Molly P. Jones
Course Reflection and Final Project
Historical Perspectives
Course Reflection:
I came to this course hoping to learn how to better integrate historical texts into my teaching, specifically in regards to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. Over the past 6 weeks, I have learned so much, and I have greatly enjoyed learning from others through the online discussions. Learning from other students in the class has been a huge benefit, and one that I did not necessarily expect when I signed up for the class in the spring. I have taken away a greater understanding of how to implement the CCSS in my classroom through the points of view and ideas of others in the class. I have an arsenal of fresh writing ideas that I am eager to try when school resumes in the fall.
When looking at the class as a whole, my favorite bit of learning is about text sets and how to design and use them in the classroom. While I have gathered resources from a variety of sources before when planning a unit, I have not done it with as much purpose as one does when creating a text set. For this reason, I chose to create another text set for my final project out of the many options we were given. I had several ideas for text sets, but I finally rested on Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson because it is a book that is new to my curriculum for this coming year. It is also a work of historical fiction, and I wanted to emulate the designing of a unit that could be integrated between language arts and social studies, as this is something the CCSS requires. I am eager to use my text set in the fall!
Text Set for Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Introduction: With my school district transitioning to Common Core State Standards this school year, it is important to make connections to other subject areas. Language arts and social studies have a natural connection, and using historical fiction is a great way to integrate a topic being covered in social studies with language arts standards. The book Chains is about a 13-year-old African slave and takes place during the Revolutionary War. Slavery and the American Revolution are both part of the 8th grade social studies curriculum.
Text 1: Author Interview: Interview with Laurie Halse Anderson about Writing Chains:
When teaching a novel, it is always advantageous to be able to share the author’s own words with the students. This link includes several brief clips of an interview with Anderson about her research process when writing Chains.
Text 2: Timeline of Events: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
This is an interactive timeline that could be used throughout the teaching of Chains. It would be helpful for students in recalling the events if used as review supplemental material.
Text 3: Prezi Online Presentation: New York City, 1776:
This prezi was created by a 7th grade teacher and uses a map of New York City in 1776 as a backdrop for outlining the major events of Chains based on their locations. The creator uses illustrations and pictures as well as quotations from the text to detail the novel’s major events. (Note: The teacher also created a prezi for vocabulary in Chains, which also may be useful:
Text 4: Setting Map: NYC Map 1776:
This map shows what New York City was like in 1776. It could be useful when talking about where events in the story take place and could help students to understand that although the story is fiction, it is based on real events and real locations.
Text 5: Black History Book: Tell All the Children Our Story: Memories and Mementos of Being Young and Black in America
This book covers three centuries of the experience of black children in America. It is set up like a scrapbook, and tells about the experiences of black youth throughout the history of the United States. (This book would also be useful for any Civil War or Civil Rights unit.)
Text 6: Primary Source about Slavery and Race: Notes on the State of Virginia by Thomas Jefferson:
This primary source is written by Thomas Jefferson and discusses ending slavery as well as Jefferson’s point of view regarding race and prejudices. This is a densely-written document, and it might be useful to pull excerpts from it instead of using the entire thing. This document would also be useful when discussing racism.
Text 7: Primary Source about Dowry and Slavery: Indenture from the Case File of Ann Taylor v. Thomas Hart, Jr
This primary source would be useful to show students the climate of the colonies during this time period in that it discusses both slavery and dowries. It would be useful to share with students at the beginning of the book in which the main character, Isabel, and her sister, Ruth, are treated like property instead of like people, much like the slaves in this document are.
Text 8: Declaration of Independence:
Declaration of Independence Recited/Discussed by Matt Damon:
As this story takes place at the start of the American Revolution, it is only fitting to have the Declaration of Independence included in this text set. Students could read this primary source (or listen to/watch the clip in which it is recited and discussed by actor Matt Damon) and analyze the document. It should be pointed out that although this document is declaring freedom from tyranny, it does not include freedom for the thousands of slaves in the colonies during this time period.
Text 9: Primary Source about America: Letter from an American Farmer:
This is an excerpt from a letter written in the 1770s about what it means to live in America. It would be useful for students to read in order to help answer questions about why the colonies wanted freedom from Great Brittan.
Text 10: Novel Event Illustration and Information: Pulling Down the Statue of King George III by the “Sons of Freedom”:
In Chains, Isabel witnesses the destruction of a statue of King George III, who ruled England during the Revolutionary War. This link shows an etching of the event as well as a brief summary of what happened. The etching could be shared with students when reading that part of the novel.
Text 11: NYC Fire Information: New York City Great Fire of 1776:
In September of 1776, there was a fire that destroyed much of New York City. This event is discussed in the novel Chains, and this link gives an overview of what happened and discusses the theory that the fire was intentionally set by Patriots.
Text 12: NYC Fire Information: 1776 Great New York Fire:
This site give another explanation of the events surrounding the September 1776 fire, but the illustrations included are what are most useful here. They could be used when reading about the fire either from the source above or in the novel.
Text 13: American Revolution Book: The Split History of the American Revolution: A Perspectives Flip Book:
While this book is written for younger grade levels, it is a book that tells the basics of the American Revolution and examines both the American and British perspectives. It would be useful as a quick reference for students’ questions or for more information about an event that takes place in the novel.
Conclusion: This text set is designed to assist a teacher in making this historical fiction novel, Chains, come to life. The novel is based on real events, and it is critical that students understand that although Isabel is not real, many events in the story did take place. I have gathered a wide variety of text to help Isabel’s story come to life for the readers of Chains.