Together We Rise
Overview
Students develop media literacy skills by analyzing narratives about indigenous communities, Black communities, and immigrant communities. Through this examination of historical narratives, students build an understanding of key events in American history, such as enslavement, Indigenous displacement, and turn-of-the-20th-century migration. Through the final product, a podcast, students reflect on what the media has presented about these groups of people and highlight a more accurate history as they consider: How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Educator Welcome
Dear Educator,
We understand the joy every teacher experiences when they discover what lights up a student.And that breakthrough can make way for a powerful shift in motivating engagement in studentlearning. We’re thrilled to partner with you in bringing project-based learning to yourclassroom, and we think you’ll love these lessons—created in collaboration with educators, learning scientists, and experts in the field. Whether this is your first voyage into project-based learning or you’re a seasoned pro, we’re sure you’ll agree it’s an approach that sparks interest, ignites possibility, fuels a love for learningin students, and brings wonder to the classroom. As you join your students on this learning journey, we’d love to hear from you. We want to share in your successes, experience your students’ curiosity, celebrate their projects, hear what we can do better, answer any questions you have—and of course, support you each step of the way. Thank you for taking us along on this adventure.
Onward!
Your Friends at Educurious
Acknowledgements
Unit Credits & Acknowledgments
Together We Rise
Unit Credits & Acknowledgments
Educurious would like to express sincere gratitude to our partners for contributing their expertise, insights, and energy. Their collaboration was instrumental in the co-design of this project-based learning unit.
Design Teachers and Schools:
- Amanda Creasia
- Brad Clay
- Christine Pyle
- Delaney Hanon
- Diya Bailey
- Heather Wren
- Nathaniel Okamoto
A special thank you to Amanda Christensen for her leadership and support throughout this project.
The Educurious Team:
Unit Development Team:
- Writers: Cody Pietro, Mary Kate Lonergan
- Educurious Reviewer: Valeria Gamarra
- Editors: Clare Lilliston, Beth Sullivan
Production Team:
- Erik Robinson, Angela Rosenberg
Project Managers:
- Chris Carter, Valeria Gamarra
Educurious Leadership:
- Jane Chadsey, CEO
Unit Poster Image Credits:
- Poster created by Carlos Suarez-Murias
License & Attribution
Except where otherwise noted, Together We Rise, by Educurious, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. You are free to share this material (by copying and redistributing it in any medium or format) and adapt it (by remixing, transforming, or building upon it). However, you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate whether changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your adaptation. You may not use this material, or any adaptation of it, for commercial purposes. Please take care that adaptations do not introduce cultural bias.
All logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All art, illustrations, and photos in this work are used with permission and are not included in the open license. This resource contains links to websites operated by third parties. These links are provided for your convenience only, and do not constitute or imply any endorsement or monitoring by Educurious. Please confirm the license status of any third-party resources and ensure that you understand their terms before use.
If you adapt this work, please note the substantive changes, retitle the work, and provide the following attribution: “This resource was adapted from Together We Rise, which was produced and published by Educurious and is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.”
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Unit At A Glance & Teacher's Edition Download
Module 1 Overview: The Power of Narrative
Module Overview
Module 1: The Power of Narrative
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question
How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question
How are dominant narratives of the American story created?
Module Overview
In this module, students examine the power of narrative in shaping our understanding of U.S. history through the lens of media literacy. Typically, American history is told through a dominant narrative. Dominant narratives are explanations or stories that are told in service of the dominant social group’s interests and ideologies. These dominant narratives leave out other voices and stories and silence alternative accounts. Students will consider what influences the development of a dominant narrative, and we will do so by examining how the media they consume, and even create, shapes beliefs, opinions, and actions—even when it comes to shaping our understanding of the past.
In Lesson 1.1, students weigh the difference between dominant and counternarratives by examining narratives about the Statue of Liberty. In 1.2, after being introduced to the concept of media literacy, students consider the impact media plays in shaping dominant narratives by reflecting on stereotypes. In 1.3, students confront the dominant narratives of the United States and reflect on the role curriculum plays in shaping the dominant narrative of United States history.
| Lesson 1.1: The Power of Narrative (60 minutes) | |
Key Standards for Success Criteria D2.His.5.9-12D2.His.7.9-12CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1 Success CriteriaBy the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
| In this unit launch, students build on what they learned about the collective U.S. identity in Unit 1 by exploring the ideas of dominant and counternarratives. First, they explore the poem “The New Colossus” and the story it tells about the Statue of Liberty. Next, they analyze an alternative viewpoint of the Statue of Liberty through the poem “The Bartholdi Statue.” Then, they define new vocabulary and consider how the stories of the Statue of Liberty fit into the ideas of dominant and counternarratives. Finally, they discuss the prevailing narrative of how Americans portray and perceive their story and the importance of complicating that narrative. They will also learn about the unit and unit project. |
| Lesson 1.2: Shaping the Dominant Narrative (60 minutes) | |
Key Standards for Success Criteria D2.His.5.9-12D2.His.7.9-12CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7 Success CriteriaBy the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
| In this lesson, students are introduced to the concept of media literacy and reflect on the role media plays in shaping their opinions and the dominant narrative of the American story. Students begin by brainstorming examples of media and reviewing the definition of media literacy. Students confront examples of commonly held stereotypes and reflect on how the media reinforces or challenges stereotypes. Students consider the media they consume and create and how it may reinforce or challenge stereotypes and the dominant American narrative. |
| Lesson 1.3: Confronting the Dominant Narrative (120 minutes) | |
Key Standards for Success Criteria D2.His.5.9-12D2.His.7.9-12CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1 Success CriteriaBy the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
| To challenge the dominant narratives, students research a topic in U.S. history and then present their findings. Students then read an article and reflect on the role curriculum plays in shaping the dominant narrative of U.S. history. Finally, students are introduced to the project and unpack the project rubric. |
| Module Assessments |
|
| Vocabulary |
|
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Lesson 1.1: The Power of Narrative
Teacher Guide
Lesson 1.1: The Power of Narrative
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question:How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question:How are dominant narratives of the American story created?
Learning Targets I can:
Purpose In this unit launch, you will build on what you learned about the collective U.S. identity in Unit 1 by exploring the ideas of dominant and counternarratives. First, you will explore the poem “The New Colossus” and the story it tells about the Statue of Liberty. Next, you will analyze an alternative viewpoint of the Statue of Liberty through the poem “The Bartholdi Statue.” Then, you will define new vocabulary and consider how the stories of the Statue of Liberty fit into the ideas of dominant and counternarratives. Finally, you will discuss the prevailing narrative of how Americans portray and perceive their story and the importance of complicating that narrative. You will also learn about the unit and unit project. Lesson Steps
|
Teacher Preparation Notes
| Pacing | |
| Lesson Timing: | 60 minutes |
| Standards | |
| D2.His.5.9-12: Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives.D2.His.7.9-12: Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole. |
| Lesson Resources | ||
| For Students | For Educators | Materials |
|
| Lesson Overview |
| In this unit launch, students build on what they learned about the collective U.S. identity in Unit 1 by exploring the ideas of dominant and counternarratives. First, they explore the poem “The New Colossus” and the story it tells about the Statue of Liberty. Next, they analyze an alternative viewpoint of the Statue of Liberty through the poem “The Bartholdi Statue.” Then, they define new vocabulary and consider how the stories of the Statue of Liberty fit into the ideas of dominant and counternarratives. Finally, they discuss the prevailing narrative of how Americans portray and perceive their story and the importance of complicating that narrative. They also learn about the unit and unit project. |
| Teacher Preparation |
|
Lesson Steps in Detail
| Step 1: Read “The New Colossus” | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students examine the Emma Lazarus poem and consider the story it tells about the Statue of Liberty.
You might say: In our last unit, we spent some time thinking about how we might shift the collective identity of the United States so that it is truly inclusive to all of the different people who live in the United States. This too is how we will approach learning about the history of the United States. The stories we tell about our history shape our perceptions and beliefs about the United States. We will be exploring a variety of stories we tell about U.S. history so that we can figure out how to tell a more inclusive story about the past of the United States. Then, at the end of the unit, you will create a narrative podcast designed to disrupt the main story told about a specific group of people in the United States.
[Slide 2] Facilitate turn and talk.
- Ask: What does the Statue of Liberty represent in American culture and history?
- Possible responses: Immigration, freedom, power, international relationships
- Provide students time to talk to their partner about the question.
- Invite a few students to share out to the whole class.
[Slides 3–8] Lead a close reading of the poem “The New Colossus.”
- Distribute “The New Colossus” handout.
- [Slides 3–5] Provide context for the poem.
- [Slide 6] Provide students time to complete the context, audience, perspective, and purpose boxes on their handout.
- [Slide 7] Read the poem as a class, one line at a time.
- Define vocabulary necessary to understanding as you go.
- Invite students to “translate” each line into language that is closer to how they would speak.
- Ask: How would you summarize this poem in 1–2 sentences?
- Possible response: Other countries have tried to conquer everyone and exile the people they don’t like. The United States will instead welcome everyone, especially the least fortunate.
- Invite students to turn and talk to their partner about the significance box.
- What story about the Statue of Liberty does this poem tell?
- Provide students time to write a response in the box.
- Invite students to share out.
- [Slide 8] Reflect on the story.
- Ask: Does this story line up with your understanding of the Statue of Liberty? Why or why not?
- Possible response: Yes, because it’s about welcoming immigrants.
- Ask: Does this story line up with your understanding of U.S. history? Why or why not?
- Possible response: No, because immigrants often weren’t (and aren’t) welcome, especially those who are the poorest.
- Provide students time to talk to their partner about the questions.
- Invite students to share out.
Teacher Tip: Annotating Poetry In this lesson, students engage with two different poems. This is a good opportunity to introduce a poem annotation strategy if you have not already done so. There are many different ways that you can have students annotate a poem. One example is TPCASTT, an in-depth strategy that involves reading a poem several times. If you want to incorporate an annotation strategy but are limited on time, you can also consider having students do the following:
|
| Step 2: Read “The Bartholdi Statue” | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students examine the John Greenleaf Whittier poem and consider the story it tells about the Statue of Liberty. They then compare that story to the story told in the Lazarus poem.
You might say: We just discussed the idea of a dominant narrative, and now we are going to take a look at counternarratives. A counternarrative speaks back to the dominant narrative and complicates the story, adding nuance. It fills the gaps and can tell the story from an alternative perspective.
[Slides 9–13] Lead a close reading of the poem “The Bartholdi Statue.”
- Distribute “The Bartholdi Statue” handout.
- [Slides 9–10] Provide context for the poem.
- [Slide 11] Provide students time to complete the context, audience, perspective, and purpose boxes on their handout.
- [Slide 12] Read the poem as a class, one line at a time.
- Define vocabulary necessary to understanding as you go.
- Invite students to “translate” each line into language that is closer to how they would speak.
- Ask: How would you summarize this poem in 1–2 sentences?
