The Salem Witch Trials: A Google Search Story

Creating activities and units that effectively place students “in the shoes” of key characters in the past is what sets the best history teachers apart from the good history teachers.  Most people can describe events from the past to their students.  Many of them can even explain these events in a way that is meaningful and memorable.  Some teachers take it to the next level by introducing primary sources to their students, allowing them to see artifacts of the actual events so they can form a connection to the material they are learning.  The best teachers strive to create a bond between their students and the characters they are studying. 

Joann featured resources this week that do a good job of bringing the history of the Salem Witch Trials to life, and she will post more throughout the week on the Gateway Facebook and Twitter pages.  These lessons present the events in a meaningful and memorable way.  Even with well-planned lessons like these, it is nice to be able to modify certain parts for the particular learning styles and interests of your students.  One simple modification is to change or enhance the evaluation or summary activity at the end of the lesson.

A perfect concluding activity would “cement” the learning from the lessons, evaluate what learning has taken place, and form a lasting connection between the students and the historical characters they are studying.  This is a pretty tall order, and no single activity will be the best for every class, every year.  I have been researching some neat tools and ideas that I will share over the next few months as I try them out on my own and with students.

For a historical event such as the Salem Witch Trials, it might be hard for students to really empathize and connect with both the women being accused and the accusers. 

The mass hysteria that took place is almost unparalleled, especially in the timeframe of students’ personal experience.  Writing some type of a story involving the characters and events to share with the class is a good way to conclude a unit on these events.  A traditional story created by students on paper is always a valuable use of time.  It’s a creative outlet for your students and a good way to assess what they learned and can explain about the theme. 

If you are looking to bring some more technology into your classroom, you can probably find a good online digital storytelling tool to use with your students.  This will add variety to your classroom while still testing the same basic skills.  There are plenty of free online tools to help your students create stories in new ways.  These tools are are useful for other projects and demonstrations as well.  One very unique tool is the Google Search Stories Video Creator.  Until I tried it out, I had no idea how fun and educational it can be for students.  A Google Search Story basically tells the main ideas of a story by showing Google searches and results on topics within the story.  You will probably need to see one to really understand how it works.  The first time I saw a Google Search Story was during a 2010 Super Bowl commercial.  Do you remember this one? 

With the Google Search Stories Video Creator, students choose seven events to tell a story of what they learned.  This will help them think about the important parts of what they are studying and summarize their learning.  I attempted to create a Google Search Story from the viewpoint of an accused woman in Salem (if only she could have accessed Google!)  I am sure your students will be able to create even better stories when given the chance. I included my process so you can see how it works.  When you go the link, scroll down to the section titled “Make your own search story” to get started.

First I chose 7 search topics:

1.     Seventeenth Century Puritan beliefs

2.     Salem, Massachusetts devil possession

3.     Witchcraft

4.     Salem Witch Trials

5.     Proof of Salem witchcraft

6.     Salem Witch Trials Punishment

7.     Salem Witch Trials new findings

After seeing the results weren;t quite what I wanted, I changed my list to:

1.     puritan supernatural beliefs

2.     1692 salem girls fits

3.     17^th century devil possession

4.     salem witchcraft proof

5.     salem witch trials

6.     salem witchcraft punishment

7.     1692 girls affliction new evidence

I used the “tips” section to improve my search results.  This will lead to some good learning about Google searches.  I also made my video more interesting by changing if I was searching the web, images, or news.  The only caution I have is to monitor this so students aren’t accessing any inappropriate content.  Your school’s internet settings should probably keep it pretty safe. 

Here is my final product.  

I was happy with how it turned out, although I don’t think it demonstrates as deep of an understanding as writing a paper and pencil story from the perspective of a person involved in the events in Salem.  It would be really cool if students could select and highlight certain search results, too.  I do think it is a great tool, though, and might go well with some type of a longer presentation. 

Do you us any digital storytelling tools in your classroom?  Which ones do you like best?  Let’s talk about it all week on Facebook and Twitter.  I will be researching more tools, so please let us know what you want to know.  

