issue that affects them the most in this format: It is our belief that __________________,
therefore we have resolved that _______________________. The groups will be instructed to
write this resolution on a Tweet (a Post-it with a made-up Twitter name) and put it on a
poster that is projected on the board.
The teacher will then walk around to the 5 groups and pick 2 people from each group to be
travelers and go up to the front of the room. The teacher will then explain that the
travelers will have the job of walking around to the other groups to make alliances and
deals in order to get what they want concerning the burning issues. Other members of the
group will remain seated and make deals with the travelers that are walking around. After
about 15 minutes the teacher will ask the class to sit down and write another resolution
that incorporates one of the deals they made.
The class will then run through the resolutions and debate them in order to get a majority
vote on a resolution for all the burning issues in order to create the class Constitution.
The teachers job in this role is to simply read the resolutions aloud and call for a vote. It is
up to the class to come up with a resolution that caters to the majority. The teacher does,
however, need to make sure that students do not interrupt by speaking out of turn, keep
the debate appropriate, and stay in character.
Students will work with their group to create a resolution using the format described above
about the burning issue the group decided was the most important to them. Students will
come up with a made-up twitter name and write their resolution on a Tweet something
the class has done often. One person from the group will then bring the Tweet up to the
front and put it on the poster for the class to see. This is done so that the class can get an
idea about what everyone is bringing to the table/convention.
Students will then perform according to their roles as travelers or negotiators. This
means that if they are travelers they will walk around to various negotiators to make
alliances or deals based on what their group wants or beliefs in considering the burning
issues. Once the teacher calls time, students will go back to their seats and have about 5
minutes to discuss the alliances and deals both the travelers and the negotiators made
with other groups and decide which ones they will honor and use. They will also need to
create another resolution about one of the burning issues that incorporates one of the
alliances/deals made.
Students will then listen to the teacher as I read the resolutions out loud. After reading one
the teacher will ask groups to raise their hand if they agree or not. If a majority does not
agree, than the class will debate the terms of the resolution until a majority vote is reached.
Students will raise their hands to voice their opinions and not interrupt other students
when speaking.
The teacher will then pose the question why do you think our Constitution is different
from the U.S. Constitution? They will have 3 minutes to discuss with the person next to
them and then they will need to write about it with the remaining class time and turn it in
to the teacher before leaving.
Entry Level:
Having students pick the burning issue that affects their group the most and writing an exit
slip about it will demonstrate that students understand the mindset of their
character/perspective and are correctly able to identify what this group cared about during
the formation of the U.S. Constitution. Having the groups create their own Resolutions will
prove that the students have understood their roles.
As the students work around the room as travelers or negotiators, the teacher will walk
around and observe students making deals and alliances with each other. The teacher will
be particularly observant as to whether students are staying in character and keeping the
discussion academic. If students are not struggling to make deals, then the activity is not
working. Students need to walk away from this activity understanding how difficult it was
for people at this time to reach conclusions that everyone agreed with.
Summative:
While the character and burning issues worksheets with questions were done the previous
day, they will be collected during this period. I did not want to collect them the day before
because I wanted them to be resources for the students to use during this days activities.
These worksheets, however, will demonstrate that each individual student understood
their character/perspective and were able to think like them when answering questions
about the burning issues of the U.S. Constitution.
The class Constitution will demonstrate 2 things: (1) that students were able to think like
their character and accurately personify their perspective and (2) were able to have an
academic discussion, critically think about these issues, and compromise to reach various
conclusions. Students will understand the struggles that the Founding Fathers faced while
creating the Constitution through this activity and how the U.S. Constitution had to mold
various perspectives into something constructive.
The exit slip, however, will push students to understand that not everyone was represented
in the U.S. Constitution and how, if our population was included, the U.S. Constitution
would be very different. The exit slip will have students critically think about why various
perspectives were not included, why, and what this meant for the United States and its new
government.
With the student population I have, nothing more than further explanation will be needed
because all of the activities involve group work. If the class is not having a whole class
discussion, students are walking around with a partner to various other groups or are
working with their small group to complete various activities. The only independent
activity is the exit slip. I had students write using complete sentences, but if I had more
severe students I would allow them to use bullet points and/or explain their ideas to me
independently. Students should not have any problems understanding their characters
perspective after having the previous day dedicated to this task. Depending on student
population, however, it may be necessary to offer a shorter character description or a
translated copy in their native language. For my population, however, this was not needed.
Zinn Education Project Constitutional Role Play worksheets and character descriptions
Post-its
Overhead projector camera
Poster
Markers
Islam - Muslim Scholars/Contributions (2 days)

Goals & Objectives
Students will know about the various Muslim scholars and the imperative contributions
Muslims people made in philosophy, medicine, science/math, geography/history,
art/architecture, and calligraphy/literature (stories, folk tales, and poetry). Students will
describe and reflect on several scholars and analyze the contributions made by Muslim
people by writing on a foldable, presenting their material to the class, and listening to other
students present, while taking notes on their material on their foldable. Students will refer
back to prior knowledge on Muslim trade and analyze how philosophies, ideas, and
inventions traveled as well through a discussion. Students will also apply this knowledge
about Muslim scholars and their contributions through a discussion about how these
contributions have impacted the modern world today.
7.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of
the civilizations of Islam in the Middle Ages.
