Do you ever see those lists in magazines or online of “Dos and Don’ts”? Like, things to DO when running (or doing a new hairstyle or shopping for a tablet or whatever) and things DON’T do when running (or doing a new hairstyle or shopping for a tablet or whatever).
I know that many of you are using tons of documents in your social studies classes these days. That’s awesome! Hooray to you for making social studies authentic and for using complex text!
Now, it’s time for a little refinement. Let’s take it to the next level! Let’s talk about some Doc(ument) Dos and Don’ts, to make your classroom use of documents a little more effective, engaging, and authentic. The last thing you want is for kids to hate documents because they are something the kids find boring, insurmountable, and soul-sucking. Here are some ideas:- DO be choosy about your documents. Not all documents are created equal. Just because it’s a document doesn’t mean that it’s right for your kids or your lesson.
DON’T choose a document just because it’s a document or because it’s mentioned in the text.
- Is it something they HAVE to dig through to understand the benchmark, like the Declaration of Independence? It’s better to read excerpts of the Declaration than to read what someone else wrote ABOUT it...
- Is it something the kids can make it through? Slogging through Beowolf or the actual Proclamation of 1763 can be too much (even for me!). If the kids can’t make it through the document, you’ll need to either scaffold it or find a better doc.
Is it somewhat engaging? If you’re going to ask kids to step into the past through the eyes of someone who was there, please try to make it something they can find something interesting. Otherwise, it will flop.
2. DO use excerpts of the document to make it accessible.
DON’T give the kids a whole document if they don’t need it.
DON’T give the kids a whole document if they don’t need it.
- Use ellipse ( ... ) to remove chunks that are not crucial to the understanding
Cut out sections that are not necessary to the learning target or are redundant
- Make the document a manageable size for your students. Of course, 6th graders can’t handle quite as much as a high-schooler can. That’s ok. Make it age appropriate.
3. DO “tamper” with the document, when necessary
DON’T rewrite the whole document for the kids. That’s not a primary source anymore.
- It’s ok to put a synonym in parentheses so the kids don’t get stuck on a particularly tough term. For example, “We hold these truths to be self-evident (clear) that all men are created equal.”
- It’s ok to put explanations in the text, too. For example “He (King George III) has called together legislative bodies unusual, uncomfortable, and distant...”
- DON’T put the main ideas in bullet points for the kids. Let them do that!
4. DO scaffold it.
DON’T decide your kids can’t handle it before they try.- Break up the text. Add asterisks (*) with necessary information below. Add questions in between sentences or paragraphs or sections to help kids build their way up to higher order thinking..
Give the kids the tools they need to work their way up to the understanding that you want them to get. Take away the big barriers. Instead of writing too much, make copies they can glue in. Explain context, vocab, and unfamiliar phrasing.
- Add lower level questions that build up to higher level questions to help students work their way up one step at a time.
5. DO let the kids struggle through the document
DON’T just tell them what it means
- The only way kids will get better at working their way through documents -- is to work their way through documents.
- Let them struggle, productively, but not in a way that will make them want to give up.
- Realize that their (adolescent) understanding will NOT be as solid as your (college-educated) understanding. That’s ok. They’re just beginning. But let them come to their own understanding. Don’t just give them your understanding
- Don’t put the main ideas on the board for them to copy.
6. DO give the kids structure to their document digs
DON’T just give them a document and have them cold read it.
- Try the DBQ Project Document Analysis sheets or the National Archive ones https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets or the Library of Congress ones http://www.loc.gov/teachers/primary-source-analysis-tool/
There are ways to use historical and political documents to increase literacy, rigor, and authenticity in your social studies class. And there are ways to use documents to suck the enjoyment out of your social studies class.
What DOs and DON’Ts would you add to my list? How do you make using historical documents successful?
As always, I love hearing from you! Let me know!
-Tracy
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