Social Studies Scoop

A Monthly Bulletin for 6-12 Social Studies Teachers in CCS

Preparing students for success in college, career, and civic life


www.ccsoh.us/socialstudies

Big picture

November 2018


In this edition:

  • Student Programs: High School Policy Debate - Deadline Extended to November 16
  • Curriculum and Instruction: Social Studies Action Plan
  • Curriculum and Instruction: Common Instructional Framework - Teacher Clarity
  • Curriculum and Instruction: Anchor Charts/Reference Sheets
  • Curriculum and Instruction: Veterans Day Ohio Law


*

Social Studies Student Programs

High School Debate Winter Tournament - Deadline Extended to November 16

High School Debate Winter Tournament - Deadline Extended to November 16

Click HERE to access the debate folder with registration form.


Debate Resolution - Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its restrictions on legal immigration to the United States.


This is a two-on-two debate that focuses on a policy question that hones a student’s research, analytical, and delivery skills. Policy debate involves the proposal of a plan by the affirmative team to enact a policy, while the negative team offers reasons to reject that proposal and stay with the status quo.


Date: Friday, December 7th, 8:30 a.m.-1:00 pm.


Location: Capital University, Ruff Learning Center, 631 Pleasant Ridge, Bexley, OH 43209


Registration and Resources: Be sure to register your school NOW even if you don’t yet know the names of students on your teams. That can be added later. The deadline for having all your names added is November 16th.


Debate Resource Folder: https://tinyurl.com/debatehs2018


*

High School Debate Winter Tournament - Deadline Extended to November 16

Curriculum & Instruction

Social Studies Action Plan

The Social Studies Department in the Office of Teaching and Learning has developed an action plan to address academic achievement. The attached plan summarizes what has been done in recent months and what actions are to come this year. You have already seen some pieces of this in other emails and newsletters, but this document pulls it together in a more comprehensive way.


To be sure, the implementation of this action plan will be a collective effort, and we welcome your feedback on this working document. John Hattie's meta-analysis shows that collective teacher efficacy is the leading influence related to student achievement, with 1.57 effect size. That's why our collaborative work is critical in this endeavor. Thank you to those who have contributed to this plan via your survey responses and other feedback.

Big picture

Common Instructional Framework: High Impact Strategies - Teacher Clarity

Fendick (1990) defined teacher clarity as a "measure of the clarity of communication between teachers and students in both directions" (p. 10). Teacher clarity requires establishing and communicating learning intentions (what students need to know) and success criteria (how they will know they learned it), aligned with the standards. Based on John Hattie's meta-analysis, teacher clarity has an effect size of .75. (See Hattie's Barometer of Influences below.)


Four teachers at each middle and high school have recently participated in professional development using The Teacher Clarity Playbook, facilitated by co-author Olivia Amador. These teachers will share out at their school-based professional development. You can access materials from the Teacher Clarity PD in the Secondary Curriculum Digital Resource Binder. CCS Google-sign required.


CCS Social Studies Curriculum has already made great strides in implementing teacher clarity. The CCS Clear Learning Targets, based on the FIP approach to unpacking learning targets, provide the foundation for implementing teacher clarity. Access the Clear Learning Targets from the Social Studies Curriculum page or the respective Course Sites. One important note is that the language of the CCS Clear Learning Targets varies slightly from the teacher clarity model:

  • Standards = Broad Learning Targets (Content Statements); and
  • Learning Intentions and Progressions = Underpinning Learning Targets.
Hattie's Barometer of Influences on Student Achievement

*

Social Studies Anchor Charts/Reference Sheets for Historical Thinking

Anchor charts help make thinking visible by identifying key content, strategies, and processes during the learning process. Posting anchor charts (and/or distributing reference sheets) provides a scaffold tool for students as they read, discuss, and write about ideas in class.


The four new anchor charts below are designed for use in the social studies classroom to support students in historical event analysis, close reading of primary and secondary sources, classroom discussions, and evidence-based writing.



The posters can be printed on 8 1/2 x 11, 8 x 14 or scaled all the way up 24 x 60 on a poster printer.


*

Veterans Day Ohio Law

Veterans Day Ohio Law

Veterans Day - Ohio law (Ohio Revised Code 3313.602(D) requires that each school devote at least one hour or one standard class period on or around Veterans Day, November 11, to an observance that conveys the meaning and significance of the day. Since November 11 is on a weekend this year, Veterans Day can be observed on Monday, November 12.


Teaching resources include:

Veterans Day Ohio Law

*

Matthew I. Doran

Matthew I. Doran

Secondary Social Studies Specialist

Office of Teaching & Learning

Curriculum Division

Linmoor Education Center

2001 Hamilton Avenue, Columbus, OH, USA mdoran2067@columbus.k12.oh.us 614-365-5727 ccsoh.us/socialstudies

*