- Possible response: Our friend France gives us another gift in the form of this statue, which represents freedom and was created by and for free people. It will offer light and hope to anyone who has faced enslavement and will smite anyone who tries to take actions against others and call them liberty.
- Invite students to turn and talk to their partner about the significance box.
- What story about the Statue of Liberty does this poem tell?
- Provide students time to write a response in the box.
- Invite students to share out.
- [Slide 13] Reflect on the story.
- Ask: Does this story line up with your understanding of the Statue of Liberty? Why or why not?
- Possible response: This is a different story—it’s about freedom from slavery, not immigration.
- Ask: Does this story line up with your understanding of U.S. history? Why or why not?
- Possible response: Yes and no. Yes, because the timing of this poem was around abolition and Reconstruction, so the timing makes sense. No, because I hadn’t heard that the Statue of Liberty had anything to do with slavery or the Civil War before.
- Provide students time to talk to their partner about the question.
- Invite students to share out.
[Slide 14] Reflect on the story of the Statue of Liberty.
- Ask: What does the usual, but incomplete, story tell you about the United States? Why do you think the story about immigration is the story that gets told?
- Possible response: It tells me that they want to seem like the kind of place that is a beacon of hope for everyone, unlike other countries. This is a positive spin on U.S. identity.
- Ask: What does the more complicated, detailed story tell you about the United States? Why do you think the story about abolition is not the story that gets told?
- Possible response: It tells me that the United States has a dark past and needs a reminder to keep them on track. This is more of a negative spin on U.S. identity.
| Step 3: Learn about dominant narratives and counternarratives | (10 min) |
Purpose: Students explore the ideas of dominant narratives and counternarratives to start to understand how we can tell a more inclusive history of the United States.
You might say: In our last unit, we spent some time thinking about how we might shift the collective identity of the United States so that it is truly inclusive to all of the different people who live in the United States. This too is how we will approach learning about the history of the United States. The stories we tell about our history shape our perceptions and beliefs about the United States. Typically, we view American history through a dominant narrative. We will be exploring the ideas of dominant and counternarratives so that we can figure out how to tell a more inclusive history of the United States. Then, at the end of the unit, you will create a narrative podcast designed to disrupt the dominant story told about a specific group of people in the United States.
[Slide 15] Examine the dominant narrative.
- Ask students what dominant means. Then, what narrative means.
- Inform students that you will share a class definition, but that you want them to try to develop their own definition based on their close reading earlier in the lesson.
- Ask: What do you think is the dominant narrative about the Statue of Liberty?
- Possible response: Welcoming immigrants
- Ask: How do dominant stories come to exist? Who benefits from the telling of dominant narratives?
- Possible response: Responses will vary but might include thinking around power. Dominant stories come to exist because they make certain groups of people look good. People in power benefit from positive portrayals because it makes it harder to criticize their actions. Also, sometimes dominant narratives might come to exist based on our collective societal biases.
[Slide 16] Define dominant narrative.
- dominant narrative: stories we tell ourselves, or learn from others, consciously or unconsciously, that also uphold existing power dynamics; these stories tend to paint those with power in a positive light and blame or diminish already marginalized people
- Dominant narratives:
- serve the people in power
- are told by the "victor"
- omits other perspectives
- are taught as "the truth"/a single story
- are familiar to most people (from school, the news, parents, etc.)
- Ask: How do you think the dominant narrative about the Statue of Liberty serves people in power?
- Possible response: It makes the United States seem like a place full of hope, which it probably is for those in power.
[Slide 17] Examine counternarratives.
- Invite students to think about their definition of counternarrative given their understanding of dominant narratives.
- Have students generate some other examples of counternarratives (i.e., in literature or popular culture) with a partner.
- You may consider giving them examples to get the conversation started.
- For example, you can ask what the counternarrative would be in well-known fairy tales like The Three Little Pigs, Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, or Red Riding Hood.
- How might the story change if these stories were told from a different perspective?
- What information might we be missing from these stories?
[Slide 18] Define counternarrative.
- counternarrative: stories that highlight the experiences and perspectives of people who have been traditionally ignored, oppressed, or silenced in society
- Counternarratives:
- complicate or challenge the dominant narrative with new information
- make audiences question dominant narratives
- explore multiple perspectives
- Ask: How do you think the counternarrative about the Statue of Liberty complicates the dominant narrative?
- Possible response: It adds more nuance to the story. If the Statue is about abolition, then it’s acknowledging the U.S. had slavery and needs guidance to stay on the right path.
[Slide 19] Lead a whole-class discussion.
- Ask: How can asking questions and seeking out multiple perspectives about historical events help us complicate dominant narratives?
- Possible response: Asking questions can help us think through the reasons why a story might be told the way it is told. If we ask questions about who benefits from certain stories, then we can examine if the story seems complete or if we should investigate something further. When we also seek out multiple perspectives about something that happened, we can sometimes uncover parts of stories that we had no idea existed.
| Step 4: Reflect on the danger of the single story | (10 min) |
Purpose: Students reflect on their conclusions and determine how a single, dominant narrative impacts their understanding and beliefs. Then, they preview the unit through the unit poster.
You might say: So why are we approaching U.S. history through the ideas of dominant and counternarratives? What is so dangerous about having a single, uncomplicated understanding of history, or even of people whose identities differ from our own? Let’s spend some time exploring these questions so that we understand why we will be working to complicate dominant stories in U.S. history throughout the year.
[Slide 20] Play TED video “Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The Danger of a Single Story” [3:48].
- After viewing:
- Ask: What is the danger of a single story? Why is it important to challenge a dominant narrative?
- Possible response: It reduces people down to just one thing, which dehumanizes them.
- Ask: How can we tell a more complete history of the United States?
- Possible response: We can get lots of stories from lots of different perspectives and try to put them all together to understand the past as best we can.
[Slide 21] Introduce the unit and final product.
- Review the unit driving question, module driving questions, and the final product.
- Invite students to share one question they have and one thing they are excited about.
Teacher Tip: Reflecting on Historiography You may want to include a conversation about historiography and how it relates to the concept of dominant narratives and power. Historiography is the study of the way history is presented. The ways that U.S. history has been told have changed over time. The way that U.S. history is told has the power to shift society. Think of how Indigenous history was told 30 years ago compared to the ways teachers help tell those stories today in more accurate, inclusive, ways. Think also of the efforts to limit how history can be told in different states across the country right now. If time allows, open this conversation up for students to consider. |
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Lesson 1.2: Shaping the Dominant Narrative
Teacher Guide
Lesson 1.2: Shaping the Dominant Narrative
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question:How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question:How are dominant narratives of the American story created?
Learning Targets I can:
Purpose In this lesson, you’ll be introduced to the concept of media literacy and reflect on the role media plays in shaping your opinions and the dominant narrative of the American story. You’ll begin by brainstorming examples of media and reviewing the definition of media literacy. Then, you’ll examine how the media creates or reinforces dominant narratives through stereotypes. Finally, you will reflect on your learning to make connections between the role of media and dominant narratives and U.S. history. Lesson Steps
|
Teacher Preparation Notes
| Pacing | |
| Lesson Timing: | 60 minutes |
| Standards | |
| D2.His.5.9-12: Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives.D2.His.7.9-12: Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) to address a question or solve a problem. |
| Lesson Resources | ||
| For Students | For Educators | Materials |
|
| Lesson Overview |
| In this lesson, students are introduced to the concept of media literacy and reflect on the role media plays in shaping their opinions and the dominant narrative of the American story. Students begin by brainstorming examples of media and reviewing the definition of media literacy. Students confront examples of commonly held stereotypes and reflect on how the media reinforces or challenges stereotypes. Students consider the media they consume and create and how it may reinforce or challenge stereotypes and the dominant American narrative. |
| Teacher Preparation |
|
Lesson Steps in Detail
| Step 1: Define media literacy | (10 min) |
Purpose: In this step, students are introduced to the concept of media literacy to reflect on the role media plays in shaping their opinions and the dominant narrative of the American story.
You might say: For our final product, we will create media podcasts that amplify a more complete and representative narrative of U.S. history. To do so, we need to understand how media affects us. During our previous lesson, we examined the idea of dominant and counternarratives. Today, we are going to consider what influences the development of a dominant narrative, and we will do so by examining how the media we consume, and even create, shapes our beliefs, opinions, and actions—even when it comes to shaping our understanding of the past.
[Slides 2–3] Define media.
- [Slide 2] Ask: Where do you get your information?
- Possible responses: social media, books, websites
- Provide students time to brainstorm examples with a partner.
- Invite students to share out.
- [Slide 3] Define the term.
- media: media refers to all forms of communication (electronic, digital, print, etc.) that are designed to reach a mass audience
- Ask: What media do you consume?
- Possible responses: TikTok, Instagram, music, TV, video games
- Talking points:
- Encourage students to think beyond music, TV, movies, and social media posts.
- Media also includes video games, advertisements, flags, currency, clothing, textbooks, curriculum, maps, etc.
Teacher Tip: Defining the Difference Between Media and the Media You may want to address the difference between the terms media vs. the media with students. Often, the media refers to news media. When we use the term media in this unit, we refer to all forms of communication and any messages conveyed through visuals, language, and/or sound. |
[Slide 4–5] Define media literacy.
- Before showing the definition, ask students if they have heard of media literacy or what they think it might mean.
- [Slide 4] Share the definition of media literacy.
- media literacy: the ability to: decode, or unpack, media messages, reflect on the influence of those messages on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals or society; and create media thoughtfully and conscientiously (source)
- [Slide 5] Ask: Why might being media literate be important?
- Possible response: Responses will vary, but students might say that media literacy empowers us to make better, more informed decisions; media literacy gives us the power not to be duped by fake news/false information; awareness of how media influences take away some of its power; being media literate helps us to be aware of biases in media and ourselves.
[Slide 6] Examine an example of a lack of media literacy.
- Invite students to explore Case Study 2 (Covid-19 and masks). You can also read this aloud as a class.
- Ask: How do you think lack of media literacy affected people in this case?
- Possible response: They might have stopped wearing masks.
- Ask: How do you think this misinformation affected people’s perception of mask wearers?
- Possible response: They probably thought people who wore masks weren’t smart and were actually the danger to everyone else.
- Ask: How do you think this case affected society?
- Possible response: It further politicized Covid-19, and if it led people to not wear masks, it probably led to additional spread of the virus.
Teacher Tip: Setting Community Norms for Discussing Controversial Issues If you haven’t done so already in the school year, you may want to establish (or refer back to) community norms for civil discourse. Have students generate a set of norms or expectations—or even what behavior and actions they deem acceptable or unacceptable. Be sure to communicate the expectations and ensure that students understand them. These norms can include: Respecting differences of opinion, not attacking the identity of others, everyone has the right to be heard, or be respectful while still being critical. |
| Step 2: Examine and confront dominant narratives in media | (25 min) |
Purpose: To understand the role media plays in shaping the dominant American story, students review what a stereotype is and discuss the ways in which media can create or reinforce stereotypes. They explore different examples of media stereotypes and connect their thinking to the idea of dominant narratives. Finally, they reflect on the ways that having media literacy can help us identify and challenge dominant narratives in U.S. history.