6. Understand the intellectual exchanges among Muslim scholars of Eurasia and
Africa and the contributions Muslim scholars made to later civilizations in the areas of
science, geography, mathematics, philosophy, medicine, art, and literature
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 1c: Use words, phrases, and clauses to create
cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and
evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 2d: Use precise language and domain-specific
vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
studies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 5: Describe how a text presents information (e.g.,
sequentially, comparatively, causally).
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) Time: 5-7 min
Day 1: The teacher will need to assess prior knowledge on the new trade routes that were
developed with Muslim expansion throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. The teacher needs
to ask where these trade routes were, who Muslim civilizations traded with and what was
traded. After asking these questions and redirecting students to correct answers (and reteaching if necessary) the teacher will ask: what else do you think traveled through these
trade routes besides goods? Allow students about 10 seconds to think about these
questions and then call on students to share ideas using name cards. If a student says ideas,
inventions, philosophies, etc. than expand on that. If students do not get to one of these
answers in 3-5 minutes, the teacher may need to call on volunteers or will need to ask more
guided-questions in order for the students to reach this conclusion. It is imperative that
students realize that ideas, inventions, and philosophies traveled through these routes
before moving on with the lesson.
Day 2: The teacher needs to ask the class to come up with a list of 7-10 things that they
learned yesterday. They also need to come up with at least two reasons for why it is
important that we learned these things.

During the introduction reading, the teacher will highlight these vocabulary terms and
their definitions. Students will then be asked to use all of these terms in their foldable.
When they use these terms they will need to highlight them. If there are not 6 on the
foldable, the students will not receive full credit for the assignment.
- Ibn SIna
- Ibn Rushd
- Astrolabe
- Ibn Khaldun
- Arabesque
- Calligraphy
The teacher will ask students to turn to page 108 where Chapter 4 Section 4 titled Islamic
Achievements begins. The teacher will do a think aloud pre-read with the students. The
teacher will examine and reflect on all of the headings, pictures, and vocabulary terms in
the sections and activate any prior knowledge needed for the lesson. The teacher should
ask questions at the end of the pre-read about what they think they will learn about in this
section and how they think this section is structured. They should answer that it is
structured as a list.
Next, the teacher will split the class into 6 groups. Each group will be assigned one of the
six categories: philosophy, medicine, science/math, geography/history, art/architecture,
and calligraphy/literature (stories, folk tales, and poetry). The teacher will then hand out
colored pieces of paper for students to create a foldable. The teacher will need to show
students how to make a trifold this will create 6 sections when used front and back.
Students will then be asked to read their assigned section of the textbook independently
before coming together with their individual groups to work on their section in the
foldable.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time: 45-60
Students will complete a trifold foldable on this section. In their groups students will come
together after reading their section and come up with three facts about their section. If
there is a vocabulary word in their section it must be clearly defined and used in the
context of the content they are writing about. Students should also draw an image for the
vocabulary term.
Once students have finished their sections each group will present what they wrote to the
class. As each group presents their three facts and their vocabulary words, the rest of the
class will record them on their own foldables. Once all the groups have finished, students
will be given 5 minutes to create any symbols or images for the vocabulary words that
were not in their section remind students that this should be a rough sketch to help them
remember, it should not be an elaborate picture.
Lesson Closure Time: 5 min/10 min
Day 1: Students should talk to their group about anything they found in their section that
they did not know or that surprised them. The teacher should walk around to facilitate
these small group discussions.
Day 2: Students will participate in a whole class discussion on these two questions: How
did Muslim scholars contribute to the medieval world? and How have these contributions
affected the modern world today? The teachers should tell the students that we want to
get three answers from each category before the bell rings.
Entry Level Assessment (Formative):
This assessment will occur during the Lesson introduction when the teacher asks questions
about trade routes developed after and during Muslim expansion. If the students are quick
and correct with their answers, the teacher can feel confident about moving on with the
lesson. If students struggle with the questions and have a hard time grasping the concept
that ideas and inventions can travel through these trade routes than re-teaching will be
needed.
Progress Monitoring (Formative):
This will be happening throughout the entire class time, for the most part. When the
teacher asks questions during the pre-read, it will be to make sure that students
understand the organization of the text and predict about the content based on the
headings, pictures, and vocabulary discussed by the teacher.
This assessment will also occur when the students are in groups. When the students are
working, the teacher will need to walk around to make sure everyone is participating and
understanding the content. This observation will also need to occur when student groups
are presenting and the rest of the class is taking notes. The teacher will need to walk
around to make sure that students are taking notes and filling out their foldables correctly
as their classmates present their information.
Lastly, the teacher will use this form of assessment when listening to the groups. If the
groups are stating good facts, than the teacher knows the students understood the content.
If the teacher has to interject a lot to extend on a fact presented, than the teacher knows
that the content was not understood by most students in the group.
Summative Assessment:
There will be two summative assessments. The foldable itself will be collected and graded.
It will be worth 30 points (5 points for each section). It will be graded mainly on
completion since the teacher will have already heard all the facts and seen all the
vocabulary terms and pictures. Students will need to turn this in before leaving the
classroom.
The second summative assessment will occur during the lesson closure when the class
answers the two questions: How did Muslim scholars contribute to the medieval world?
and How have these contributions affected the modern world today? If the class can
answer these questions effectively as a group, than that means that the class is able to
apply their knowledge from the lesson to not only a broad question looking at the entire
medieval world, but also to the modern world they live in now. Application is one of the
best ways to prove mastery of content.
The foldable in of itself is an accommodation for English learners, striving readers, and
students with special needs. It allows for students to organize the information from the
textbook in a simpler, more visually appealing way. Additionally, working and presenting
with groups will allow these students to learn the content in a less stressful environment,
while also participating in a community using conversational and academic English
vocabulary. This will also allow advanced students the opportunity to teach and lead
skills that are very useful and will keep these students active in the lesson. Also, going
through the section slowly before students have to read, will allow students to gain
background knowledge on the content before exploring it on their own. The pictures
students will have to create will also provide a visual aid for E.L. students, struggling
readers, and students with special needs. It may be necessary, however, to copy a version
of the other sections of the foldable for the students to use so that they can concentrate on
the presentation. This will be necessary for students who have a hard time taking notes
that are not more guided. Lastly, integrating the content into the world today will make the
content more interesting and appealing to these students.
- Colored paper
- Colored pencils
- Pencils
- Overhead projector camera
Massachusetts: Pearson Education Inc. (Ch 4.4)
Roman Empire - Rome vs America

Goals & Objectives
Students will create a map of the Roman Empire at its height and label the various
barbarians that were attacking the Roman Empire and where they were coming from.
Students will compare and contrast the problems the Roman Empire faced during its
decline and how these problems are similar/ different than problems the U.S. faces today.
7.1.1: Study the early strengths and lasting contributions of Rome (e.g., significance of Roman
citizenship; rights under Roman law; Roman art, architecture, engineering, and philosophy;
preservation and transmission of Christianity) and its ultimate internal weaknesses (e.g., rise of
autonomous military powers within the empire, undermining of citizenship by the growth of
corruption and slavery, lack of education, and distribution of news).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8. 1:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8.4:
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and
digital sources (primary and secondary), using search terms effectively; assess the credibility
and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while
avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.68.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis reflection, and research
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources.
opinions. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an authors point
of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 8: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a
text.
The teacher will pass out the Fast Map activity that has the students outline the various
barbarian invasions that came from the North, East, and South to invade the Roman
Empire. Students will do this coloring/outline activity as a review of the content we have
learned so far. Students can use the maps we have learned and used up to this point. After
about 5-7 minutes, the teacher will instruct students to discuss their maps with their
partners. The teacher should show a correct version of the map on the overhead projector
to allow students to fix their maps if needed.
Most students should know about these terms, but they will be defined in the beginning of
the lesson and used constantly throughout the entire lesson.
Cause
Effect
Consequence
Political Cartoon
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time: 15 (total)
The class will then flip the paper over to the Reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire
Matrix. The teacher will put a political cartoon up on the overhead projector from the
1980s-90s. The class will have a whole-class discussion (the teacher can choose to have
some of the cartoons discussed in small groups first) on the problem revealed in the
political cartoon. I will then further explain the cartoon and guide students to make
connections between the issues in the cartoon and issues Rome faced this should be done
both in whole-class discussions and in small groups.
Students will then be asked to individually rate from 1-10 the issue brought up in the
political cartoon in terms of importance for each of the 3 categories: the Roman Empire,
80s-90s US, and US today. The purpose is for students to connect the issues that the United
States faced and is facing now with the problems that lead to the fall of Rome in order for
them to see the continuity of themes throughout history.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time: 30 min (total)
Students will then participate in small group and whole class discussions to examine
various political cartoons from the 1980s-1990s and compare the issues presented in these
cartoons to issues that the Roman Empire faced and that the US faces today. As they work
through each cartoon with the class, they will record their information in a matrix, which
requires them to do a rough sketch of the cartoon, an explanation of it, and the
corresponding ratings.
The class will first participate in small group discussions concerning the following
question: What does this mean for the United States? The teacher will then ask an
individual from each group to share something interesting their group came up with that
was not already discussed.
Entry-level: the fast map will serve as a review for students. They will need to go back in
their book and draw information from the video clip, which was a review, and draw a map
of the Roman Empire that explains how it fell. This will allow the teacher to determine if
more review is needed before moving on to an activity that requires higher order of
thinking.
Progress monitoring: As the class works through the political cartoons and the matrix
together, the teacher will be able to determine if students are able to achieve higher order
thinking about the Roman Empire through student responses. The teacher should use these
responses to determine how much they should guide students to discover certain
connections and when to let them think out-loud and reach these conclusions in small
groups because some relationships may be harder to grasp.
Informal Summative:
- At the end of the class, the students will turn in their matrix. It will be graded based on
completion since the class will be doing it together. The teacher will read the answers
students did with a partner in more detail to make sure there were no major issues
- The final discussion on the question what does this mean for America? will determine
if students were able to make a connection between the struggles of the Roman Empire
and the current and past struggles the US faces.
While students are working on the map independently, the teacher should walk over to
both students to read the directions with them and physically describe what they should
do. The teacher should go to the appropriate pages in the book that will help them to
complete the map the best. Having these students then get help from a partner and then
from the whole class will allow them to mold and change their map accordingly.
Students will then work through the political cartoons with the whole class, as well as with
small groups in order for them to watch and listen to the process of examining a political
cartoon and giving additional meaning to it. It will also allow these students to pick up new
vocabulary words as the class works to find the similarities and differences between the
challenges the Roman Empire faced as well as the US.
These students will need no further assistance to fill out the matrix based on their
academic levels.
-
Fast Map worksheet

Fall of Roman Empire worksheet
10 political cartoons from the 1980s-1990s.
