Discussions+from+American+History

What does it mean to be an American? What has shaped our country into what it is today? How do historians interpret historical events in order to understand our present?
These are the essential questions my students and I will consider all year in American History. On this page, we'll keep an ongoing record of our discussions, debates, and ah-ha's about possible explanations for the multi-faceted and contradictory personality of the United States of America.


 * __A record of our learning in 2009-2010:__**

Aug. 24-Sept. 4: Set up "in-progress textbooks". Socratic seminar on America NOW. Sept. 7-18: "How to Think Like a Historian"; create "life histories" on ourselves; display for Open House Sept. 16. Sept. 21-Oct. 12: "Characters in American History: Perspectives"; class research on various perspectives Oct. 19-23: "Re-visiting Columbus and 1492" Nov.: First English colonies Dec.: Build-up to a revolution against Britain Jan.: American Revolution Feb.: Slavery in the United States March: "Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution". See the class list of what they'd like to know about the government. -- click HERE for the assessment on the Constitution