You might say: The media we consume influences us whether we realize it or not. Let’s dive into this idea a bit deeper by considering stereotypes and the role media plays in reinforcing or creating stereotypes. At times, we see these stereotypes shape the narrative of U.S. history and are sometimes repeated in the stories we are told about U.S. history.
[Slide 7] Lead a small-group discussion.
- Invite students to discuss the following question in small groups or with a partner. Then, invite students to share their thoughts as a class.
- Ask: What is a stereotype? How do you think stereotypes influence how different groups of people are treated in society?
- Possible responses: Responses will vary, but students might say that a stereotype is a generalization about a group of people. Students might discuss their own identities and the stereotypes they face, or they might discuss how stereotypes limit people’s ability to live freely since assumptions are made about them. They might also discuss how stereotypes are harmful because they can play into, or reinforce, other societal issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia.
[Slide 8] Define stereotype.
- Direct students to Part 1 of their Confronting Stereotypes handout. Read directions aloud with students and then continue with the following slides as students take notes.
- stereotype: a generalization or broad belief about a group of people; stereotypes are often widely held but fixed and oversimplified images or ideas of a group of people
[Slide 9] Play Raising Equity video “Stereotype Defined” [1:43].
- Ask: How do stereotypes trap our thinking, or limit our understanding, of different groups of people?
- Possible response: Stereotypes flatten our understanding of groups of people because they push us to make assumptions about different groups of people, especially when they are different than us. They do not allow us to see the full picture of a group of people or to get to know individuals and their unique identities.
[Slide 10] Lead a discussion on the relationship between media and stereotypes.
- Ask: What role do you believe media plays in creating and reinforcing stereotypes?
- Possible response: Media transmits messages and information and can play a part in the development of stereotypes of different groups of people that stick. Sometimes that is a reflection of what’s happening in society. Then, media can play a part in reinforcing those stereotypes over time, making it harder to get rid of those ideas in people’s minds.
[Slide 11] Provide instructions for source exploration.
- See the Teacher Preparation note about pulling image sources into the handout.
- Direct students to Part 2 of their handout.
- Read instructions with students, set them up into small groups, and provide guidance on how much time they have to finish this activity.
- When students are finished, invite them to share their reactions to the source exploration as a class. Then continue with discussion below.
[Slides 12] Lead a whole-class discussion.
- Ask: How do media representations of people impact the way that they are seen and treated in society? If possible, try to connect your thinking to our learning about intersectionality by thinking about how people with intersecting identities face several layers of stereotyping.
[Slide 13] Play PBS NewsHour video “Why On-Screen Representation Matters, According to These Teens” [2:07].
- Direct students to Part 3 of their handout.
- Read directions with students, then play the video and discuss responses to the guided question.
- Ask: Why does accurate representation in media matter?
- Possible response: Responses will vary, but students might say that because media shapes our beliefs and opinions, and ultimately our actions—both positively and negatively. If certain groups are stereotyped or overlooked, people may come away with misconceptions and act on those misconceptions. Prejudice and racism can be reinforced.
- Ask: What can be done to address the issue of stereotypes in popular media? In the news media? What about social media?
- Possible response: Responses will vary, but students might say it needs to be “called out”/identified and creators need to be held accountable. They may bring up current events dealing with that issue. They may also raise the idea that other voices and creators need to be heard.
Teacher Tip: Extension Opportunity Watch the video “Reclaiming Native Truth Intro.” Read and discuss this excerpt from “Inside a New Effort to Change What Schools Teach About Native American History.”
|
Teacher Tip: Do No Harm Be aware of the power of media messages and the potential for unintended consequences (e.g., reinforcing/introducing stereotypes or potentially harmful messages you engage with).You can contrast negative or potentially harmful messages with positive media representation. Try to cue into and follow up with students’ emotional responses to documents and listen well to the meaning-making of your students to address potentially harmful or triggering ideas.As you probe with questions, e.g., “What feelings does this bring up for you?” it is important to cue into the emotional reactions of your students. Pay attention to the impact of this work on all students, particularly those most marginalized in your class and society. This lesson may potentially challenge students who hold strong beliefs or come from households with strong beliefs. Consider having the class establish guidelines for safe and civil (but not necessarily comfortable) conversations before doing this decoding, e.g., no attacking individuals for their identities or beliefs. They should trust that your goal is to have them think critically and independently, not to conform to your views. See Project Look Sharp’s “Tips for Decoding Media Documents” for more information on the “do no harm.”Finally, you can use this infographic and share it with students to explore tips for engaging with media literacy. |
| Step 3: Make connections and conclusions | (10min) |
Purpose: Students learn a new discussion skill. They reflect on their learning and make connections between the role of media and dominant narratives in a Concentric Circles discussion.
You might say: Let’s relate everything we’ve been discussing—media, media literacy, stereotypes, and narrative—back to our question: How are dominant narratives of the American story developed? We will have a Concentric Circles discussion to consider the different parts of this question. Before we do so, I will introduce the Unit 2 discussion skill. In Unit 1, the discussion skill we focused on was “elaborate & clarify.” In this unit, our discussion skill of focus is “support ideas with examples.” Keep in mind that these skills build on one another—you should still be working to elaborate & clarify as you move on to this new skill.
[Slides 14–16] Introduce the “support ideas with examples” discussion skill.
- [Slide 14] Frame the skill.
- Strengthen your arguments with evidence.
- Use examples from:
- Text
- Other media
- The world
- Your own life
- Provide examples.
- Talking points: In a discussion about whether or not video games are good for society, I say: “Video games make society smarter.”
- Someone might ask me, “Can you give an example of a way that video games make society smarter?”
- I would then go back to my argument and say, “Yes, they help people multitask. Scientists have done research that proves that video games help students learn how to multitask, which makes them better students.”
- In this example, I have provided evidence from the world to support my original argument.
- Someone might also ask me, “Can you give me an example from the text that backs up your argument?”
- I would then have to return to the text to prove my point. I might say something like, “Yes, so scientists found that students who play an average of 30 minutes of video games a day are more likely to be stronger math students; this proves that video games make society smarter.” This is made-up information, by the way, but it shows how I would have to use MORE information to back up my argument.
- [Slide 15] Talking points: As we discuss, I will have some sentence starters you can use if you are asked to support ideas with examples in case you get stuck. Eventually, we’ll get so good at using evidence that we won’t be asked to support our ideas with examples.
- Prompting:
- Can you give an example from the text?
- Can you show me where it says that?
- What are examples from other texts?
- What is a real-world example?
- What is an example from your life?
- Are there any cases of that?
- What is the evidence for that?
- Like what?
- Why do you say that?
- How do you justify that?
- What does that look like?
- Such as?
- What would illustrate that?
- Why is that a good example?
- Responding:
- For example…
- In the text it said that…
- One case showed that…
- An example from my life is…
- For instance…
- According to…
- An illustration of this could be…
- On one occasion…
- In this situation…
- To demonstrate…
- In fact…
- Indeed…
- …such as…
- Have you ever…?
[Slides 16–19] Facilitate a Concentric Circles discussion.
- [Slide 16] Split the class in half and have them stand in two concentric circles facing each other (outer circle faces in and inner circle faces out).
- Read the instructions on the slide.
- Discuss the question on the slide with the person directly across from you in the other circle.
- When time is up, the outer circle rotates clockwise one student, and a new discussion question is displayed for you to discuss.
- [Slides 17–19] Display and read the first question on the slide. Provide students time to discuss the question with their first partner. When time is up, instruct the outer circle to rotate clockwise one student. Display the next question. Continue until all three questions have been discussed.
- [Slide 17] How is the dominant narrative of the American story developed? What role does media play in forming the dominant narrative?
- Possible response: Responses will vary, but students might say that media shapes the stories we tell ourselves; in some cases, media are the stories we tell ourselves—about groups, individuals, and history; media can reinforce and challenge stereotypes and narratives of some groups and it can leave out important parts of history.
- [Slide 18] How can we change and/or challenge the dominant narrative about historically marginalized groups of Americans through our learning of U.S. history?
- Possible response: Responses will vary, but students might say that other voices and perspectives need to be included or heard and that we can do that in our U.S. history course by learning about multiple perspectives of the same events in U.S. history.
- [Slide 19] What can be done to address the issue of stereotypes in popular media? In the news media? On social media? What about in our textbooks or curriculum?
- Possible response: Responses will vary, but students might say that other voices and perspectives need to be included or heard; creators with different experiences need to be amplified.
- Invite 3–4 students to share out what they discussed, what they learned, or something interesting shared by one of their peers.
[Slide 20] Reflect on the discussion.
- Invite students to respond to the following prompts:
- One specific thing I did well while practicing this skill is…
- One specific thing the class did well while practicing this skill is…
- One specific thing we could work on when it comes to this skill is…
Teacher Tip: Concentric Circles Concentric Circles discussions are useful for getting students to speak to a wide variety of their peers and build on each other’s ideas efficiently. If you are new to Concentric Circles discussions, consider exploring this resource to see an example of what the activity can look like. |
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Lesson 1.3: Confronting the Dominant Narrative
Teacher Guide
Lesson 1.3: Confronting the Dominant Narrative
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question:How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question:How are dominant narratives of the American story created?
Learning Targets I can:
Purpose To challenge the dominant narratives, you will research a topic in U.S. history and then present your findings. Then, you will read an article and reflect on the role curriculum plays in shaping the dominant narrative of U.S. history. Finally, you’ll be introduced to your final product and explore the project requirements by unpacking the Podcast Rubric. Lesson Steps
|
Teacher Preparation Notes
| Pacing | |
| Lesson Timing: | 120 minutes |
| Standards | |
| D2.His.4.9-12: Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.D2.His.5.9-12: Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives.D2.His.7.9-12: Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole. |
| Lesson Resources | ||
| For Students | For Educators | Materials |
|
| Lesson Overview |
| To challenge the dominant narratives, students research a topic in U.S. history and then present their findings. Students then read an article and reflect on the role curriculum plays in shaping the dominant narrative of U.S. history. Finally, students are introduced to the project and unpack the project rubric. |
| Teacher Preparation |
|
Lesson Steps in Detail
| Step 1: Research and present ideas about narratives in U.S. history | (40 min) |
Purpose: To review previous content and to challenge the dominant narratives, students participate in a jigsaw activity during which they research a key moment in U.S. history and then present their findings to their team.
You might say: We are now going to review key events that you already learned about. We will use these stories to help challenge the dominant narrative of U.S. history. Understanding the dominant narrative of U.S. history will help you prepare for your final product in which you disrupt and challenge that narrative.
[Slide 2] Provide instructions for the activity.
- Distribute the U.S. History Narratives handout.
- Direct students to Part 1 of their handout.
- Place students in small groups and assign each group a topic.
- Read directions with students.
- Explore the sources related to your topic with your teams.
- Discuss and respond to the questions based on the sources.
- Provide groups time to explore the sources and respond to the questions.
[Slide 3] Facilitate sharing of narratives.
