A lesson I loved

I had the chancea few weeks ago to see one topic taught in two very different and equally engaging ways.  Eric Strzepek and Katie Bledsoe’s seventh grade social studies students are studying the causes of World War I and the decision for the United States to enter the conflict.  Eric’s students are demonstrating their understanding of this concept through the creation of an iMovie trailer about what they believe was the most significant cause of the conflict.  When I visited his class and spoke with his kids, they were able to not only explain the work they were doing on their trailers, but also showed clear understanding of such things as increased militarization in Europe and the dangers of entangling alliances.  The kids clearly understood what they were doing and had some very creative ways they were planning on defending their arguments.  Over in Katie’s class a different situation was playing out.  Katie and Teresa Goodin had taken on the roll of President Wilson and had split their class into several small groups, each of which was assigned to take on the persona of a different state senator whose states had very different reasons for entering or staying out of the war.  Students heard year by year accountings of the escalating world tensions, decided how these tensions impacted their home-state constituents, and then voted on whether or not to enter the war.  If a two-thirds majority was not reached, the US would stay neutral.  It was great to hear the students’ conversations as situations in the world and in their states changed and to hear how they were thinking through this very serious conversation.  Both of these classes were great examples of how one topic can be taught by the same PLC in different ways with great results.  Great work Eric, Katie and Teresa!