Islam - How did Islam spread so quickly?

(Docs A,B, &C)
Goals & Objectives
Students will use three sources, which were designed for a 7th grade history class, about the
expansion of Islam throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe. Students will then determine how
they will use these sources to answer the DBQ question: How did Islam spread so quickly?
7.1.1: Identify the physical features and describe the climate of the Arabian Peninsula, its
relationship to surrounding bodies of land and water, and nomadic and sedentary ways of
life.
7.1.4: Discuss the expansion of Muslim rule through military conquests and treaties,
emphasizing the cultural blending within Muslim civilization and the spread and
acceptance of Islam and the Arabic language.
7.1.5: Describe the growth of cities and the establishment of trade routes among Asia,
Africa, and Europe, the products and inventions that traveled along these routes (e.g.,
spices, textiles, paper, steel, new crops), and the role of merchants in Arab society.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. WHST. 6-8. 5: With some guidance and support from peers
and
adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting,
or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been
addressed.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy in History. READ. 6-8. 6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an authors
point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
The class will review the list that the class made the previous day about the possible
answers to the DBQ Question: How did Islam spread so quickly? The class will then group
these possible answers into bigger categories preferably 3.
The class will have gone over these terms the day before, but the teacher will stop at these
terms to further discuss them if needed.
Allah
Pagan
Kaba
Islam
Quran
Ramadan
Mecca
Medina
The teacher will go through Doc B (verses from the Quran) with the class together using
the overhead projector. Out of the first three documents (which were designed for a 7th
grade history class), this is the most complicated so it will be important for the teacher to
walk the class through this document. After the class has closely read the document,
students will attempt the questions individually. The class will then go over the questions
as a whole-class discussion.
The class will then be split up so that half the class will be working on Doc A (Arabian
Peninsula trade map) and the other half will work on Doc C (the spread of Islam map).
Students will work with partners to complete their Document. The class, as a whole, will
then go over the documents and their corresponding questions. Students who were
responsible for their particular document will need to participate more to help the other
half of the class.
Students will read and annotate Doc B with the whole class and the answer the pertaining
questions on their own. Students will then participate in the discussion answering/going
over the questions for Doc B as a class.
Students will then work with their partners to critically read and answer the questions
pertaining to their selected document. The class will then come back together to go over
and discuss the answers to Doc A and C.
The class will then refer back to the categories made on the board and have a small
discussion about where the three documents belong within these categories.
Entry Level: As the students create bigger categories to place their ideas about the answers
to the question How did Islam spread so quickly? the teacher will be able to determine if
the class has enough background knowledge to tackle the DBQ.
- As the teacher is reading through Document B, the teacher will ask various guided
questions about the document to check for understanding about the Islamic World and its
quick expansion. The teacher will then walk around as the class works on the questions
pertaining to document B to provide extra help or support when needed.
- When the class comes back together to work on the questions from document B or
discuss the questions from the other two documents, the teacher will determine if the
class has mastered the material based on student response.
- After students are divided up, the teacher will walk around and observe the partners
working together on their individual documents and questions.
Summative:
- Students will turn in these documents and their pertaining questions. Based on their
responses and annotations, the teacher will be able to determine if the class mastered the
content of these documents and the process of critically reading/ annotating.
- Having the students use the documents and place them in one of the various categories
will determine if students are able to use the documents in a higher level of thinking
manner.
Going through the most difficult document as a class will not only allow this document to
not be a speed-bump for my EL and SSN students, but it will also demonstrate, again, how
to properly annotate and close read a document. While I want students to try and tack the
questions by themselves, it should be much easier after I have gone through the document
and with me walking around and observing. Additionally, having the student work with
pairs and with the whole class to tackle the other two documents should be enough
support for my EL and SSN students.
-
Documents A, B, and C from the DBQ: How did Islam spread so quickly?
Pencil
Highlighter
Overhead projector camera
Islam Muslim Daily Life

Goals & Objectives
Students will understand aspects of Muslims daily life. Students will record important
information from a text and participate in an academic discussion on the topics addressed
and how society views Muslims today in America.
7.2.3: Explain the significance of the Qur'an and the Sunnah as the primary sources of
Islamic beliefs, practice, and law, and their influence in Muslims' daily life.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy. WHST.6-8. 9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Students will take a survey quiz to see what they know about Muslims daily life. This quiz
will be used throughout the class notes and discussions.
The teacher will stop periodically during the guided outline of Ch 3.2 to discuss these
vocabulary terms.
Sharia
Imam
Minaret
Polygamy
Madrasa
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time: 15 min (total)
The teacher will walk the students through a guided outline of Ch 3.2 using the overhead
projector. The teacher should switch off reading and then having randomly selected
students read. The teacher should also stop to ask guided or expanded questions about the
material in relation to the quiz the students took at the beginning of class. The class will
stop whenever the text explains an answer from the quiz in order to have small minidiscussions about answers that may surprise them, such as that Islam emphasized the
value of building a just and moral society or that women could sue for divorce. The
purpose of this is to show how our perception of Muslim life and the values of Islam have
been molded by some extremist groups and that this re-shaped Islam is what they tend to
see in American media. The purpose of these discussions is to understand that there are
many people who follow Islam and that our stereotypes are damaging to those people who
are not part of the extremists groups.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time: 15-20 min (total)
Students will participate in writing the guided outline and participate in the reading and
small discussions that coincide with the guided outline and Muslim Daily Life Quiz taken at
the beginning of class. Additionally, when the teacher asks the students to outline a section
independently, the students should do so.