- Place students into new groups, with one representative from each topic in each group.
- Instruct students to share the stories they learned about and their responses to the questions with the rest of their group.
- Ask: What patterns do you notice across the different dominant and counternarratives?
- Possible response: The dominant narratives all give a positive or neutral spin on the United States, and the counternarratives are more complicated.
- Invite students to share out their groups’ responses to the question with the whole class.
| Step 2: Read and reflect on who decides what we learn about in history class | (30 min) |
Purpose: Students will read an article and reflect on the role curriculum plays in shaping the dominant narrative of United States history.
You might say: What we learn about in history—the curriculum—influences how we come to understand the American narrative and shapes our opinions and beliefs. Unlike education expectations in reading, science, or math, the study of history/social studies provides a unique civic function. Social studies curriculum is the starting point for textbooks—the narratives that make up most of your first, and often only, introduction to the American story. Because of those reasons, there’s a major debate about how and what we should learn about in history in class. Let’s dig deeper into that debate.
[Slide 4] Choose an article to read and reflect.
- Distribute copies of the History Curriculum Exploration handout.
- Read directions with students.
- Invite students to choose an article and to write down one thought, one wondering, one epiphany, and one connection as they read.
- Then, lead the debrief below.
[Slide 5] Debrief.
- Ask: How does curriculum connect to our learning about dominant and counternarratives in this unit?
- Possible response: The curriculum determines what we learn and is often the dominant narrative, which isn’t the whole story.
- Ask: Would you say you’ve learned more about dominant narratives or counternarratives in your history classes?
- Possible response: Responses will vary by student experience.
- Ask: What is needed to ensure a more inclusive narrative?
- Possible response: Making sure lots of different types of people are teachers/making the decisions about curriculum.
| Step 3: Learn about the final product | (10 min) |
Purpose: Students learn about the final product, organize into project teams, and discuss the project rubric.
[Slide 6] Introduce the project.
- Invite students to organize into project teams and review the project requirements.
- Distribute the Podcast Rubric.
- Invite students to work with a partner to read through the rubric and write one thought and one question.
- Invite students to ask clarifying questions about the criteria.
- If needed, add further detail to the rubric as a class.
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Module 2: Disrupting the Single Story
Module Overview
Module 2: Disrupting the Single Story
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question
How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question
How do dominant narratives about the past impact American society today?
Module Overview
In this module, students complicate the dominant narratives told about different groups of people living in what we now call the United States. They learn about dominant narratives through primary source exploration and then work through curated sources to learn about the impact of those dominant narratives. Then, they create mini projects (art, a textbook section rewrite, and an audio recording) that tell a more complete story about different groups of people. By the end of this unit, students have an understanding of how to question dominant narratives, why it is important to do so, and how to create media that highlights multiple perspectives.
In Lesson 2.1, students complicate the dominant story told about immigrants in the United States and create counternarrative art. In Lesson 2.2, students learn about the Carlisle Indian School and challenge the narrative found in a modern U.S. history textbook, recalling the lessons about history curriculum from Unit 1. In Lesson 2.3, students learn about the movie The Birth of a Nation and examine the impact of popular media on policies and behavior. They create an audio recording on the same platform they will use to create podcasts in Module 3 in response to the module driving question, using evidence from the unit so far.
| Lesson 2.1: Immigration Narratives (100 minutes) | |
Key Standards for Success Criteria D2.His.4.9-12D2.His.5.9-12CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7 Success CriteriaBy the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
| In this lesson, students hear from other perspectives and voices to have a more complete understanding of U.S. history. Students learn about the dominant immigration narrative at the turn of the 19th century through political cartoons and the impact of that narrative through a series of sources about immigration policies. Then, students read a source about modern-day immigration myths, tracing the dominant narrative and considering its impact over time. Then, using what they learned, they create a piece of art that communicates an immigration counternarrative. Finally, they explore effective student podcasts in preparation for their final product. |
| Lesson 2.2: Indigenous Narratives (70 minutes) | |
Key Standards for Success Criteria D2.His.4.9-12D2.His.5.9-12CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7 Success CriteriaBy the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
| In this lesson, students hear from other perspectives and voices to build a more complete understanding of Indigenous history in the United States. They learn about a dominant narrative from U.S. history regarding Indigenous boarding schools. They consider what might be missing from this dominant narrative. Then, they work in small groups to complicate the narrative by exploring additional sources. Finally, using what they learned, students write a textbook section on Indigenous boarding schools that includes the counternarratives. |
| Lesson 2.3: Black Narratives (100 minutes) | |
Key Standards for Success Criteria D2.His.4.9-12D2.His.5.9-12CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1 Success CriteriaBy the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
| In this lesson, students hear from other perspectives and voices in order to have a more complete understanding of Black history in the United States. They examine a movie clip displaying a dominant narrative. Then, they work in small groups to challenge this narrative by exploring different curated sources on counternarratives. Next, using what they learned, they create an audio recording challenging the dominant narrative as displayed in the movie clip. Finally, they meet in their podcast teams to select a topic and reflect on what they know and still need to learn. |
| Module Assessments |
|
| Vocabulary |
|
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Lesson 2.1: Immigration Narratives
Teacher Guide
Lesson 2.1: Immigration Narratives
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question:How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question:How do dominant narratives about the past impact American society today?
Learning Targets I can:
Purpose In this lesson, you will hear from other perspectives and voices to have a more complete understanding of U.S. history. You will learn about the dominant immigration narrative at the turn of the 19th century through political cartoons and the impact of that narrative through a series of sources about immigration policies. Then, you will read a source about modern-day immigration myths, tracing the dominant narrative and considering its impact over time. Then, using what you learned, you will create a piece of art that communicates an immigration counternarrative. Finally, you will explore effective student podcasts in preparation for your final product. Lesson Steps
|
Teacher Preparation Notes
| Pacing | |
| Lesson Timing: | 100 minutes |
| Standards | |
| D2.His.4.9-12: Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.D2.His.5.9-12: Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole. |
| Lesson Resources | ||
| For Students | For Educators | Materials |
|
| Lesson Overview |
| In this lesson, students hear from other perspectives and voices to have a more complete understanding of U.S. history. Students learn about the dominant immigration narrative at the turn of the 19th century through political cartoons and the impact of that narrative through a series of sources about immigration policies. Then, students read a source about modern-day immigration myths, tracing the dominant narrative and considering its impact over time. Then, using what they learned, they create a piece of art that communicates an immigration counternarrative. Finally, they explore effective student podcasts in preparation for their final product. |
| Teacher Preparation |
|
Lesson Steps in Detail
| Step 1: Reflect on the dominant narrative | (40 min) |
Purpose: Students reflect on the dominant narrative around immigration in the late 1800s by looking at a series of sources.
You might say: When we started this unit, we launched our thinking about dominant and counternarratives using the story of the Statue of Liberty. This helped us begin to understand how the ways in which stories are told in society, in history, are not always the most complete, or the most accurate. Since then, we have learned more about becoming conscious consumers of media, how media creates and reinforces stereotypes, and how the ways in which we tell stories in U.S. history have a direct impact on how groups of people are treated. We will now use all this learning to consider the topic of immigration and challenge dominant narratives.
[Slides 2–5] Conduct an image analysis.
- [Slide 2] Distribute the Dominant Immigration Narrative handout. Direct students to Part 1.
- Go over context for immigration in the late 1800s to early 1900s.
- [Slide 3] Display the first image.
- Ask: What do you see?
- Possible response: A person with an evil smile, cross necklace, phone lines labeled “republican vote” and “democratic vote”
- Ask: What does it mean?
- Possible response: This person is maybe representing the pope, and he’s controlling voting in the United States from a distance.
- Ask: What message is this cartoon sending about immigrants?
- Possible response: Immigrants are dangerous because they affect the outcomes of voting in our country, and it’s basically like letting other countries decide on our leaders and policies. Also, Catholicism specifically is a threat.
- [Slide 4] Display the second image.
- Ask: What do you see?
- Possible response: A caricature of a Chinese person, running away from San Francisco, running toward China, chased by a steam washer trunk
- Ask: What does it mean?
- Possible response: White Americans want Chinese immigrants out of California and to go back to China because they’re racist and also they were taking jobs (steam washing).
- Ask: What message is this cartoon sending about immigrants?
- Possible response: This is a racist image, so it’s dehumanizing and makes immigrants seem like they’re not really people. It’s also saying they need to go because they are taking jobs from American citizens.
- [Slide 5] Display the third image.
- Ask: What do you see?
- Possible response: Caricature of an Irish immigrant in four different settings
- Ask: What does it mean?
- Possible response: Irish immigrants take over elections, are violent, and are drains on the economy.
- Ask: What message is this cartoon sending about immigrants?
- Possible response: Immigrants are dangerous. They commit violent crimes and take money from the economy without contributing. They influence elections negatively.
[Slides 6–8] Facilitate jigsaw activity.
- [Slide 6] Place students in groups and direct them to Part 2 of their handouts.
- Read the instructions.
- With your group, explore your assigned source(s).
- In the table on your handout, record the immigration policies and their impact as described in your source(s).
- Provide students time to complete the first part of the jigsaw activity.
- [Slide 7] Place students in new groups, with a representative from each of the original groups.
- Read the instructions.
- Present your findings to your new group.
- Record the findings from the other groups on the table on your handout.
- [Slide 8] Reflect on the sources.
- Ask: What connections can you draw between the views you saw in the cartoons and these immigration policies?
- Possible response: These policies limit immigration, which is a response to all the negative things people believe about immigrants.
- Ask: What impact can a dominant narrative have on our society and the experiences of the people living in it?
- Possible response:
- It can change the laws we have, which changes the kinds of lives we can all lead. It also affects how people view and treat each other in our society.
Teacher Tip: Curating and Choosing Sources The events, people, and resources in the handouts are suggestions and places to start. Depending on your students, interests, and needs, you may want to add key events and resources to review or replace the events with different ones. You may want to pare back the number of resources students examine at each station. |
Teacher Tip: Racist Language and Imagery in Primary Sources The primary sources include language, images, or ideas that require thoughtful preparation. Educators should review primary sources carefully and be prepared for any slurs and other hateful or hurtful speech/images. These sources depict beliefs and perspectives of previous eras, including negative stereotypes and insulting and offensive language/imagery that were once commonplace. Remind students that primary sources reflect attitudes from the time when they were created and that beliefs and values, as well as commonly accepted ways of expressing them, have changed. Have a plan in place to address this speech before asking students to read aloud or quote primary sources in class discussions and essays and fall back on the conclusions students made about stereotypes in Lesson 2 from the previous module. |
Teacher Tip: Do No Harm Be aware of the power of media messages and the potential for unintended consequences (e.g., reinforcing/introducing stereotypes or potentially harmful messages you engage with). You can contrast negative or potentially harmful messages with positive media representation. Try to cue into and follow up with students’ emotional responses to documents and listen well to the meaning-making of your students to address potentially harmful or triggering ideas. See Project Look Sharp’s “Tips for Decoding Media Documents” for more information on the “do no harm.” |
| Step 2: Make connections to today | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students consider modern dominant narratives of immigration and compare them with the dominant narrative from the past.
