Analyzing Sources and Making the Thinking Visible and Apparent to Others

As teachers, we must ask ourselves...

1. If students are asked to analyze sources, then how will I use the notebook to assess this skill ? 
2. How do students make their thinking apparent and visible to me, the teacher? 

Mrs. Meier's 5th graders are using the colony of Jamestown as an entry point to thinking about the broader conceptual ideas within the unit.  Throughout the Changing Face of North America unit, conceptual goals ask students to think about social/cultural, economic, and political institutions.  In addition, one desired result states that students will be able to analyze primary and secondary sources.

Mrs. Meir found a lesson (Stage 3 - Resources, CCAP) as part of Jamestown as a Case Study.  

To view the actual linked resource, look here. 

As part of analysis, students looked at the pictures and determined what elements of culture were revealed in the pictures.  Students would show their thinking by marking the different clues about culture on a chart.  Student charts looked different, giving the teacher an opportunity to formatively assess student application of skills; she could look to see how well students were analyzing the images. The thinking and writing process was modeled so students could see the thinking that was needed and how to show that thinking in their notebooks.  Here are two samples of student notebooks:

As you look at the skill goals for a unit, you are paying close attention to what students should be able to do. Paying attention to skill goals is one way to plan with the end in mind.  In addition, since we don't have the ability to see inside a student's mind, we have to show students (by modeling) how to take their thinking and make it apparent and visible to others. This is one reason why students use a notebook in science and social studies.  It's a place for students to show their application of skills.  They can use writing to show the thinking taking place inside their heads.

What are next steps?  Mrs. Meier is going to make an instructional choice about how students can use this information.  Students might apply this content knowledge to other skills or students use use this to connect with essential questions (conceptual goals).