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CongressLink in Brief
Congress: The Context
SUBJECTS
U.S. History, U.S. Government, Civics
GRADE LEVEL
6-8
OBJECTIVES
Students will identify significant Senate members and Senate accomplishments, decide which events or milestones they believe are most significant, make judgments about what to include in telling history, and visualize notable milestones in Senate history by creating timeline.
LESSON PLAN
Class 1
Begin with journal question for students to write about individually: How do we decide what events, people, or ideas to include when we tell about history? How do we decide what to include and what not to include? Discuss student responses. With a partner, students read "Facts and Milestones." After reading each section, students should report back to each other the facts or milestones they have just read about. Then, each student decides which 3 events or milestones are most significant for someone to know about the Senate. The students should deliberate with each other about which ones are most important, but should make an individual decision. The students should highlight or underline the 3 from each section they think are most important. (Since there are 4 sections to the reading, students should end up with a total of 12 events or milestones selected.)
Class 2
Review with students the characteristics of a timeline (ie, dates are in chronological order, gives brief overview with descriptions, etc.). Using the 12 events they have selected, students will now create a timeline. For each event, they should write the date, a brief description of the event or milestone in their own words, and draw a picture that illustrates the event. Students should make a rough draft first to plan out and space the events on the timeline.
Class 3
Students should take out their completed timelines. In journal, each student should write an answer to this question: If I were to tell someone else the one most important thing for them to know on my timeline, which one event would it be and why? After ample writing time for students, put students in groups and have them discuss their choices and justification. Each group should come up with one event they can all agree on as most important, or explain why they are unable to come to consensus. Each group reports its findings to the class. At the end of class, give students a notecard: have them write one final time-after all the discussions, which one event do you think is most important and why?
RESOURCES
CREDIT
Hilary G. Conklin
