ELABORATE: Practice making instructional decisions using assessment
Lesson: Declaration of Independence (Stanford History Education Group – Reading Like a Historian Series)
Source: Stanford History Education Group (2006). Reading like a historian: Declaration of independence. Retrieved, October 20, 2014 from
http://sheg.stanford.edu/declaration-independence
Activity
ENGAGE
Display a picture of the
Declaration of Independence
(original document). Ask students
central historical question for the
day – “Why did the Founders write
the Declaration of Independence?”
Students respond thru a quick write
on large post-it notes
Put post-its on display on white
board
Data
¼ of the answers show
misconceptions
½ of the answers show
oversimplification
1/8 of the answers
identify ideological
reasons as motivation
What does the data
show?
What does the data
mean?
Answers show that ¾ of
the class does not
understand that
historians have identified
ideological and selfish
reasons behind writing
the Declaration of
Independence
We need to broaden their
understanding – help
them see beyond the
obvious answer of, “To
gain freedom from
Britain.”
1/8 of the answer
identify selfish reasons
as motivation
EXPLORE
As a class, categorize answers
Provide students with historical
interpretations & corresponding
chart (claim/evidence). In pairs,
students will make a claim based
on central historical question and
find evidence from interpretations
to support their claim.
Note: Historical Interpretation #1 –
Modified Excerpts from The
Ideological Origins of the
American Revolution by Bernard
Bailyn (1967); Historical
Interpretation #2 – Modified
Excerpts from A People’s History
of the United States by Howard
Zinn (1980)
½ of class is on target
¼ of class is struggling
to find evidence
¼ of class is struggling
to make a claim
Class is not on the same
page.
Figure out a way to
honor those that have
already achieved the
skill, while
simultaneously reviewing
how to write and support
a claim for those who
have not.
What will I do to improve
learning?
Remind students - Declaration of
Independence was written by Thomas
Jefferson & signed by representatives
from all 13 colonies on July 4, 1776.
Reread through the student answers
that identified ideological reasons and
selfish reasons out loud. Ask students
who wrote those answers to elaborate
on their responses. Ask the class if they
would like to change their initial
answers and why.
Relate to students that historians
disagree on if the Founders were
motivated by ideological or selfish
reasons.
Split students into groups based on data
(two types of groups - on target and
needs assistance).
Ask students who are on target to
source and contextualize
interpretations. They can answer
questions from SHEG Historical
Thinking Skills Chart.
Ask students who need assistance
pointed questions directly from the
interpretations. Students should rework
their activity together in their group.
Monitor all groups.
ELABORATE: Practice making instructional decisions using assessment
ELABORATE
EXPLAIN
Activity
Review as a class - Bailyn (Historical
Interpretation #1) argues that the
Founders were motivated by
ideological reasons (e.g. equality and
freedom) and Zinn (Historical
Interpretation #2) argues that the
founders were motivated by selfish
reasons (e.g., power, money).
Exit slip - “Why did the Founders
write the Declaration of
Independence?”
Hand out Declaration Preamble and
have students re-write in their own
words.
EVALUATE
Hand out Grievances worksheet and
have students complete in pairs.
Explain to students that most of the
Declaration of Independence is a list
of complaints against the King of
England. They can find the original
grievances in their textbook. The
grievances on this worksheet have
been combined and re-worded.
Data
¾ of my students’
answers were on target
¼ of my students’
answers held
misconceptions
What does the data
show?
¾ of my students
understand there were
both ideological and
selfish reasons behind
writing the Declaration of
Independence.
What does the data
mean?
Need to reteach/support
those who still don’t get it
while simultaneously
keeping the rest of the
class who are on target
engaged.
Students were able to
categorize a majority of
the grievances and
provide solid reasons for
their classifications.
Two grievances were
given question marks by a
majority of students
Most students have
broadened their
perspective regarding
motivation behind
Declaration of
Independence
Need to offer additional
support to 3 students who
struggled
Most students understand
that historians write from
various viewpoints and
sometimes viewpoints
disagree (perspective
matters).
Elaborate on their
understanding and skill
Students have a firm
understand that there was
more to writing the
Declaration of
Independence then simply
declaring freedom from
Britain.
Put students in different groups than
previous activity - ask students to pretend
they are a journalist and develop
questions to interview Thomas Jefferson
or another Founder.
While students are working in their
groups, individually call up students with
misconceptions and conference. Analyze
their worksheets & review their exit slips.
¼ of my students still
don’t get it.
All but 3 students
accomplish this task
What will I do to improve learning?
Provide struggling students supported
version and ask them to try again.
While struggling students are reworking,
ask other students to discuss in pairs the
following question: Based on the words
in the Preamble, do you think the
Declaration of Independence was written
for selfish or ideological reasons?
Debrief with students using following
questions (pairs first, then groups, then as
a class):
 Do these grievances seem to be
things that would upset wealthy
people or everyone? Why?
 Based on the grievances, which
historian do you think has a
better argument? Why?
 Does this happen today – are
laws or declarations (e.g.
declare to go to war) created for
both ideological and selfish
reasons, does one outweigh the
other, why or why not?