#sschat Archive
#sschat is a network of educators, resources, and ideas that started on Twitter, but has expanded to Facebook, an annual NCSS unconference, and more. Join us to chat asynchronously on Twitter or Facebook, or chat with us live on Mondays from 7-8pm EST.
Monday March 14, 2016
Welcome to tonight’s ! Join in, introduce yourself, & tell us what your favorite vacation spot is!
Hang on to your hat! It's the most enjoyable and fast-paced experience available for a soc st teacher.
Deb Chad, Director of Program Technology and former middle and High school teacher in Worcester, MA
Joanne from Missouri. 7th world history and 11th modern global issues.
Chris from Bloomington, IN. Teach world history for online HS. One of my faves is NYC but may be going to Vienna, Aust this summer.
Hello ; Jackie from CT, US; in addition to HS social studies, I am library media certified and a peer coach
Hello Scott Petri, HS World History T from LA. Maui is still my fave vaca spot. Love the Pacific.
Hi ! I'm Thomas Ketchell, co-founder of - a free platform for teachers and students to bring history to life.
I teach High School Us history in central Maine and my favorite vacas have been on Isla Mujeres near Cancun
Welcome, Jackie! We're glad to have you!
Vienna is on my list too!
Hi friends. With daylight saving time, I can take a walk after the chat tonight. It's windy & warm in Colorado.
Hi - we're excited to be collaborating with you for upcoming Nanjing workshop! Looking forward to tonight!
Hi .. Jennie in Louisiana.. teaching 10th grade Civics .. LOVE Destin Florida Annually!
Ooh, Maui is a great one! Welcome!
My favorite vacation spot is Maui.
Perfect spot! Glad you could join us tonight!
Thanks for joining us Chris! :)
Jacqueline, NJ Social Studies teacher, I like to take a long weekend to visit Savannah, GA!
Love it! Thanks for joining in tonight!
Fav vacation spot (so far) Amalfi Coast!
Do I have to turn in my SS credentials if I don't know where that is?
Hi NoVa History teacher here. Favorite vacation spot is my former home city of Tampa, FL!
Hi Joanne! Nice to see you tonight on the thread! :)
Italian coast... been twice, each time for short stay; I just really have a thing for Italy, I think :)
Is it open format tonight? What is the topic?
A1) Teach build up to war w/ invasion of Manchuria & Nanjing. Have used clips from ABC The Century: Civilians at War.
Hi everyone! Love the Scottish Highlands! I teach HS social studies
A1 We love to see how educators are creative with Ss: Road to War in the Pacific timeline - https://t.co/KfjbOaJTYp
first time with live tonight! 7th grade US studies teacher from Minnesota. I loved traveling to Croatia!
Q1 sadly, I did not teach about it enough when I was in the classroom. Maybe it got a few lines but was very US perspective
unfortunately for a long time I did not teach about WWII in Asia
A1- I start with teaching about Asians in America- internment, service, etc. Fred korematsu. That institute has great resources
7th grade history teacher; any beach
wow are you teaching at the high school level and why do you start there?
A1, I have a ton but my favorite is to show "empire of the sun". About a kid same age as my Ss in Shanghai.
thank you for the film tip--- any other resources people like?
A1) We do a fun island-hopping station activity around the room. Helps Ss remember the concept!
Welcome Brenna! This is our first time joining too!
How/Do you teach Korematsu v. U.S.?
A1 the Choices Program from Brown also has a great book on Atomic bombing
A1 I don't touch on it in either of my classes. 7th grade class is ancient. 11th curriculum is Western focused. Need to look East.
Q1 I wonder is it different teaching this in Shanghai than in the West?
Q1 this is geat! Thank you!
Juniors, but sadly the course is being eliminated with budgetary and declining enrollment constraints
Wow! Great organization! What student-centered activities do you incorporate into the unit?
yes we do that as well, great way to get into the overview of the war
I'm part of Understanding Sacrifice doing this https://t.co/ITl2WTGVfs . I'm hoping they do the same with the cemetery in Manila
Dane - NJ - Preservice/Substitute Teacher - future SS teacher - first time with , looking to learn from y'all
Welcome to Dane. are moderating tonight :)
intrigued by island hopping stations. Can you elaborate? What materials are at the stations?
