Dear Judy:
I was glad to read your posting about the final drafts of our projects.
Eric and I have revisited ours again recently. I began the eleventh
grade American History class I teach with WW I this year. When we
reached 1998 we went back to the Age of Discovery. I hoped I would give
students a more indepth study of modern history than they typically
receive. In a state such as Virginia, where colonial history and the
Civil War are all around us, we tend to bog down. That was very
successful. However, the Civil Rights unit (Fron Jim Crow to Linda
Brown) was most appropriate in my lesson plans right before and after
Thanksgiving. I feel this took away from the continuity of the lessons
and kept me from actually producing a student written posting modeled
after "The Progress of A People." In addition, internet access was not
available to students at that time. I have all of the student work
saved and still hope to produce that final product.
Eric has now reached the unit in his plans. If neither of our classes
can independently complete the final activity we will collaborate on
this.
Keeping this in mind, I feel Eric and I will make several changes. Did
other groups get into their units and realize they were just taking too
long? As I looked back through other units, they were designed to take
as long or longer than ours. As a teacher I just do not find I have but
a few days for even the most worthy topic. I know that brings up the
breath vs.depth arguement, but, to a certain extent we must do both.
On a side note-- I Began looking through the completed units posted on
the discussion site. They are very impressive. The "To Market To
Market" unit was of particular interest. I feel it would make an
excellent elementary unit. The student work could certainly be adapted
to the reading level of elementary students and the emphasis on the
changes in transportation from the last century to this are included in
the Virginia Standards of Learning in the fourth and sixth grade. I plan
to share this lesson with teachers in those grades. Jane and Linda did a
great job of writing a unit with universal appeal!
I am looking forward to reading the other final products.
Agnes Dunn
Stafford County Virginia
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