Memories-What students remember

On one of the last days of school I asked students to write down their most memorable moments and most important things they learned this school year. I combined the list and made a word cloud out of their responses (I know this may be wordle overkill but I'm on a roll). I took out memorable responses that had to deal with me embarrassing myself in class, which, unfortunately for me, happens all too often.



I am pleased, and not surprised, to see the two field trips (Philadelphia and Gettysburg) are two of the most common responses. I would love to teach history without ever stepping into a classroom. The best way to teach history is to go [cliche alert] where history took place and walk in the footsteps of those who went before us. Instead of just watching videos, looking at maps, and discussing Pickett's Charge, why not actually walk the field where the 12,000 Confederate soldiers walked on July 3rd, 1863. Or instead of reading about our founding fathers (and mothers) why not sit in the actual pew where they worshiped (where many of our students did at Christ Church in Philadelphia). History can be experienced and true learning can be enhanced if we just know where to go. It is sad to think that schools have eliminated educational field trips due to budgetary constraints. We have a Civil War day, which is great, but it doesn't come close to the experience of actually being where history was made. On my family's way to the Poconos for vacation we made our obligatory history stop. I decided to take my family into a mine. What better way to teach my children to appreciate the things they have and the life they live. The 40 minutes we spent inside that mountain will be remembered by my girls for the rest of their lives. I believe that the field trips my students took to Philadelphia and Gettysburg will be remember for the rest of their lives, as well. Will they remember all the details? No. Will they have an increased interest to learn more about our history? I believe so!

Another large response was Project Citizen. Students had to learn about public policy so they could determine a problem in the community that was a public policy issue. The students worked collaboratively researching a local problem. A large part of the research was to interview experts and to seek out information from reliable sources. The students then broke into 4 groups to prepare a presentation on the Problem, Alternate Solutions, the Proposed Policy, and an Action Plan. Each group had subcommittees working on a wiki, display board, information binder, and a speaker. The key to the whole experience was the presentation to real local policymakers. The students pitched their policy proposal to a School Board member and two Township Supervisors. The real life nature of the project is what made it so memorable.

How else can we make our learning experiences for students real life?

My internet habits exposed

As I've been recently reading through some education blogs (Coolcatteacher, Practical Theory, Weblogg-ed) I've discovered Wordle. It's a website that creates word clouds from almost anything. For example, copy and paste the Gettysburg Address and the most frequently used words show up larger and bolder. The really cool thing is that you can create tag clouds from your Del.icio.us tags. Here is mine (screen captured using Jing).

I will be comparing my Del.icio.us tag clouds from time to time to see how my tagging (and web browsing habits) change over time.

In what ways is Wordle relevant for the classroom? Can word clouds help students improve reading comprehension? or gain a greater understanding of a historic document or speech? or help students see relationships between two historic documents or speeches?

What other thoughts or ideas do you have?

American Cultures Word Cloud

Here is a tag cloud I created based on some of the topics we studied in class this year. This is not a comprehensive list, but it is a good place to start a reflection on what we learned this year. The larger and bolder the term indicates that more emphasis was placed on it during the year. The Gettysburg Address is at the beginning and end of the tag cloud, since it was the theme for the year.

Gettysburg Address
Civility civic mindedness Patriots Loyalists Stamp Act
Stamp Act Congress 1st Continental Congress 2nd Continental Congress Boston Massacre

Boston Tea Party Intolerable Acts Declaration of Independence

Lexington and Concord Battle of Bunker Hill Battle of Long Island

Washington Crossing the Delaware Battle of Princeton Battle of Saratoga
Valley Forge Battle of Camden Battle of Guilford Courthouse Siege of Yorktown
Articles of Confederation Constitutional Convention 3/5 Compromise
Great Compromise Constitution Preamble Separation of Powers

Checks and Balances Federalism Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch Amendments Bill of Rights 1st Amendment public policy Scope intensity duration resources Civic duty Democrat-Republicans Federalists Cabinet National debt bonds tariffs Whiskey Rebellion French Revolution

Neutrality Proclamation Jay’s Treaty frigates XYZ Affair Alien and Sedition Acts

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions nullification Election of 1800
Hamilton-Burr duel Lewis and Clark Expedition Louisiana Purchase

Barbary Pirates impressment Embargo Act Non-Intercourse Act War of 1812 slavery

Middle Passage Plantations Triangular Trade abolitionists

Missouri Compromise The Alamo Texas War for Independence Mexican War

Manifest Destiny Compromise of 1850 Fugitive Slave Act Kansas-Nebraska Act “Bleeding Kansas” Election of 1860 Civil War secession Fort Sumter

1st Manassas Antietam Gettysburg Union fishhook Little Round Top Wheatfield Peach Orchard Devil’s Den Seminary Ridge Cemetery Ridge Pickett’s Charge infantry cavalry artillery Company Regiment Brigade Division Corps army Andersonville 54th Massachusetts

George Washington Abraham Lincoln John Hancock Samuel Adams John Adams Abigail Adams Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin

Benedict Arnold Marquis de Lafayette Alexander Hamilton James Madison

John Jay Aaron Burr Meriwether Lewis William Clark Sacajawea

James Monroe Henry Clay Andrew Jackson Sam Houston Jim Bowie Davy Crockett Zachary Taylor

James Polk Stephen Douglas John Brown Frederick Douglass John Calhoun Preston Brooks

Charles Sumner Jefferson Davis Robert E. Lee Stonewall Jackson James Longstreet George Pickett Henry Wirz George Meade Daniel Sickles U.S. Grant William Sherman Robert Gould Shaw
Gettysburg Address