Collaborative Learning Community Paper Presentation: Technology and Instruction

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Unit: Global Expansion and Encounter

Collaborative Learning Community Paper Presentation: Technology and Instruction

Unit Plan: Global Expansion and Encounter (1450-1770)

December 19, 2005

TEC 510

Prepared by:

Jordanne Gardner

Wickie Grant

Katie O’Brien

Sonjanita L. Moore

The sneaky lion leads a pack of hyenas in a murderous coup of the pride. A menacing gang of grasshoppers intimidates hundreds of worker ants to gather food for them at their own expense. The owner of the sports car owns most of the properties on the board and others have to pay or be sent back a few spaces. Once red reaches the other side and is kinged, it dominates black and the entire board of play. The white one hits all the colored ones and they roll across green into pockets, but the ultimate goal is to dominate the black one. What do the Lion King, A Bug’s Life, Monopoly, Checkers and pool have in common? They are all resources that can be used to teach students more about colonization, expansion and negative cultural encounters. Global Expansion and Encounter is a unit plan designed to get teachers started on this quest. It is comprised of four lessons designed to give cursory view of European expansion. The essential questions this unit will address are:

1. Why did change accelerate during this period and how did it lead to a period of (global) political and economic expansion?

2. What were the political, economic, geographic, and social implications of cultural expansion during this period?

3. Why did Europe dominate world politics and economies during this period?

4. What impacts did European domination have on various regions of the world?

This unit plan, Global Expansion and Encounter, has the potential to cover all of the areas of intelligence and various learning styles if one were to extend it beyond the 4 lessons/weeks outlined here. Surely, such a topic could be the context for a years worth of study on the world, as we know it. The year would end with discussions of current policies of the United States, Great Britain and other European countries as they seek to maintain control of the global market in the face of what is seen by many as an “Asian threat.” The four lessons within this unit address four to five of Gardner’s Seven intelligences. The findings are presented in figure 8.1.

Figure 8.1

Essential Questions / Verbal-Linguistic / Logical-math / Visual-Spatial / Bodily-Kinesthetic / Musical-Rhythmic / Interpersonal / Interpersonal
Question # 1 / X / X / X / X
Question # 2 / X / X / X / X / X
Question # 3 / X / X / X / X / X
Question # 4 / X / X / X / X / X

Why should students learn about European expansion (European supremacy/domination)? Is it possible for a “strong” country to trade with a “weaker” country without dominating it? What are the benefits for the “strong” country if force is not used as a means of trade? What impact has European supremacy (domination) had on the world? These are probably not the kinds of problems or questions students ask themselves on a daily basis, especially if their ancestors were of a European background. The reality of the world and globalization, however, make it a vital part of our curricula. The need for equity and balanced perspective in examining these questions is even more important. It is for this reason that students should be presented with the first unit question as a serious question for personal reflection. Do they see European supremacy as an issue? Are they aware of it? How does it affect them today? How did it affect their ancestors? Situated Cognition comes into play when we ask them to make meaning of this concept. It may seem to be a one sided unit if teachers only present the traditional aspects of the history using only European voices, but expanding the lens to include various perspectives (native, Asian, middle eastern, African and perhaps, even other Europeans) will make it easier for learners to have an authentic interest in the topic – even when it may hit close to home. For example, learning about the concept of “white privilege” may make some Caucasian students as uncomfortable as studying lynching would make some African American students uncomfortable. In such instances, teachers must anticipate these reactions by leaving plenty of room for discussion, written reflection and interactions with primary sources of various backgrounds.

Constructivism is engaged when students work together to divide up tasks to accomplish the research for the group project. Decision making about which texts or images to use in the PowerPoint presentation or who will orally present which portions of the project all serve as examples of constructivist theory in practice. Although a guideline for presenting is set by teacher, there is room for individual creativity and vision in the general layout and style of the group project. When students are guided through a museum exhibition on expansion it may or may not catch their attention, but viewing a film such as, 1492 or Roots will capture not only their visual and auditory nerves but their emotional sensitivities. This is the first step towards authentic engagement – hook the student. The feelings they experience or the tears they shed will help them to remember the class or the lesson. Allowing them to present a slide show or to create a dramatic performance for a community panel will allow them to opportunity to not only do their best (be motivated) but to receive recognition for their hard work. In this way, Cognitive Information Processing and motivation go hand-in-hand. Students, as all humans, remember the good and bad experiences – the mediocre ones get lost over time.

The concepts presented in the four-sample lessons meet the NETS for students, as well as standards in reading, geography and history for Washington State. Basic operational and research skills are demonstrated when students are asked to do basic Internet searches or perform word processing tasks. Social, ethical, and human issues are inherent in the lessons in that they will need to work as groups to gain a more extensive understanding of European expansion (past and present) and as they seek to learn more about its implications on their lives today. Students can demonstrate creativity, communication skills and their abilities to produce using technology when they develop papers, power points, websites, sample articles or other visual representations of the readings, sites or films reviewed during the lessons. Ultimately, students would create products that would encourage their community members to learn more about global expansion and how to prevent it from negatively affecting their lives by creating websites, publications, exhibitions, essays, videos or other media using available technology. These products would ideally lead to larger studies or personal life choices by the students, like writing letters to brand name corporations that existed during slavery and still profit from exploitation of poor peoples or hosting a humanities fair in which they present their findings in a more formalized setting.

