Unit Outline and Objectives

Introduction

Introduction to the Year 10 History Unit: Fernando de Magellanes journey

The unit is designed for three History lessons. The target group is a six grade elementary of between ages 10 to 12 and in year 10. The class consists of gifted students with the ability to conduct investigative exploration and precise interpretation of Historical facts. The target group should be able to apply specialized knowledge, procedures, theories and practices.

The unit has been designed within the framework of PCM (Parallel Curriculum Model) (Tomlinson, 2009). The unit applies the “parallels” of the model, which include core curriculum, the curriculum of connections, practice and identity. A pre-assessment would be administered to the students to identify their specific needs for proper pre-planning. The unit is participatory in nature in that students can engage the objectives of the unit at different levels of the unit development. Both the learning activities and assessments have been designed in line with the ascending intellectual demands (Tomlinson, 2009).

In the Unit, Fernando de Magellan’s journey, the students need a differentiated curriculum that is designed to appropriately address interests and needs at their individual level. The unit will consist of concepts and facts that will be modified so as to serve them best. In order to do this, the learning objectives will be restructured for them to be intellectually demanding. Challenging questions do require a high level response process and will stimulate their discovery of this Portuguese explorer.

Topic Overview

The unit is based on History as a subject. History is a discipline that is based on the investigation, interpretation of evidence to arrive at a sound conclusion (Turner Bisset. R.,2012). The topic for the study offers the students an opportunity to grasp the core aspects, form a deeper understanding and connection, practice the skills thereto and find an identity on History as a discipline. The approach of engaging History through the lens of Parallel curriculum model offers the students with the chance to develop various skills such as skills to investigative, critical skills, the ability to comprehensively understand facts and make sound conclusions.

The topic is drawn from the History strand in the Persian Gulf Curriculum (Saudi Arabia) requiring th-e students to explore the journey(s) 1ewdof at least one world navigator, explorer or trader and their influence on societies. In this case, the students would explore the journey of Fernando de Magallanes from Spain towards the Spices Islands.

The historical skills canvassed by the Saudi curriculum in connection with the year 10 curriculum include the ability to apply specialized knowledge, procedures, theories, and practices in investigative processes.. The exploration may involve field work to exhaustively exploit the capabilities of the gifted students.

The program model needs to challenge the students from their normal regular class setting and enable them make notable progress while in school. It attempts to take learning to a more comprehensive level and is advantageous in that any learner can adapt to it. The PCM is 4 dimensional and it includes; core curriculum, the curriculum of identity, the connections curriculum and the curriculum of practice. The connections curriculum for example will be crucial in making connection with this unit and other disciplines of knowledge

The curriculum of practice helps them put the knowledge learned in class to a valid experience. The students are highly encouraged to take the roles of professionals in connection to the unit to be learnt. The curriculum of identity involves assisting the students reflect themselves as practicians in this unit as a discipline.

Unit Objectives

The students should be able to know the terms and vocabularies used in exploration studies.
The students should be able to know periods within which this journey took place.
The students should know the reasons for exploration.
The students should be able to investigate personal information to obtain crucial facts.
The students should be able to apply specialized knowledge, procedures, theories and practices in the investigation process
The students should be able to identify investigate talents and develop the skills through the learning process.
The learners should be able to investigate instrumental persons in ancient history and understand their contribution to the societies they lived in.
The students should be able to identify their significance in the society.

Essential Questions

What significance changes did Fernando de Magallanes journey bring to the European civilization?

Can we know everything about Fernando’s exploration?

Knowledge

The purpose of Fernando’s exploration.

The attributes of Fernando’s as a person.

The key facts in the exploration that Fernando undertook.

The influence of the exploration to the people in European and the surrounding societies.

Specific terms and vocabularies associated with the journey.

Big Understandings

Students will understand that world exploration has far reaching effects in the current society and the generations to come.

Students will understand that History involves thorough investigation of evidence to arrive at sound conclusions

History Skills

Develop a research problem

Investigate the problem to get solutions

Examine the evidence from different perspectives to arrive to a concrete conclusion

Focusing Questions

What did Europeans understand about the geography of the world after Fernando’s journey? (core curriculum).
What factors Inspired Fernando de Magallanes to undertake the great journeys of discovery? (corecurriculum)
How will the knowledge about Fernando de Magallanes help me? (curriculum of connections).
How will this exploration develop my investigative talent? (curriculum of connections)
What skills do I need to access and make sense of the ideas here? (curriculum of practice)
What type of questions lead to genuine historical investigation? (curriculum of practice)

7.Does the information acquired satisfy my curiosity? (curriculum of identity)

8.How can I participate in advancing the ideals that inspired Fernando de Magallanes to undertake an exploration (curriculum of identity).