Students will do a quick write and point out one thing that they liked about Muslim lifestyle
and one thing they did not like. They need to describe why they like/dislike these aspects.
They should be encouraged to think about how these various lifestyle practices are similar
and different to their own and to what they thought Muslim lifestyle was like before this
class.
Entry Level: Students will take a survey quiz in order for the students and the teacher to
get an idea about what the class knows about Islamic culture and their lifestyles. This will
allow the teacher to determine where in the lesson students will need more in depth
instruction.
Progress monitoring: As the class goes through the process of writing the guided outline
and participating in small discussions, the teacher will be able to determine through
observation and student responses if the students understand the material and are able to
reflect on their own preconceptions and stereotypes coming into this lesson. The teacher
will need to slow down or stop when appropriate to allow for re-teaching moments or
further expansion.
Summative: This quick write will allow me to determine if the class mastered the material
and were able to use higher levels of thinking by comparing the material with their
personal lives and pre-existing opinions. This will also allow me to determine if their
writing has improved and where more practice and support is needed.
Using the survey will, hopefully, get all of the students excited and interested in the
material. It will also give them a good amount of background knowledge about the material
before the class begins working on the guided outline. Doing the outline together will allow
my EL and SSN students to be more successful because they will have support from their
whole class. I will also allow for students to work through various sections with a partner
or individually so that they can practice outlining and extracting important information in
various environments. Finally, the informal quick write will hopefully allow my EL and SSN
students to write more because they will not be preoccupied with format. This will be a
great way to extract content information and analyze their grammatical issues.
Additionally, depending on the student, the teacher should allow various student to write
their quick write using bullet points if needed.
- Overhead projector
- Paper
- Pencils/pens
Islam - Quran(vs)Sunnah
Goals & Objectives
Students will understand the differences and similarities between the Quran and the Sunnah and
their significance in Islam culture and civilizations. Students will analyze primary documents
that contain quotes from each source and create a graphic organizer for each document.
7.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the
civilizations of Islam in the Middle Ages.
3. Explain the significance of the Qur'an and the Sunnah as the primary sources of
Islamic beliefs, practice, and law, and their influence in Muslims' daily life.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
opinions.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.5 Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially,
comparatively, causally).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow;
organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving
purpose; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2b Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts,
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to
inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2e Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from
and supports the information or explanation presented.
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) Time: 5
Students will be asked to pick a word from the word wall that students created in class the day
before using the vocabulary words for this lesson. Each student will create a sentence using the
selected word in their journals. The teacher will walk around the class to make sure students are
writing and staying on task. After 3 minutes (that should be measured by a timer), the teacher
will select random students to share their sentences using name cards of Dojo.
*These words on the word wall have the definition and a picture on them.
During the lesson the day before, students will have worked together and individually to create
more vocabulary words for the word wall (sometimes the teacher does the words on the word
wall and sometimes students do a word at home on their own for homework). The instructional
method varies depending on the words for the section. Each word has the definition below and
an illustration.
Quran
Mosque
Alms
Fasting
Pilgrimage (Hajj)
Sunnah/Hadith
Ablution
Deity
Salat
Zakat
Ramadan
The teacher will provide a short 5-7 minute lecture using a Venn diagram to show some
similarities and differences between the Quran and the Sunnah. Students will have a blank Venn
diagram drawn in their notebooks to fill out as the teacher talks about these two religious texts.
The teacher needs to stop to ask students about various aspects of the Quran and Sunnah that
may surprise the students based on their stereotypes and preconceptions of Islam as seen in
American media.
Next, the teacher will pass out the four documents and assign each student one document. The
teacher will need to go back over the poster in the classroom that demonstrates how to analyze a
primary text.
BEFORE THE FIRST READ
What is/are the:
- Source
- Author
- Audience
- Date
- Context
- Reason
READ ONCE (1)
- Highlight vocabulary words
- Circle unknown words/phrases and find them
READ AGAIN (2)
- Highlight key ideas
- Write short sentence summarizing each section
The teacher needs to instruct students to do the second read and its activities with their reading
partner. Finally the teacher will instruct the class to divide into four groups based on their
documents 5 Pillars (Quran), afterlife beliefs (Quran), Jihad (Sunnah), and remaining sinless
(Sunnah) to create a graphic organizer on a poster using the document they analyzed. All
people with document one should be in the same group and so on.
While the teacher is giving the short lecture (5-7 min), students will take notes on a Venn
diagram in their notebooks. Next, students will follow the primary analysis process that students
have learned to do with every primary source (this process is on a poster on the wall). During the
second read, students will read and do the activities for the second read with a partner.
Students will then go into one of the four groups, depending on the primary source they have. In
these groups they will create a poster with their peers on their primary source from either the
Quran or the Sunnah. On this poster, students need to create a graphic organizer that
demonstrates how they think the text is structured.
Each group will present their posters to the class. While each group is presenting, the class
should quickly draw the graphic organizer used on the back of that primary source to use while
writing their own three paragraph essay.
At the end of the class after each poster has been presented, the class will participate in a
discussion about the differences between the Quran and the Sunnah in terms of their
messages/teachings and how Muslims use the 2 documents. The teacher will then ask the
following question half way through the debate: how do you think the content and purpose of
these two documents influences Muslims today? Does it bring people together, cause
translation issues, or both?
