1

A Changing World

“A Changing World”

Ricardo Rojas

Arizona State University

A Changing World 2

“A Changing World”

Student’s in social studies and history classrooms across the country perhaps ask the

question, “Why am I learning this?” more often than other school subject. In history classrooms,

there often is a gap between student interest and investment compared to where the teacher

would like the students to be. For this project, the main effort here will be to get students

interested in history and also have them understand why it is important to learn from it. This

project will also have students make connections to the real world and have them see why the

world is as it is. The aim of the project will be to have students conduct research about 3

different kinds of ways societies can change, and then examples of those changes at work. The

students will then be able to create a museum exhibit or gallery that will show a historical event

and why how that moment of change impacts society today. Students will get access to

technology so they can make their museum exhibit come to life and match some of the possible

things they could see in an exhibit, such as video or voice recording. As this project closely

hinges upon their knowledge of historical sites or museums, students will also learn about the

role of museums and will even have their work reviewed by staff at the local Heard Museum.

Applicant and School Narrative

The school I am teaching at is Metro Tech High School. Metro Tech is unique compared

to many schools in the Phoenix Union High School District as it is a public magnet school and

also a career and technological education school. Demographically, this school is like many

within the central valley, as it serves a largely working class and heavily Hispanic community.

Metro Tech itself is over 90% Hispanic. Being a person who comes from a similar background, I

am aware of many of the challenges found within a school like Metro Tech. My classroom is for

10th US history students. I work with students for 1 to 2 hour periods, and have about 25 students
A Changing World 3

on average during 1 class. My background in education goes back to high school. I was a student

teacher to a freshman world history class for 1 year and childcare assistant for another. My

philosophy in education goes back to something I have held since I have started the journey to

becoming a teacher. Going to school everyday for meant having to work towards a goal in

finding out how to better impact the world. That aspirational desire for change is something that

I have wanted to rise to since I was a young child. So, my role as an educator is simply this; I

want to encourage students to see the world and boldly seek out something that needs to be

improved, altered, or changed. There are huge issues in the world affecting the young and old

alike, and the future generation of students has the technological and social acumen to impact the

world in huge ways. In the classroom, I believe in putting those beliefs to work. Problem based

learning is something that I believe is a great opportunity for students to see how they can deliver

change into so many facets in society. I want my students to confront real world problems by

seeing how the present is shaped by past, and seeing why learning history matters for shaping the

future. Among this, I also believe that technological integration will play a part as well. With

digital access to historical documents, and all sorts of online resources that make learning history

more engaging, I believe that there is a lot of technology that can be used in the classroom.

School Narrative

Metro Tech High School, as a mentioned previously, is a school in the central valley of

Phoenix, Arizona. It falls in the Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD), and serves a

working-class Hispanic community. Over 90% of the students at Metro Tech High School are

Hispanic, and many come from households across the valley. As Metro Tech is a public magnet

school, there is not a singular neighborhood from which the students come from. Many of the

students come from working class families, where Spanish is the predominant language spoken
A Changing World 4

at home. Many of the families that send their students to Metro Tech want their students to find

success through the CTE programs, perhaps over traditional school curriculum. A challenge for

students here is getting to see the power of the education that they are getting. I want to work

with my students and get them to see how they can utilize the skills learned in this classroom can

benefit for career success later on in life.

Summary of Project and Impact

The project will involve a 10-day period where students will be reviewing material

learned throughout the year, and then applying their learning in creating their own museum

exhibit. As mentioned previously, the students will be working on creating a gallery or museum

exhibit akin to something that they would see at the local Heard Museum. This project allows

students to see how the past can shape a community’s present and future. Given the background

of many students at Metro Tech, they often have questions about why their community is the

way it is, and also how to improve the conditions for it. Students will review previous material

and then make distinctions about how change comes from different events in history and why

that matters. This culminates in students creating the exhibit, depicting a historical event and

what impact it has on society, and then how it will further shape the future.

Student Impact

The number of students impacted initially will be the 125 students I will have worked

with in making them work on this project. This is divided between the 5 periods of students I

have throughout the day. This will grow as their experiences will be shared from class to class as

they write a reflection on what the project meant to them. Engagement will have it so that

students perhaps all over the school will get to see the work this project as it happens.

