Travis+Crocker

Travis Crocker Dr. Coiro EDC 448 March 26, 2015 Diverse Text Set

Context: This text set is designed for a 9th grade World History Class made up of students with a wide range of learning capabilities. It is designed to fit in with a discussion of the effects of industrialization and food shortage on 19th Century American immigration from the European perspective. Students will also examine pattens of change and continuity with contemporary issue of food shortage.

Content Standards:

HP 2 (9-12)– 1.b Students connect the past with the present by identifying and linking key ideas and concepts and their enduring implications: To meet this standard students will Discuss the lasting impacts of the famine on Irish history socially, politically, and culturally and identify issues of food shortage in contemporary society and discuss patterns and continuities between the Irish Potato Famine and today.

CCSS ELA-LITERACY - Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text: To help work towards this standard students will interpret relevant primary and secondary source material beyond written sources (i.e.. music, art, etc.) and demonstrate their ability to accurately describe key ideas in their own words.

Text Set:

A. Print Sources-

**Text 1:** Thomas Meagher’s Speech from July 28, 1846 **Citation:** Altholz, J. (2000). Thomas Francis Meagher: Speech, July 28, 1846. In Selected documents in Irish history. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. **Summary**: This is a short two page speech given by one of the leaders of the Young Irelander movement during one of the worst years of the famine. It is significant in its shift from the O’Connell movement in advocating the use of force in resistance to British rule. **Rationale**: This text may be difficult for some students to grapple with as it is a primary source, but because it is quite short students should be able to understand it with the proper supports. The text is significant because it marks a major change in the Irish attitudes toward Britain during the Famine years and will help students to better understand the Rebellion of 1847-48. **Use of Text:** I would use this text after students have already been introduced to the topic using the secondary sources in this set. In order to promote student understanding I would add footnotes explaining so of the historical events and figures that Meagher alludes to in his speech. Students will be asked to write a short opinion piece for homework outlining whether the agree with Meagher or not; has the use of violence against Britain been justified by the Famine? **Attachment:** Document 1

**Text 2:** The History Place - Irish Potato Famine **Citation:** Gavin, P. (2000, June 12). The History Place - Irish Potato Famine. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from [] **Summary:** This is an online article that breaks down the Irish Potato Famine into eight different sections chronologically and by topic. It provides detailed background on the situation in Ireland right before the famine as well as covering the Famine itself and its immediate aftermath. **Rational:** Though this text is a bit longer and more detailed than some of the others it does provide an excellent survey of the discussion of the Great Famine. This text will be useful for all student as it will allow students with high knowledge and abilities to explore the topic deeper and share their insights with their peers. By breaking the topic down into smaller more manageable chuck it will allow students to develop a deeper understanding of the complex nature of the Great Famine by cooperating to put the pieces together. **Use of Text:** I would use this text as an introductory in-class jigsaw activity. The class would read and discuss the Introduction together to familiarize everyone with the basics of the topic. The class would then be divided into six groups to read and discuss one of the subtopics outlined in the article. Each group would be responsible for summarizing their section and presenting that summary to the class so students would piece together the key ideas from the article as a whole. To ensure that students were familiar with each topic they would be filling in a graphic organizer with the key points of each group’s summary. I would then bring the class back together to read and discuss the Conclusion of the article and discuss any question that students have. **Attachment:** []

**Text 3:** Ireland After the Great Hunger **Citation:** McCourt, M. (2004). Ireland After the Great Hunger. In Malachy McCourt's history of Ireland. Philadelphia, PA: Running Press. **Summary:** This chapter from McCourt’s book discusses the impacts of the Great Hunger on Irish History from the 1850s to the end of the 19th Century focusing on political impacts. **Rational:** This text is included because it is one of the few secondary sources that focusing on the political impacts of the Great Hunger in Ireland, most importantly its influence on the War of Irish Independence. This book would also be very helpful for ELL students and students with moderate to lower processing abilities mostly do to the way McCourt writes. Though it is a work of history McCourt, in true Irish fashion, writes more like a story-teller than a scholar and because of this the language of the book may be more comfortable for ELL student than more traditional academic works. **Use of Text:** I would assign this chapter for homework over the course of two day and supplement student reading with in-class discussions and activities about the three main historical figures discussed. At the end of the two days student would be asked to write a letter to one of the figures of their choice discussing their main ideas and arguments. **Attachment:** N/A

