Page Title
Literacy
ADVANCED PRACTICUM BACKGROUND
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10-week practicum experience in 8th grade Social Studies Classroom
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Focused on early American History​
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Instructed three, one-hour long classes, about 25 students in each class​
LITERACY DEFINITION
I think literacy is the ability to read and write adequately enough to understand and interpret written content, and produce/express your own thoughts. Literacy is important in the social sciences because it is everywhere, especially in primary and secondary sources, and can help students think and express their thoughts critically. This will help them interact with the news and help them express their points of view. They'll also need to read maps, keys, documents, and understand their significance and apply their knowledge in context.
Strategy tried in Practicum
LETTER-WRITING FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
8th grade Social Studies, Women's roles in the Civil War
Objective: After listening to a lecture on women's roles during the civil war, Students will be able to create a letter from the perspective of a woman during the Civil War who is writing to a loved one.​​
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Criteria given:​​
STUDENT SAMPLES
Meets Expectations:
Met all four criteria, not much detail
Daily activities: Chores
Positive: Going to the park
Negative: Waking up early
Message: I hope you’re safe and healthy
Does not Meet Expectations:
Did not meet all four criteria, vague
Daily activities: missing
Positive: missing
Negative: People dying left and right
Message: How was your day?
Exceeds Expectations:
Met all four criteria, lots of detail and perspective shown
Daily activities: Chores
Positive: Taking care of the boys
Negative: Missing husband
Message: I hope you’re doing great and have a happy Easter
OUTCOMES
REFLECTION
This activity worked really well for my class. Students were really engaged throughout and were excited to step into another's shoes and be creative while building an understanding of what women were doing in a time that women are underrepresented in history books and curriculum. This activity gave students the opportunity to apply their background knowledge of women in the era to deepen their understanding and see from a different point of view.
New Literacy Strategy
Finding their government representatives and writing correspondence
University of Kansas. (2023). Writing letters to elected officials. Community Toolbox. Retrieved May 6, 2023, from https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/advocacy/direct-action/letters-to-elected-officials/main ​
Context: Freshman-Level Civics Class using the Nebraska Legislature website
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Objective: Students will be able to identify their state legislators and create relevant letters stating their views on a current political issue.
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Procedure: Model finding representatives on the website https://nebraskalegislature.gov/ by entering the school's address into the 'find your senator' search bar on the lower right column of the webpage, and show them how to find current bills up for debate on the same page. ​
Show the students how to enter that information into a letter format, and show them a formal letter template while emphasizing each part that the students need to fill in, and giving examples (I would use a previous issue and representative that we have discussed prior to model this with the class helping me choose what to write).
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Give students work time to complete the assignment and send them for the students when they are finished.
Sample Work
Exceeds Expectations:
Dear [State Legislator's Name],
I am writing to you today as a concerned high school student who is passionate about student press freedom. As a member of the next generation of leaders, I believe it is essential that students are allowed to express their opinions and report on issues that matter to them without fear of censorship or punishment.
As you may know, student journalists in Nebraska currently do not have the same protections as professional journalists under state law and the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier Supreme Court decision. This means that school administrators have the power to censor or restrict student journalism, which can have a chilling effect on student expression and the quality of reporting.
I strongly believe that student journalists should have the same rights and protections as professional journalists. Allowing student journalists to report freely and without fear of censorship not only helps to foster critical thinking skills and civic engagement among young people, but it also encourages transparency and accountability in our schools and communities.
Furthermore, I believe that student journalism is an important tool for holding those in power accountable. Students are often the first to notice problems and injustices in their schools and communities, and they have a unique perspective that should be shared with the wider community.
I urge you to support legislation that would protect student press freedom in Nebraska. By doing so, you would be helping to ensure that young people have a voice in our democracy and are able to participate fully and make a difference in our communities.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Student's name]
Met Expectations
Dear [State Legislator's Name],
I am a high school student writing to you about gun control and keeping students safe. I believe that it is crucial for students to feel safe in school, and that we need to do everything we can to prevent gun violence on campus.
As a student, I worry about the possibility of a shooting at my school. I know that many of my classmates feel the same way. We should not have to go to school every day fearing for our lives.
I believe that we need stronger gun control laws to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands. It is too easy for anyone to access guns, and this is a major contributing factor to school shootings.
I also believe that we need to invest in measures that will help to keep students safe. This could include things like metal detectors, security cameras, and increased counseling and mental health resources for students.
I urge you to take action on this issue to help keep students safe. We need to work together to prevent gun violence in our schools and ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn and grow in a safe environment.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Student's Name]
Reflection
This activity would help students learn how to write formal correspondence and get involved in the political process. Hopefully, they would leave the class feeling empowered to share their views and be heard. Even though the students are not old enough to vote, this activity shows them that they can still make change and be active in their political community and give them a positive outlook so they could potentially enact real change and get excited about helping others and their communities, while learning how to articulate their views and form well-thought out opinions. In reference to Scarborough's rope, the students will be able to apply their background knowledge and develop their verbal reasoning skills to get their point across to the recipient.
Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory, and practice. In S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook for research in early literacy (pp. 97–110). Guilford Press.