Anna Denslow

Michelle Carpenter
Burnett
KSP 603
10/10/2017

Curriculum Transformation Project: Detailed Design

Background:
Curriculum covers relevant material from the American Revolution (1763-1783).
Lesson should span 3-4 class periods and are appropriate for students grades 9-12, lessons will be
condensed for our purposes to one class period.
This will limit the scope of the background information we can cover. Background information will be
limited to important points relative to the question is everyone equal under the Declaration of
Independence?
We found the learning outcomes listed for the lesson to be well thought out and intend to include them:

develop a working definition of what it means for everyone to be equal;

interpret the phrase "All Men Are Created Equal" in the context of the Declaration of Independence;
compare their definition of equality to the definition Jefferson was using in the Declaration of Independence; and
develop a rationale for Jefferson's usage of the phrase based on his life and historical context.

PowerPoint:
Introduction: Explain lesson briefly, should take no more than two minutes. Continue right into video.

Video: PBS, first 12 minutes, Race: The Power of an Illusion-Part 2]. Video shows perspective from
marginalized groups, like native Americans. This visual representation puts a human face and voice to
the content. The original lesson does not include this.

1. List three pieces of information you learned

2. List two groups that were excluded from the Declaration of Independence
3. Write one way this broader knowledge about the meaning behind the words all men are
created equal can benefit you as a citizen today

Accompanying Worksheet

**This is an important exercise because it gives students who learn visually a chance to interact with the
new information. Additionally, all students are given the chance to interpret the video and consider the
source material as individuals before working in small groups or as a class.
Comprehension Discussion: Open up the floor for students to share their answers to the comprehension
questions accompanying the video. This should take no more than five minutes but give the class a
chance to consider how their peers are interpreting this new information. This was not included in the
original curriculum. We feel it is an important addition because it gives students a chance to identify key
background information and historical context. This makes lecture less imperative and more
supplementary. Relevant information is presented in a few different ways to better maximize learning.
Lecture: Our lecture differs from the LOC lesson in that we spend much less time exploring the profile of
Thomas Jefferson. The LOC lesson has roughly three periods centered around what kind of person
Jefferson was according to primary sources. We have adopted an element of this but condensed it. In
addition, we have added primary sources from the point of view of slaves and native peoples. The
narrative of Jefferson as a benevolent champion of freedom will not be perpetuated blindly. Instead, all
sides will be presented and considered.
The question of equality will be presented first so as to establish it as essential to the dialogue. Students
will be asked to define it early on, both personally and as a class. This presentation allows for the idea of
a working definition to be introduced. After considering the lecture and primary sources it will be
interesting to see if this notion of equality or all equality for all men has changed. Our lesson spends fair
time on the equality of all people and Thomas Jeffersons definition of equality. This presents both sides
as valid and deserving of the same consideration. This is done in the interest of time but also as a way to
make sure there is not a displacement of value. There is a clear bias in education to present Jefferson, as
well as the other framers, as above scrutiny. The narrative of their overwhelmingly positive
contributions is perpetuated in the earliest stages of public American education. This remains fairly
unquestioned. Lecture should take up 15 minutes.

Slide One- Define Equality

The first primary source will be introduced, each student will be given a hard copy of the DOI.
We will unpack this document as a class because it is essential to comprehension of the topic. Following
this exercise, students will have the necessary contextual background to define equality as they see it
and compare/contrast that idea of equality that shaped the DOI.
Slide Two- Who was Thomas Jefferson?
The second primary source will be given context, this will be covered in less detail because it will
be part of a small group activity. The purpose it to supplement the information about Jefferson as a
person as well as a politician. The slide provides interpretations of his legacy compared side by side. The
LOC lesson spent the majority of their lesson on this question. We have condensed it down and
already presented the negative.
Slide Three- Slaves and Native Peoples
The third and fourth primary sources will be given context. Instead of focusing on a specific
individual, the lecture slide will provide a timeline with a few important, telling events. A few bullets will
provide context. The lecture will generalize the experiences of marginalized groups in the interest of
time. These documents will follow the same explanation as the second primary source, it will be further
discussed in small groups. The purpose is to provide opposing historical perspective to the currently
accepted popular narrative of history. The information presented here will give the background and
brief profile of the groups left out of all men.