~ Peggy's Corner - October 27, 2011 ~

The Devil’s in the Details: The Salem Witch Trials

In a small Massachusetts village in 1692, two young girls began having a series of fits that quickly afflicted other girls and young women in the town. Finding no physical cause for the fits, local physicians quickly dubbed it the work of the devil. The girls were thought to be possessed through witchcraft, and they quickly accused three village women of having cast the evil spells. As the news rapidly spread through the New England region, other girls suffered similar afflictions in neighboring towns, and increasingly numbers of women (and some men) were thus accused of witchcraft. In the span of four months, more than 150 people stood accused of witchcraft in the region, and 24 died as a result. Some died in prison, but the majority were executed by hanging, or in one case, being crushed under the weight of piled stones. The event marks a sad and bizarre chapter in American history, and is now viewed as a cautionary tale regarding mass hysteria, as well as legal and moral rushes to judgment.

Life in 17^th century New England was fraught with difficulties and moral repression. Belief in witchcraft and the supernatural was deeply ingrained in the community, and events such as infant mortality, crop failures, and the like were attributed to the works of the devil. Salem Village, the locus of the hysteria, was known even before the Trials as a hotbed of discontent in the region.  Villagers constantly bickered over property lines, livestock grazing rights, and perceived social slights and snubs. Religious extremism in the form of their Puritan beliefs also contributed to villagers’ moral intolerance, repression, and social isolation, making the town and others like it virtual tinderboxes waiting to ignite.

Over 300 years later, the Salem Witch Trials continue to fascinate historians and students alike. The topic is ripe with cross-curricular possibilities, ranging from U.S. history, English Language Arts, civics, religion, sociology, jurisprudence, and other subjects. There is a vast amount of primary source documents relating to the Trials available online, making it a great opportunity for students to hone research skills. This week, I’ve selected three resources for various grade levels that all focus on the Salem Witch Trials, and how such a travesty could happen.  I’ll also be featuring several new lessons and resources on this topic each day throughout the week on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so be sure to check those pages regularly.

Salem Witch Trials

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2010-12-06.6887919622

Subjects: Language Arts; US History

Grade 3

In this lesson, students will be able to briefly summarize the Salem Witch Trials. They will learn about children’s lives in 17^th century New England, and imagine what children’s lives were like during the Trials. This lesson was created by two teachers from Saugus Public Schools in Saugus, Massachusetts.

Dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-10-02.6386808020

Subjects: US History, Civics

Grade: 4-6

A simple play and follow-up activities can provide elementary students with an opportunity to compare fair and unfair trials. This activity can also provide discussion of why we have certain fair trial (or due process) protections under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. This lesson was produced by the American Bar Association, a professional association for lawyers in the U.S. The ABA offers educational resources on the law aimed at students and for the classroom.

Colonial America: The Salem Witch Trials

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2010-12-06.9728953810

Subjects: US History, Writing

Grade: 9-12

In this lesson, students will learn the basic facts about the Salem Witch Trials and the different theories for the hysteria. They will examine primary source documents, describe the characteristics of Puritanism and its role in 17th-century Salem, and write a fictional, first-hand account as if living in Salem Village in 1692, which reflects one or more of the theories. This lesson is a product of Discovery Education, which provides digital resources to schools and homes with the goal of making educators more effective, increasing student achievement, and connecting classrooms and families to a world of learning.

~ Joann's Picks - October 27, 2011 ~

Spooky October Lessons

Ghosts, witches, and goblins, oh my!  It’s October, and as the leaves begin falling and scary decorations start to pop up around town, many students are buzzing about what they are going to be for Halloween. Although many schools have banned wearing costumes to school and have “harvest celebrations” instead of Halloween parties or carnivals, the scary side of Halloween can be very intriguing to students.  Some enterprising teachers have found ways to bring the spirit of the season into their classrooms in creative and engaging ways.  If you want to do more with the Halloween theme this year than jack’o lantern and ghost crafts, try one of these ideas on the Gateway to bring “spooky” literature and ghost stories to life.  

There are lots of fun books that cater to kids’ fascination with everything Halloween, but it can be hard to figure out which ones are appropriate for your students. Common Sense Media provides book lists to help parents and teachers decide which books they want to share with their children.  One of their lists is dedicated to books about vampires, werewolves, and zombies for kindergarteners on up: just the list you need for October!  Their reviews of the Twilight series are a must read for those of you with students obsessed with everything Twilight.  Another good “vampire-esque” book to read is Bunnicula by James Howe.  Bunnicula is geared toward younger vampire-loving students and this lesson from TeacherVision will help you find activities to integrate the book into your classroom activities.  You can also read more about activities for reading The Spiderwick Chronicles with your students. 

