Doing U.S. History
adapted from Dr. David Smith California State Polytechnic University at Pomona
History may be defined as research into how cultures develop through time. In U.S. History class we will study how the U.S. culture specifically develops over time.
To simplify the information, we will use the SPRITE method, which captures the essence of the U.S. history.
SPRITE Method:
Social
•Gender roles and relations
•Family and kinship
•Racial and ethnic constructions
•Social and economic classes
Political
•Political structures and forms of governance
•Nationalism
•Revolts and revolutions
•Regional, transregional, and global structures and organizations
Religion
•Religions and Belief systems
Intellectual
•The arts and architecture
•Philosophies and ideologies
Technology
•Science and Technology
Economic
•Agricultural and pastoral production
•Labor systems
•Industrialization and globalization
•Capitalism, socialism, taxes
In your groups:
1. Discuss what you know about the subject. Feel free to use your notes, cellphone or the book.
2. Create questions using the following rules:
A. Ask as many questions as you can
B. Do NOT stop to discuss, judge or answer any question
C. Write down every question EXACTLY as it is stated
D. Change any statement into a question
3. Improve your questions: Decide if the questions are Closed or Open-ended. Closed-ended questions can be answered with Yes or No or with ONE word. Mark your questions Closed or Open-ended.
4. Prioritize your questions: Choose your three most important open-ended questions. Discuss as a group which question you would like to answer.
5. Draw the answer to the one question your group chose. DO NOT use words/numbers. Go beyond merely repeating or rephrasing what is in the book. Remember, Doing U.S. History means thinking and writing about the past.
6. After you have created the question and drawn the answer, you will present to the class.