HRVH Primary Sources for Educators: Transportation

Author: Jake Lahey

Subject: Social Studies

Grades: 7th Grade, 8th Grade

NY State Standards: SST1, SST2, SST3, SST4, SST5

Transportation & the Effects of Communication Technology

UNIT: The Development of Transportation in American History and the effects of recent Communication Technology

Students will learn about the development of different transportation modes in America and their uses through analyzing primary sources from the Hudson Valley. Then students will reflect on and evaluate how recent communication technology advances have impacted transportation.

Essential Question(s): How has transportation and its uses changed throughout American history and how has recent communication technology affected development?

Content Understanding(s): Students will know what forms of transportation have evolved over time in America, along with describing what each mode was used for.

Concept Understanding(s): 1) Cause and effect of transportation and communication changes in American history.  2) How technological advances affect American society

Skills practiced: Primary source analysis, collaboration, formal writing, referencing, primary sources, editing, synthesis, and evaluation

Suggested Time Frame(s): 7 days: 3 days (80 minute periods) to complete and review Part A; essay assigned after third day (students given 3 nights to write)

Professional Development/In-Service I attended Teaching the Hudson Valley With Primary Sources from July 8-11, 2013. The workshop was led by Susan Stessin-Cohn, Hudson River Valley Heritage, http://www.hrvh.org/

Narrative

1. Begin class with Hook question: What forms of transportation have you used in the past week? to help focus students on the topic

 2. Provide directions: Students will work with one partner in completing Part A of their class work, analyzing primary sources and answering the questions that follow each numbered document.

 3. Once students have finished, there will be a class discussion, reviewing the answers, and reflecting on the fact that most of these primary sources are from locations in the Hudson Valley (pointing out each location), along with any other observations and reflections the students have.

 4. Part B is assigned: Students will have to write a minimum two-page essay with an introduction and conclusion, and references to at least 7 documents, answering the question: How has transportation and its uses changed throughout American history and how has recent communication technology affected development?

 5. Students will be assessed based on the 6+1 Writing Traits rubric found at this link: http://educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/1431

Supplies Used

• THV Transportation Lesson Plan (found in worksheets & attachments section)
• Supplies: Computer with Internet access

What Should Students Know At The End of This Lesson

• Students should know what forms of transportation have evolved over time in America, along with describing what each mode was used for.
• Students should understand the cause and effect of transportation and communication changes in American history and how technological advances in these areas have affected American society

 What Should Students Be Able To Do at the End of This Lesson

• Students should be able to discuss and write formally about the content and concepts, specifically referencing the primary sources that helped them arrive at their conclusions.

How do you assess student learning?

Students will write a minimum two-page essay with an introduction and conclusion, and references to at least 7 documents, answering the question: How has transportation and its uses changed throughout American history and how has recent communication technology affected development?

Rubric used: http://educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/1431