Deconstructing History

Funded Sep 11, 2020

Thank you again for supporting Deconstructing History. My students took a deep dive into the initial steps needed to revise the Articles of Confederation into the Constitution we follow today. Two of the experiences we are sharing is deconstructing the perspective of King George III before and after the American Revolution as well as the influence of slavery when forming the Constitution.

Integrating visual media with other information in print and digital texts were the skills we used for the first experience. We were able to watch scenes from the Broadway show, Hamilton, annotate key lyrics by King George's character and corroborate it with research using Nearpod. This helped us identify aspects of a text that reveal the king's point of view which is an essential skill to help students make connections and new understandings. Citing specific textual evidence to support the analysis of primary and secondary sources allowed students the tap into their creativity and write a letter to the king evaluating his roll in the conflict and the future of America's independence.

The second experience required students to determine the central ideas and the process of framing the Constitution during the convention with an emphasis on the debate over slavery. BrainPOP made digital reading of information accessible in various ways. Learning about slavery in this capacity can be challenging, however the direct and respectable approach to tough history guided the tone of discussion and writing in a thoughtful way. Close captions for students to read while watching videos allowed students to visualize strongly to interpret new and challenging information. Transcripts of the video as well as vocabulary practice enabled students to work independently and more comfortably. As a result, students experimented with creating presentations to highlight what they learned using poetry, pop culture memes and game creation.

The tools donated by you allowed students to work confidently at their own pace incorporating their ideas to share what they learned. No matter how each student approached the lesson, it was important that they had multiple entries to accomplish the task. Most students enjoyed the opportunity to see visuals in short but concise videos supported by text. Presenting information in this format held their attention and wasn't overwhelming. These tools helped my students express their understanding through the arts. I am pleased with the results and hope these resources will continue to be available to amplify learning.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Green