You might say: Dominant narratives can be followed over time. We are going to look at a source debunking modern-day immigration myths—dominant narratives that many people in the United States believe about immigration—and make connections between these narratives and the past narrative we just explored.
[Slide 9] Read the source.
- Direct students to Part 3 of their handout.
- Read instructions with students.
- Read the source.
- Note similarities between the modern-day dominant narrative and the past dominant narrative.
- Note differences between the modern-day dominant narrative and the past dominant narrative.
- Provide students time to read and complete Part 3 of their handout independently.
[Slide 10] Facilitate pair discussion.
- Ask:
- How does the modern dominant narrative compare with the dominant narrative from the past?
- Possible response: It’s really similar—people are worried about immigrants being violent, taking jobs, and influencing elections.
- How do these narratives serve people in power?
- Possible response: It lets them continue to make laws that affect immigrants negatively. It gives them a scapegoat—rather than actually addressing the problems in society people are angry about, they pin the blame on immigrants.
- Provide students time to turn to their partner and discuss the questions.
- Invite students to share out to the whole class.
| Step 3: Create counternarrative art | (30 min) |
Purpose: Students examine examples of art about immigration for inspiration. Using what they learned, they create a piece of art that communicates a counternarrative to the dominant narrative described in “The New Colossus.”
You might say: Now that we have learned about some of the many different immigrant experiences and the laws that shaped those experiences, it’s time to apply our learning by creating a piece of art that illuminates a counternarrative.
[Slide 11] Lead an image analysis.
- Distribute Immigration Counternarrative Art handout.
- Direct students to Part 1.
- Place students into pairs. Instruct them to view the images in Part 1 of their handout.
- Ask: What are the messages about U.S. immigration? What from the image makes you say that?
- Possible response: The first political cartoon is making a joke about how people say to send immigrants back where they came from, with the Statue of Liberty basically getting deported back to France. They’re trying to show that the rhetoric around sending people back is ridiculous.
- Ask: From whose perspective is each image created? How do you know?
- Possible response: This is created by people who are anti-deportation and anti-attitudes that immigrants don’t belong in the United States. They show this by placing those attitudes alongside the idea of deporting the Statue of Liberty, a national symbol that is from France.
[Slide 12] Facilitate art creation.
- Direct students to Part 2 of their handout.
- Review the directions.
- See Teacher Prepration note to determine if you want students to complete their art on their handout, another material like cardstock, or using some digital tool they have used before.
- Allow student work time and provide timing guidance.
- Invite students share their work with each other in small groups and explain the choices they made in the creative process.
| Step 4: Explore student podcast examples | (10 min) |
Purpose: Students listen to a student-created podcast in a jigsaw with their podcast team. Then, they discuss the role that podcasting can play in challenging dominant narratives about U.S. immigration.
You might say: In your final product, you will be asked to create a podcast that helps audiences challenge a dominant story in U.S. history. But what makes an effective podcast? And how can podcasting help us challenge dominant narratives and create change? We will explore these questions by looking at a student-created podcast example.
[Slide 13] Provide instructions for podcast jigsaw.
- Invite students to organize themselves into their project teams for this activity.
- Distribute Immigration Podcast Reflection handout.
- Read directions with students, then assign each student a podcast to listen to.
- When they are done listening, invite students to share their notes with their team.
- Then, invite one person from each team to share their takeaways.
[Slide 14] Lead a whole-class discussion.
- Ask: How can we use podcasting to challenge the dominant narratives in U.S. history?
- Possible response: Podcasting is an opportunity for storytelling, so it lets you tell stories that people might not otherwise hear. You can also interview people on podcasts, showing even more perspectives.
- Ask: What topics interest you as we begin to think about our final podcasts?
Teacher Tip: Storytelling Storytelling is a key part of the final product for this unit because it’s an important part of creating deeper understanding. If you have time to extend this lesson, play the BBC video “The Science of Storytelling” [4:37] to help students consider the power of storytelling.
|
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Lesson 2.2: Indigenous Narratives
Teacher Guide
Lesson 2.2: Indigenous Narratives
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question:How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question:How do dominant narratives about the past impact American society today?
Learning Targets I can:
Purpose In this lesson, you will hear from other perspectives and voices to build a more complete understanding of Indigenous history in the United States. You will learn about a dominant narrative from U.S. history regarding Indigenous boarding schools. You will consider what might be missing from this dominant narrative. Then, you will work in small groups to complicate the narrative by exploring additional sources. Finally, using what you learned, you will write a textbook section on Indigenous boarding schools that includes the counternarratives. Lesson Steps
|
Teacher Preparation Notes
| Pacing | |
| Lesson Timing: | 70 minutes |
| Standards | |
| D2.His.4.9-12: Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.D2.His.7.9-12: Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem. |
| Lesson Resources | ||
| For Students | For Educators | Materials |
|
| Lesson Overview |
| In this lesson, students hear from other perspectives and voices to build a more complete understanding of Indigenous history in the United States. They learn about a dominant narrative from U.S. history regarding Indigenous boarding schools. They consider what might be missing from this dominant narrative. Then, they work in small groups to complicate the narrative by exploring additional sources. Finally, using what they learned, students write a textbook section on Indigenous boarding schools that includes the counternarratives. |
| Teacher Preparation |
|
Lesson Steps in Detail
| Step 1: Explore the dominant Indigenous narrative | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students are introduced to a dominant narrative regarding Indigenous Americans by examining a text by Captain Richard Pratt, founder of the Carlisle School.
You might say: In the final product, you will create podcasts that elevate and amplify the voices and perspectives of those who are often silent in the dominant narrative of U.S. history. Today, we will look at a dominant narrative from history surrounding Indigenous Americans and examine sources that challenge that dominant narrative.
[Slides 2–6] Lead a close reading of the U.S. history textbook excerpt.
- Distribute Dominant Indigenous Narrative handout to students.
- [Slide 2] Provide context for the text.
- [Slide 3] Provide students time to complete the context, audience, perspective, and purpose boxes on their handout.
- Talking points:
- This is a modern-day textbook, so the context we are looking at is our context.
- Remember our lesson in Module 1 about history curriculum, who writes it, and its impact as you fill out audience, perspective, and purpose.
- [Slide 4] Read the text as a class, one paragraph at a time.
- Define vocabulary necessary to understanding as you go.
- Encourage students to annotate the text. You can have them look for subjective language, word choices with positive and negative connotations, and euphemisms.
- Ask: How would you summarize this text in 1–2 sentences?
- Possible response: In the late 1800s, reformers in the United States sought to take Indigenous children and put them in boarding skills to forcibly assimilate them into White American society.
- Invite students to turn and talk to their partner about the significance box.
- What story about Indigenous boarding schools does this source tell?
- Provide students time to write a response in the box.
- Invite students to share out.
- [Slide 5] Reflect on the story.
- Ask: What story about Indigenous boarding schools is the textbook telling?
- Possible response: They were a thing that happened in the late 1800s, and they forced Indigenous kids to give up their culture in favor of White culture. This was an example of reform at a time when a lot of people just wanted to kill Indigenous people.
- Ask: How does that story make you feel?
- Possible response: Kind of irritated—it feels disingenuous to call this reform, and I feel like it probably downplays the negative impact of the schools. But I haven’t been given enough information to feel anything very strongly.
- Provide students time to talk to their partner about the questions.
- Invite students to share out.
| Step 2: Complicate the dominant Indigenous narrative | (30 min) |
Purpose: In order to complicate the dominant narrative about Indigenous people, students work in small groups to explore additional sources.
You might say: We will now examine and analyze sources that complicate the narrative expressed in the textbook. This is good practice for your final product, in which you will challenge a dominant narrative.
[Slide 6] Engage in a station rotation activity.
- Distribute the Complicate the Narrative handout.
- Read instructions with students.
- With your group, explore the source at your station.
- Discuss the questions on your handout and record notes based on the source.
- When time is up, rotate to your next station.
[Slide 7] Facilitate a whole-class reflection.
- Remind students that they are working on the discussion skill “support ideas with evidence.”
- Ask: Think back to our lesson in Module 1 about history curriculum. How does telling the story the way the textbook did benefit people in power?
- Possible response: It stops people from feeling really upset about the long-term impacts of the policy. It also makes them look less bad than it actually was.
- Ask: What impact does this dominant narrative have on our society?
- Possible response: People might think Indigenous people are exaggerating about the impact or that they’re disproportionately angry about something that’s in the past.
- Talking points:
- This approach of downplaying the experiences of marginalized groups is a common one.
- It makes people who are not part of the targeted group, who don’t share their experiences, dismiss their stories about what happened and the impact it has had. When they try to fight back, they can be seen as overly sensitive, aggressive, and/or unreasonable.
- Parallels you could draw:
- Black Lives Matter
- Trans rights
- #MeToo
Teacher Tip: Curating and Choosing Sources The events, people, and resources in the handouts are suggestions and places to start. Depending on your students, interests, and needs, you may want to add key events and resources to review or replace the events with different ones. You may want to pare back the number of resources students examine at each station. See the teacher prep note for more guidance. |
Teacher Tip: Racist Language and Imagery in Primary Sources The primary sources include language, images, or ideas that require thoughtful preparation. Educators should review primary sources carefully and be prepared for any slurs and other hateful or hurtful speech/images. These sources depict beliefs and perspectives of previous eras, including negative stereotypes and insulting and offensive language/imagery that were once commonplace. Remind students that primary sources reflect attitudes from the time when they were created and that beliefs and values, as well as commonly accepted ways of expressing them, have changed. Have a plan in place to address this speech before asking students to read aloud or quote primary sources in class discussions and essays and fall back on the conclusions students made about stereotypes in Lesson 2 from the previous module. |
Teacher Tip: Do No Harm Be aware of the power of media messages and the potential for unintended consequences (e.g., reinforcing/introducing stereotypes or potentially harmful messages you engage with). You can contrast negative or potentially harmful messages with positive media representation. Try to cue into and follow up with students’ emotional responses to documents and listen well to the meaning-making of your students to address potentially harmful or triggering ideas. See Project Look Sharp’s “Tips for Decoding Media Documents” for more information on the “do no harm.” |
| Step 3: Rewrite the book | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students examine example textbook excerpts to prepare them to write their own textbook section. Then, using what they learned about Indigenous people, they write a textbook section about Indigenous boarding schools that illuminates a counternarrative.
You might say: In Unit 1, we learned about history curriculum decision-making and how teaching the dominant narrative in schools, without including counternarratives, leads us to create certain narratives about groups of people in our everyday lives. We can do that in ways that subconsciously reinforce dominant narratives instead of challenging them. By rewriting the textbook, we can work to challenge dominant narratives and we can become more conscious of the ways in which the media we see every day influence our understanding of the world and the people in it.
[Slide 8] Facilitate textbook section writing.
- Distribute the Indigenous Counternarrative Textbook handout.
- Review the directions.