Summative Assessment

An assessment test would be administered at the end of the learning period to evaluate the mastery of the study by the students. The assessment will seek to establish whether the pre-determined objective have been achieved. The assessment is tailored made to test if the students have grasped the knowledge, facts and vocabularies of the core of the study. Secondly, to test whether the students can relate what they have learnt with the background information and a new environment in line with the curriculum of connections. The assessment will also seek to establish if the learner is able to apply the knowledge acquired in a real work environment. Finally, the assessment tests if the student have found an identity within the study; whether, he is able to create knowledge or use the knowledge learnt creatively. The assessment is good for both the learner and the teacher as both need to know the outcome of the effort, and plan for the way forward. The purpose of the assessment is to evaluate the learning process in order to determine which learning tasks worked, and which did not. This serves as a foundation for adjustment and improvement in order to eventually establish a quality curriculum that imparts quality knowledge, skills and understanding (Webb, N., 1997). Furthermore, the assessment is made within the framework of the ascending intellectual demand to ensure that the gifted students are tested up to their capability.

Unit Activities

Questions and Answers (core curriculum)

This activity is intended to evaluate the remembrance capability of the students; whether they are able to recall the information, facts and vocabularies disseminated. This activity comes as an introductory activity that prepares students for the development of the lesson. This activity is in line with the core curriculum as it is focused in examining the grasp of concepts. In a class of History for Year 10, the teacher may ask questions on the date Ferdinand Magellan started the circumnavigation. These should serve as an induction to more complex facts and information. But for the gifted students the teacher needs to ask hidden facts that they would have to think to get.

Problem-Solving (curriculum of practice)

For the sake of interested students who are not highly gifted the tutor may choose to use the problem solving technique to help them to understand the investigative methodology. This will help them to develop the required skills for applying the methodology in research. This technique will inculcate the students with the knowledge on how to discover what they don’t know. This will help the students in that they would acquire the necessary research skills, the ability to synthesize information and use it in the decision making process (Fetterman, 2009). This strategy will help the students to find a solution to the study problem through evaluation of the research findings while avoiding the barriers.

Field work (curriculum of identity)

Field work offers the students an opportunity to explore their investigative and research skills. This method is most appropriate for the gifted students who are able to use their talent in research findings. Visiting places such as the archives stores in museums offers the students an opportunity to acquire first-hand information concerning ancient events and incidences. These visits build their capacity to interpret their findings during research work. This prepares them for higher roles in society such as working in museums given their wealth of historical knowledge. This is in line with the curriculum of identity.

Group Brain Storming (curriculum of connections)

Group Brain Storming helps the students to consider different perspectives on the evidence obtained. It helps them to analyze the findings of research before arriving at conclusive ends. It is through brainstorming that students establish connections with the concept at hand. They develop deep insightsin the area of focus and identify the interrelationships between the past, the present and the future. Brain storming offers the gifted students an opportunity to practice their higher order thinking and create useful knowledge.

PCM Summary Table
Content Learning objectives for this unit address Core Parallel concepts, skills, generalizations and principles as well as meeting relevant content descriptors in the History Strand of the Saudi Curriculum. The students study the exploration by Fernando de Magallanes.

Additional learning objectives address the parallel of Practice with their focus on a number of skills used by historians in undertaking historical enquiry. Students will gain understanding, experience and skills in working within the historical process, specifically, formulating questions to guide research, evaluating evidence and formulating an argument in response to a research question. Again, these skills also mesh with the historical skills canvassed by the Sauidi Curriculum in connection with the Year 10 curriculum. Specifically, foci in this unit are developing investigative skills for research methodology.
Assignment The pre-assessmentin this unit aims to identify the varying level of prior knowledge and skill proficiency of students. Information from this preliminary assessment therefore enables the teacher to make modifications at the outset for those students displaying either learning gaps or advanced knowledge/skills which would require further modifications.

The pre-assessment for this unit measures students’ knowledge of Core parallel concepts such as what is an explorer and what is the Age of Discovery. In addition, it measures students’ knowledge and understanding of the concepts relating to the Parallel of Practice such as the nature and role of questioning in the study of history, the impact of historians’ own perspectives in studying the past (i.e. the impact of bias) and the importance of being aware that different points of view exist for any one historical event e.g. the European view-point contrasted to the indigenous view-point.

