STUDENT CITIZENS CONCEPTUALIZE REVOLUTION
WITH CONCEPT CLAIM CARDS
WHO WE ARE
PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES
Temoca Dixon
 7-8 Social Studies Clayton Pre-AP
Academy
 Literacy Studies, M.Ed.
 NBCT
 Northern Nevada Teaching
American History Vanguard
 Master-Mentor teacher WCSD
Sarah Brown
 teaching for 12 years, Spanish Springs




H.S.
Secondary Social Studies Education,
M.Ed.
NBCT
Northern Nevada Teaching American
History Vanguard
NNCSS
WASHOE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SOCIAL STUDIES
 Early implementer of CCSS
 American Radio Works Documentary
 Fordham Foundation Report
 35 Core Advocates for Student Achievement Partners
 Center for American Progress Report
 20 close read lessons available on www.acheivethecore.org
 Nevada Ready Campaign
 Grassroots effort to begin with teachers and develop own resources (not a top-
down approach)
 Focus on close reading, argumentative writing, document based questions, research-
based discussion methods
WWW.PROJECTTAHOE.ORG
Session
Date Time Room
“But the Textbook Said”: Bringing Multiple Perspectives to
Elementary Classrooms
Celebrating Human Rights through Meaningful Discussion in an
Accelerated Classroom
New Perspectives on the Faces of the Holocaust
11/13/15
10:05-10:55 Room 213
11/13/15
11:10-12:00 #219
11/13/15
2:15-3:05
Exhibit H B
Heightening Visual Literacy: Using Art as Text in U.S. History
11/13/15
5:30-6:20
R03
Creating Global Citizens through Current Events and Civil
Discourse
Student Citizens Conceptualize Revolution with Concept Claim
Cards
Wish your Students had Inquiring Minds:Try Question Quads!
11/14/15
9:05-9:55
#226
11/14/15
10:10-11:00 #228
11/14/15
2:40-3:30
Room R01
What makes people bad?
11/14/15
4:50-5:40
#228
CONCEPTS – THE BIG PICTURE
 Mental abstractions rather than concrete or of physical world
 A product of the analysis and synthesis of facts and experiences
 Consistently subject to expansion of meaning and delineation of detail, as different
settings, relationships and contexts complicate meaning – not black and white
 Students construct concepts using examples. This process of concept formation is
ongoing, stimulated by active, meaningful involvement, and is developmental in nature.
WHY CLAIM CARDS?
1. provide a formative practice that allows students to make an argument (claim with
evidence and reasoning) about a concept using an example/non-example
2. allow students to explore their growing and shifting understanding of complex
concepts using more concrete examples
3. provide teachers an opportunity to listen to student ideas about an often confusing
or nuanced concept so they can better understand student misconceptions and help
clarify and deepen understanding
4. allow students to practice argumentation in a low-risk environment that supports
discussion, analysis, and synthesis of many ideas and perspectives;
5. promote the necessary skills in the Speaking & Listening standards.
CONCEPT CLAIM CARDS ACTIVITY REVOLUTION
 Revolution is defined so that multiple examples: settings, relationships, and contexts
can be argued to fit the definition.
 Whole class discussion identifying the critical characteristics of revolution.
 Provide class with the concept graphic organizer with revolution definition and
envelope with examples and non-examples of the concept.
CONCEPT CLAIM CARDS ACTIVITY –
REVOLUTION CONTINUED…
 Arrange yourselves in groups of six with three partner pairs. (1 minute)
 Spread out your envelope of claim card examples. (30 seconds)
 Each person choose one. (30 seconds)
 Read the short description of the event. (2-3 minutes)
 Individually, silently brainstorm about the topic and write notes in your graphic
organizer. (3-4 minutes)
 Pairs will then talk with one another about their examples and help one another
come up with a claim (revolution or not; what type of revolution) based on linking
the evidence (what we know about the topic) to the characteristics listed in the
definition. (6-7 minutes)
SPEAKING AND LISTENING STEPS
 One student shares by :
 Explaining the examples they were provided
 Discussing their claim, does it or does it not fit the concept
 Supporting claim with their reasoning (usually based on the evidence they have learned in
class compared with the critical characteristics of the concept)
•
Note: Students will not comment on the sharing student’s claim or reasoning at this point. They will take notes on their
graphic organizer.
 The other group members will follow suit in clockwise order, sharing their examples with reasoning
while the other groups members take notes on their graphic organizer.
 When all group members are done, they discuss each example and reasoning together. Students
should probe one another’s thinking, ask questions for clarification, respectfully disagree using
supporting evidence and reasoning, and come to a consensus when possible.
IDEAS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
 When and how might this type of concept claim card exercise work with students?
 Would you provide phrases rather than vignettes for the examples?
 How might you modify the strategy?
 Smaller groups?
 Less examples?
PRESENTER CONTACT INFORMATION
Thank you so much for spending a part of your NCSS 2015 conference with us!
Who dat??
 Temoca Dixon
 Sarah Brown
 [email protected]
 [email protected]
 @temoca
 @sbrownreno