Two-Column Notes

Date:
11-9-16

Name:
Class/Subject:
Nicholas Aichele
EDTL 2760
Bower, B., Lobdell, J., and Owens, S. (2010). Preview assignment. Bring learning alive! Methods to transform
middle and high school social studies. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers Curriculum Institute, pp. 22-26.

Page #

The Text Says

Notes (key concepts, direct quotes, etc.)

I Say
My notes, commentary

Pg. 23

Explain to students that the tensions

between the North and the South were in
many ways like the tensions in a rocky
relationship

-This stuck out to me because of how to get

kids interested into the civil war. When we
introduce the subject to kids in Middle or
Elementary school. Bit this is the age that these
family tensions can really begin. And by
appealing to them in this way it can aid in
getting students intrigued in this topic. The
hardest thing for me when I would be tutoring
students is relating to them on this level. But
being able to appeal to their lives and connect
it to social Studies concepts.

Pg. 24

Students Answer questions relevant to

their life or relate to a personnel
experience that foreshadows key themes
of the upcoming lessons.

Pg. 24

Before students study the original

American colonies and create brochures to

-This to me is a good way to show students that

your classroom is a safe place to share and
learn. This to me is one of the most important
parts of being a teacher. Having a safe place for
students to share and learn not only improves
their attentiveness to class, but also makes
coming to school not a dread. And it is our job
as teachers to foster that environment.
- This was a hook idea that I had not been
introduced to before. But the idea of this was

Pg. 25

attract people to their specific colonies

strange to me none the less. This Example is a

good example of this. I feel as though this
would be better fit for a project rather than
hooks or intros for a topic. While it is a great
idea I do not see it as a good hook. Or the
category as a whole for that matter.

Before students learn about Alexander the

great, have them draw a figure of a good
leader and define their qualities.

-This was the best of all the ideas that I was

exposed to thus far. I think it would be a great
hook all across the boards and curriculums of
Social Studies. Whether it be presidents or
Historical figures. It can be used in any context
to intro classes and I think that is the best part
of these. It gets people thinking and interactive
with the subject they are learning about.

Connections to previous MR: Being a good teacher can be made or broken with a good lesson plan.
But it is with these good hook strategies and infusing those with our AIW skills. Having lessons that
incorporate Higher order thinking and Connections to the world can really improve the effectiveness of
hooks. Even if it is just an open ended question to get students thinking about their lessons can make
the difference in how effective our lesson plans are.