Teacher Impact
A Changing World 5

There will be a lot of impact it will have on me as a teacher. As someone who has been

aspirational in this way for many years, instilling this sort of passion in others is something I

greatly take pride in. But beyond that, this project will also test me as educator. A lot of the

success for the project will come down to how I am able to handle the challenges of planning

such a large undertaking. From the initial planning phase, I will have to make sure that the

timeline I have created is sound, and beyond that make sure that everything smoothly transitions

from day to day. There will be a lot of potential hazards with this, as I have to make sure that

when issues inevitably come up, such as a technological error or some shortage of materials, I

need to be ready to handle it. Inwardly, this project is as much a challenge for me as it will be for

my students. I can look at the sort of students I am teaching and see in them a desire for purpose.

Many of them come from the circumstances that I did, and everyday school was their chance at

figuring out how to rise above their circumstances. I want to make sure that this experience is

meaningful to them, and that they can learn something about how to bring change into their

communities. They often can wonder how to improve the conditions of their neighborhoods. I

want to teach them that there can be historical reasons for that, and learning those reasons is key

in making the future better for them.

Community Impact

The most significant connections to be made with this project come from the ones made

from those at the Heard Museum, who I would work with in getting information as to how to set

the project up, and having them review the work of my students and their museum exhibits. I

have loved museums since the first time I visited Heard Museum in high school. I went to see the

exhibit specifically on the history of Indian boarding schools in Arizona. The dark events that

shaped Native American history are something that I still think about today, all these years later.
A Changing World 6

That experience was greatly impactful for me. So, I would really want to have my students

understand and see the same thing. We can foster a good relationship with the people from the

Heard Museum so that connection can help students see what sort of history they can learn from

them in future years.

Project Narrative

The narrative begins in with the first of 3 distinct phases. The first is the learning and

review phase. This time we will work together to review and make connections to previous

material that will be relevant to the class. I want my students thinking about historical change

and what that means in our context today. Then, the next phase is the development phase. This

phase involves the students working on making their exhibits. Once they are completed, then

comes the presentation phase, which involves setup and the actual presentation of the exhibits.

Sustaining The Project and Innovation

Technology

I think that there will be a lot of opportunities to utilize technology for this project. I

wanted my students to both review online archives for research and also incorporate digital

elements for their presentation. Along with this, I wanted them to think about how to use

technology to creatively deliver elements in their presentation, such as creating a voice guide

providing info on something within their exhibit. I will fundraise for needed technology that will

go into this project, and will make sure that it can be saved for future classes to enjoy later on.

The school has access to computers and some camera equipment, so I will come and help raise

the funds for things like tablets, microphones for voice recording, and the digital subscription

access to materials that my students may want to incorporate into their project. That will come

from the website JSTOR.

A Changing World 7

After Proposal Period

I wanted to create a complex and big project that allowed for my students to think about

the wider implications of societal change. I envisioned this project taking place at the end of the

year, so after this project I want my students to think about how they can relate the past to the

present and understand why we learn history in the first place. I want to encourage them how

take what they have learned into their own communities. I want them to consider the history of

their communities and neighborhoods, and identify areas of need that can be improved. As they

go forward in their careers, this is something I want for them to think about for a long time.

Innovation

This will be a huge creative effort for my students. I personally love museums and

wanted to instill that passion for them in my students. They are a great opportunity for learning.

Getting students familiar with both museums as an institution and their importance in preserving,

recording and displaying history is something I don’t think many students get the chance to

understand. I hope it will be a unique opportunity for them to expand their knowledge and

interest. My students will have the chance to think of creative exhibit designs and themes, and

this will get them passionate about history behind the exhibit they have created.

Budget Narrative

The project will have expenditures large and small. This will begin with the basics; paper,

pencils, coloring material, scissors. These are all to help the student’s exhibit’s come to life in

the physical sense. With this, there will also be a technological aspect to this. Students will need

access to computers at various states of the project. The computers will be used to conduct

research and also will be used to access whatever online materials are needed by the students. I

will also have access to a classroom printer, which will need a supply of ink. I will also have a
A Changing World 8

need for tablets. These I want for my students if they find the need to use them in any way for

their exhibits, whether it’s to play video or be used to house voice recordings. I will want to have

my students to place their exhibit ideas onto presentation tables. Another final expense will come

from my students being able to access JSTOR, and this will come with the need of buying a

month access pass with an account that can be used by the students.
A Changing World 9