A1) Have the publication about Nanjing that I picked up at their presentation at NCSS last fall.
Welcome Dane! We're happy to have you!
Start w/Vonnegut Shapes of Stories https://t.co/LUlNow3y8i S's draw storyline of London, Dresden & create propaganda
A2) Read Iris Chang's "Rape of Nanking" which was absolutely horrifying.
Thanks! Each station has a map and short article about a battle (Midway, Guadalcanal, Okinawa, etc)
This looks like a great site! Thank you for sharing! CC:
A2 for us at Facing History this is new for us. Our expertise had been around teaching the war in European theater
A2: not much, just what I've read as part of texts about the war in general. We only briefly tough on it in my classes.
Yes, they have to be the gov't ministry convincing their own people to stay strong, must use authentic voice
AGREE! Do you bring any of that book to your students? Or just for your knowledge?
Is there not enough time? Can you elaborate on why?
Checking in late. Cheryl, social studies in Florida
I go all the way, it links up the ww2 unit with the next one about family history so well
Hi Cheryl! Welcome to the
A2 My Ss use a lesson to discuss differences between human rights violations, atrocities & genocide.
Haven't used actual quotes from it or anything but definitely helped me go further in teaching it.
I am weak on Nanjing knowledge; it is something discussed more in East Asian cultures class
A2 learning on this one...
I was wondering on time spent and what are the goals?
is that book good history? Was there not controversy around it? Founded or unfounded?
I am interested in the idea of forgiveness (as a theme) and the recent "apologies" for the comfort woman
I do think there was controversy around it and the author committed suicide later.
wow this image is intense! What kind of frimant and preparation do you do with students before
I really like using short clips to spark discussion.
A2: Dont know as much as I should-Something 2 learn more about & wld bring a different view to the USA-centric way the war is taught
I laugh harder than my S's do at the beginning, by the end they are cracking up, too. Love Vonnegut!
A2 answer with a question, is this topic appropriate for middle school?
yes book is controversait. Scholarship has grown extensible since publication
what's really funny is picking up the Cinderella story & finishing it with different "next chapters"
I'm going to have to look for that. Attended session on using foreign films to teach WH at NCSS14. One on Nanjing.
It's a great question. can you weigh in here?
agreed! It helps re-frame our very understanding of why the war was global!
Agree trying to learn more too and think about perspectives- break off from the narrative I learned
Did it help spark additional scholarship on Nanjing, despite the controversy?
Hey all participants! https://t.co/JAuE8fHNu9 is getting a makeover today! If you'd like access our resources, check back tomorrow!
FANTASTIC! Was not familiar with it! Will have to look for it
Me too! The article makes the argument that Ss need more content to be better at writing for understanding!
exactly! so much more than Pearl Harbor, island hopping, D-Day, battle of the bulge & A-bombs
yes book is controversial. Many historians not think it was fully balanced. Better scholarship now
I think you know your students best and depends on what you want to share and...
A3) They are usually surprised to find out there were more in addition to Holocaust.
Really interested in A3 from . Didn't really get to teach about atrocities in my field experiences
Yes it is considered as a classic text to have awaken consciousness in the West
it's often fraught here with dif Ss having Chinese and Japanese ancestry. Have to actively maintain respect.
A3 It depended on how they were presented. As glory for "Us" or as immoral savagery.
A3 it's tough - you need to make it personal - don't overwhelm with huge numbers and pics. It's why I like Barefoot Gen so much
A3 the most common response is indignation that they hadn't learned about it before junior year in HS. Loss of naïveté as well
How safe is your classroom? Where in the year the learning comes?
Here’s examples from 3 history teachers at Greenshaw High School in Sutton who used our Nanjing Resources: https://t.co/orLQ72T7eI
A3 The negative imagination: S's are horrified, saddened, numbed; feel helpless in face of such disregard for human dignity
A3 7th graders shocked. Reading on Yellow River mentioned Chinese destroying levees to stop Japanese, killing millions own people.