Halloween conjures up images in my mind of witches in black dresses riding on broomsticks.  Although history books aren’t full of this classic view of the witch, events like the Salem witch trials show what a big role witchcraft (and suspected witchcraft) has played throughout history. Colonial America: The Salem Witch Trials, Salem Witch Trials Unit, and Which of You is a Witch? are 3 good places to start looking for witch resources. A less historical, but very popular look at witches and wizards can be found in the Harry Potter series.  Check out this Harry Potter Discussion Guide to make the most of these magical books.

I also found a couple more neat ghost resources in my Gateway search today.  After reading ghost stories or having your students write some of their own, it might be a good discussion-starter to look at and discuss the historical photographs in Do You Believe? A Ghostly Gallery from the American Museum of Photography.  It’s very interesting to see how spirits have been captured on film…or is it an illusion?  PE Central has all kinds of fun Halloween activities to get your kids moving.  They may be ready to get up and run after all these scary lessons!  Ghost in the Graveyard is a fun activity to introduce during this season. 

A big benefit of using Gateway resources over other internet resources you may come across is the ability to see which of your state standards are covered in each lesson.  Remember to scroll down to the bottom of the Gateway description of the resource so you can try out the Standards Suggestion tool for yourself.

~ Peggy's Corner - October 20, 2011 ~

Spy Kids

Most students, at one time or another, become enamored with spies and espionage. Spies live in the shadows, gather intelligence and use all sorts of evasive actions to avoid detection. They inhabit a world fraught with danger and mystery, and their exploits are often riveting. What’s not to like?

The use of espionage to gather intelligence has a lengthy record in history. Sun Tzu stressed the importance of using political and military techniques of “deception and subversion” in his seminal work The Art of War, written around 600 BC.  Surveillance operations have also been documented as far back as ancient Egypt, where early pharaohs used trusted agents to spy on their subjects as well as political “frenemies” in Rome and Greece. The ancient Romans honed espionage to a fine art, using it as an effective method in helping to govern their immense empire that spanned three continents. Indeed, Roman documents contemporary to the period indicate that the Roman intelligence community knew in advance of the plan to assassinate Julius Caesar in 44 BC. European governments in medieval times relied on spies particularly in times of war, while Queen Elizabeth I and her cabinet infamously employed a vast network of spies, some of whom were double or even triple agents.

The first documented case of spying in the U.S. occurred in 1776, when Nathan Hale was executed by the British for spying on them during the American Revolution. George Washington realized early on that espionage would be vital to winning independence from the British, and relied on his personal band of spies known as the Culper Ring to feed him information. More recent spies such as Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Anna Chapman, and scores of others continue to make headlines from time to time, but most spies remain in the shadows for life. Today, nearly all countries use espionage to gather intelligence on friends and foes alike, employing both traditional spies as well as digital methods. According to recent news reports, the U.S. is the target of “hundreds of thousands” or cyber-attacks daily, many of which originate in Beijing. Security experts believe the attacks are meant to infiltrate government, manufacturing, and military systems, and concede that a fair percentage of the attacks have been successful. This type of espionage could be a great topic of discussion in social studies classes, as well as in lessons devoted to economics, health and safety, technology, current events, and others.

My picks this week focus on spy-themed lessons that work across the curriculum for a variety of ages. As always, we’ll also be featuring several new lessons and resources on this topic each day throughout the week on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so be sure to check those pages regularly.

Boston Spies’ Report on the Redcoats

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2007-08-10.3639054937/

Subjects: US history, Writing

Grade: 3-5

In this lesson, students collect information about British actions in Boston, and send it by secret coded message to leaders in Philadelphia. This is a fun lesson that incorporates research with primary source documents, hands-on activities, and critical thinking skills. This lesson offered by Beacon Learning Center, which offers standards-based resources and professional development activities.

An American Spy with Money to Spend

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2007-04-20.5605084370/

Subjects: Geography, Math (measurement)

Grade: 6-8

In this lesson, students pretend to be international spies on a mission. The lesson teaches across the curriculum, with the spies "visiting" different countries, and exchanging currency. This lesson is a product of Beacon Learning Center, an online educational resource and professional development center that offers a variety of in many subject areas, and are aligned to Florida's Sunshine State Standards.