References

About Us / Integrated Action Plan. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2020, from
https://www.pxu.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=23456

Explore Metro Tech High School in Phoenix, AZ. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2020, from
https://www.greatschools.org/arizona/phoenix/983-Metro-Tech-High-School/
A Changing World 10

Table 1: Budget

Class set in Green, Single Group Use in blue

Item # and Cost Where to Purchase Funding Source

Reams of HP Printer 5 total, $31.00 Amazon Adopt a Classroom
Paper
12 Marker set 3 total, $28.32 Staples Adopt a Classroom
Scissors 5 total, $23.75 Staples Adopt a Classroom
24 pack pens 2 total, $17.98 Staples Adopt a Classroom
Trifolds 40 total, $319.60 Staples Donors Choose
10 pack Poster Paper 5 total, $29.10 Staples Adopt a Classroom
Staplers 5 total, $34.95 Staples Adopt a Classroom
2 pack Staples 2 total, $13.98 Staples Adopt a Classroom
Printer 1 total, $89.99 Staples Donors Choose
Printer Ink Sets 2 total, $227.98 Staples Donors Choose
Long Tables 5 total, $848.74 Staples Donors Choose
JSTOR JPASS digital 1-month pass, JSTOR website Adopt a Classroom
Access $19.95
Amazon Fire Tablets 25 total, $999. 75 Amazon Donors Choose

Table 2: Calendar

(Depending on Project Narrative Calendar Selected Format)

Day Standards & Learning Activities Assessment Technology Used

Learning
Objective(s)
1 Content Students will first Students will create Students will be
Standards: HS.SP1.2 begin to evaluate a concept map. This able to look up
Analyze change and what allows a map will depict at resources from
continuity in historical society to evolve at least 3 elements online with the
eras
a basic level by that show what classroom
seeing the factors allowed for ancient computer cart to
Learning
that caused ancient civilizations to review information
Objective(s):
Students will create a
civilizations to form. learned at the
concept map depicting grow, like ancient beginning of the
3 elements that allow Mesopotamia. year.
for ancient civilizations
to grow. Instructional
Strategies:
Essential Question: Cooperative
What causes a society
to form?
learning: students
work together in
A Changing World 11

groups to review
information.
2 Content Students will begin Students will turn in Students will be
Standards: HS.SP1.2 a process where their created able to look up
Analyze change and they will evaluate timeline at the end resources from
continuity in historical different societal of class and I will online with the
eras
aspects that fuel review their classroom
change, beginning learning. computer cart to
Learning
with technological review information
Objective(s):
Students will create a
advancements. We learned earlier in
timeline to depict will review the year.
technological changes materials learned
from ancient previously and ISTE Standard 1:
civilizations to the create a timeline Empowered
industrial revolution.
that shows how Learner
technological
Essential Question:
What causes a society
advancements
to change? changed the world

Direct instruction
will have the class
follow along with
the teacher while
they create the
timeline.
3 Content Continuing the Students are going Students will be
Standards: Analyze process, students to turn in their able to look up
change and continuity are going to create Revolutions map resources from
in historical eras a foldable where and I will review online with the
they will list causes them for accuracy classroom
Learning and effects that and doneness computer cart to
Objective(s): fueled the Atlantic review information
Students will create a
“Revolutions Map”
Revolutions learned earlier in
depicting 1 cause and (French, American, the year.
effect surrounding the or Haitian
3 Atlantic revolutions Revolution) ISTE Standard 1:
Empowered
Essential Question Students will be Learner
for Student working in small
direction: What groups to create
causes a society to the foldable map.
change?
This will be
independent
differentiated
A Changing World 12

