Sam Scogin Standards Based Unit Outline with Lesson Outline Using Planning Backward Approach

Unit/Course Title: 1950s Politics and Culture Subjects: Secondary Social Studies Participants Population: 10-14 Students per group, Ages 15-16 (High School Sophomores) Time Frame: 80 Minute block Periods Summary of Unit: This unit was designed to teach students the interconnectedness of particular eras of United States history. In particular, students will understand the connection between the politics, economics, and culture of the postwar era. Essential Questions: 1) How can artifacts be used to understand the experiences of everyday citizens? 2) What is the intersection of qualitative and quantitative research in history? 3) How can anthropology be used to study modern history? Enduring Understandings: 1) Students will understand the role that artifacts can play in understanding the individual experiences in history. 2) Students will understand that qualitative research must be used in conjunction with quantitative research to provide a complete picture of American history. 3) Students will understand that anthropology is a useful tool in understanding culture in the context of other historical developments. What students will be able to do or know: Students will have a greater understanding of the role that anthropology and cultural artifacts have in the study of modern history. Students will also work on public speaking and formal academic presentations and writing skills. Maine Learning Results Standards Addressed E1 Historical Concepts, Themes, and Patterns

a) Explain that history includes the study of the past based on the examination of a variety of primary and secondary sources and how history can help one better understand and make informed decisions about the present and future. d)Analyze and critique varying interpretations of historic people, issues, or events, and explain how evidence is used to support different interpretations. Evidence of learning: Students will be assessed using a standard writing rubric and class presentation rubric that students have had input creating previously in the school year. Rubrics include assessments of organization, incorporation of research materials, articulation, voice control, and class engagement. Assessment / Performance Task Teaching Strategies Used: Socratic questioning essay conferencing peer editing collaboration Resources: iPads Maine Marvel and Ebscohost Google Drive Folders with excerpts from books Books and articles: The Cold War by John Lewis Gaddis, A Consumers Republic by Lizabeth Cohen, The Story of American Freedom by Eric Foner Websites: Ebscohost Detailed Lesson Plans and Daily Activities:

Day One 1) Instructor will introduce the idea of cultural artifacts and ask students to break up in to groups to come up with current examples. 2) The question posed to students in groups is What does this artifact communicate about the society that created it? 3) We then compare the different artifacts that people came up with and discuss how those artifacts are a reflection of the society that created them.

4) Students are assigned the task of finding an artifact from the 1950s and are to come to class prepared to research and write about Day Two 1) Students come in with artifacts selected and continue to research them for twenty minutes of class. 2) Students will then go back to their groups and compare the artifacts that they have researched. Students must make one suggestion or comment to their peers on a direction they could take with the written component. 3) Students will then spend the rest of class creating an outline of their written component, using their artifacts as a lens to write 4) Students will finish the draft of their written component for homework. Day Three 1) Students will peer edit their written component in pairs using a guide. Students will focus on one persons writing at a time. 2) Students will then have in class time to finish their written component. 3) We will have a class discussion to introduce the class presentation component and go over the requirements. 4) Students will need to prepare a presentation based on their writing for homework. Day Four 1) Students will work in small groups to review and critique each others presentations using the rubric that they have previously prepared for class presentations. Day Five 1) Student presentations and papers are due.