No matter what learning style the student uses and no matter which learning theory a teacher follows, the end result should be the same – all students should leave the class with a clear understanding of the answers to the essential and unit questions through positive and engaging educational experiences.

Unit Plan

Global Expansion and Encounter (1450-1770)

10th Grade World History Class

Four Week Unit

Essential Questions:

1. Why did change accelerate during this period and how did it lead to a period of (global) political and economic expansion?

2. What were the political, economic, geographic, and social implications of cultural expansion during this period?

3. Why did Europe dominate world politics and economies during this period?

4. What impacts did European domination have on various regions of the world?

Washington State Standards:

History 1.1.3a: Group events an individual by broadly defined historical eras and use timelines to identify and explain patterns of historical continuity and change in a succession of related events/ compare and contrast different cultural perceptions of time

1.1.3b: Compare and evaluate competing historical narratives, analyze multiple perspectives, and challenge arguments of historical inevitability.

1.3.3 Examine and analyze how the contributions of various cultural groups influence society

Geography 1.2.3a Explain why different places of the world have particular physical and human characteristics

Reading 1.2: Understand vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text.

Reading 2.3: Think critically and use reasoning to evaluate purpose.

ISTE National Educational Technology Standards

NETS 3.1 Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

NETS 5.1 Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

Materials Needed:

Overhead and Transparencies

Projector

TV/DVD

Computer Access

Internet Access

Set of National Geographic World History books

Unit Summary:

This unit is designed for a 10th grade world history class. The unit is based on the concept of cultural diffusion its effects throughout the world. Students will study the causes and effects of European Exploration around the world. They will understand how the European nations established colonies in the lands they explored and how the wealth of overseas colonies sparked the Commercial Revolution in Europe. Students will also analyze the reasons non-Europeans were unable to maintain sovereignty subsequent to European contact and the effects of that. Students will evaluate the process of cultural diffusion, how European culture was spread or forced upon the Asian, South American and African continents.

Teaching Objectives:

1. Students will be able to identify and use vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text.

2. Students will be able to create maps that show the major overseas explorations of Europeans and the colonies that were established.

3. Students will be able to explain the impact of Islamic expansion on European access to Asian resources and markets.

4. Students will be able to analyze the reasons non-Europeans were unable to maintain sovereignty subsequent to European contact.

5. Students will be able to create Cultural Diffusion graphic organizers using the computer.

6. Students will be able to graph the rise of nations and explain how they influenced the world.

7. Students will be able to compare and contrast the cultural centers throughout the world in their origins, development, and tendency toward aggressive expansion.

8. Students will be able to differentiate between the major motives of exploration and colonization through a presentation.

9. Students will be able to use research technology to evaluate cultural diffusion throughout the Asian, South American, and African continents.

10. Students will be able to use district web serve to download important readings on the topics.

Technology Methods and Differentiation:

1. The book, National Geographic World History comes with cd’s for each student who gets a book. The cd’s are aids with exercises and supplemental activities on them. The cd’s have interactive lessons and great graphics. They also have different levels of readings and student work. The students will work with these cd’s with the teacher’s instruction; students who work at different levels will all have readings and activities for their appropriate level, allowing them to be successful at understanding the concepts.

2. Two class lectures will be given using Power point. The teacher will present the information using a slide show with pictures and notes. All students will be expected to take notes, but low readers and ELL students may be given hard copies of the slide show to write on.

3. Students will use the publisher application on the computer to create a graphic organizer on cultural diffusion. They will take their information on the graphic organizer and use them to guide themselves in online research to create a presentation to share with the class on the major motives of European Exploration. Topics (motives) will be pre-assigned by the teacher to ensure every student is working at the appropriate level.

4. Students will also use the district web serve to download various readings to aid understanding. Each topic on the web server has three readings that discuss it. The readings are for low, intermediate, and high readers, but are not labeled as such. Students will only work with readings at their appropriate level as decided by the teacher.

Assessment:

Students will be both formatively and summatively assessed for this unit. Their knowledge of topic will be assessed through daily work and discussion first. Students will have to create comparison charts, do short answer questions, WASL prompts, create graphic organizers and answer questions. Students will take 2 quizzes that they are allowed to use their notes on. Students will create one presentation for the class. Their entire unit assessment will be a project in which they have a choice to pick from one of four options.

Lesson Plans:

Week 1: Why should students learn about European expansion and encounter?

Week 2: Do you think it’s possible for a strong country to trade with a weaker one without dominating it?

Week 3: What are some benefits for a strong country in not using force as a means of trade?

Week 4: What are the lasting impacts of European expansion?