learning.
4 Content Standards Students are going Students will turn in Students will be
Analyze change and to review the their political able to look up
continuity in historical Enlightenment cartoons and I will resources from
eras
philosophers check on them for online with the
learned during the correctness and classroom
Learning
Enlightenment Unit effort. computer cart to
Objective(s):
Students will evaluate
and create a review information
3 Enlightenment ideas political cartoon learned earlier in
of societal change and that depicts their the year.
list 1 impact they had ideas having
on society by making a societal impact, ISTE Standard 1:
political cartoon that
depicts it.
completing the Empowered
process in how Learner
Essential Question societies change.
for Student
direction: What Differentiation: this
causes a society to requires students
change? to show their
learning in a
nontraditional way.
5 Content Students will form their Students will turn in Students will be
Standards: HS.SP1.4 own groups of 4 or 5 . their drafts and able to turn in their
Use compelling They will be given the
rubrics for the Museum
outlines for teacher work digitally and I
questions generated approval. will be able to
about individuals and Gallery Project. They
groups to assess how will be responsible for provide feedback
the significance of creating a team online.
their actions changes contract, role outline,
over time and is and gallery exhibit
draft/outline. This
ISTE Standard 1:
shaped by the Empowered
historical context project will have
students create their Learner
own exhibit that would
HS.SP3.2 Gather go in a museum
relevant information depicting a moment of
from multiple sources major societal change.
representing a wide They will have visual
range of views while and written elements,
using origin, authority, and if wanted, auditory
structure, context, and elements that show all
corroborative value of of the complex
the source to guide elements that fueled
the selection. change on a societal
level. The students will
Learning be given topic prompts,
Objectives(s): related to previous
Students will begin material learned in
A Changing World 13

their Museum Gallery class, from such events

project by creating a like the Enlightenment
group, timeline, roles, to the Industrial
and a gallery exhibit Revolution.
draft that will be
reviewed by the Cooperative learning:
teacher. Students will work
together to write out all
Essential Question: of the necessary
What elements in planning and
society drive political, preparation for the
social, and project.
technological change?
6 Content Students are going Students will turn in Students will have
Standards: HS.SP1.4 to be given most of a progress sheet full online access as
Use compelling the class time to where they will they explore for
questions generated work on their describe what they research and also
about individuals and
groups to assess how
projects. They will accomplished and finding online
the significance of consult with the what they still need materials. Students
their actions changes teacher when they to do. can also digitize
over time and is need help on where aspects of their
shaped by the to go or finding Gallery Exhibit,
historical context
resources needed from creating a
to make their digital description
Learning
Gallery Exhibit. of the Exhibit, or
Objectives(s):
Students will work on
even creating a
their Museum Gallery Individual learning museum voice
Project by working on will take place and guide as one sees in
their plans and the teacher will some museum
outlines and finding have a minimal role exhibits
materials necessary
for their projects and
in how students will
turn in a progress conduct their ISTE Standard 4:
sheet demonstrating projects. Innovative Designer
awareness of their
goals.

Essential Question:
What elements in
society drive political,
social, and
technological change?
7 Content Students are going Students will turn in Students will
Standards: HS.SP1.4 to keep working on a progress sheet continue to use
Use compelling their projects. This where they will online resources for
questions generated will involve describe what they final research, and
about individuals and
groups to assess how
students creating have accomplished also continue to
A Changing World 14

the significance of more aspects of and then what else create their digital
their actions changes their Gallery they have to finish aspects of the
over time and is
shaped by the
Exhibit. in time for the Gallery exhibit.
historical context Gallery Walk.
Individual learning ISTE Standard 4:
Learning will take place and Innovative Designer
Objectives(s): the teacher will
Students will work on have a minimal role
their Museum Gallery in how students will
Project by continuing conduct their
working on their
projects and turn in a
projects.
progress sheet
demonstrating
awareness of their
goals.

Essential Question:
What elements in
society drive political,
social, and
technological change?
8 Content Students will Students will turn in Students will
Standards: HS.SP1.4 consult with their their final progress continue to have
Use compelling project team and sheet and the access to their
questions generated the teacher for the teacher will give online materials
about individuals and
groups to assess how
remaining elements guidance on what while they create
the significance of needed to be else they should their remaining
their actions changes completed, and will focus on for their parts of their
over time and is continue to work final day of working Gallery Exhibit.
shaped by the on finalizing the on the project.
historical context
project. ISTE Standard 4:
Innovative Designer
Learning
Individual learning
Objectives(s):
Students will work on
will take place and
their Museum Gallery the teacher will
Project by finalizing have a minimal role
what remains to be in how students will
done and turning in conduct their
projects.
Essential Question:
What elements in
society drive political,
social, and
technological change?
9 Content Students will Students will Students will learn
Standards: HS.SP4.1 review with the provide a verbal about the Heard
A Changing World 15

