Christina RitterCmritter6@gmail.com

Senior at Marist College

B.A. Psychology/Special Education (Elementary Education)Adolescent History EducationMinor in Hudson River Valley Regional StudiesPublic History Concentration

Open Space Institute Barnabas McHenry Award in Historic Preservation:

Dutchess County Social Studies Toolkit

for Educators

Who’s Afraid of the

Common Core?

STAND

ARDS

GLOBAL

ECONOM

Y

21st CENTURY

WORKFORCE

COLLEGE

READY

COM

PETI

TIVE

ALIGNMENT

RIGOROUS

ACADEMICS

INITIATIVE

ASSESSMENT

Streamline

• The Standards do not dictate curriculum. They are expectations for student growth.

• Education is NOT “one size fits all.”

• You know your students, community, and school.

• You know your strengths and weaknesses as an educator.

• Students benefit from confidence, creativity, and flexibility.

• Don’t work to meet the Common Core Standards, make them work to meet YOUR standards.

REMEMBER!

• Suggested placement of the historic site in NYS curriculum

• Printable lesson plans with Common Core Standards clearly displayed

• Digitized, printable primary documents and resources

• Virtual tours and maps

• On-Site activities

• Web based, site specific activities

The toolkit includes:

Use the IMAGE approach. This is a “game-plan” based on the idea that standards should not be the starting point of lesson design. Build on your own inspiration—if something excites you, chances are it will have the same effect on your students.

Inspiration

Materials

Assess and adapt

Goals/Standards

Execute

Inspiration

Stay inspired.

Visit historic sites, parks and museums. Take a second look at streets, old buildings, farms, interesting architecture– you never know what stories they can tell.

Walk with a curious eye, and encourage students to do the same by pointing out the unique aspects of the familiar.

Figure out what sparks your interest, and what your students will respond to, the rest will fall into place.

Materials

Collect everything.

Maps, brochures, guidebooks, artifacts, photographs, etc.

Have an arsenal of primary sources and visual aids to bring into the classroom. History comes to life when it is brought out of black and white text on a page and made tangible.

These materials may be used in future lessons and across subjects.

Encourage students to visit sites and add materials to a class collection.

Assess and adapt

Start planning.

Take a look at your materials, research the subject, and see where it fits in your curriculum. Time period?Historic Concept? Skill?

Once you decide on a direction, gather more information and resources related to the specific domain.

Goals/StandardsFill in the gaps.

Your lesson idea will most likely meet a number of Common Core Standards already. Many of the Standards are benchmarks and skills that occur naturally when conducting traditional lessons and activities.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2a Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2b Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2c Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because).CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2e Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.

Look through the Standards, and consider other activities, projects, and assignments that meet them.

Don’t sacrifice your own classroom goals, social/behavioral goals, and individual student needs.

List every standard met.

Execute

Do it.

Bring the subject to life with confidence and excitement.

Focus on student engagement, not meeting standards.

Encourage site visits outside of school to further regional exploration.

• Suggested placement of the historic site in NYS curriculum

• Printable lesson plans with Common Core Standards clearly displayed

• Digitized, printable primary documents and resources

• Virtual tours and maps

• On-Site activities

• Web based, site specific activities

The toolkit includes:

Mobile Site

Access the full range of resources from your mobile device!

DutchessToolkit.weebly.com

Browse lesson plans anywhere!

Each group will receive a set of Common Core Standards

Reading Informational TextWritingHistory/Social Studies

Use the brainstorming template to outline a creative and unique social studies lesson based on an historic site, museum, or other place of interest. Use a site that you or members of your group have visited, or discover a new site in the map guides and booklets provided.

• Choose anywhere that interests you.

• Write as many details as you can about various interesting aspects of the site– landscape, architecture, residents, location, events, etc.

• Make a materials wish list. What would you ideally want to have in order to teach about this site? Artifacts, documents, costumes, videos, etc.

• Narrow the scope of the lesson– focus on skills and concepts that students should walk away with. How will you teach it?

• Look through the standards and see which you have met.