Mrs. Slaviero's Blog

Students will be creating a metaphor poster in class linking Manifest Destiny to either the Internet or the Universe (student group choice). Thinking metaphorically is thinking deeply about the subject matter and this is a great way for students to prove that they understand the concepts related to the growth of the United States. It doesn't hurt that it's a fun activity, as well! I'm very interested in seeing how they create this project and make it their own!    

One of the educational blogs I subscribe to sent me a link to an amazing site for History educators, DocsTeach.org. This site was created by the National Archives in conjunction with the National Council for the Social Studies. DocsTeach.org embeds the National History Standards in their lessons and the site is free to teachers. There is not only a digital vault with thousands of cataloged primary sources but also many tools for educators to use these sources to bring investigative activities to students. Classes will be able to, among other activities, weigh evidence and understand the main concepts and ideas in history. I have just briefly started to explore this site and am so excited by the possibilities! My students will be delving into these activities and lessons starting this week!  Here is the link: http://docsteach.org/

Students have been learning about the presidency of Andrew Jackson and are creating a persuasive essay about him, much like historians do. Persuasive writing is a necessary life skill and a challenging activity. Many students would rather not take a side, but give examples of both his good and not-so-good moments. Choosing one focus is valuable, though, because they will have to really study Jackson's actions and weigh the impact these actions had not only during the 1800s but throughout history. I will be interested in seeing how my classes ultimately decide whether they felt he was a hero or villain and I look forward to their examples and viewpoints.