Lessons+-+Big+Ideas

__Big Idea #1 – Historical context is needed to comprehend time and space.__

The teacher will facilitate an activity to define **social, cultural,** and **political influences**. The following definitions will be provided to the students:  The students will then analyze the events surrounding the 4th of July holiday and categorize their thinking into social, cultural, and political influences.
 * Social influence: when an individual's thoughts or actions are affected by other people
 * Cultural influence: the affect of the communication and interaction patterns of various ethnic and cultural groups
 * Political influence: relating to the structure or affairs of government, politics, or the state

Discussion and sharing will follow. As a culminating activity, the students will answer the following question in their Learning Log: //How does being aware of history allow you to be an active citizen in United States society?//



__Big Idea # 2 – Historical interpretation involves an analysis of cause and result.__  The teacher will present the students with the following reading from Literacy Matters.

" //Baseball was definitely segregated when Branch Rickey (1881-1965), a white man, started his career in baseball. Branch Rickey devoted his life to baseball, and he knew it in and out. He began as a player, was a college coach, and was general manager for the St. Louis Cardinals (1917-42), before he became president of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Branch Rickey wanted to end segregation in baseball, and he played a major role in doing just that. He felt very strongly that segregation needed to be changed because it was morally wrong. One experience that influenced him was when he was a coach in college. He saw the pain that segregation caused one of his players. His starting catcher was denied service at a hotel and restaurant because he was black. Rickey found the catcher sitting outside the hotel, rubbing his skin, and he said to Rickey, "if only I could make it white." Branch Rickey worked hard to find the right man to integrate the major leagues. He hired Jackie Robinson, an African American, to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers.//"

After the students read this short passage, they will be divided into three groups. Each group has the task of analyzing the point of view of their assigned person (Branch Rickey or the catcher) or group (American society).

Then, the students will share their perspectives through a discussion.

Finally, the students are presented with a fact: //Baseball was desegregated by Branch Rickey when he hired Jackie Robinson in 1947//. In their Learning Logs, the students will then create a flow chart that illustrates the causes that led to this result.



__Big Idea # 3 -__ __Perspective helps to define the attributes of historical comprehension.__

The teacher will define **perspective** through a warm-up activity and this definition will guide the students' thinking through this lesson.

The students will then discuss the recent oil spill in groups. They will brainstorm from the perspective of the animals, environmentalists, BP, politicians, residents, and consumers and complete a graphic organizer.

Then, the students will share their perspectives through a discussion.

To close, the students will answer the following question in their Learning Log: //What role does studying multiple perspectives play in describing a historic event?//



__Big Idea # 4 - The history of the Commonwealth continues to influence Pennsylvanians today, and has impacted the United States and the rest of the world.__

The teacher assign students a Pittsburgh location or landmark to each student. Possibilities include:


 * * Allegheny River
 * August Wilson Center
 * Benedum Center
 * Braddock
 * Carnegie Library
 * Carnegie Mellon University
 * Carnegie Museum
 * Chatham University
 * David L. Lawrence Convention Center
 * Duquesne Incline
 * Forbes Ave.
 * Forbes Field
 * Frick Park
 * Fulton Street
 * Grant St.
 * Harris Theater || * Heinz Field
 * Heinz Hall
 * Magee Women’s Hospital
 * Mellon Bank
 * Monongahela River
 * Mount Washington
 * Neville Island
 * Penn Ave.
 * Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
 * Robert Clemente Bridge
 * Robert Morris University
 * Schenley Park
 * Swissvale
 * Warhol Museum
 * Washington’s Landing
 * West Carson Street ||

The students will then research their assigned location or landmark and answer the following questions: What is the role of this Pittsburgh location in Pennsylvania history? In United States history? How does this Pittsburgh location influence your life today?

As a culminating activity after answering these questions, students can use a MI approach to explore the greater historical significance of each location. Options include:
 * Visit location and create an online photo album with appropriate captions.
 * Using pictures from the Internet, create an Animoto slideshow with captions.

As a final activity, the students will select a location that did not research and view the photo ablum or slideshow. The students will then answer the following question in their Learning Log: //Why is this location significant in Pennsylvania history?//

__Big Idea # 5 - The history of the United States continues to influence its citizens, and has impacted the rest of the world.__

The students will select a significant historical event in United States history (excluding 9/11) and display knowledge of its impact on world history. They will then develop a graphic organizer that exhibits the relationship between the chosen event and the rest of the world. The graphic organizer must portray an object that clearly represents cause and effect, for example: a roller coaster.