Analyze multiple and teacher the final assessment where Museum and the
complex causes and preparations for they will indicate responsibilities that
effects of events in the
past and present.
the event. They will their readiness for come with creating
be guided through the gallery walk. a museum exhibit
the expectations. by visiting the
Learning They will also be website.
Objectives(s): informed of the
Students will finish outside “judges” ISTE Standard 3:
their Gallery Exhibits who will review Knowledge
and prepare for the their Exhibit, exhibit Constructor
presentation day, designers and
while also finalizing
their presentation as it
museum educators
aligns with from the Heard
understanding the Museum in
causes and effects of Phoenix.
their chosen Exhibit
theme.
Direct Instruction:
after completing
Essential Question:
How does change
their projects, the
affect society in the teacher will guide
near and far future? them through the
procedures and
expectations for the
gallery walk
tomorrow.
10 Content Students will head Students will be Whatever
Standards: HS.SP4.1 out and present graded formally by technology they
Analyze multiple and their Gallery the teacher from used to create their
complex causes and Exhibits. This will be the rubric provided. exhibit will be used
effects of events in the
past and present.
done in a museum The rubric will in the gallery walk.
format, where consider the
various exhibits will information and ISTE Standard 4:
Learning be laid out in the how effectively Innovative Designer
Objectives(s): open space they addressed the
Students will present reserved for this overall prompt.
their gallery exhibit to gallery walk. They They will be graded
fellow peers, teachers will be informally on their vocal
and Heard Museum judged by the presentations and
personnel at the
Gallery Walk. They will
Heard Museum the creativity of
present their personnel and then their exhibit.
knowledge and formally judged by
understanding of the the teacher.
causes and effects of
major societal events
Differentiation:
A Changing World 16

that caused change. Their projects all

will have different
Essential Question: means of
How I can show my demonstrating
awareness of historical
change in society?
mastery.

Appendix
A Changing World 17

Inquiry Based Lesson Plan

Engage
To engage students at the beginning of a lesson, insert video, image,
quote, or another inspirational hook in this box.
The Goal: Reveal Pre-existing ideas, Beliefs, Preconceptions. Pose
questions that students will begin to answer in “Explore”

How We Got Here: Crash Course Sociology

The Goal: I want to have my students to think about all the sorts of
ways societies can change, and the means that allow for societal
evolution.

Driving Question: How and why do societies change and evolve?

Explore
Curate a collection of resources (articles, videos, infographics, text
excerpts, etc.) for students to explore the topic.
The Goal: Students may be gathering data, sharing ideas, looking for
patterns, making conjectures, and developing further questions and
problem solving considerations with the use of the information/activity
provided

Articles
The Civil Rights Movement
The Industrial Revolution
The French Revolution

Videos
The Scientific Revolution
The Space Race
The Haitian Revolution

Students can pick and choose from amongst these resources as a

starting off point to understand the various ways a society can change
or evolve. They must understand how these events came to be and the
motivations that fueled them. They must also understand the
consequences of them.

Explain
A Changing World 18

Use this section to allow students to explain their thinking and move
towards demonstrating mastery of the lesson’s objective.
The Goal: Provide opportunity for students to compare ideas,
construct explanations, justify in terms of observations and/or data
collected in a collaborative large group environment.

In order to explain their exploration, students will work in groups to

create a presentation that demonstrates a mastery of knowledge of one
the listed topics. They will make a trifold presentation that explains
what they learned about the topic, how what they learned falls into a
framework of social, political, or scientific change, and what impact
does it have on society. When they accomplish this, I will then review
what they have learned and grade them accordingly.

Apply/Elaborate
Use this section for students to apply information from the previous
sections to new circumstances or elaborate on a particular aspect at a
deeper level usually coming in the form of “What if” questions.
The Goal: Allowing students the opportunity to discuss how their
thinking has changed or been solidified.

The students will then have to go deeper as they write out their
presentation script. They have to come up with a “TED Talk” to go
with the presentation where they will expand and elaborate on their
subject. They will answer questions like: are these implications of
change worldwide? How did they affect other moments of change?

Reflect/Evaluate
Include an opportunity for face-to-face or digital reflection to guide
students along their learning progression, evaluating progress and
setting new goals for continued exploration.
The Goal: Refine initial answer to the “driving question” and reflect
on ideas, goals and beliefs concerning their progress.

After they have created their project, students will write a short
reflection on what they have learned and how they can take what they
have learned about the subject and see how it affects the world around
us today.
A Changing World 19