We are almost to the end in this series on Teaching the Standards in the Secondary Social Studies Classroom. Now we tackle two in one! Teaching the standards on data and comparison actually go well together. It only makes sense to address them as one.
How the Standards on Data and Comparison May Read
Integrate quantitative analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text.
Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
Integrating knowledge and ideas in the Social Studies classroom is another one of the skills we practice on a regular basis. Through the analysis of primary and secondary sources, we ask students to apply reasoning and to make comparisons for every topic we cover. When we add in quantitative information, we allow our students to apply the information in a new and broader fashion.
Standards on Data
Standards on data ask teachers to utilize charts, graphs, and other quantitative information in evaluating information about a specific topic. While some may look at this and think it leans more toward the math and science curriculums, it is very much in our realm. How?
- As students evaluate the battles of the Civil War, ask them to consider the number of deaths and injuries. Examine the survival rates for those injured in the Civil War to those of later wars in American History? What new care is introduced during the Civil War that helps to improve these numbers? (Answer: The chance for survival is much better after the Civil War thanks to Clara Barton beginning the American Red Cross to treat those injured in war or other disasters.)
- Introduce timelines with any unit and allow students to compute the time in which changes occur. Then require students to make judgments about the time period or the changes that evolved in the short period of time. (Example: Evaluate the changes in rights for Jews in Germany as the Nuremberg Laws and others are passed by Hitler’s Nazi Party.)
Standards Associated with Analysis and Comparison
Other standards that could be included can be more challenging standards for students to complete. Some ask students to justify the judgements made about history. Many secondary sources will lay this out for the students, but primary sources are the challenge. Therefore, teaching this requires great attention to finding that claim and finding the support provided.
- Use journal entries from any era in history to practice this skill. Have students search for the claim made, and then return to the entry for support to the claim.
- Develop this skill through writing assignments in your classroom. As students write claims, adding supporting evidence, they will be better apt to find the claims and support in others’ writing.
Standards on Comparison (and Contrast)
The Standard on comparison is another staple for the Social Studies classroom. For generations, History teachers taught with one textbook and it was assumed that the text provided 100% of student needs. This was not the case. New history teaching methods require students be exposed to varied sources to make their own judgments about history. While this may seem daunting, it actually places the task of determining the truth in history on the student and allows them to become the researcher, evaluator, and assessor.
- Use political cartoons to provide opposing views on topics in history. Allow students to determine “the truth” through their investigation of the topic with additional resources.
- Introduce topics with images. Allow students to improvise or role play to determine the meaning and significance of the images. Use spiral questioning to develop the topic further, and follow-up with the evaluation of resources to support or refute the student ideas.
Combining of Standards on Data and Comparison
In addition to addressing each of these standards individually, utilizing tasks that will incorporate many standards will help students. They gain a better understanding of the topics in history, and it helps them to develop the skills needed to become better historians.
Some of my activities that can help to address all three standards at once:
Coming of Age in U.S.: Immigration through Stats and Images
Imperialism of Africa 4-Thought Organizer
Impact of the Civil Rights Movement
For a variety of interactive lessons that can help you to implement this standard, please visit Michele Luck’s Social Studies. Be sure to check out my Analysis Activities!
Be sure to jump over to read the posts on other standards you can find in Social Studies curriculums. I truly hope they will help you attack the standards with ease in your History classes.
Happy Teaching!