Students will be asked to first talk to a partner about something they learned or gained insight on
from the analysis of the Quran and the Sunnah. Students will then write down their insight and
reflect on their partners insight as well on an exit slip.
Entry Level Assessment:
While students write a sentence using a vocabulary word from the word wall, the teacher
will walk around to make sure students are using the vocabulary words correctly. If there is a
student struggling, the teacher needs to stop and guide them through the activity of creating a
sentence with the word. The teacher will also call on students randomly to make sure that
students are able to use these words, demonstrating understanding and application of the content
from the previous day needed for this lesson. If most of the students are struggling it is
imperative that the teacher pauses the lesson and goes back over these vocabulary words.
Progress Monitoring Assessment:
While students are working on their primary source, independently and with their reading
partner, the teacher will walk around the classroom and observe. If students are struggling with
the analysis process, guided help will be necessary. If students are struggling with reading the
document, it may be necessary for them to do the entire activity with a partner. The teacher
needs to offer guided help/support as needed.
The teacher also needs to be observing and providing extra support when needed while
students are creating their posters/graphic organizers in their groups. When students are
presenting in their groups the teacher will need to make sure that each group clearly understood
their assigned documents. Additionally, the teacher needs to be walking around the classroom to
make sure that students are drawing other students graphic organizers on the back of the other
primary sources. If students do not write this down, it will be very hard for students to write their
essays.
Summative Assessment:
The summative assessment to measure whether students understand the significance of
these religious texts and how they are similar and different, in addition to their ability to analyze
primary sources and use them in a discussion. It will also demonstrate students abilities to relate
what they have learned to current event situations between Muslim groups around the world as
well as reflect on their own stereotypes and judgments that they might have made before coming
to class. It will also reflect on the current class environment and if these students are able to have
a mature academic discussion on an issue that it slightly more sensitive than others because it
does deal with Islam as a religion and the misconceptions that Americans may have about these
religious texts because of extremist groups.
Poster/Word Wall:
A poster outlining the steps for how to analyze a primary document will be posted on the wall for
students who are English Learners, striving readers, and have special needs to refer to.
Additionally a word wall will be available on the wall containing all the vocabulary words they
need to analyze the documents. These references are critical for these students to do well and are
valuable tools.
Dictionaries/phones:
Depending on school policy, students may use phones to look up words/phrases that are
confusing to them. Depending on the school, IPads may also be used. If these are not available or
allowed, dictionaries should be available for students to use to look up anything they do not
know.
Partners:
Students will work with a partner when doing the second read through where they have to
summarize the meaning of each section and highlight key words or phrases in the primary
source. Having a partner during this process will help to guarantee that these students understand
the document because they are able to listen to what their peer says about the document. It will
also give a student who is an English learner, striving reader, or who has special needs the ability
to talk about what they are thinking, receive feedback, and build upon that. Students will then
work with a group in creating a graphic organizer, allowing for these students to listen to even
more of their peers discuss the primary source and analyze it. This will allow these students to
discuss and learn how to analyze the document in a less stressful environment. They will also be
given the opportunity to help present if they feel comfortable, but either way they will be part of
the community presenting.
Nothing, however, replaces teacher intervention, guided help, and scaffolding. The teacher
should be constantly observing students and addressing any issues that arrive with the material
immediately.
-
Posters
Notebooks
Markers
Overhead camera (if not available you can demonstrate the Venn diagram in other ways)
Quran.com
Sunnah.com
From Colonies to Nation - Shays Rebellion Analysis

Goals & Objectives
Students will close-read/annotate three texts about Shays Rebellion and its impact on the
U.S. government (which was the Articles of Confederation). Students will further contribute
to a discussion, as well as write about, the similarities and differences between the
perspectives of all three texts.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary
and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an authors point of view
or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 9: Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary
source on the same topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8. 1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a. Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s)
from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8. 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8. 7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8. 9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support
8.2.2: Analyze the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution and the success of each in
implementing the ideals of the Declaration of Independence.
The teacher will show a quick 3-4 minute video on the Articles of Confederation. This will
serve as a quick reminder about what the Articles of Confederation was and its
weaknesses.
All terms are defined at the bottom of the passages and will be further explained within the
text by the teacher.
Shays Rebellion
Articles of Confederation
Anarchy
Remedy
Pardon
Pacify
Manure
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time:15 min

The teacher will first refer back to the class notes that the class did on Chapter 3.1 the day
before. In these notes there is a short 3 paragraph section on Shays Rebellion and the
economic depression that was occurring at this time. The teacher will focus on this part of
the notes in order to remind students about what their textbook said regarding Shays
Rebellion.
The teacher will then do a close-read/annotation with the class on the textbook excerpt
from a high school U.S. History text (which takes a slightly different approach than their
textbook). The teacher will call on various students at random using Class Dojo to read
aloud various parts of the text. The teacher will then go back through the text paragraph by
paragraph annotating as they go. The teacher will use the Projector Camera so that the
class can follow along with the process. Throughout the annotation process, however, the
teacher should be asking guiding questions about aspects that are different with this text
and their own textbooks in terms of describing the Shays Rebellion and its impact on
American society and government.
Students will then be directed to close read/annotate the letter written by Thomas
Jefferson first independently and then with a partner. They must first read the letter
independently and then annotate the letter with the help and support of their partner. The
teacher will walk around the groups to make sure students understand the content of the
letter. The class will then go through the following 5 questions on the worksheet:
1. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Do you think he wanted
to see America form a strong central government? Why or why not?