- See Teacher Preparation note to determine if you want students to complete their excerpt on their handout, another material like cardstock, or using some digital tool they have used before.
- Allow student work time and provide timing guidance.
- Invite students to share their work with each other in small groups and explain the choices they made in the writing process.
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Lesson 2.3: Black Narratives
Teacher Guide
Lesson 2.3: Black Narratives
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question:How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question:How do dominant narratives about the past impact American society today?
Learning Targets I can:
Purpose In this lesson, you will hear from other perspectives and voices to have a more complete understanding of Black history in the United States. You will examine a movie clip displaying a dominant narrative. Then, you will work in small groups to explore the impact of this narrative. Next, using what you learned, you will create an audio recording in response to the Module 2 driving question. Finally, you will meet in your podcast teams to select a topic and reflect on what you know and still need to learn. Lesson Steps
|
Teacher Preparation Notes
| Pacing | |
| Lesson Timing: | 100 minutes |
| Standards | |
| D2.His.4.9-12: Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.D2.His.5.9-12: Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives. |
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) to address a question or solve a problem. |
| Lesson Resources | ||
| For Students | For Educators | Materials |
|
| Lesson Overview |
| In this lesson, students hear from other perspectives and voices to have a more complete understanding of Black history in the United States. They examine a movie clip displaying a dominant narrative. Then, they work in small groups to challenge this narrative by exploring different curated sources on counternarratives. Next, using what they learned, they create an audio recording challenging the dominant narrative as displayed in the movie clip. Finally, they meet in their podcast teams to select a topic and reflect on what they know and still need to learn. |
| Teacher Preparation |
|
Lesson Steps in Detail
| Step 1: Explore the dominant narrative | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students view a movie clip demonstrating a historical dominant narrative about Black Americans. Then, students reflect on how this narrative served people in power.
You might say: In the final product, you will create podcasts that elevate and amplify voices and perspectives of those who are often silent in the dominant narrative of U.S. history. Today we will look at the dominant narrative surrounding Black Americans and examine sources that challenge the dominant narrative. Throughout our lesson, try to think of the connection between how Black people have been portrayed in media, the reinforcement and creation of stereotypes, and how these dominant narratives impact the lived experienced of this group of people.
[Slides 2–5] View and discuss the clip from 13th.
- Distribute Dominant Black Narrative handout to students.
- Direct students to Part 1 of their handout.
- [Slides 2–3] Provide context for the source.
- Reconstruction—rights
- Political/economic growth for Black Americans
- [Slide 4] Watch clip of “13th” [2:48–7:26].
- Ask: How would you summarize this source in 1–2 sentences?
- Possible response: Birth of a Nation was a wildly popular movie that reinforced existing stereotypes about Black Americans and led to a number of dangerous and oppressive policies and societal shifts.
- [Slide 5] Reflect on the story.
- Ask: How did this dominant narrative serve people in power?
- Possible response: Birth of a Nation justified racist policies for those who had traditionally held power (wealthy White men) to help them maintain that power.
- Provide students time to talk to their partner about the question.
- Invite students to share out.
Teacher Tip: Racist Language and Imagery in Primary Sources The primary sources include language, images, or ideas that require thoughtful preparation. Educators should review primary sources carefully and be prepared for any slurs and other hateful or hurtful speech/images. These sources depict beliefs and perspectives of previous eras, including negative stereotypes and insulting and offensive language/imagery that were once commonplace. Remind students that primary sources reflect attitudes from the time when they were created and that beliefs and values, as well as commonly accepted ways of expressing them, have changed. Have a plan in place to address this speech before asking students to read aloud or quote primary sources in class discussions and essays and fall back on the conclusions students made about stereotypes in Lesson 2 from the previous module. |
Teacher Tip: Do No Harm Be aware of the power of media messages and the potential for unintended consequences (e.g., reinforcing/introducing stereotypes or potentially harmful messages you engage with). You can contrast negative or potentially harmful messages with positive media representation. Try to cue into and follow up with students’ emotional responses to documents and listen well to the meaning-making of your students to address potentially harmful or triggering ideas. See Project Look Sharp’s “Tips for Decoding Media Documents” for more information on the “do no harm.” |
| Step 2: Examine impact | (30 min) |
Purpose: Students work in small groups to explore the impact of the dominant Black narrative by viewing different curated sources.
You might say: We will now examine and analyze sources that demonstrate the impact of the dominant narrative expressed in Birth of a Nation. These sources will demonstrate what we’ve been discussing throughout this unit—that dominant narratives shape our society in profound ways.
[Slides 6–8] Engage in a jigsaw activity.
- See Teacher Preparation note above for guidance on breaking up sources and groups.
- Direct students to Part 2 of their handout.
- [Slide 6] Place students in groups.
- Read the instructions.
- With your group, explore your assigned source.
- In the table on your handout, record the events as described in your source.
- Provide students time to complete the first part of the jigsaw activity.
- [Slide 7] Place students in new groups, with a representative from each of the original groups.
- Read the instructions.
- Present your findings to your new group.
- Record the findings from the other groups in the table on your handout.
- [Slide 8] Reflect on the sources.
- Ask: What connections can you draw between these sources and the film clip?
- Possible response: The sources show an increase in violence against Black people, which is basically what the film was advocating for.
Teacher Tip: Curating and Choosing Sources The events, people, and resources in the handouts are suggestions and places to start. Depending on your students, interests, and needs, you may want to add key events and resources to review or replace the events with different ones. You may want to pare back the number of resources students examine at each station. |
| Step 3: Create an audio recording | (30 min) |
Purpose: Students practice using the audio recording software they will use for their unit projects to conclude their learning for the module.
You might say: To wrap up your learning for the unit and prepare for the unit project, you will create an audio recording in response to our module driving question: How do dominant narratives about the past impact American society today? You will use the sources you have explored throughout the unit to provide evidence to support your response.
[Slide 9] Provide guidance about your class audio recording platform.
- Provide instructions to students about the audio platform you will be using. See the Teacher Tip for information about using Audacity as your platform.
- If needed, provide students time to set up an account and/or explore the tools on the platform.
[Slide 10] Facilitate audio recording.
- Distribute the Module 2 Recording handout.
- Read the instructions.
- Given your learning so far in this unit, consider how you would respond to the module driving question: How do dominant narratives about the past impact American society today?
- Include evidence from the sources you have examined throughout the unit.
- Use your handout to plan your audio response.
- Record and submit your response.
- Provide students time to complete their planning and recording.
- If you have time, you may wish to have students share their audio recordings in small groups or with the whole class.
Teacher Tip: Using Audacity To record the student podcasts, you will need a recording tool. Audacity is one free option you can use to easily record podcasts. Follow the links and guidance below, and make sure to explore your chosen tool before the lesson so you are ready to support students in their recording!
|
| Step 4: Meet in podcast teams | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students meet in their podcast teams to select a topic for their podcast. They reflect on what they know and what they still need to learn to complete their podcast project.
You might say: Now you will have the chance to meet in your podcast teams to select your topic and consider what you know and need to know to complete your podcast project. Think about what dominant narrative feels pressing to you to challenge, how you might want to inform people about the impact of a particular dominant narrative, what counternarratives you want to elevate, and what perspectives you want to hear from to expand your own understanding.
[Slide 11] Select topics.
- Place students in their podcast teams.
- Provide students time to discuss and do some cursory research on topics that interest them. Circulate to provide guidance.
[Slide 12] Complete Know & Need to Know charts.
- Distribute the Podcast Know & Need to Know handout.
- Provide teams time to complete their charts.
[Slide 13] Conduct a whip around share.
- Ask: What is one thing you still need to learn to complete your project?
- Invite one student to begin the whip around share, indicating the direction for the share. Allow students to respond in turn.
Teacher Tip: Sharing Podcasts Consider ahead of time how you will share the podcasts in Lesson 3.4. Work with your school’s administrator and technology coordinator to determine the best way to publish and share students’ podcasts. It might be as simple as emailing students an audio file or as powerful as adding the podcasts to the school’s website so people outside of the school community can also learn from the students’ work.Two good options for sharing within a class include uploading the podcast recordings to a Google Classroom Assignment or posting them on Flipgrid.To share out more broadly, podcasts can also be hosted on open platforms. From the New York Times “Project audio” lesson plan, here’s an example of how one teacher shares her class’s podcasts on SoundCloud. |
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Module 3 Overview: Complicating the American Story
Module Overview
Module 3: Complicating the American Story
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question
How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question
How can we use podcasting to center voices that disrupt dominant narratives in U.S. history?
Module Overview
In this module, students create a podcast that helps to complicate the dominant narrative of U.S. history by amplifying the voices of those whose stories go untold and overlooked. In Lesson 3.1, students consider how to respectfully share stories. They work in their teams to research their topic and outline and draft their scripts. In Lesson 3.2, students revise their podcast script in preparation for recording their podcast after receiving peer feedback. Students work with their teams and use their podcast scripts to record and edit their podcasts. In Lesson 3.3, students showcase their final products. Afterward, they reflect on their podcasting experience and what they’ve learned about the power of media and narratives in shaping our understanding of U.S. history.
| Lesson 3.1: Plan Your Podcast (120 minutes) | |
Key Standards for Success Criteria D2.His.4.9-12D2.His.7.9-12CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4 Success CriteriaBy the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
| In this lesson, students participate in a collaborative activity and discussion that aims to identify what they must consider when telling stories that are not their own. Working in project teams, they research the topic they’ve chosen and outline the content and flow of their podcast. Students work with their podcast teams to organize the story structure and outline their plan for the research they’ve conducted. Afterward, they will script their podcast. |
| Lesson 3.2: Podcast Studio Time (120 minutes) | |
Key Standards for Success Criteria D2.His.5.9-12D2.His.7.9-12CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2 Success CriteriaBy the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
| In this lesson, students revise their podcast script in preparation for recording their podcast. Students practice their podcast conversation with their team and give feedback to and receive feedback from two other teams. Then, students review the feedback they received and decide on revisions. Students work with their teams and use their podcast scripts to record and edit a coherent, structured, and clear podcast. |
| Lesson 3.3: Podcast Showcase (60 minutes) | |
Key Standards for Success Criteria D2.His.4.9-12D2.His.5.9-12D2.His.7.9-12CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4 Success CriteriaBy the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
| In this final lesson, students showcase their final products. Afterward, they reflect on their podcasting experience and what they’ve learned about the power of media and narratives in shaping our understanding of U.S. history. |
| Module Assessments |
|
| Vocabulary |
|
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Lesson 3.1: Plan Your Podcast
Teacher Guide
Lesson 3.1: Plan Your Podcast
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question:How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question:How can we use podcasting to center voices that disrupt dominant narratives in U.S. history?
