It's a big concept for kids. Even just thinking about the past is hard for them. They can't imagine a world without cell phones and internet, much less a world where some factions of our population were considered to be unequal to others.After lessons about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Susan B. Anthony we discussed the ethical implications of civil rights. Then I then asked them to pretend they were a snowman.
Does a snowman have any rights?
What would you do if you were a snowman to make sure you had equal rights?
I know it sounds silly, but I could really see who was able to apply knowledge of civil rights and who was still struggling with the real meaning of it. The kids wrote about what they would fight for and then made protest posters.
I LOVE this lesson. I think it's a wonderful way to move social studies learning up the ol' Bloom's Taxonomy. You're not just asking students to learn history, but you're making it come alive to them and asking them to use what they know.
ReplyDeleteI think using snowmen is great because it brings it to kindergarten level and fits right in with all the winter excitement right now.
I teach a higher grade, but I still may try this idea myself! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much! I think it's really hard sometimes to come up with something that will challenge them a little bit and let them apply what they've learned in a different way.
ReplyDeleteI very much appreciate the comment, thanks!
I absolutely absolutely LOVE this! How creative of you as a teacher. Your students are lucky to have you :-)
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