Goals & Objectives
Goals:
Students will learn about the concept of Social Darwinism in American society.
Using education accessibility as an example, students will compare and contrast how figures such as Andrew Carnegie, Henry George, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman had different views on Social Darwinism.
Objectives:
Students will be assigned to one of seven groups that represent one of seven industrial era social commentators (who include businessmen, writers, sociologists, etc.). For homework, during the night before this simulation, students will have read a brief description of each social commentator and research his/her view on Social Darwinism.. Individually, students will synthesize this information to have an analytical understanding of their group’s speaker.
Groups will discuss and corroborate their readings and research of their speaker in order to prepare for their brief class presentation. Students will present their group’s findings on how each speaker would (theoretically) change the future and/or scope of American education in the early 1900s.
Students will analyze the group’s presentation in correlation with the presentations of other groups in the class. Briefly, each group will identify similarities and differences and, if applicable, contradictions in each group’s speech.
Students will learn about the concept of Social Darwinism in American society.
Using education accessibility as an example, students will compare and contrast how figures such as Andrew Carnegie, Henry George, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman had different views on Social Darwinism.
Objectives:
Students will be assigned to one of seven groups that represent one of seven industrial era social commentators (who include businessmen, writers, sociologists, etc.). For homework, during the night before this simulation, students will have read a brief description of each social commentator and research his/her view on Social Darwinism.. Individually, students will synthesize this information to have an analytical understanding of their group’s speaker.
Groups will discuss and corroborate their readings and research of their speaker in order to prepare for their brief class presentation. Students will present their group’s findings on how each speaker would (theoretically) change the future and/or scope of American education in the early 1900s.
Students will analyze the group’s presentation in correlation with the presentations of other groups in the class. Briefly, each group will identify similarities and differences and, if applicable, contradictions in each group’s speech.
California State Content Standards
CA.HSS.11.2.7: 7: Analyze the similarities and differences between the ideologies of Social Darwinism and Social Gospel (e.g., using biographies of William Graham Sumner, Billy Sunday, Dwight L. Moody).
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.6: Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims, reasoning, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8: Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8: Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
Driving Historical Question
Explain and analyze how experts can have differing views on the same historical event or issue.
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 5 minutes
Hook: The instructor will present a StoryCorp that conceptualizes the income difficulties that some poorer families face and how education, in some regards, is a financially difficult option for poor American youth.
http://storycorps.org/listen/herman-and-sidney-blake/
Quickwrite: Students will briefly write and discuss how this excerpt relates to the education struggles of American youth at the turn of the century and how it can be applied to American youth today. The instructor will randomly call on students via a deck of cards to briefly assess their answers.
http://storycorps.org/listen/herman-and-sidney-blake/
Quickwrite: Students will briefly write and discuss how this excerpt relates to the education struggles of American youth at the turn of the century and how it can be applied to American youth today. The instructor will randomly call on students via a deck of cards to briefly assess their answers.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖ Time: 2 minutes
Scaffold: The instructor will (verbally) review the concept of Social Darwinism with the class. This part of the lesson serves to elaborate on each group’s assigned reading. Additionally, this brief introduction gives each student an understanding of their assigned historical figure’s view on competition within the marketplace as well as the role of government to provide services to its citizens.
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: 10 minutes
Simulation: The instructor introduces this simulation to the class. The simulation is a fictional 1890 meeting of the fictitious Association of American Educators (AAE). The AAE has invited seven historical figures (Andrew Carnegie, Henry George, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Orison Swett Marden, Hannah Solomon, William Graham Sumner, and Lester Frank Ward) to discuss their views on how to reform American education.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖ Time: 30 minutes
Jigsaw: After the instructor is done introducing the simulation, the students will organize into groups based on the historical figure they read about and researched for homework. Within each group, for about 5 minutes, students will discuss what they believe to be their historical figures’ worldview with regard to education reform and, if applicable, how the government should (theoretically) be involved. At the end of the five minute period, students should have arrived at a consensus for their historical figure’s view on education reform, and they should nominate a speaker to present their finding to the class.
Each group speaker will have 3-4 minutes to present their historical figure’s view of the future of education reform and any applicable government intervention that should take place.
While a student is speaking, individual students should take note of similarities and differences in each speaker’s presentation. They will use these notes to corroborate their assigned speaker’s view on education with regard to other speakers of the time.
Each group speaker will have 3-4 minutes to present their historical figure’s view of the future of education reform and any applicable government intervention that should take place.
While a student is speaking, individual students should take note of similarities and differences in each speaker’s presentation. They will use these notes to corroborate their assigned speaker’s view on education with regard to other speakers of the time.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 8 minutes
Exit Slip: The instructor will ask students “How does this debate relate to the differing views of Social Darwinism in late 19th century American society? Do you feel this debate is very applicable to contemporary American society today?
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative (informal): The teacher will assess each group’s discussion of their assigned historical figure and what they perceive is that person’s view on Social Darwinism. The instructor will be looking to see if students did the reading or if they attempted to solidify their arguments with additional research.
Formative (formal): The teacher will collect the exit slip to note student understanding on the differing views of Social Darwinism in American society and how influential citizens still debate on such matters in contemporary American society.
Formative (formal): The teacher will collect the exit slip to note student understanding on the differing views of Social Darwinism in American society and how influential citizens still debate on such matters in contemporary American society.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
When each group reading is assigned, English learners, striving readings, and students with special needs will be paired with above average and advanced readers to make content accessible. While the reading and research portion of this lesson would have been assigned for homework the previous night, the instructor (when the reading is assigned) will inform English learners and striving readers of accessible websites where they can research their select historical figures.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
1. Descriptions of historical figures (to be handed out the previous day for homework so students can research and take notes on their assigned person). This lesson (and the historical figure descriptions) were adapted from Columbia American History Online.
Click Here to View the Historical Figure Handouts | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |