2. Introduction
The session explores the possibility of improving critical
thinking skills by placing historical events in their
cultural context. This approach aims to view historical
events as outgrowths of different cultures rather than as
arbitrary facts. We will utilize the Google Drive suite as
well as a variety of museum websites to facilitate this
contextualization along Bloom’s Taxonomy of cognitive
skills.
3. 1. Particularly during the 1st and the 3rd centuries, Romans
persecuted
a. Muslims
b. Christians
c. Africans
d. Women
Shortcomings ofTraditional
Content-Based Approach
Consider ye olde multiple choice question:
4. 1. Particularly during the 1st and the 3rd centuries, Romans
persecuted
a. Muslims
b. Christians
c. Africans
d. Women
Shortcomings ofTraditional
Content-Based Approach
Consider ye olde multiple choice question:
5. Shortcomings ofTraditional
Content-Based Approach
•Romans are violent
•Romans are stupid
•Romans are pagans
•Romans are immoral
•Romans are inferior
We have just negated the possibility of learning something from
the Romans!
Consider the narrow view of Romans this approach suggests…
6. •The emphasis on content knowledge can leave students with a
very shallow understanding of human events
• If the purpose of history is to understand the past to better
understand ourselves, something else is required…
Shortcomings ofTraditional
Content-Based Approach
8. Prior Knowledge
✤ Students should be familiar with basic concepts in human
geography and culture including:
Culture
Values, Customs, Traditions
Society and social structures
Economy and economic systems
Forms of government
9. Prior Knowledge—Technology
✤ Students should have internet access via a tablet or
computer and be familiar with Google Drive,
specifically Google Docs
12. Guided Practice
1. Create a Google Doc and insert a table. Share this
Google Doc with students.
✤ https://docs.google.com/a/tandemfs.org/document/
d/
1JAD2RtV_Qifhh484AvBPutrR14aPA2479r32nqm6AfI/
edit
13. Guided Practice
2. Carefully select a set of artifacts for student to analyze.
• The meaning and significance of these artifacts should be
readily apparent to students.
• The artifacts should be drawn from museum websites
that help explain the meaning and significance of the
artifacts to students The Louvre
http://www.louvre.fr/
The British Museum
http://www.britishmuseum.org/
Metropolitan Museum of Art
http://www.metmuseum.org/
Museum of London
http://collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/Online/
Metropolitan Museum of Art
http://www.metmuseum.org/
14. Guided Practice
3. Scaffold student analysis by asking guiding questions. These questions should follow Bloom’s taxonomy
and ask students to analyze artifacts in terms of their social, political, and economic significance.
A. Description (Knowledge, Comprehension)
-“What is this? What purpose did it serve?”
B. Application and Analysis
-“What values, if any, does this artifact suggest?”
C. Analysis
-“What does this suggest about government in the society that created it?”
-“What does this suggest about the economy of the society that created it?”
-“Who made this? What does this suggest about the society that created it?”
✤ https://docs.google.com/a/tandemfs.org/document/d/
1JAD2RtV_Qifhh484AvBPutrR14aPA2479r32nqm6AfI/edit
15. Guided Practice
3. Scaffold student analysis by asking guiding questions. These questions should follow Bloom’s taxonomy
and ask students to analyze artifacts in terms of their social, political, and economic significance.
A. Description (Knowledge, Comprehension)
-“What is this? What purpose did it serve?”
B. Application and Analysis
-“What values, if any, does this artifact suggest?”
C. Analysis
-“What does this suggest about government in the society that created it?”
-“What does this suggest about the economy of the society that created it?”
-“Who made this? What does this suggest about the society that created it?”
✤ https://docs.google.com/a/tandemfs.org/document/d/
1JAD2RtV_Qifhh484AvBPutrR14aPA2479r32nqm6AfI/edit
16. Guided Practice
3. Scaffold student analysis by asking guiding questions. These questions should follow Bloom’s taxonomy
and ask students to analyze artifacts in terms of their social, political, and economic significance.
A. Description (Knowledge, Comprehension)
-“What is this? What purpose did it serve?”
B. Application and Analysis
-“What values, if any, does this artifact suggest?”
C. Analysis
-“What does this suggest about government in the society that created it?”
-“What does this suggest about the economy of the society that created it?”
-“Who made this? What does this suggest about the society that created it?”
✤ https://docs.google.com/a/tandemfs.org/document/d/
1JAD2RtV_Qifhh484AvBPutrR14aPA2479r32nqm6AfI/edit
17. Guided Practice
4. Project the live Google Doc in the classroom so that students are able to see their progress.
5. Offer feedback to students in realtime (via Google Doc) to foster deeper analysis
a. This will allow for a realtime dialogue between students and teacher to interrogate
the artifacts and mine student responses for analysis
b. Similar approach could be utilized whereby students respond to each other (leaving
comments)
6.https://docs.google.com/a/tandemfs.org/document/d/
1JAD2RtV_Qifhh484AvBPutrR14aPA2479r32nqm6AfI/edit
18. Guided Practice
4. Project the live Google Doc in the classroom so that students are able to see their progress.
5. Offer feedback to students in realtime (via Google Doc) to foster deeper analysis
a. This will allow for a realtime dialogue between students and teacher to interrogate
the artifacts and mine student responses for analysis
b. Similar approach could be utilized whereby students respond to each other (leaving
comments)
6.https://docs.google.com/a/tandemfs.org/document/d/
1JAD2RtV_Qifhh484AvBPutrR14aPA2479r32nqm6AfI/edit
19. Independent Practice
1. A similar approach may be utilized to delve deeply
into a people, culture, or time period.
2. Select artifacts which will facilitate social, political, or
economic analysis of the target.
3. Develop scaffolding questions to aid in analysis.