**Text 4:** //A Modest Proposal -// Jonathan Swift **Citation:** Swift, J. (2008, January 17). A Modest Proposal: For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick. Project Gutenburg E-Book. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from [] **Summary:** This essay by Jonathan Swift is a satirical piece from the period outlining the callousness of the British approach to Famine relief in Ireland. **Rational:** Though this work may be more difficult for student’s because of its figurative language and satirical nature. However it would allow students at the higher processing levels, even if they lack direct content knowledge, to explore the social issues from a different perspective. Students with lower processing abilities and ELL students will likely struggle more with the text, but should be able to read it given the proper support. **Use of Text:** I would use this text towards the end of the unit as a way of discussing the changing social landscape in Ireland and changing perceptions of Britain after the Famine. I would try to get the student’s English to read Swift at the same time so that students receive a boarder cross-curricular introduction to the text. For instance if they are discussing satire in English class and learning about the social issues behind the satire in my class lower ability students may have an easier time comprehending the purpose and true meaning of the piece. I would use this text in class to provide the proper scaffolding necessary to ensure student comprehension such as peer work and possibly think-alouds. I would then have student write their own satire or social commentary on an issue they feel in important in their own lives. **Attachment:** N/A

**Text 5:** The Irish Potato Famine, 1847 **Citation:** The Irish Potato Famine, 1847. (2006). Retrieved March 26, 2015, from [] **Summary:** This short web page provides a brief introductory section and then outlines several primary source excerpts discussing the scenes from Ireland during the famine. It is also accompanied by a few images from the period. **Rational:** This text is included because it provides a brief refresher on the general history of the topic which may be beneficial to students with lower academic knowledge. Having their memories jogged before reading primary source may help enable a deeper and more meaningful reading of the text. **Use of Text:** I would use this class as an in-class activity reading aloud before the reading of the Meagher speech. These shorter and more descriptive documents will provide a good introduction for all students on how to read and approach primary sources. They are also helpful introductions to author bias as they give background behind the author’s identity and purpose. I would ask students to read these in class and write a short response to the emotions the author was able to provoke for homework. **Attachment:** []

B. Media Resource-

**Text 6:** “Skibbereen” - The Dubliners **Citation:** IeoCrasher. (2010, January 8). The Dubliners: Skibbereen HQ. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from [] **Summary:** This a song recorded by the Irish folk band The Dubliners. It is about the experience of an Irish immigrant who had fled his home in Skibbereen in Cork to live in the United States. **Rational:** This song, and Luke Kelly’s voice, capture the powerful sorrow and anger that the suffering and cruelty of the Famine evoked in the hearts and minds of both the Irish at home and those living in America. I think this text would be beneficial to all students, but perhaps mostly to those with higher to moderate processing abilities as it allows for deeper exploration of the lasting impacts of the famine. It would also obviously be very helpful to auditory learners. **Use of Text:** I would use this text alongside the Meagher speech to give students an appreciation for the emotion and suffering that pushed the Irish resistance movement towards violence and revolution. I would also type up and print out the lyrics because many student’s struggle with understanding accents. **Attachment:** []

**Text 7: “**The Fields Of Athenry” - The Dubliners **Citation:** Jon brady. (2006, November 22). The Fields Of Athenry-Dubliners. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from [] **Summary:** This a song about a young Irishman who participated in the rebellion in 1847-48 and is being transported on a prison ship to a penal colony in Australia, a common event during the period. **Rational:** This song again captures the emotions and suffering felt by the Irish during the years of the Famine. It also introduces students to the idea of the Irish diaspora and that not all emigration was voluntary or to the United States. It also gives a vivid description of deportation on a coffin ship and its impacts on those left at home. Again this text would be useful to all students with some content knowledge and especially so to those with auditory learning styles. **Use of Text:** I would use this song with the two interactive activities from the BBC. All three texts discuss issues of immigration, emigration, and population change during the Famine years. **Attachment:** [] C. Online Interactive Resources-