A3) Depressed!! Not my favorite lessons for sure, but important to cover obviously
I do think there are lessons around the primary sources What do you think?
Creating a safe & reflective space for Ss is so important. We have many teaching strategies to help you build that!
our approach teaching about mass violence is to avoid going for bloodyimages of death but to invite reflection
Def think so but have to know Ss, Ps, community when selecting.
A3 This is a prob w/ CA's WH curric. Fall is romantic rev ideas. Spring is death, war, atrocities. Depressing
A3 we talk about lessons that can be applied; can't turn back time & fix it, but can respond sooner next time; will be a next time
huh, I have to watch out for too personal or it turns into kids arguing w each other about grandparents involvement
A3) Worry that, by time we discuss Bosnia & Rwanda, they are growing numb. Ss usually incensed about "never forget" being ignored.
Shocked. This is new to many middle school students...but they need to know. Tone is key.
Yes Shane my work with adult educators is the same! Shock that we had not learned this
agree framing is important- taking Ss in and out of this history safely is our work
I doubt if that's only something CA deals with. Have had that same issue in NY, VA, OH, etc.
I dunno, I know I *could* do it, but is it age appropriate? 12, 13 yr olds?
How might they handle the recent 100,000 year old massacre uncovered in Africa?
Thats impt though, right? much of history is focusing on the glorious/successful parts. Evrythng isnt perf https://t.co/VEbruY85bo
A3) Depressed!! Not my favorite lessons for sure, but important to cover obviously
This is great. It is definitely important to help students recognize their power to act in the future!
A3 another way to frame this for students is to be able to root it in the content of war
I like what you are saying and very in tune with what is the human behavior we can identify and address
Gr. 9 S researching "just following orders" found Abu Ghraib, Milgram, Zimbardo... whole class is monitoring her research
Probably similar surprise. Will look into it to use next year in course.
A3 to quote one of my Ss They are all Stupid!! Most have a hard time understanding how it happens ! https://t.co/3iy21StVfL
Here are teaching strategies you can use to create a safe & reflective classroom environment for : https://t.co/gUfcCqB7jb
yes if focus is not much on death, sexual violence but ethics, judgment
Yes! And when does "their business" become everyone's concern? can't wait til all sides commit atrocity
Yes - not just something done by "enemies" from other wars. The Civilians at War video highlights Dresden, Tokyo raids..
Small steps of individual choice and behavior that can change
Yes still always surprised about how much recent events/ atrocities they don't know https://t.co/yTXZgI2PQl
A3 the most common response is indignation that they hadn't learned about it before junior year in HS. Loss of naïveté as well
again I would say we can tech it if it is not about man's inhumanity to man! But about human behavior
A) Examine alternative solutions no matter what the material https://t.co/mb6klpE5lr
This is great. It is definitely important to help students recognize their power to act in the future!
this is interesting. I don't believe I EVER learned about Bosnia & Rwanda (graduated high school in 2012).
You don't want to see my face right now. Boo!
Does anyone have a good aource for teachinrg entrepreneurship? Starting a unit with my 4th graders
A3: It is important to connect historical events to current events. Ss need help with relevance/connection to fully develop empathy.
That is a reaction though! And a great one to push them on what they mean by it.
Does anyone have a good source for teaching entrepreneurship? Starting a unit with my 4th graders
read Ordinary Men - I read passages out loud to my students - humanize a everything
Yes, since CA suspended testing in H-SS until 2021. Only testing Civics. Nothing for USH or WH.
I see it was 10,000 years ago, not 100,000.
Absolutely agree! Those connections make it much more real for them & answers the "why do we have to study this?"
Oh I do, it usually gets into a disbelief that mankind can be so indifferent, cruel & unfeeling ! https://t.co/XeoyUAbPZx
That is a reaction though! And a great one to push them on what they mean by it.
yes and raising issues of justice. Tokyo Trials after the war. Holding perpetrators accountable
I am wondering how do we know how they react? Besides saying it- what does getting it look like?
ironic, being closer to the event in Hong Kong, I don't want to tackle the Ps.
