Standard-Based Global Education Updates
1. Feudalism in Medieval Europe
The first standard is taken from the New York State’s Standards in Global History and Geography. Unit 2, Standard F: Medieval Europe (500-1400), Standard 4: Feudalism, a. Social Hierarchy and stratification, b. Role of men and women.
I plan on integrating global education into this standard by comparing the social structure in the Medieval Era to today’s social structures in the United States and around the world. Are there any similarities? Differences? We will also examines the different structures of power throughout the world and how some people have very little power depending on where they may fall in the social hierarchy. People in the Middle Ages did not have social mobility and were restricted by their status that was predetermined at birth by their family’s social status. Do we still have structures in the world today that operate similarly? Do people have any power today to overcome these obstacles?
When learning about the Middle Ages, I do a lesson plan on feudalism from History Alive! The Development of Feudalism in Western Europe where students are given a position when they enter the classroom. One student is given king/queen, there are four lords/vassals, four knights, and the rest are peasants. This is determined by the order they enter the classroom. We complete this role-play where peasants are forced to give their lord a large portion of the crops they produce, who have to trade with knights and the king/queen. The role play progresses to the point where the peasants realize that they are trapped in a system were they have little to no power and reap no benefits of their hard work; they cannot progress to any other role throughout the role-play. I would modify this lesson to make it more applicable to another country in today’s world where there is no social mobility. For example, we could examine the caste system that is still institutionalized in several areas of India. Students would instead receive a role of one of India’s major classes: Brahmana (Brahmin), Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, and Harijan (Named by Gandhi for “Children of God”). It should also be made clear to students that this caste system is not rigidly enforced throughout India but in areas it still pervades every-day life. After completing the role-play in this form, we could relate it back to the Middle Ages and the lack of social mobility that existed. We can also examine how people without power overcome challenges they face.
As a summative assessment for this project, students will do independent research comparing one additional country in the world with a strict social hierarchy to the social hierarchy that existed in the Middle Ages. After completing their research, they will fill out a Venn Diagram comparing the two. With the information from their Venn diagram, they will write a mini-research paper on the topic comparing the two. In the paper, they will also answer the following question: What are the challenges of living in a society with a strict social class system? Is there social mobility in the United States? Do people in the lowest classes in the United States face challenges of not having any power here in the United States? Explain.
2. The Black Plague
The second standard is taken from the New York State’s Standards in Global History and Geography. Unit 3, Standard E: Social, economic, and political impacts of the plague on Eurasia and Africa.
I plan on integrating global education into this standard by examining different disease outbreaks around the world and how lack of resources contributes to the spread of the disease and failure to quickly eradicate the disease. Just as the Black Plague spread during the Middle Ages, there are also disease outbreaks in today’s world that are more difficult to contain in countries that face poverty. There are also sometimes religious and cultural beliefs that can deepen the spread of the disease (as can be seen in some areas of Africa with HIV, for example).
A specific lesson plan I will modify to account for global competency is my lesson on the Black Plague. In my lesson, I usually examine the causes of the Black Plague and the reasons why it spread so quickly. We can do this for diseases that have spread around the world and try to understand why they are spreading so quickly and what could be done to prevent this. We will examine HIV and cholera in Africa and research the root causes of the disease to continually spread and also possible solutions that people are currently working to solve these challenges. We can also brainstorm other ideas that may be effective in working to face these obstacles.
As a summative assessment for this project, students will organize their ideas on a BlendSpace page (https://www.blendspace.com/). They will include on this page different pictures and images they find to support their ideas, in addition to different websites of organizations that are currently working to lesson the spread of the disease, such as the United Nations. Students can also add to their page ideas that they may have to help solve the problem, and additional questions they have regarding this issue.
3. Columbian Exchange
The third standard is taken from the New York State’s Standards in Global History and Geography. Unit 4, Standard E: The encounter between Europeans and the peoples of Africa, the Americas, and Asia, Standards 2: European competition for colonies in the Americas, East Asia, and Southeast Asia- the “old imperialism,” 3: Global demographic shifts, 4: The extent of European expansionism, 8: Exchange of food and disease.
I plan on integrating global education into this standard by examining globalization and international trade. The Columbian Exchange was really the beginning of intense global trade over the world and the ramifications of this system had grave consequences. How has the globalization of the world economy changed the way countries do business today? What are the pros and cons of globalization and international trade? Does globalization reinforce poverty or help people in poverty?
A specific lesson that I have that I plan on modifying is my lesson on the Columbian Exchange. After learning about the Columbian Exchange and the consequences of this system of trade, students will learn about what globalization in today’s world. We will learn about the pros and cons of this system and how they are a part of the system. We will do this by reading articles and watching videos. We will also look at Wal-Mart as a case study in this topic and I will challenge students to think about their power as consumers and the idea that you “vote with your dollar.”