Formative assessment will take place in a variety of formats e.g. journal responses; group discussions.

The final assessment task aims to assess students’ grasp of the main historical skills covered over the course of the unit.
Introductory Activities The pre-assessment forms the initial activity related to this unit. This should be administered a week or two ahead of the unit.?The first lesson focuses on the terms and vocabularies used in exploration studies. This lesson provides a firm basis for the concepts and principles that students will be working with throughout the unit.?At the beginning of each lesson, a focusing question will be used to guide students towards assessing their background information and make connections in their learning
Teaching method A variety of teaching methods is used to foster student engagement with the concepts in this unit. Teaching methods include small and large group discussions; think/pair/share activities; direct instruction; demonstrations; visualization; simulation; problem-solving;field work; and culminating with independent study; debriefing techniques; questioning techniques to foster deeper connection with and understanding of principles and concepts.?The independent study /final assessment will be modified so that students requiring more assistance work with appropriately varying teacher guidance and support; alternatively, if there is a student/s able to work at a much higher level than the class, there is scope for this independent study to be carried out as an independent investigation under the guidance of a highly capable student doing Year 12 history or other appropriate mentor).
Grouping Strategies Learning activities have been designed to meet the purpose of eliciting strong student engagement with the new information whilst also using students’ existing knowledge and skill. Students will experience a range of activities using a variety of different groupings deliberately chosen to support specific goals.
Learning Activities This unit enables students to work in a variety of groupings e.g. whole class, pairs, small groups, conferencing with the teacher and also working individually. Grouping decisions will also, in various instances, reflect student preference depending on individual interests as well as learning strengths e.g. a student may choose to work with a group using an audio recording for research rather than a group working with text.
Resources

Students will have access to a wide range of resources e.g. multiple secondary sources suitable for a wide range of literacy abilities; access to copies of some primary sources in books and online (e.g. maps from pre-and post-Age of Discovery); websites where relevant for own research for final assessment piece; recordings of books/resources for those students who require this support to adequately access to the content.
Products Students use their history journals to record their responses to the question of the day as well as additional times they are asked to note down responses/draft responses/record thoughts. This encourages the learners to reflect on what they have gained and make connections.

More so, throughout this unit, students are working to produce mini-products that in one or more ways authentically reflect the work of historians as well as genuinely engage students with the unit content in a way that encourages them to make links and build deep understanding e.g. storyboards, draft journal titles/articles.?The final assessment product incorporates authentic aspects of the historians’ work such as evaluation and synthesis of different points of view and constructing argument based on the evidence to support the interpretation put forward. This task has been differentiated to cater for all abilities both in terms of accessing resources, ability to work with the historical concepts, and literacy capabilities. There is significant scope for advanced students to dictate the nature of their final assessment product to reflect their interests and strengths. Each final project will be evaluated in accordance with the rubric provided to students at the commencement of work on their final project.
Extension Activities Extension activities have been designed to enable those students able to engage at a sophisticated level with the concepts and content, the opportunity to be challenged. Tasks designed for such students have been identified where relevant in the lesson plans.

Modifications for learner need, including Ascending Intellectual Demand (AID) This unit provides scope at various points for students to experience different groupings (e.g. individual; pairs; small groups determined by a variety of measures e.g. ability, interest, random assignment; self-chosen; whole class).

Modifications have been made to enable students working at any point in the novice-expert continuum to nonetheless access the central concepts and big understandings at the core of this unit.?Regular use of journaling, exit cards, a wide variety of class activities offering the teacher chance to observe students’ engagement and success with the lesson content, among other

Unit pre-assessment

This paper is designed to find out what you already know about our next topic of enquiry. Some of you may feel you don’t know very much, others may know quite a bit and many of you will fall somewhere in between. Wherever you are it’s fine, so just answer the questions as best you can. This is to help me as your teacher to work out what you already know so I can ensure our unit is interesting and challenging for each of you, wherever you are currently.

Identification: Write a brief response to the following questions:

Who is an explorer?
What is the difference between a traveler/tourist and an explorer?
What do you know about the Age of Discovery?
What do you know about Fernando de Magallanes?
What is meant by the term ‘European’? Can you give an example?
What is meant by the term, non-European? Can you give an example?
How did Fernando de Magallanes travel in the 1400s to 1600s?
Where did Fernando de Magallanes go in 1400’s to 1600’s?
What inspired Fernando de Magallanes to explore?
What did Europeans currently believe about the undiscovered places?
How did the journey affectnon-European people the explorer came in contact with?
How might a non-European whose lands the explorer came to feel about the encounter?
What different types of questions are there?
What is meant when we talk about studying ‘history’?
What do historians do?
How are questions important in studying history?
Do historians have personal views about the area of history they are working in?
If you think historians do have different perspectives (personal views) what impact might this have on their work?
Imagine a European explorer and non-Europeans coming into contact for the first time. Would they describe the experience in the same way? Why? Why not?
What does the term ‘argument’ mean in the context of an historian’s work?

