What are some new and interesting facts that I have learned?
I learned more than I expected about the women's movement and the different viewpoints associated with feminism. I always knew that feminism meant simply equality and was always so angry that not everyone knew this. I have learned that feminism has changed many times over the years and at certain points some women did interpret the term to mean "man-haters." I also learned that there are so many interesting theories and ideologies behind the movement towards women's liberation. I realized that having a truly deep understanding of women's rights does not mean simply knowing the background and what activists fought for. It means understanding the root of gender norms and being aware of how people create expectations for men and women subconsciously. It means understanding for ourselves what it means to be free and deciding what we think is necessary for change to continue for the better. I also learned that division within the women's movement has been one of the greatest problems preventing women from moving forward in the fight for women's social equality today.
How will I make this content relevant to my students?
2.H.1.2 Identify contributions of historical figures (community, state, nation and world) through various genres.
In second grade, students are beginning to understand the importance of different activists for equal rights throughout various genres and eras. Students begin to realize that throughout history and still today, not all people have been treated equally and specific people have worked to change that. Students need to understand the significant contributions people in history have made, which will then help students to realize that they can also be change-makers today. Students can participate in many activities in which they play the role of activists. Students can participate in projects in which they create petitions, organize rallies, or even hold a mock sit-in to stand up for certain rights. By playing the role of those activists years ago, students will begin to understand the burden of those who were denied certain rights such as the focus of this project, women. Students may also do a research project in which they choose a historical figure to study and write a Declaration or other article through the eyes of that activist. Students could then present their writing to the class by playing that person and dressing up making the project seem more real. Students may also wish to become an activist for an issue important to them at the time.
How will creating this project benefit me as an elementary Social Studies teacher?
Through this project I have realized the importance of having a strong background in the content I am teaching. I also have realized how relevant each aspect of Social Studies is to our daily lives. After attempting to focus on one topic, I found numerous ways to integrate the topic into all areas of learning as it relates to everything we do. In completing this project I realized that the standards really are "the floor" and not "the ceiling" of what we can teach. When we start with one topic that we use to teach a skill or standard, as teachers we should view that standard as the starting point for pushing students to higher thinking and processing skills. By analyzing and synthesizing a topic, I was able to see the many different viewpoints and realize that we should not limit the way we teach social studies to children since there are so many avenues to take. As well, I realized that making students a part of the learning process is the best way to make the content relative and significant to students. The content must be made meaningful for students by having students look at multiple perspectives and engage with the material by putting their own opinions and viewpoints into the mix. This project has made me understand the depth of knowledge and perspectives our students can have at a very young age. I now know that I can push my students to learn more than is expected in order to open the door for them to think more critically.
I learned more than I expected about the women's movement and the different viewpoints associated with feminism. I always knew that feminism meant simply equality and was always so angry that not everyone knew this. I have learned that feminism has changed many times over the years and at certain points some women did interpret the term to mean "man-haters." I also learned that there are so many interesting theories and ideologies behind the movement towards women's liberation. I realized that having a truly deep understanding of women's rights does not mean simply knowing the background and what activists fought for. It means understanding the root of gender norms and being aware of how people create expectations for men and women subconsciously. It means understanding for ourselves what it means to be free and deciding what we think is necessary for change to continue for the better. I also learned that division within the women's movement has been one of the greatest problems preventing women from moving forward in the fight for women's social equality today.
How will I make this content relevant to my students?
2.H.1.2 Identify contributions of historical figures (community, state, nation and world) through various genres.
In second grade, students are beginning to understand the importance of different activists for equal rights throughout various genres and eras. Students begin to realize that throughout history and still today, not all people have been treated equally and specific people have worked to change that. Students need to understand the significant contributions people in history have made, which will then help students to realize that they can also be change-makers today. Students can participate in many activities in which they play the role of activists. Students can participate in projects in which they create petitions, organize rallies, or even hold a mock sit-in to stand up for certain rights. By playing the role of those activists years ago, students will begin to understand the burden of those who were denied certain rights such as the focus of this project, women. Students may also do a research project in which they choose a historical figure to study and write a Declaration or other article through the eyes of that activist. Students could then present their writing to the class by playing that person and dressing up making the project seem more real. Students may also wish to become an activist for an issue important to them at the time.
How will creating this project benefit me as an elementary Social Studies teacher?
Through this project I have realized the importance of having a strong background in the content I am teaching. I also have realized how relevant each aspect of Social Studies is to our daily lives. After attempting to focus on one topic, I found numerous ways to integrate the topic into all areas of learning as it relates to everything we do. In completing this project I realized that the standards really are "the floor" and not "the ceiling" of what we can teach. When we start with one topic that we use to teach a skill or standard, as teachers we should view that standard as the starting point for pushing students to higher thinking and processing skills. By analyzing and synthesizing a topic, I was able to see the many different viewpoints and realize that we should not limit the way we teach social studies to children since there are so many avenues to take. As well, I realized that making students a part of the learning process is the best way to make the content relative and significant to students. The content must be made meaningful for students by having students look at multiple perspectives and engage with the material by putting their own opinions and viewpoints into the mix. This project has made me understand the depth of knowledge and perspectives our students can have at a very young age. I now know that I can push my students to learn more than is expected in order to open the door for them to think more critically.