As a summative assessment, I will have students construct their own “Global Exchange” Map. They will also complete a series of journal entries from people all around the world affected by globalization and write from their perspectives. These voices include (but are not limited to), a child working in China, a young man in India, an unemployed American worker, and an African woman. Students will also write their own journal entry from their own perspective on how globalization affects them, either positively or negatively. I will also ask them to consider the fact that they benefit from this system by having access to cheap clothes and electronics; even their sneakers are the products of this system.
4. Common Core: Reading
The fourth standard is taken from the Common Core Standards of Reading, Grades 11-12 Standard 1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
I have integrated global education into this standard during my weekly “Current Events Friday” assignment. Students are asked to analyze a current event and must use textual evidence in this analysis. Examining current events provide students with a better perspective of their community, country, and world. This also offers them the chance to evaluate news pieces and judge what role bias plays in news reporting.
The assessment for this is within the assignment of reading and anayzing a current event. To take that a step further, in Government, students are asked to incoprorate what role the government takes in the news piece. In Economics, students are asked to discuss the economic implications of their article. Students also rotate presenting their articles to the class and facilitating a debate about the news piece, thus they are required to choose to present a current event that can be debated about.
5. Common Core: Writing
The fifth standard is taken from the Common Core Standards of Writing, Grades 11-12 Standard 1: Write arguments focused on discipline specific content.
I have integrated global education into this standard when I did a unit on the current crisis in Syria, with resources from The Choices Program: Debating the U.S. Response to Syria. This unit looked at the history of the crisis in Syria and what different options the U.S. government had in their response. Students took part in a role play where they debated the different options in a Socratic Seminar. As an extension and to fulfil the writing standard, I then had students write an argumentative essay about which option the U.S. government should take and students were required to justify their reasoning with evidence from the unit.
The assessment was the final paper they wrote that is described above.
6. Common Core: Writing
The sixth standard is taken from the Common Core Standards of Writing, Grades 11-12 Standard 7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
I have integrated global education into this standard when I did a unit on Social Justice in my Government class. Students were able to choose from a variety of Social Justice issues, including homelessness, human trafficking, and sweatshops. They then conducted research on their topics and as an extension, examined the issue in another country abroad.
The assessment was the final research project and a movie they had to create to show the class (see “Wevideo” under the “Digital Learning Environment Inventory” tab).
The first standard is taken from the New York State’s Standards in Global History and Geography. Unit 2, Standard F: Medieval Europe (500-1400), Standard 4: Feudalism, a. Social Hierarchy and stratification, b. Role of men and women.
I plan on integrating global education into this standard by comparing the social structure in the Medieval Era to today’s social structures in the United States and around the world. Are there any similarities? Differences? We will also examines the different structures of power throughout the world and how some people have very little power depending on where they may fall in the social hierarchy. People in the Middle Ages did not have social mobility and were restricted by their status that was predetermined at birth by their family’s social status. Do we still have structures in the world today that operate similarly? Do people have any power today to overcome these obstacles?
When learning about the Middle Ages, I do a lesson plan on feudalism from History Alive! The Development of Feudalism in Western Europe where students are given a position when they enter the classroom. One student is given king/queen, there are four lords/vassals, four knights, and the rest are peasants. This is determined by the order they enter the classroom. We complete this role-play where peasants are forced to give their lord a large portion of the crops they produce, who have to trade with knights and the king/queen. The role play progresses to the point where the peasants realize that they are trapped in a system were they have little to no power and reap no benefits of their hard work; they cannot progress to any other role throughout the role-play. I would modify this lesson to make it more applicable to another country in today’s world where there is no social mobility. For example, we could examine the caste system that is still institutionalized in several areas of India. Students would instead receive a role of one of India’s major classes: Brahmana (Brahmin), Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, and Harijan (Named by Gandhi for “Children of God”). It should also be made clear to students that this caste system is not rigidly enforced throughout India but in areas it still pervades every-day life. After completing the role-play in this form, we could relate it back to the Middle Ages and the lack of social mobility that existed. We can also examine how people without power overcome challenges they face.
As a summative assessment for this project, students will do independent research comparing one additional country in the world with a strict social hierarchy to the social hierarchy that existed in the Middle Ages. After completing their research, they will fill out a Venn Diagram comparing the two. With the information from their Venn diagram, they will write a mini-research paper on the topic comparing the two. In the paper, they will also answer the following question: What are the challenges of living in a society with a strict social class system? Is there social mobility in the United States? Do people in the lowest classes in the United States face challenges of not having any power here in the United States? Explain.
2. The Black Plague
The second standard is taken from the New York State’s Standards in Global History and Geography. Unit 3, Standard E: Social, economic, and political impacts of the plague on Eurasia and Africa.