I feel part of the prob is how specified classes r.My HS broke up USH into US1&2 then Euro AP senior yr. Where 2 teach it?
A4) So people are aware that these events have happened and that they should NEVER happen again . . . except that they do.
How did you today my friend?
That is a great connection. So much of this was about war
jacqui yes, history must have a connection & relevance to the present for the students to connect https://t.co/slC6wcJjO3
A3: It is important to connect historical events to current events. Ss need help with relevance/connection to fully develop empathy.
“If teachers don’t teach these topics, generations will eventually forget they ever happened…” https://t.co/orLQ72T7eI
unfortunately there are many connections today- the saddest being sexual violence as a weapon of war
A4 Nanjing shows Ss that drive for Imperialism & ethnocentrism infected all nations.
My US II class today we're creating magazine interviews of Hitler & Churchill, good stuff !! https://t.co/4oywZnkdCJ
How did you today my friend?
Ugh. Think it fits into US w/ for policy, UN, etc. Read "Shake Hands with the Devil" Still need to read S. Power's book.
Q4: atrocities are parts of war some do want to forget despite contrary pledges; bravado easier when can just threaten bomb 'em
So agree with you! History is not inevitable. There were other choices and decisions!
A4: atrocities are parts of war some do want to forget despite contrary pledges; bravado easier when can just threaten bomb 'em
A4: Because the history we teach and our textbooks can be so Euro-centric and the world is bigger than that. Our Ss need to know
Honestly, you get a verbal reaction, but most wish to move on. Reflection is necessary but hard.
A4: YES. goes b2 my original tweet abt the world not being perf! atrocities happen - &as someone said need to recognize&react faster
Please share pictures! Sounds awesome!
I was about to say "Not in Hong Kong!" and then I remembered China and how the lack of free speech is spreading south
especially with unmanned drones - I fear war may become too easy for some not seeing the effects
limiting- what would be the ideal? themes or the use sequence of study?
They need to know a lot about non political and military history too; but that is almost totally ignored.
just added that to my amazon shopping list, thank you
Yes. ISIS, South Sudan, etc.
opportunity to brodant teaching of WW2 can teach about Justice after war (Nuremberg & Tokyo)
You're very welcome. It was hard to read b/c it's just so infuriating. has some great docs on Rwanda.
A4 Preserving the memory of what happened
Will read! Thanks for sharing! CC:
YES YES YES. I believe part of our prob 2day is we believe we are better b/c we rarely learn about mistakes https://t.co/OaM4fWhhnF
A4: Because the history we teach and our textbooks can be so Euro-centric and the world is bigger than that. Our Ss need to know
loving the current events connections we are making to Nanjing- I add propaganda! Stereotyping!
that tweet might still be eurocentric but i do think it is still important
not past tense? Beijing uses Nanjing now to fuel anti-Japanese sentiment and push for the South China Sea
exactly the point !! That is why I have developed a course on Civil Rights & Social Justice in America https://t.co/xOd35Y7VX9
“If teachers don’t teach these topics, generations will eventually forget they ever happened…” https://t.co/orLQ72T7eI
opportunity to raise issues of human behavior in times of war? Effects of militarization culture, rules of war etc...
Wow, that sounds great! We'd love to know more about that!
Yes, & there is a danger in becoming accustomed to war and yet geographically insulated from it simultaneously
great! Shows the complexifies of history, teaching to question
let me re-phrase tht- we got 2 where we are the same way as other great empires. by killing, stealing and conquering
politicization of history. use and abuse of history! All important historical skills to understand
Great project student pen pals from China even possible? https://t.co/vvKKcFgmbl
not past tense? Beijing uses Nanjing now to fuel anti-Japanese sentiment and push for the South China Sea
A4 It’s vital that events such as Nanjing are taught in schools as it gives Ss global perspective of atrocities that occurred in WW2
Aren't the two parties in the US election doing this over who owns the KKK?
So right on! https://t.co/2nbQmR3nuP
A4: Because the history we teach and our textbooks can be so Euro-centric and the world is bigger than that. Our Ss need to know
perhaps that should inspire us to rethink what makes empires "great"
focusing on Japanese internment , Feminist Movement LGBT, Native Americans & 60's Civil rights among others https://t.co/FfRkZsBE1r
Wow, that sounds great! We'd love to know more about that!