**Text 8:** //British Population Animation// **Citation:** //British Population Animation//. (2014). Retrieved March 26, 2015, from BBC News - History. [] **Summary:** This is a BBC animation discussing population changes in throughout history using interactive maps, images, text, and a timeline. **Rational:** This would be very helpful for visual learners and as a supplement for students with lower content knowledge, ELL students, and students who struggle with written text. It provides context for Scottish and English immigration to Ireland in the years before the Hunger and the emigration of working-class Irish to England in the years immediately following. **Use of Text:** This activity would be used with the other BBC interactive and the Dubliners video of the “Fields of Athenry.” These texts would be used after students are already introduced to the topics of the Great Hunger, probably the day after the use of the History Place article. The use of these three texts together would help to supplement the written information that students have already covered. **Attachment:** []

**Text 9:** //Victorian Britain: Famine and Emigration//. **Citation:** //Victorian Britain: Famine and Emigration//. (2014). Retrieved March 26, 2015, from BBC News - History. [] **Summary:** This is an interactive activity from the BBC about emigration during the Victorian era. It discusses immigration in a broader context, including highlanders, but focusing on the Famine. It also incorporates images, videos, and a quiz to check understanding. **Rational:** Though the intended audience of this activity is likely lower than 9th Grade, the straightforward format of the activity and simplicity of its language will make it especially valuable to students with lower processing abilities and ELL students. **Use of Text:** I would use this text with the other BBC activity as a review for higher processing students and as a supplemental activity and assessment for the understanding of lower processing and ELL students. **Attachment:** []

**Text 10:** //Interactive Village//

**Citation:** //Interactive Village//. (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2015, from IrishPotatoFamine.org [] **Summary:** This interactive game covers all aspects of rural life in Ireland during the famine years, with the exception of civil and political unrest. It allows students to fully explore a 19th Century village during the Great Hunger. **Rational:** This activity is a great in depth and interactive review material. It brings together the geographic, social, and economic factors behind the Famine and presents them in a exploratory way. This text would be useful for all students as a method of review, but especially helpful to low content knowledge students and ELL students. It use of pictures, videos, and audio clips will likely be very helpful for these students. **Use of Text:** I would use these text at the end of the unit as part of the in-class review for the student’s assessment. As it brings together many of the key themes and ideas of the topic it would serve students well as a refresher resource. **Attachment:** []

D. Instructional Resources-

**Text 11:** Hunger on Trial **Citation:** Bigelow, W. (2006, January 1). Hunger on Trial: An Activity on the Irish Potato Famine and ... Retrieved March 26, 2015, from [] **Summary:** This lesson activity prompts an exploration of discussion hunger and famine as a result of social and economic factor rather than simply natural environmental ones. Bigelow discusses the relationship between hunger and the production of food as a commodity both historically and in contemporary society. **Rational:** This source will be extremely helpful for me in possibly crafting a performance assessment at the end of the unit. **Use of Text:** Students will examine food production and distribution in 19th Century Ireland and how it changed, or failed to change, in response to the Famine. Students will look for continuities and differences in relation to our issues of global food shortages today. This will help guide me in demonstrating to student how events of the past can shed light on current issues. **Attachment:** []


 * 1) Rationale -

**Text Matchups:** Matchup Assets - #1, #2, #4, #6, #7 These texts allow student with more prior knowledge and higher processing abilities to delve deeper into the subject materials by exploring broader themes such a revolution, resistance, and alienation. Text 2 and the jigsaw activity would allow these students to use their background knowledge to assist their classmates with less of a base. Matchup Gaps- #2, #5, #6, #7 These texts are bridging the gap between the supplementary/introductory texts that are designed for mismatches and ELL students and the more complex texts targeted at students with matchup assets. Some of the texts are included in both group because they have theme that relate directly to the topic of the Famine or can be probed deeper if students are so inclined. Mismatches and Non-Native English Speakers - #3, #9, #8, #10 These texts are selected because they use language and supplemental material such as videos, images, and audio to make them more accessible to students with insufficient background knowledge or language barriers.

**Using Texts Together:** These texts would be utilized over the course of an entire unit exploring the political, social, and economic factors around the Irish Potato Famine and relating them to modern food shortage issues. A wide range of materials are included to ensure that students at all levels of comprehension and various learning styles are able to engage meaningfully with the material. All student would be reading all of the text in the set with some receiving supplemental support when necessary. Many of the texts would be used together in the same lesson, as previously discussed, and they would be ordered systematically to ensure that students were adequately armed with the background knowledge necessary to meaningfully interact the more difficult texts. Students would be guided by graphic organizers, group work, and educator assistance when appropriate.