Learning Targets I can:
Purpose In this lesson, you will participate in a collaborative activity and discussion that aims to identify what we must consider when telling stories that are not our own. Working in project teams, you will research your topic and outline (i.e., storyboard) the content and flow of your podcast. You will work with your podcast team to organize your story structure and outline your plan using your research. You will script your podcast with your team. Lesson Steps
|
Teacher Preparation Notes
| Pacing | |
| Lesson Timing: | 120 minutes |
| Standards | |
| D2.His.4.9-12: Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.D2.His.5.9-12: Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives.D2.His.7.9-12: Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. |
| Lesson Resources | ||
| For Students | For Educators | Materials |
|
| Lesson Overview |
| In this lesson, students participate in a collaborative activity and discussion that aims to identify what they must consider when telling stories that are not their own. Working in project teams, they research the topic they’ve chosen and outline the content and flow of their podcast. Students work with their podcast teams to organize the story structure and outline their plan using the research they’ve conducted. Afterward, they will script their podcast. |
| Teacher Preparation |
|
Lesson Steps in Detail
| Step 1: Reflect on the benefits and responsibilities of storytelling | (10 min) |
Purpose: Students reflect on and discuss the considerations we must keep in mind when we are telling stories that are not our own. Then, they discuss the questions they should think through as they research and outline their podcasts in Steps 3 and 4.
You might say: For our final product, we will be recording podcasts in our project teams. In your podcast, you are going to highlight a group, person, or key event in U.S. immigration history. Most/some of us do not belong to the communities that we will be researching, so we must make sure that, through our storytelling, we are centering that community and not ourselves. There are responsible ways to tell stories that are not our own, but they require intentional reflection and planning. We’re going to do that reflection and planning right now.
[Slide 2] Reflect on your own story.
- Direct students to Part 1 of their Responsible Storytelling Reflection handout and read the directions out loud.
- Reflect on the following questions through the lens of your own identity.
- Think about some of the ways you personally identify. Out of all those identities, which two are the most important to you?
- Now, think about a person, fictional or real, who is the complete opposite of those two identities. How would you feel if they were in charge of telling your story?
- Keep thinking about this person who is different from you. How would you like them to tell your story? What would make you feel like your story was told well? What would make you feel like it was not told well?
- Connect it to our podcast. What are important things to consider when we are telling stories that are not our own?
[Slides 3–4] Participate in an active-listening exercise.
- Provide instructions for the partner-listening activity.
- Work with a partner to reflect on the identity questions you just answered.
- One person speaks at a time. The other person listens and asks prompting questions but does not share their own thoughts or opinions until it is their turn.
- Partner A will have 5 minutes to respond to any of the discussion questions from their handout. If there is a lull in their response, Partner B can ask one of the following questions.
- When you said ____, what did you mean?
- Can you elaborate on your statement about _______?
- Can you give an example to support your statement about _______?
- After 5 minutes, Partner B will have five minutes to respond to any of the discussion questions. If there is a lull in their response, Partner A can ask one of the above questions.
- After both partners have spoken, each partner has 3 minutes to reflect on and discuss one statement their partner made that stuck with them during the activity.
- I will keep time and let you know when it is time to switch.
[Slide 5] Debrief in podcast teams.
- Direct students to Part 2 of their handout and read the directions aloud.
- When it comes to other people’s stories, what is the importance of listening actively? How does listening actively allow us to center the speaker?
- What thoughts did your partner share about considerations we should keep in mind when telling other people’s stories? Make a list of thoughts from your whole team.
[Slide 6] Build a class list of considerations for storytelling.
- Invite podcast teams to share out the considerations they discussed.
- Record the considerations so that all students can see and reference them.
[Slide 7] Explore other possible podcast considerations.
- Use the list on the slide to acknowledge some of the considerations that we should keep in mind as we practice responsible storytelling.
- Invite students to identify any other considerations this discussion brought up in their minds that they have not yet shared.
Teacher Tip: Capture Class Thoughts (Anchor Chart) For this activity, you can have teams share out their collaborative lists of considerations and allow students to add anything they hear that they did not think of to their own lists. Alternatively, you can build a collaborative list of considerations in an anchor chart that students can continuously reference as they build out their final product. |
Teacher Tip: Podcast Project One-Pager You will find a project one-pager in your teacher materials. In Unit 1, students explored this resource as a class. If time allows, consider doing the same in this lesson. Otherwise, distribute this to students to make sure they are clear on all parts of their final product. Decide what dates you want to share with students for the due date section under deliverables. |
| Step 2: Research your podcast | (40 min) |
Purpose: Students use sources and documents from Module 2 to research and organize their ideas.
You might say: Now that we have reflected on how we can use podcasting as a tool to tell stories respectfully, we are going to continue researching. In your podcast teams, begin the research you’ll need to start outlining your podcast.
[Slide 8] Review research instructions.
- Direct students to Part 1 of their Podcast Planning handout and review the directions for research.
You might say: It’s important to note that you might need to do more research later on. As you outline, script, and record, you might determine that there is missing information that you want to include; that’s a normal part of the process of creating a podcast. In our upcoming lessons, you will have plenty of time to complete any research that you don’t complete today.
| Teacher Tip: Research Resources Depending on how you curated the sources for Module 2, students may have access to all the research resources, or this may be when you would provide the remainder of the resources. Additionally, if students choose a different topic or a personal topic, you may need to help guide them to research resources. Consider teaming up with your school’s librarian to help students navigate accessing and conducting research. |
| Step 3: Outline your podcast | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students outline their podcast by drawing on the list of considerations identified and the topic they selected in the last lesson.
You might say: Now, we are going to outline our podcast. The outline is used to make sure that as you create your podcast, the story you are trying to tell is well thought-out and flows in a captivating way.
[Slide 9] Review outline expectations and help students get started.
- Direct students to Part 2 of their Podcast Planning handout and review the directions as a class.
[Slide 10] Support students in sequencing their podcast content.
- Direct students to Part 3 of their handout, in which students sequence the content they have identified for their podcast.
- Provide students guidance on how much time they have for this outline.
- Provide students with information about conferences with you (if you are going to hold conferences).
Teacher Tip: Conferencing With Podcast Teams As students outline their podcasts, create a rotation schedule to conference with all teams. As you do so, you might ask them:
|
| Step 4: Explore different podcast structures and outlines | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students unpack the three main formats for podcast storytelling through a video and begin to outline their ideas using the circular order structure.
You might say: In a few days, we will be publishing our podcasts! We will have a publishing event to showcase our work and will spend the next few lessons preparing for that event. Up to now, you have been doing research and planning around what you want to present in your podcast. You have selected a story about a refugee community you want to highlight, identified a message of solidarity you want to create through your podcast, and created a general outline of the different parts of your podcast. Now, you must decide how you will structure all of this information. Podcasting is storytelling, and stories need an arc that takes an audience on a clear journey—but there are many ways to create a storytelling arc. We are going to unpack three different storytelling structures, and then you will choose one to use as a team.
[Slide 11] Play the PRX video “How to Write Scripts for Your Podcast” [3:58].
- After watching the video, ask students to reflect on the following questions:
- Ask: What is the speaker saying about “characters” in podcasting?
- Possible response: Every podcast needs to have characters. They can be individuals or groups of people, but to create a compelling podcast, you need to identify the characters whose story will drive the plot forward. The podcast should include elements of conflict the characters are facing and use the unpacking of that conflict to drive the story as well.
- Ask: What are three types of story structures that can be used in podcasting?
- Possible response: chronological order, circular order, and broken narrative.
- Ask: What are the pros and cons of each structure?
- Possible response: Chronological is easy to follow, and it highlights causes and effects easily for the listener. With circular, the story starts at the height of the conflict (the climax), then it takes us back to the beginning and goes in chronological order. With the story starting at the climax, the audience is hooked by the most engaging part of the story. A broken narrative is when the story is told using a lot of context, and events in the story are told out of order. In this structure, you tell the audience about something happening to your character(s), then give context about why it is happening. In chronological and circular structure, the “why” may not be established.
You might say: For this podcast, we will use the circular structure. Consider how you might best tell the story of your topic/group/person using this structure.
[Slide 12] Direct students to Part 4 of their Podcast Planning handout.
- Read the directions with students and provide any additional guidance needed for their work time.
[Slide 13] Facilitate a reflection on gaps in their podcast content.
- After students fill in the handout with their research, have them pause briefly to reflect on the following questions. Ask:
- As you are filling out your handout, are you noticing any gaps in your research?
- What information might you want to include that you have not thought of until now?
- How will your team fill in any research gaps?
You might say: Researching before outlining is very important. However, as we build out the structure of our story, it’s very normal to realize that there is more we want to include or parts that we might have missed when doing our initial research. It’s part of the process!
| Step 5: Script your podcast | (30 min) |
Purpose: In their teams, students choose their roles and create a script in preparation for their upcoming podcast practice and recording.
You might say: Now that you have determined how you will structure your podcast, it’s time to write your script. This script will be very detailed and help make sure you know exactly what to say when recording your podcast. Let’s go over what your script will look like together.
[Slide 14] Prepare students to begin writing their script.
- Project the Podcast Rubric and review the criteria for all five rows in the “Award-Winning Podcast Producers” column with students.
- Clarify for students the expected length of podcasts (i.e., how many words or pages of script equal how many minutes).
- We have found that, on average, it takes 5–6 minutes to read aloud a 1,000-word script, depending on pauses and delivery speed.
- Direct students to Part 5 of their Podcast Planning handout, then review the directions and guidance with students.
[Slide 15] Provide students time to script.
- As students are working, have the following tips visible. You can refer students back to them as you support students during their work time.
- Work collaboratively (one person should not do all the writing).
- Make your story interesting.
- Decide if you need to do more research.
- Check the Podcast Rubric to see if you are meeting the criteria for award-winning podcast producers.
Teacher Tip: Make Sure Students Share Scriptwriting Tasks To avoid a situation in which one student does most (or all) of the work of writing the script, coach teams in collaboration. Each team member can write part of the script, offer ideas, and suggest revisions. For example, once the team members have an outline of the questions they will discuss in their podcast, each member can be assigned a part and be responsible for scripting the response. |
Teacher Tip: Dual Language Podcasts You can allow students to record their podcasts in their native language and include English subtitles, or to record using a mix of spoken and written languages. This can help newcomers and beginning multilingual learners engage with the content at grade level, while still practicing their speaking and writing skills. |
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Lesson 3.2: Podcast Studio Time
Teacher Guide
Lesson 3.2: Podcast Studio Time
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question:How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question:How can we use podcasting to center voices that disrupt dominant narratives in U.S. history?
Learning Targets I can:
Purpose In this lesson, you will revise your podcast script in preparation for recording your podcast. You will practice your podcast conversation with your team and give feedback to and receive feedback from two other teams. Then, you will review the feedback you received and decide on revisions. You will work with your team and use your podcast script to record and edit a coherent, structured, and clear podcast. Lesson Steps
|
Teacher Preparation Notes
| Pacing | |
| Lesson Timing: | 120 minutes |
| Standards | |
| D2.His.4.9-12: Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.D2.His.5.9-12: Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives.D2.His.7.9-12: Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. |
| Lesson Resources | ||
| For Students | For Educators | Materials |
|
|
| Lesson Overview |
| In this lesson, students revise their podcast script in preparation for recording their podcast. Students practice their podcast conversation with their team and give feedback to and receive feedback from two other teams. Then, students review the feedback they received and decide on revisions. Students work with their team and use their podcast script to record and edit a coherent, structured, and clear podcast. |
| Teacher Preparation |
|
Lesson Steps in Detail
| Step 1: Workshop your podcast | (30 min) |
Purpose: Students practice their podcasts with two other teams and give each other feedback on their scripts.
