History Matters: Historical Thinking K-16 Professional
Development Day
Historical Thinking in Action Session
with Stefan Stipp
February 19, 2016
1
Criteria for an effective summary and rating
Accurate and important facts
Plausible and supported rating
Facts included are important and
Choices are highly plausible and
reveal the essence of events.
supported with very convincing
reasons.
Evaluating Canada’s military
contributions to WW II
As curator for Canada’s War Museum you only have funds to create three displays for Canada’s military
involvement in WW II. Select Canada’s three most important military contributions to WW II and explain your
decisions. Use the following chart to gather and asses the information.
Bombing of German Industrial
Targets and Cities (bomber
command)
Battle of Britain
1
1
Battle of Dieppe
Summary of
Event
What
happened in
your own
words?
Criteria for an
effective
summary
 Captures
main ideas
 Accurate
 Brief
 Own words
Importance of
the event
How
important was
the event in
contributing
to Allied
victory?
Canada’s
contribution
How much of
an impact did
Canada make
in this event?
2
2
3
Unimportant
4
5
very important
Explanation:
1
2
3
No impact
Explanation:
2
3
Unimportant
4
5
very important
Explanation:
:
4
5
lots of impact
1
2
3
No impact
Explanation:
1
2
3
Unimportant
4
5
very important
Explanation:
4
5
lots of impact
1
2
No impact
Explanation:
3
4
5
lots of impact
Battle of the Atlantic
Italian Campaign
Importance of
the event
How
important was
the event in
contributing
to Allied
victory?
1
1
Canada’s
contribution
How much of
an impact did
Canada make
in this event?
1
Normandy Invasion/ Liberation
of the Netherlands
Summary of
Event
What
happened in
your own
words?
Criteria for an
effective
summary
 Captures
main ideas
 Accurate
 Brief
Own words
3
2
3
Unimportant
4
5
very important
Explanation:
2
3
No impact
Explanation:
2
3
Unimportant
4
5
very important
Explanation:
4
5
lots of impact
1
2
3
No impact
Explanation:
1
2
3
Unimportant
4
5
very important
Explanation:
4
5
lots of impact
1
2
3
No impact
Explanation:
4
5
lots of impact
Determining Canada’s most important contributions
Choose the three events you will display in your museum.
Three events I choose to
display in the museum
1
Criteria for a convincing
explanation
Plausible and supported choices
Choices are highly plausible and
supported with very convincing
reasons.
Accurate and important facts
Facts included are important and
reveal the essence of events.
Brief explanation:
2
3
Three events I choose to omit
Brief explanation:
1
2
3
10 Steps to embed Historical Thinking
1. Know your content. Immerse yourself and figure out what you really want kids to learn (big ideas
you’re working towards and content you want to address).
2. Know your competencies. Be clear about which competency you are focusing on (big ideas often
drive this).
3. If it’s a new historical thinking concept introduce the concept to kids (TC2 videos/ lessons at tc2.ca
– videos for students).
4. Based on #1, create a historical thinking challenge to frame your unit/ lesson and introduce it at
the start. These historical thinking challenges become the means for students to uncover the big
ideas, learn important content and gain important competencies. They are the “game”. (Use “the
chart” for ideas).
5. Create criteria for judgment for your HT challenge (Use “the chart” for ideas).
6. Teach students the other necessary competencies to successfully complete the challenge (e.g.
underlying vs. immediate causes, supporting claims with evidence, reading for main ideas,
summarizing, etc.)
7. Provide opportunities for students to learn the background knowledge necessary to complete the
challenge (content).
8. Provide plenty of opportunities for peer, self and teacher feedback/ help.
9. Have them “perform” the challenge.
10. Evaluate the challenge according to criteria in line with your curriculum.
4
Name_______________________
Explaining your findings
As curator for Canada’s War Museum you only have funds to create three displays for
Canada’s military involvement in WW II. You have selected Canada’s three most important
military contributions to WW II. In one or more paragraphs explain your decisions for
inclusion and omission in light of what you’ve learned about these events and Canada’s
contribution. Imagine someone whose grandfather died at one of the events you omitted is
questioning your decision. What would you say?