2. According to Jefferson, have the colonies been peaceful or chaotic? Support your
answer with evidence from the document.
3. Jefferson thinks the people at the Constitutional Convention are over-reacting to
Shays Rebellion. What does he worry they might do as they write the new
Constitution? (Note: this answer is not in the document; you need to think)
4. What does Jefferson mean when he says, The tree of liberty must be refreshed from
time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants?
5. How does this document challenge or expand the information you read in the
textbook?
There questions will be answered using whole class discussion, small group discussions,
and independently. It will be important for the teacher to mix it up for each question to
keep the class engaged.
The teacher will then direct the class through a formal class discussion. The teacher will
quickly go over the rules and then move the class through the following questions:
- What are the pros and cons of a strong central government?
- Why might Jefferson oppose having a strong central government?
Why would the idea of poor farmers rebelling be scary to many of the
people at the Constitutional Convention?
Do students agree with Jeffersons assertion about the tree of liberty?
How does this letter challenge or expand the textbooks account?
Why might many textbooks make it seem like everyone wanted a strong
central government after Shays Rebellion?
Students will actively participate in the close-read and annotation of the text excerpt as
well as listen and follow along with the teacher as I review the content of their textbook.
Students will need to highlight and annotate along with the teacher by watching and
observing how the teacher handles the text using the overhead projector camera.
Students will then work independently and with a partner to tackle the close-read and
annotation process of the letter written by Thomas Jefferson, which reveals that Thomas
Jefferson did not think that the Articles of Confederation needed to be changed. Students
will first read the text independently following the normal class procedure of circling
anything confusing and highlighting anything important. Students will then go through the
document line by line with their partner making notes and making additional sections
highlighted according to importance.
Students will then participate in going through the 5 questions in the worksheet and
writing down their answers after working through the questions first with the whole class
or a partner. Finally, students will contribute to the whole class, formal discussion about
the various documents and the idea of having a strong central government. This discussion
will focus on the three primary different perspectives of Shays Rebellion and its impact
throughout the United States and its role in the dismissal of the Articles of Confederation
and the formation of the U.S. Constitution. It will also discuss the idea that not everyone
hated the Articles of Confederation, which their textbook does allude to.
Students will chose one of the discussion questions to write about in the form of an exit slip
on the back of their worksheet. Students will be asked to write as much as they can in the 5
minutes they have to write.
Entry Level:
Reviewing the Shays Rebellion content from their textbook and going through the closeread/annotation process while asking guided questions will allow the teacher to make sure
that students understand the content as well as this academic process of reading historical
sources. The teacher will evaluate students knowledge of the content, 2 perspectives
represented in the 2 texts, and the close-read/annotation skill through student responses
to the guided questions. If students are struggling with understanding the differences and
similarities of the 2 texts or with the reading process, than the teacher will need to slow
down the lesson, modify, and re-teach in order for the class to move forward.
While students work through Thomas Jeffersons letter independently and with a partner,
the teacher will walk around and observe. This letter shows a very different perspective on
Shays Rebellion and the Articles of Confederation that may show most students. Since it is
such a different perspective, it will be important for the teacher to stop at various groups to
check for understanding using questions and to add extra support or help for students who
are struggling.
Additionally, going through the worksheet questions that focus primarily on Jeffersons
perspective will allow the teacher to determine if the class can move forward to critically
thinking about 3 different perspectives because if they do not understand Jeffersons after
working through it independently and with their peers, than re-teaching will be needed.
The last question also asks students to describe how Thomas Jeffersons perspective is
different from the textbooks. If class struggles a lot with this question, then the discussion
will not be possible without re-teaching.
Summative:
The class discussion will demonstrate to the teacher, based on student responses, that
students understand the differences and similarities of their descriptions of Shays
Rebellion and its role in U.S. history. Students will also extend their thinking to discuss the
characteristics of a central government and the problems and benefits that come with this
type of government. Students will also need to use these three perspectives to try and think
like people during this time to understand why some people liked and disliked the Articles
of Confederation after Shays Rebellion.
The ext slip will hold each individual student accountable by having them chose one of the
6 discussion questions and write their opinions of it. Students will expand on the class
discussion and solidify their ideas about what these documents meant to them in terms of
understanding Shays Rebellion, the multiple perspectives at the time, and how this
affected the U.S. government.
Working with the more complex and longer document first with the whole class and the
teacher will hopefully allow students to be more successful working with the smaller text
from Thomas Jefferson independently and with a partner. This shorter text also has more
defined words at the bottom allowing for more support. If the student cannot read this text
independently, the teacher may have to read it with the student, have students read the
entire passage together, or provide an audio recording or translated version of the text. My
current student population does not need these modifications and should be able to work
through this document with the current modification incorporated into the lesson, but if
they are struggling I will need to modify. Additionally, I have a very vocal class that does
very well with discussion, but in other classes it may be better to divide the class into
groups and have these groups work through only one of the discussion questions and then
share their thoughts with the class after having worked through it as a group. Lastly, I will
allow some students to write using bullet points if they struggle writing fast using complete
sentences.
