| | Positive Behavior ConversationMood MusicClose your eyes. Listen to the music. Create a visual story in your mind. Sketch it. Write your story as you listen a second time. Tweak your scene. Share your scene with the class. |
Art AppreciationAnalyze this NPR photo (right) from 2017. Look for the details.
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| | Quick and Easy IntroductionHave you ever heard of a man named Dred Scott? How about Roger Taney? The video here introduces those two characters from the 1800s and gives a very quick rundown of the basic events involved in the current lesson set. It is much more complicated that it seems here, so after listening to this introduction, please continue by following the plans in the curriculum below. Get ready to get down and dirty with some of the ugliness from our nation's past. |
Warning SignsI am proud to have been a part of the Lincoln Presidential Foundation's 2022 project, Warning Signs. "Warning Signs" explores national events in the pre-Civil War period (1849-1860). Resources provided include transcribed primary sources, films featuring noted experts on historical events and politics, and thematic lesson plans designed by award-winning educators to promote inquiry and historical literacy. Explore crucial evidence, historical context, and different perspectives about an extremely polarized moment in U.S. history and what it reveals about maintaining a healthy democracy today. This short curriculum examines events that led to the Civil War, and my lessons for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders examines the Dred Scott Case. It is not a simple history, and it exemplifies what I always repeat: History is ugly! Download the lessons here: 
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| | The video (left) is a trailer for the program, which includes four full videos about the events leading to the Civil War. The lessons themselves will introduce students to the characters involved, the history affected, and the struggle that one couple underwent in order to gain freedom for themselves and their two daughters. We do this by observing maps and reading and evaluating primary documents together. The history is difficult and complex, but hopefully, with teacher guidance, it will still be understood. |
On Location
Here are some photos of the Old Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri, where Dred and Harriet Scott's original case was placed before the state's Supreme Court. Here, visitors can see the staircase that the Scotts climbed and the courtroom where their case was tried.
Music Appreciation |