5
Criteria for a convincing
explanation
Plausible and supported choices
Choices are highly plausible and
supported with very convincing
reasons.
Accurate and important facts
Facts included are important and
reveal the essence of events.
Assessing your explanation
In the rubrics below, hi-light the descriptions which best reflect your work. Explain your
choices using specific examples from your work. Go back and improve your work based on
this self-assessment before submitting if necessary.
Outstanding
Plausible
and
supported
choices
All choices are
plausible and
fully supported
with convincing
reasons.
Welldeveloped
Most choices
are plausible
and fully
supported
with
thoughtful
reasons.
Competent
Accurately
provides most
important
facts which
reveal the
essence of
events.
Accurately
provides some
important
facts which are
relevant to the
essence of
events.
Most choices
are plausible
and supported
with at least
one relevant
reason.
Barely
adequate
Some choices
are plausible
and supported
with at least
one adequate
reason.
Underdeveloped
Provides
mostly
accurate and
somewhat
important
facts with
some
relevance to
the essence of
events.
Facts may be
inaccurate or
trivial missing the
essence of events.
Most or all choices
are not plausible
and not supported
with relevant
reasons.
Comments/ explanation for rating
Accurate
and
important
facts
Accurately
provides all
important facts
which precisely
reveal the
essence of
events.
Comments/ explanation for rating
6
Evaluating Canadian International Involvement 1914-2000
As an advisor to the United Nations General Assembly help select a model country
to set an example for the international community. Write and deliver a speech to the
UN General Assembly arguing whether or not Canada is qualified for the role of
special UN ambassador on maintaining responsible international involvement.
Should Canada get the job of UN ambassador on maintaining responsible
international involvement? Your task is to write and deliver a speech to the UN
General Assembly answering this question.
Criteria for an excellent advisor country on responsible international
involvement




Helping others facing injustice
Working towards peace successfully
Maintaining an excellent record on human rights
Living up to international agreements
Criteria for a convincing speech
Clearly stated position
Thesis statement clearly addresses the question.
Insightful and fully developed argument
Argument is insightful and thorough and fully supported with accurate and relevant
information.
Contradicting details
Includes thoughtful opposing points of view and uses them to strengthen the argument.
Effective verbal communication
Speech is fluent, expressive and audible with appropriate gestures and facial expressions.
7
Rating the impact of Canada’s international involvement 1914-2000
Your criteria for an advisor country on responsible international involvement:




Rate the event(s) as from -2 (very irresponsible) to +2 (very responsible) based on your criteria and explain your rating.
Event
To what extent were Canada’s actions and intentions responsible
WWI early battles (Ypres,
Somme,)
-2
-1
0
1
2
Sample reasons: In both battles Canada cooperated with other countries (Britain, France, Belgium). Neither
battle did anything to create peace – just a lot of needless bloodshed. Canada was trying to help the
Belgians at Ypres who were facing the injustice of having the Germans attack them even though they were
neutral.
WWI trench warfare and
battles (Vimy,
Passchendaele)
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
WWI the war at sea and in
the air
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
WWII early battles
(Dunkirk, Hong Kong,
Battle of Britain)
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
WWII at sea – Battle of the
Atlantic
-2
-1
Reasons:
0
1
2
WWII late battles
Italy, D-Day, Netherlands
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
Creation of and
membership in the United
Nations
Canada’s role in the UN
briefing sheet: p.____ in
DN.
Counterpoints: pp. 137-138
NATO, NORAD, DEW line
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
-2
-1
Reasons:
0
1
2
Korean War
Counterpoints: pp. 138-139
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
8
Event
To what extent were Canada’s actions and intentions responsible
Bomarc Missile controversy
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
Suez Crisis
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
Canada’s refusal to
participate in Vietnam War
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
1991 Gulf War
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
1992-1995
Kosovo and Bosnia
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
Ottawa Treaty
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
UN peacekeeping: Somalia
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
UN peacekeeping: Rwanda
-2
-1
reasons:
0
1
2
.
9