The Spy’s Dilemma: A Problem in Intelligent Choice, and a Matter of Life and Death http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-09-12.4152596182

Subjects: US history, World history

Grade: 8-12

In this interactive online game, you are a Soviet agent in late December 1945. Relations between your country and America have been rapidly deteriorating. Your government is worried that the United States will turn its power against Soviet interests in the world.  Your government has asked you to find out what you can about American foreign and defense policies and about American intelligence capabilities. You have 45 minutes to examine sensitive files from President Truman's safe and select five you think will be most useful to your country's leader, Premier Josef Stalin. Write down your reasons for selecting the documents you choose. If you do well, you may be allowed to live. This online game is a product of the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, a nonprofit organization that houses thousands of documents by President Truman and his administration, and offers many educational resources for teachers and researchers.

~Joann's Picks - September 22, 2011~

To Infinity and Beyond!

This summer marks the end of an era.

Mission STS-135 will be the final mission for NASA’s space shuttle program, an innovative project that made its first official launch in 1981. The idea for a reusable spacecraft was tossed around back in the 1960s, and in 1972, President Richard Nixon announced that NASA would begin work on the space shuttle program. To date, there have been 134 missions, with one left to go. Of those missions, two ended in disaster. The losses of the Challenger and Columbia shuttles, with their entire crews, are tragedies that are still etched in the memories of many people worldwide. The Challenger mission, with teacher Christa McAuliffe aboard, was particularly difficult for many students to emotionally process. According to NASA, the shuttle missions have resulted in a 2% death rate per astronaut per flight – a very low rate of risk. Despite the relative frequency and familiarity of shuttle launches, however, space missions are still journeys into the relative unknown, still explorations into the heart of darkness.

The value of space exploration has long been a controversial topic, with opponents citing fiscal waste and proponents championing valuable knowledge gained about our universe and our origins. For many students, space exploration is a compelling topic, and one that they eagerly embrace. There’s a certain romance to exploration in general: tales of polar expeditions, journeys west across the American frontier, and plumbing the depths of the sea have long been classroom favorites. The courage and daring demonstrated by explorers (including astronauts) aptly illustrates the human need to know, to understand the world around us and to keep striving for sometimes unknown heights. We look, we wonder, we explore – it’s the human condition. This eternal curiosity and the quest for knowledge also characterizes the very essence of education, and the ability to make connections, generate new ideas, and to simply understand. Space is the birthplace of our planet, and someday, space will reclaim it. To probe the heavens and to study space and its contents is to help understand our place in the universe, how life on our planet came to be, and perhaps what our future holds. It’s one of the few mysterious environments left for us to explore, and it’s a vast one.

My featured resources this week focus on space exploration and some of the skills necessary to work or maneuver in this unfamiliar environment. I’ll be featuring many more resources on this topic for all ages on our Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the week, so please be sure to check those pages regularly.


Training to Work in Space
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-05-23.3926882922
Grade: 3-5
Astronauts are trained to work in space in stressful conditions. Jobs that must be completed in space are practiced many times on Earth so that astronauts will be able to complete them in a more stressful space environment. Students will experience some training as they practice assembling a support for a solar array. They will discover that using strategies and repeat practice allows them to complete the job with more skill and less time. This lesson was produced by Challenger Center for Space Science Education, which offers a broad array of mission-based space science activities. Challenger Center takes over 400,000 kids annually through simulated space missions, and also offers a host of educational materials for teachers.


Navigating a Spacecraft
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-05-23.5396757949
Subjects: Space sciences, Math
Grade: 5-8
In this activity students work in pairs to plot the paths (trajectories) of a spacecraft traveling between Earth and Mars in the year 2018 and returning in 2020. These paths use the minimum amount of fuel, and take about six months to travel from one planet to the other. This lesson was produced by Challenger Center for Space Science Education, which aims to create a scientifically literate population that can thrive in the 21st century and beyond. A network of Challenger Learning Centers in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and South Korea offers diverse classroom programming and community outreach programs for kids.


Space Exploration Using Photo Story
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-05-23.9371782025
Subjects: US History, Space Science, English
Grade: 11
Students research the American space exploration program in the context of the Cold War, and use Photo Story to create a presentation using photos of space program, key figures, and documents in order to present their findings to their classmates. This lesson is a product of HotChalk Learning, a portal that provides an online learning management system and lesson plans.

~Joann's Picks - 6/3/2011~