Creating Lesson Plans

A Performance Test Storyboard

Learning Objective
This storyboard outlines a performance test designed to expose adjunct instructors to group activities they may be unfamiliar with and test their ability to apply their learning in their own classroom. This performance test supports learning objective #2 for adjunct instructors: Given examples of successful learning activities, the instructor will create and lead group assignments that support stated course learning objectives.

Storyboard
This is Dr. Miles, a new adjunct instructor teaching Intro to American History. She wants to create an interactive group lesson to teach her students about the causes of the Civil War. How should she do it?
Structured(Academic( Controversy(

Role-Play

Buttons allow learners to chose the lesson type they would like to explore. For storyboarding purposes, only the Structured Academic Controversy is outlined.

Storyboard
Overview of Structured Academic Controversy Lessons:
A guide to teaching SAC Lessons would go here including: o Benets of teaching SACs early in the semester. o Choosing a controversial subject matter to foster debate. o Debate etiquette and the importance of asking students to suspend their personal beliefs. o Providing students with evidence to support their arguments. o Follow-up protocol.

Storyboard
Structure of an SAC Lesson:
A guide to structuring an SAC Lesson would go here, including:
o Divide the class into groups of four, and divide groups into Team A and Team B. o Give Team As and Team Bs different perspectives from which to argue about the controversy. Have them research their side of the argument. o Give each team a chance to argue its perspective. o Switch sides. Have each team understand the alternative viewpoint. o Have the teams come to consensus about controversy. o Follow up as a class with a more nuanced view.

Storyboard
Choosing a Controversy:
Dr. Miles has to choose a central question as the basis of the lesson. Which do you think would make the best choice?
q Was Abraham Lincoln racist and did this affect his decisions? q What impact did the Mexican American War have on the lead up to the Civil War? q How did the sectionalism of the economy impact the war?

Learners will choose an answer and receive feedback.

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Choosing a Controversy:
Which do you think would make the best choice?
q Was Abraham Lincoln racist and did this affect his decisions? q What impact did the Mexican American War have on the lead up to the Civil War? q How did the sectionalism of the economy impact the war?

Correct Feedback: Great choice. Simple, controversial statements make the best choices for SACs. They make a great basis for debate. Incorrect Feedback: This statement does not have two clear positions from which to debate and is unlikely to arouse students passions. Is there another choice that could arouse better controversy?

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Dividing Up Groups
When dividing the class into groups, Dr. Miles ______________ take a show of hands to determine whether student should be on Team A or Team B.
Drag the correct box into the blank above.

Should

Should Not

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Dividing Up Groups
When dividing the class into groups, Dr. Miles ______________ take a show of hands to determine whether student should be on Team A or Team B.
Correct Feedback: Thats right. Its important for students to suspend their personal beliefs in this exercise, so they should be not be divided according to them. Incorrect Feedback: Thats incorrect. . Its important for students to suspend their personal beliefs in this exercise, so they should be not be divided according to them.
Should Not

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Prepping the Debate:
Dr. Miles gave her students homework to read documents that they can use as evidence in the debate. She ________________ briey go over the documents in class before the debate begins.
Drag the correct box into the blank above.

Should

Should Not

Storyboard
Prepping the Debate:
Dr. Miles gave her students homework to read documents that they can use as evidence in the debate. Should She ________________ briey go over the documents in class before the debate begins.
Correct Feedback: Correct. Going over the documents as a class will help students understand the main ideas and allow them to dig deeper in their analysis. Incorrect Feedback: Thats incorrect. Students may have a difcult time understanding documents on the rst reading. Going over the main ideas in class will allow them to dig deeper in the analysis they do on their own.

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The Debate:
One of Dr. Miles students approaches her before the debate and tells her that she is uncomfortable making such a strong argument. She _______________tell her that its acceptable to take a more nuanced approach if shes more comfortable with it.
Drag the correct box into the blank above.

Should'

Should'Not'

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The Debate:
One of Dr. Miles students approaches her before the debate and tells her that she is uncomfortable making such a strong argument. Should'Not' She _______________tell her that its acceptable to take a more nuanced approach if shes more comfortable with it.
Correct Feedback: Thats correct. Part of the the goal of this assignment is to understand that historical sources can have multiple legitimate interpretations. For the assignment to work, students must argue strongly for their assigned perspective. Incorrect Feedback: Thats incorrect. Part of the the goal of this assignment is to understand that historical sources can have multiple legitimate interpretations. For the assignment to work, students must argue strongly for their assigned perspective.

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Follow Up:
After the students have completed the debate in groups, Dr. Miles ______________ bring the class back together and lead them through a more nuanced interpretation of the topic theyve been debating.
Drag the correct box into the blank above.

Should'

Should'Not'

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Follow Up:
After the students have completed the debate in groups, Dr. Should' Miles ______________ bring the class back together and lead them through a more nuanced interpretation of the topic theyve been debating.
Correct Feedback: Yes. After the debate, the professor should revisit the argument with the class so that they can take away a more nuanced perspective and understand the importance of historical interpretation. Incorrect Feedback: Thats incorrect. After the debate, the professor should revisit the argument with the class so that they can take away a more nuanced perspective and understand the importance of historical interpretation.

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Adapted in part from Claudia Khourey-Bowers, Pedagogy in Action: The SERC Portal for Educations from Carleton University.