I plan on integrating global education into this standard by examining different disease outbreaks around the world and how lack of resources contributes to the spread of the disease and failure to quickly eradicate the disease. Just as the Black Plague spread during the Middle Ages, there are also disease outbreaks in today’s world that are more difficult to contain in countries that face poverty. There are also sometimes religious and cultural beliefs that can deepen the spread of the disease (as can be seen in some areas of Africa with HIV, for example).
A specific lesson plan I will modify to account for global competency is my lesson on the Black Plague. In my lesson, I usually examine the causes of the Black Plague and the reasons why it spread so quickly. We can do this for diseases that have spread around the world and try to understand why they are spreading so quickly and what could be done to prevent this. We will examine HIV and cholera in Africa and research the root causes of the disease to continually spread and also possible solutions that people are currently working to solve these challenges. We can also brainstorm other ideas that may be effective in working to face these obstacles.
As a summative assessment for this project, students will organize their ideas on a BlendSpace page (https://www.blendspace.com/). They will include on this page different pictures and images they find to support their ideas, in addition to different websites of organizations that are currently working to lesson the spread of the disease, such as the United Nations. Students can also add to their page ideas that they may have to help solve the problem, and additional questions they have regarding this issue.
3. Columbian Exchange
The third standard is taken from the New York State’s Standards in Global History and Geography. Unit 4, Standard E: The encounter between Europeans and the peoples of Africa, the Americas, and Asia, Standards 2: European competition for colonies in the Americas, East Asia, and Southeast Asia- the “old imperialism,” 3: Global demographic shifts, 4: The extent of European expansionism, 8: Exchange of food and disease.
I plan on integrating global education into this standard by examining globalization and international trade. The Columbian Exchange was really the beginning of intense global trade over the world and the ramifications of this system had grave consequences. How has the globalization of the world economy changed the way countries do business today? What are the pros and cons of globalization and international trade? Does globalization reinforce poverty or help people in poverty?
A specific lesson that I have that I plan on modifying is my lesson on the Columbian Exchange. After learning about the Columbian Exchange and the consequences of this system of trade, students will learn about what globalization in today’s world. We will learn about the pros and cons of this system and how they are a part of the system. We will do this by reading articles and watching videos. We will also look at Wal-Mart as a case study in this topic and I will challenge students to think about their power as consumers and the idea that you “vote with your dollar.”
As a summative assessment, I will have students construct their own “Global Exchange” Map. They will also complete a series of journal entries from people all around the world affected by globalization and write from their perspectives. These voices include (but are not limited to), a child working in China, a young man in India, an unemployed American worker, and an African woman. Students will also write their own journal entry from their own perspective on how globalization affects them, either positively or negatively. I will also ask them to consider the fact that they benefit from this system by having access to cheap clothes and electronics; even their sneakers are the products of this system.
4. Common Core: Reading
The fourth standard is taken from the Common Core Standards of Reading, Grades 11-12 Standard 1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
I have integrated global education into this standard during my weekly “Current Events Friday” assignment. Students are asked to analyze a current event and must use textual evidence in this analysis. Examining current events provide students with a better perspective of their community, country, and world. This also offers them the chance to evaluate news pieces and judge what role bias plays in news reporting.
The assessment for this is within the assignment of reading and anayzing a current event. To take that a step further, in Government, students are asked to incoprorate what role the government takes in the news piece. In Economics, students are asked to discuss the economic implications of their article. Students also rotate presenting their articles to the class and facilitating a debate about the news piece, thus they are required to choose to present a current event that can be debated about.
5. Common Core: Writing
The fifth standard is taken from the Common Core Standards of Writing, Grades 11-12 Standard 1: Write arguments focused on discipline specific content.
I have integrated global education into this standard when I did a unit on the current crisis in Syria, with resources from The Choices Program: Debating the U.S. Response to Syria. This unit looked at the history of the crisis in Syria and what different options the U.S. government had in their response. Students took part in a role play where they debated the different options in a Socratic Seminar. As an extension and to fulfil the writing standard, I then had students write an argumentative essay about which option the U.S. government should take and students were required to justify their reasoning with evidence from the unit.
The assessment was the final paper they wrote that is described above.
6. Common Core: Writing
The sixth standard is taken from the Common Core Standards of Writing, Grades 11-12 Standard 7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
I have integrated global education into this standard when I did a unit on Social Justice in my Government class. Students were able to choose from a variety of Social Justice issues, including homelessness, human trafficking, and sweatshops. They then conducted research on their topics and as an extension, examined the issue in another country abroad.
The assessment was the final research project and a movie they had to create to show the class (see “Wevideo” under the “Digital Learning Environment Inventory” tab).