-
Stanford Think like a Historian: Shays Rebellion Lesson worksheet and

passages
America: History of our Nation (Ch 3.1)
Student notebooks
Camera Projector
Highlighter
Pen/pencil
Class Dojo
Africa - Mansa Musa Journals

Goals & Objectives
Students will use the 6 journal entries they have created throughout the week in a meetand-greet reunion. For the past week students will have taken on one of 5 roles: Ferba
(government official), Griot, Muslim scholar, soldier, or slave. Students will have created a
character with a name and background story for themselves as one of the 5 roles that were
assigned to them. Using these characters, students will have written a journal entry for
each of the 6 documents that recorded a major part in Mansa Musas famous Hajj across
Africa and the Sahara. During this lesson students will become that character and walk
around to meet or reminisce with their fellow travelers in this 15 year reunion. Students
will demonstrate their knowledge about their character by acting like them and
discuss/listen to other perspectives about the Hajj a moment in African history that
changed its future forever because it spread Islam throughout Northern and Western
Africa. This moment in history also severely affected Egypts economy. Students will also
fill out a chart as they meet people to determine if most of the people who went on this
journey valued the Hajj or felt that it was a waste of time and money.
7.4.1: Study the Niger River and the relationship of vegetation zones of forest, savannah,
and desert to trade in gold, salt, food, and slaves; and the growth of the Ghana and Mali
empires.
7.4.2: Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, and regional commerce in the
development of states and cities in West Africa.
7.4.3: Describe the role of the trans-Saharan caravan trade in the changing religious and
cultural characteristics of West Africa and the influence of Islamic beliefs, ethics, and law.
7.4.4: Trace the growth of the Arabic language in government, trade, and Islamic
scholarship in West Africa.
7.4.5: Describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African
history and culture.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8. 3: Identify key steps in a texts description of a process related
to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or
lowered).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8. 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8. 5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8. 7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8. 9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support
The teacher will act as the party planner and welcome all of the characters to the room. The
teacher will explain the worksheet as a method to organize who they meet during the
reunion. Students will need to ask various questions in order to find out if the person is a
Ferba, Griot, Muslim scholar, soldier, or a slave without directly asking who they are or
what their job is. The questions need to focus on the Hajj and their opinions of the journey.
The teacher will then explain the rules of staying in character and using their journal
entries and documents to help them during the meet-and-greet.
All of these terms will have already been defined and discussed earlier this week.
- Ferba
- Griot
- Muslim scholar
- Soldier
- Slave
- Caravan
- Hajj
- Mansa
- Sahara
- Savanna
The teacher is primarily a facilitator. The teacher will need to explain the instructions and
worksheet and then leave the students to participate in the meet-and-greet. Students will
need to meet 3 students from each of the five categories previously outlined and record
information about them and their perspective on the Hajj and its lasting effects on them
personally and on Africa in terms of trade, language acquisition, etc. The teacher will need
to be constantly walking around the classroom to monitor student conversations and make
sure that the students stay in character.
Students will take on their persona of the character that they have developed in their
journals. These individual journals focus on each independent document from the DBQ. For
example, the first document outlines data about the people and things brought on the
journey such as 12,000 slaves, 1,000 camels, and 24,000 pounds of gold. In this journal
students will need to use facts from this document to describe what they see, smell, and
feel as they set out on this journey. Every journal requires students to use evidence from
the corresponding document and blend it with their characters back-story that they
already created.
With their journal entries and documents students will walk around and ask various other
students about their experiences and answer the same questions themselves in order to fill
out their worksheet.

Students will then have to do a quick write journal entry reflecting on what they have
learned from their own journal entries and their peers entries. These questions will be on
the board to guide students in writing this final journal:
- Did everyone find the Hajj successful? Why or why not?
- Did everyone want to go on the Hajj?
- How has their lives changed since the Hajj?
- Was everyone a Muslim before the Hajj? After?
- How do you think the world sees Africa now?
While students are participating in the meet-and-greet, the teacher will walk around and
observe students portraying their characters and asking related questions. The teacher will
listen to students interacting and ask questions as well to make sure that students
understand their perspective on this moment in history and the document that they are
specifically addressing. If students are having difficulty the teacher may need to follow one
student more or modify the lesson to allow for more support.
Summative:
The worksheet will be the physical evidence of the information that students gathered from
the meet-and-greet. Furthermore, the quick write will demonstrate that students
understand the different perspectives on this event and how it affected various people
different because the Hajj did not make the same life-impact on slaves as it did for Giots or
Muslim Scholars. Additionally, students will understand this historical journey and event
from the perspectives of various people. If most students were not able to see these
differences in perspective and impact, than re-teaching will be instrumental. Finally,
students will be turning in their individual journals at the end of the class. While the
teacher has been monitoring the journal writing process throughout the week, this will be
the final draft that students have been working on all week.
For my student population, there were some modification, but none were severe. The two
students I have in these classes that either have a special need or is labeled as an EL
student need extra time on writing assignments. They are both in a RSP class where they
can get additional support in terms of their writing. For the meet and greet, however, they
will have their rough drafts and the documents to help them. I also told both students that
they could write information about the people they meet using bullet points and to aim for
2 people from each group. These two students struggle the most with writing so
simplifying the writing and making them do a little less made a huge difference. One
student still ended up doing all three because she enjoyed the process so much, but she was
not stressed to meet the criteria and her writing did not suffer as a result. Additionally,
having a few extra days to write their formal drafts allowed them to successfully write their
journals following the rubric. While other students may need more modifications, these
modifications were sufficient for my population.
-
Mansa Musa DBQ documents

Journal entries
Meet-and-greet worksheet
Pen/pencil

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