DAWES ACT: an interactive approach

When I teach history to high school or college age students, I maximize the efficient use of visuals. We are all visual learners, no matter what your textual reading level. So, why not engage everyone in your classroom with visuals? First, I teach students how to perform a discovery based learning method -- VTS -- and then I have them use ThingLink to share their findings about the image with the class. Take a peek at this one. Drag your cursor over the "tags" on the image to see what I am talking about.

Reconstruction Era: Visual Teaching andLearning

When I teach history to high school or college age students, I maximize the efficient use of visuals. We are all visual learners, no matter what your textual reading level. So, why not engage everyone in your classroom with visuals? This is an image loaded with symbolism. In order to understand the symbolism behind each piece of this image, I teach students how to perform a discovery based learning method -- VTS -- and then I have them use ThingLink to share their findings about the image with the class. Take a peek at this one. Drag your cursor over the "tags" on the image to see what I am talking about.

Harlem Renaissance: Langston Hughes in the History Classroom

Step I
Conduct a VTS inquiry with students about this image.

Step II  

Ponder the title of the poem; what do you think it will be about?

Title: The Negro Speaks of Rivers

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Step III

Read the poem aloud … Yes, I’ll need a volunteer ! !

The Negro Speaks of Rivers
by Langston Hughes

I've known rivers:

I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the

flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.

I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.

I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.

I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln

went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy

bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers:

Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

Step III

Paraphrase each stanza of the poem into your own words.

Step IV

Listen to LANGSTON Hughes’ reading of his poem.     *click here

STEP V

What are the Connotations of this poem? : Contemplate the poem for meaning beyond the literal. What do the words mean beyond the obvious? What are the implications, the hints, the suggestions of these particular word choices?

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Step VI

PLOT: provide a brief summary of places and/or events mentioned in the poem.

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Step VI:

 SUBJECT:

What is or are the subjects of the poem?  Provide a short list of place, or people mentioned or inferred.

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STEP VI

Theme: In identifying theme, recognize the human experience, motivation, or condition suggested by the poem.  (Plot + Subject(s))

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How does this image reflect the poem by Hughes?

Write five to ten sentences in your journal that answers this question.

1.     What is the meaning behind Hughes’ poem?

An example of COMPLETED STUDENT WORK from a real high school student  ! !

Chi Rho and Constantine the Great

suggested use for Teachers: 

1. Ask students to draw the Chi Rho symbol in their journals. Then ask students if any of them know the historic significance of the image.

2. read the link about the SYMBOL and jot down a few facts about its historical use.

3. then scroll down to the tapestry image and do a VTS with the image.

4. after students have investigated the image, listen to the audio link about this tapestry from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

5. Use this as a review of Constantine's efforts as emperor or as a way to introduce Constantine.

What is the historic significance of the CHI RHO symbol?

How did Constantine the Great use this symbol? Click here for access an audio tour to this tapestry shown above; this piece of art that displays the connection between the Chi Rho and  Constantine. Can you count the number of Chi Rho symbols used in the tapestry?

Click here for the audio