**The LOC lesson does not give much criteria for lecture. We have included this for students who feel
they learn best through observational or auditory presentations. We have added this component
because we feel it is important to identify the framework that is important to the lesson. By creating a
multi-faceted lesson, we hope to help students utilize as many learning tools as possible.

Primary Sources:

No. 1: The Declaration of Independence

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/ruffdrft.html
No. 2: A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, Thomas Jefferson
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/images/vc66.jpg

No. 3: Memoirs of Madison Hemings, Madison Hemings

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/cron/1873march.html

No. 4: Jeffersons Policy of Civilization and Assimilation, Thomas Jefferson

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/Jefferson.pdf

Small Group Activity: Students will answer questions 1-4 as a group. These answers will be specific to
their groups primary source. This will allow students to gain perspective on different groups in a limited
amount of time. It also is an opportunity to highlight the significance of primary sources. Students will
be able to make connections between different groups, context, and impact.

1. Who is the author of the document?

2. What are the main points of the author?

3. What is the historical significance of the source?

4. How does the source relate to the idea of equality?

**The LOC lesson has students constructing the affirmative and negative sides of a debate, this debate centers
around the question of Jeffersons legacy. The outcome of the debate is wether or not he should be revered. This
activity is done using primary sources that are all written by Thomas Jefferson. It is an extensive activity that
answers a question that does not need debating. No, everyone is not equal under the DOI. We intend to introduce
this idea early and eliminate the need for four units of debate. Instead, our plan takes these important
concepts and condenses them. This allows for us to introduce the perspectives of different groups, not
just Jeffersons writing.
The emphasis on primary sources is important. We would like to incorporate that emphasis. In addition,
we would like to broaden the source material used so that students will think critically and question the
accepted narrative. The group activity provides the opportunity for peer discussion and exploration of a
historic document. We believe that the video and context lecture has set students up with the tools to
do this. A class discussion following small groups both ensures the work has been done but gives
students the opportunity to share with their classmates in their own words. This is an important
comprehension and retention exercise.

Class Discussion: The four peer groups will come back together as a class and share their answers to
questions 1-4, while answering any questions other students might have about the document. We will
connect the four different primary sources together as a class. This will help the overall message of the
lesson be better retained.

Comprehension Questions:

Curriculum Transformed: The LOC lesson centers around a debate of Thomas Jefferson and his
character, it aims to answer the question Is Everyone Equal Under the Declaration of Independence
and spends more time exploring Jeffersons letters. While it has good intentions and some thoughtful
sources, this lesson lacks versatility and group discussion. It does not consider multiple perspectives in
depth or go beyond the scope of Thomas Jefferson. There is no doubt he is an important figure to this
time period and question, however he should not be the focus. Our lesson seeks to equally examine the
perspectives of important, different groups to better answer the defining question. In doing so, this
lesson incorporates different teaching tools, discussion styles, and thinking techniques.
See ** notations for in depth notes on how curriculum has been transformed.

Work Cited:

Kanopy (Firm). Race - the Power of An Illusion. Episode Two - The Story We Tell. [San Francisco,
California, USA]: Kanopy Streaming, 2016.

PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-teachers-01.htm.

(n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2017,

from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/cron/1873march.html Sav
e to EasyBib

(n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2017,

from http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/timeline/1863.html Save to EasyBib

(n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2017,

from http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/nativeamericanchron.html Save to
EasyBib

David Barrow from Thomas Jefferson, May 1, 1815. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2017,
from https://www.loc.gov/item/mtjbib022031/ Save to EasyBib

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2017,

from https://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/thomas-jefferson-brief-biography Save to
EasyBib