Write a phrase/sentence to show what you know/have heard/ think you might have heard about the following:

Circumnavigation, Trade routes, Merchants, Navigator, Missionary, Maritime

Age of Discovery?Finally, jot down your response to these questions:

Why should we learn about Fernando de Magallanes?
What would you like to know about the explorer (Fernando de Magallanes)?
What does a historian do?

The questions in this pre-assessment are set out procedures that would help the gifted learners in the mastery of the basic skills learnt in this unit. It engages the students in research and problem-solving activities. It also provides the students with opportunities to making diverse connections within the knowledge systems by keenly focusing on ideological issues and set themes. Special attention and care was paid in developing them. Such periodic evaluations do allow corrections to be availed to the learners whenever it is needed. This is essential in meeting their long-term needs.

RUBRIC

Final products will be evaluated in accordance with the following rubric provided to students at the introduction of the assessment.

Possible points: Tasks

Points of View

Argument: Have I stated my interpretation/ claim clearly? Argument: Have I used the evidence to support my argument?

Conventions

Novice (15-17)

Little or no evidence of grasp of the concept of different points of view

Conclusion is not present or unclear

Limited or no evidence of using evidence to build an argument

Little or no evidence of editing and appropriate formatting and language conventions for particular style of presentation/ publication

Emerging (18-21)

Evaluates 2 points of view and makes some logical attempt to weigh up opposing/inconsistent points

The central thesis for the argument is clear but neither original nor sophisticated. Attempts are made to use the evidence to construct an argument

Some errors but communication is comprehensible and appropriate formatting and language conventions for particular style of presentation/ publication are generally present

Competent (22-24).

Evaluates and weighs up 2 points of view in a clear and logical way

The central thesis for the argument is clear, shows some originality and sophistication. Evidence is clearly discussed and evaluated and used with some skill to build the thesis

Few errors, communication is clear, appropriate formatting and language conventions for particular style of presentation/ publication are largely present

Expert (25)

Evaluates and weighs up 3 or more points of view in a clear, original and justifiable way

The central thesis for the argument is clear, original and sophisticated

Summary paragraphs construct sound historical interpretations with evidence.

Very few errors, communication is of a standard commensurate with that acceptable for publication both in terms of formatting and language conventions for particular style of presentation/

Lesson Plans

Attached separately.

References

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National Research Council. (2001). Pellegrino, J., Chudowsky, N., & Glaser, R. (Eds.) Knowing whatstudent know: The science and design of educational assessment. Washington, D.C.: Academy Press.

Petit, M. & Hess, K. (2006). “Applying Webb’s Depth-of-Knowledge (DOK) and NAEP levels of complexity in mathematics.” Retrieved from:
http://www.nciea.org/publications/DOKmath_KH08.pdf

Rogers, K. (2007). Lessons learned about educating the gifted and talented: A synthesis of the research on educational practice. Gifted Child Quarterly, 51(4), 382-396

The Standards Company LLC. (2008a). “Study of the alignment of student assignments to the academic standards in the state of Nevada pursuant to Senate Bill 184, Chap. 420, Statutes of Nevada (2007). Legislative Counsel Bureau, Nevada State Legislature, technical report, Retrieved April 13, 2009, from: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/lcb/fiscal/Final_ReportCurriculum_Study.pdf.

The Standards Company LLC. (2008b). “Analysis of the enacted curriculum for the Oklahoma State Department of Education for the collection period February – March, 2008.” Oklahoma State Department of Education, unpublished technical report.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2005). Quality curriculum and instruction for highly able students. Theory into Practice, 44, 160–166.

Webb, N. (1997). Research Monograph Number 6: “Criteria for alignment of expectations and assessments on mathematics and science education. Washington, D.C.: CCSSO.

Webb, N. (August 1999). Research Monograph No. 18: “Alignment of science and mathematics standards and assessments in four states.” Washington, D.C.: CCSSO.

Webb, N. (March 28, 2002) “Depth-of-Knowledge Levels for four content areas,” unpublished paper. Retrieved from: https://ebook.sa/default.aspx#1

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Posted on May 28, 2016Author TutorCategories Question, Questions