Primarily Teaching Syllabus
Instructors: Kelly Schrum and Nate Sleeter
Center for History and New Media 4400 University Drive, MSN 1E7
Fairfax, VA, 22030-4444kschrum@gmu.edu
nsleete1@gmu.edu
Participants in Primarily Teaching who enroll to earn 3 graduate credits in history from George Mason University will learn exciting new methods for teaching with a range of primary sources held by the National Archives, including text documents, photographs, maps, motion pictures, sound recordings, and digital resources. Participants will learn how to research historical records and will create classroom materials for teaching with primary sources with the goal of enhancing student skills and enthusiasm for history, government, and related subjects. Participants will conduct original archival research and will develop a primary source-based lesson plan.
Concepts and Skills
- Researching historical records
- Analyzing primary sources
- Conducting independent research
- Creating teaching activities
- Teaching effectively with primary sources
Assignments
Prior to workshop
- Identify research topic and conduct preliminary research in secondary sources.
During Workshop
- Attend all seminar sessions
- Research and select primary sources appropriate for classroom use
- Analyze archival sources for content, skills, and methods
- Develop teaching materials based on primary sources (including introduction, objectives, connection to national standards, detailed description of student activities with instructions to teachers, copies of documents, evaluation strategies, and bibliography); and
- Present teaching materials and process to group, describing progress, problems, and professional review of primary source selection.
After Workshop
- Complete independent research and prepare lesson plan (see below for requirements)
- Submit a draft lesson plan and revisions based on feedback
- Teach lesson plan during the fall
- Submit lesson reflection and sample student work
Sample Course Schedule
**Please note: Workshop schedules will vary by location
Monday [date varies]
8:45 Welcome
9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:30 Special Rotunda tour
10:00 Introductions and overview
10:15 Break
10:30 Overview of docsteach.org
11:15 Obtain researcher Cards
12:00 Lunch
12:45 Orientation to Research Rooms and Procedures
1:30-4:00 Case Study Research
Tuesday [date varies]
9:00-4:00 Case Study Research
Wednesday [date varies]
9:00-4:00 Case Study or Independent Research
(You should have 3 case study documents scanned by the end of the day.)
Thursday [date varies]
9:00-4:00 Docsteach.org Activity Development
Staff available to assist with DocsTeach
(You may also use this time for further research)
Friday [date varies]
9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:45 Presentation of DocsTeach learning activities
10:45 Break
11:00 Special Exhibit Tour
12:00 Lunch
1:00-3:00 Presentation of DocsTeach learning activities (Cont’d)
August 21, 2015: Lesson plan draft due to Kelly Schrum and Nate Sleeter
Draft must include relevant primary sources (maximum of 3 sources) and a description of how the plan engages students, builds critical thinking skills and constructs knowledge as well as what will happen in the activity and how student learning will be assessed. See guidelines for details.
October 1, 2015: Revised Lesson Plan due to Kelly Schrum and Nate Sleeter
November 13, 2015: Teach Lesson Plan by November 13, 2015.
December 4, 2015: Completed Assignments Due
**Please note: all materials may be submitted digitally
- Completed Lesson Plan incorporating NARA primary sources and teaching strategies learned at the Primarily Teaching Workshop.
- 5-page written reflection on your experience as an educator implementing this project in your instructional setting.
- 5 student work samples.
Lesson Plan Requirements
Description
At the conclusion of the regional workshop's activities, participants will draft a final lesson to be taught in the classroom before November 13, 2015. The fall semester provides the opportunity to revise and teach a primary source lesson to engage students in the historical thinking process.
All project materials should be submitted electronically to Kelly Schrum by the due date indicated on the schedule.
Guidelines
- Lesson plan summary (1 page):
- Objectives
- Primary sources
- Student activities
- Document collection
- Evaluation techniques
- Problems or future questions to explore
- Final Project, including…
- Title page
- Note to teachers setting the documents in historical context and introducing the lesson
- Statement of objectives
- Materials list
- Detailed description of student activities with instructions to teachers
- A copy of each primary source to be used with activities (maximum of 10)
- Archival citations for selected primary sources
- Suggestions for evaluating the lesson
- Bibliography for teachers and students