You might say: Now that we have researched, planned, and outlined our podcasts, it’s time to practice them. Your team has been working on a podcast script that lays out everything you will say in your podcast, exactly as you will say it during your recording session. You are going to go through two rounds of feedback on each other’s scripts. However, the teams you are paired with will not read your script; instead, they will watch you read your script as a team. This will enable them to provide feedback on how your story sounds aloud. It will also help you because, when you read your writing aloud, you can catch mistakes more quickly and easily. You’ll be able to make any changes needed before you record.
[Slides 2–4] Distribute the Podcast Feedback handout.
- Read instructions with students and provide any further guidance needed, including expectations for peer feedback. Talking points:
- You will participate in two rounds of feedback.
- You will fill out one feedback form for each team you are paired with and give it to them at the end of the feedback round.
- Between each feedback round, you will have three minutes to make quick edits to your script. These should be simple changes, like crossing out words that tripped you up or fixing grammatical errors.
- Each team member should have a copy of their script and a pen or pencil. As your teammates read their parts of the script, circle/underline/highlight anything that sounds off or might need to be edited.
- (Optional) Provide further guidance if needed, like how long they have for each round and how they will know it’s time to stop and to move on. If possible, provide timers to help students stay on track.
Teacher Tip: “The Right Length” Rubric Guidance The rubric includes a row about “delivery.” In this section of the rubric, students are asked to make their podcast “just the right length.” We wanted to leave this open for you to decide what the right length might be, given the amount of time students have to complete their podcast in your class. We suggest guiding students to create a podcast that is 4–6 minutes long, but you should choose the length given your class’s needs. |
| Step 2: Revise your podcast | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students review the notes they took on their scripts during feedback rounds, along with the Podcast Feedback handouts they received from their peers, to revise their podcast script.
You might say: Now that you have participated in the feedback rounds, you have a lot of notes to review with your team! Review the notes your team took as you all read your script, along with the ones on the Podcast Feedback handouts that your peers completed for you.
[Slide 5] Facilitate a reflection and prioritization of peer feedback.
- Invite teams to discuss the following questions in their teams as they reflect on their feedback. Ask:
- What feedback did we receive that we can address quickly and right away?
- What feedback did we receive that would require us to rewrite a major part of our script? How should we address this feedback?
- What feedback did we receive that would require us to add an entirely new part to our podcast? How do we plan to address this feedback?
- Invite teams to share out up to three changes they are making based on peer feedback.
[Slide 6] Invite students to reflect on the project rubric.
- Distribute copies of the Podcast Rubric. Instruct students to read through the rubric as a team and reflect on the following question: What do we still need to complete or revise to make sure that our podcast is meeting the rubric expectations for an award-winning podcast?
- Invite teams to share out up to three changes or additions they are making to ensure they are meeting project expectations, based on the rubric. They can also share which recommendations from the rubric they plan to keep in mind as they record (tone, language, etc.).
| Step 3: Record your podcast | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students record their podcasts.
You might say: The time has come to record our podcasts. You will be working in your teams to record your podcast using the script you have finalized and practiced.
[Slide 7] Record podcasts!
- Give students some guidance on what they should expect as they record their podcasts. Talking points:
- Be ready by the recording space three minutes before your recording time.
- Make sure each team member uses a copy of the podcast script.
- (Optional) Add any other guidance on what students should expect as they record their podcasts.
Teacher Tip: Recording Clear Audio Students will be using WeVideo for their audio recordings. See the following for more tips on how to use WeVideo to record audio. These are also included in the student-facing resource handout.Consider the following best practices to support students in creating a clear audio file:
|
Teacher Tip: Using Audacity To record the student podcasts, you will need a recording tool. Audacity is one free option you can use to easily record podcasts. Follow the links and guidance below, and make sure to explore your chosen tool before the lesson so you are ready to support students in their recording!
|
Teacher Tip: Sharing Podcasts Consider ahead of time how you will share the podcasts in Lesson 3.3. Work with your school’s administrator and technology coordinator to determine the best way to publish and share students’ podcasts. It might be as simple as emailing students an audio file or as powerful as adding the podcasts to the school’s website so people outside of the school community can also learn from the students’ work.Two good options for sharing within a class include uploading the podcast recordings to a Google Classroom Assignment or posting them on Padlet. |
| Step 4: Use flexible time | (20 min) |
Purpose: Some student teams may need more time to record; others may be ready to move on to the editing stage if they know how to use the technology. Students may also use this time to plan for the publishing event if needed.
You might say: Once you finish recording, you have some flexible time to work. You may need more time to re-record parts of your podcast. If your team has finished recording and you are satisfied with your podcast—congratulations! You can use the remaining time to edit your podcast. You can also use this time to continue planning for our publishing event.
[Slide 8] Student teams ready to begin editing their podcast. Remind students to check the Podcast Rubric one last time to be sure they are meeting all criteria for an award-winning podcast. Offer students the following guidance and monitor teams, providing support as needed. Talking points:
- Make sure your podcast is just the right length.
- Check volume levels.
- Cut unnecessary parts and errors.
- Smooth out transitions.
- Reduce background noise.
- Add music and sound effects.
- Check Podcast Rubric one last time to be sure you are meeting all criteria for Award-Winning Podcast Producers.
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Lesson 3.3: Podcast Showcase
Teacher Guide
Lesson 3.3: Podcast Showcase
Together We Rise
Unit Driving Question:How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history?
Module Driving Question:How can we use podcasting to center voices that disrupt dominant narratives in U.S. history?
Learning Targets I can:
Purpose In this final lesson, showcase your final products. Then, reflect on your podcasting experience and what you’ve learned about the power of media and narratives in shaping our understanding of U.S. history. Lesson Steps
|
Teacher Preparation Notes
| Pacing | |
| Lesson Timing: | 60 minutes |
| Standards | |
| D2.His.4.9-12: Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.D2.His.5.9-12: Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives.D2.His.7.9-12: Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past. |
| CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. |
| Lesson Resources | ||
| For Students | For Educators | Materials |
|
| Lesson Overview |
| In this final lesson, students showcase their final products. Afterward, they reflect on their podcasting experience and what they’ve learned about the power of media and narratives in shaping our understanding of U.S. history. |
| Teacher Preparation |
|
Lesson Steps in Detail
| Step 1: Share your podcast with your community | (30 min) |
Purpose: Students listen to their own and their peers’ podcast recordings. They reflect on the stories and messages of each podcast.
You might say: It’s time to celebrate and share all of the hard work we have done to create our podcasts. You will reflect on your own podcast and the podcasts created by your peers, and then we will have a community discussion on what we learned in this unit and through this process.
[Slide 2] Invite students to complete their peer reflections.
- Distribute copies of the Podcast Reflection handout.
- Prompt students to begin by reflecting on the podcasts that their peers created. Provide directions on what podcasts they should listen to and how, and how much time they have for their peer reflections using the guidance provided in the Teacher Preparation section of this Teacher Guide.
[Slide 3] Personal podcast reflection. Direct students to Part 2 of their Podcast Reflection handout and inform them that they will now reflect on their own podcast. Provide guidance on how much time they have for these personal reflections.
Teacher Tip: Ideas for Sharing Podcasts With Youth and Community Our module driving question asks us to consider how we can use podcasts to disrupt dominant narratives in U.S. history. This creates a great opportunity for students to share their projects with community members, especially youth in their school community. Consider the following ideas to share the work you’ve been doing with others:
|
Teacher Tip: Managing Audience Questions and Feedback You may choose to invite parents and outside guests to this lesson, or share student podcasts with other students, parents, and outside guests.When students share their work at an event attended by parents, school staff, other students, outside experts, and/or community members, the audience may need support for asking good questions. Some people may not know what questions to ask or may ask questions that are too challenging or complicated—or even inappropriate. For example, someone might ask students to comment on an aspect of history they did not study, or ask about a sensitive personal or political topic, or ask a question in a way that your students find difficult to understand or answer.If one of these questions arises, you can reframe it for students or ask the audience member to clarify it. For some questions, you may even have to say something like, “That’s a good question, but it’s not something we can answer,” or other words to that effect. Consider providing the audience with a handout with suggestions for the kinds of questions they might ask of students, such as, “What was the most important thing you learned?”, “What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?”, and “Could you explain more about….?”Audience feedback is good for students to hear and can be a valuable part of your assessment strategy. However, guests may tend to offer only general praise, not specific feedback, and typically don’t want to sound too critical. Distribute one copy of the Podcast Rubric per team presenting to any outside guests, so they can orient to the project and use the rubric to provide feedback. |
| Step 2: Participate in a community discussion | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students engage in a whole-class discussion of the lessons they learned about the power of media and narratives in shaping our understanding of U.S. history through this unit and the podcast-recording process.
You might say: Now that we have listened to some podcasts created by our class and reflected on these recordings individually, let’s open it up to a community discussion. We will start by sharing what we learned from the podcasts we listened to, and then we will talk about what we learned in this unit as a whole.
[Slide 4] Invite students to participate in a community discussion.
- Remind students that they are working on the discussion skill “support ideas with evidence.”
- You can work through some or all of the following discussion questions together. Encourage students to reference notes from their Podcast Reflection handout as they reflect and respond.
- What new information did you learn today through podcasts about Americans whose stories are often missing from the dominant American narrative?
- What surprised you as you were listening to podcasts today? What captured your attention?
- Do you have any shoutouts you want to give to other teams about their podcasts?
- Given our work, how can we use podcasting to amplify untold stories?
- What is the most important thing you would want someone to take away from your podcast?
| Step 3: Reflect on the unit driving question | (20 min) |
Purpose: Students individually reflect on the unit driving question and display their reflections on a class anchor chart.
You might say: We are going to close out this unit by reflecting on key ideas of the unit and the question that has been guiding our learning throughout: How can we amplify the untold stories of U.S. history? You will reflect on this question individually on a sticky note. When you are done, you will post your sticky note on our class anchor chart, and then I will read some of our reflections aloud.
[Slide 5] Invite students to reflect on the unit. Invite students to discuss the following questions.
- How do media and narratives shape our understanding of the American story?
- Why do you think it is important to hear from and listen to untold or overlooked American stories?
[Slide 6] Display unit driving question.
- Distribute sticky notes and give students time to individually reflect on the question.
- Then, invite students to post their sticky notes on an anchor chart with the question written on it.
- Read some of the reflections aloud.
Teacher Tip: Timeline Extension Pack You will find a timeline extension pack at the end of this lesson. Read through this teacher-facing document for more guidance on creating a classroom timeline to support student chronological reasoning when learning history thematically. You will find a timeline extension pack at the end of each unit. |
Unless otherwise noted, Together We Rise © 2024 by Educurious is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.