Diane's Social Studies' Experiences
Some were great.....others were not!
Memories of Fourth Grade
EXPERIENCE: I remember in fourth grade going to Dutterer's Slaughter House, and I watched several hogs slaughtered.....yuk!!!!
To this day, I don't enjoy eating pork, particularly hot dogs
MODIFICATION: The field trip dealt with production and distribution of goods and services. Ibelieve the field trip was too graphic for fourth graders then and now. Perhaps rather than a field trip to a slaughter house, our fourth grade class could have visited a Farmer's Market where we could have seen how fruits and vegetables grow at the farm and then turn around to see how farmers try to sell their crops at the farmer's market.
Mr. Mueller's Fifth Grade......
EXPERIENCE: In my Fifth grade class, taught by Mr. Mueller, we learned about World War 1. We played the board game, Diplomacy, every Friday afternoon and my partner and I always lost. Hasbro re-released the game in 1999, complete with a colorful new map and metal pieces. In the game, players represent one of several European countries (France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, etc.) at about the time of World War I. There are only two kinds of units: sea and land. On a turn, each of your pieces has very few options: move into an adjoining territory or help another unit more into or defend an adjoining territory.
MODIFICATION: Looking back, perhaps more attention could have been given to each battle mentioned in the game. Perhaps each partnered group could have created a POLITICAL CARTOON ( p. 90 Schell and Fischer Strategies) TO CAPTURE THE REAL EVENTS THAT WERE OCCURRING IN THE PACIFIC AT THAT TIME IN HISTORY AND IN EUROPE.
Mr Scrugg's Awesome World History Class- 10th Grade
EXPERIENCE: I don't remember much about this class except that Mr. Scruggs was very funny and he had a great sense of humor. I do remember reading a lot of chapters and answering a lot of questions.....everyday in every class.....BORING!!!!
MODIFICATION: Rather than read chapters every night and answer questions, Mr. Scruggs could have conducted a Socratic Seminar ( Schell and Fischer p. 249) and generated questions based on our readings. A discussion could have followed with small group; Mr. Scruggs rotating from group to group. Students could have also generated questions for their groups, utiliziing genuine conversation guidelines