Used to use Killing Fields... can't study Vietnam without Cambodia
my Ss ride to school takes them past WW2 bunkers built by the British. 20th cent Asia = an unsafe place
Welcome! We're happy to have you!
not sure about the parties but récent clip of Van Jones and that other gentleman on CNN
I have too many tabs open to tell you right now. Archive will be up later. :)
that's amazing. wish i'd known while student teaching haha
Curious. Has been getting questions about teaching Trump?
CC: might want to learn more about this!
except today the communists run HK. google "Hong Kong booksellers" for a disgusting tale
I'm kind of afraid to read this.
I lived there and taught at an international school. Knew many people who had lived through the genocide.
you know, we don't cover the Holocaust in MS here in Hong Kong. ironic? messed up? thoughts anyone?
Finally Q5: What resources do you use to prepare for discussing difficult parts of history? https://t.co/rqMOdYtDeV
Trevor Noah did a good job of explaining it using the argument that broke out on CNN
If we want global citizens then they have to share a sense of history! https://t.co/ToP2wmfuvF
A4 It’s vital that events such as Nanjing are taught in schools as it gives Ss global perspective of atrocities that occurred in WW2
and a prective of the atrocities happening today !! https://t.co/bpVicFY37e
A4 It’s vital that events such as Nanjing are taught in schools as it gives Ss global perspective of atrocities that occurred in WW2
I use it with my global issues class. Ss produce timeline on using the stages of Genocide.
everyone lost someone. If you survived you survived with heavy losses.
NPR has had some good coverage of HK booksellers disappearances.
What tech apps do you have them use for creating timelines?
Wow! The book is heart-breaking. I read it in a day when I stayed home with the flu. Big impact on Ss.
It's difficult to discuss tough, controversial elements of history w/o a welcoming, safe, supportive environment for all students
What is rationale? Too disturbing, doesn't fit in curriculum?
it's not an atrocity, it's just the disappearance of rule of law / free speech
A5) reflection is key. We have to empower Ss to consider how they can take difficult truths and use it to shape future policy
A5) No specific resources but have set up enviro so Ss feel safe expressing opinions, emotions, etc.
A5: Having students collaborate and create timelines on atrocities - have them reflect afterwards
Pizza? Okay someone share a link please! :)
yes the slow erosion of a democratic society
probably that we just try to teach too much, and are now implementing C3 so have to pare down even more.
Yes! is a great resource!
agree! Have to establish a safe and réflective clairon first for this kind of learning!
A5: Primary sources? to show tht there WERE ppl fighting to stop? I tried to use Bartolome de las Casas w/Spanish slavery.
Interesting that most have heard about Nuremberg trials but almost no one about Tokyo trials.
As Social Studies teachers, we have a moral obligation to shed light on tough aspects of history.
Perhaps now more than ever.
This should informe our teaching! https://t.co/ON9FsJ9Ql7
It's difficult to discuss tough, controversial elements of history w/o a welcoming, safe, supportive environment for all students
Read it before I left to go there. Really set me up to understand. Also can never again find humor in piracy.
We are also partnering with the to build resources for educators to teach about current events.
A5: Milgram is a good starting place; he set out to prove it was them, not us, only to find it is all of us
HK will be back on the front pages again, I predict, the city is simmering
Got stuck working and missed . Bummed! Looking forward to the archives!
I hope you can all join starting NOW as we discuss "Reflection, Goal-Setting, and Self-Assessment!"
It is important to discuss the impact of events beyond the headliners.
do participants get access to those awesome resource booklets w units and more? :)
It was my first lesson so I didn't use him the best - definitely want to expand on him in the future
Yes! We move through life so fast, we and our Ss need to stop and reflect on the roses...and the thorns.
Missed most of the tonight. Time is off for me. Always glad to be in this space. Learn so much.
Knew I would miss Jon Stewart, but really LOVE teachable moments!
Thanks everyone! Great resources
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