Lesson 5: History Detectives-Discussion

I. General Information:
Grade Level: 3rd
Discipline: Socials Studies
Unit Topic: History-Titanic
Time Frame: 60 minutes
Text: History Detectives Text (Tes Resources, 2014)

Other Materials:
o Printed copy of History Detectives Text
o Recording Sheet-History Detectives
o Pencils
o Document camera
o Powerpoint or anchor paper with discussion questions posted
o Norms/Success Criteria for discussion (student generated)
o Timer
o Reflection Sheet
o Outer circle feedback form

II. Essential Understanding/Questions:

Essential Questions:
How do different sources provide evidence of what life was like in the past?
What causes or influences the choices people make?

Enduring Understandings: There are varying perspectives on the meaning of historical events.

III. Standards/Indicators
English Language Arts:
o RI.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the
text as the basis for the answers.

Speaking & Listening:

.SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that
preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

Social Studies:
o 5. A.2 Investigate how people lived in the past using a variety of primary and secondary
sources.
a. Collect and examine information about people, places, or events of the past using pictures,
photographs, maps, audio, or visual tapes and or documents.

IV. Lesson Objectives

o Students will be able to successfully engage in a discussion centered around
the topic-Titanic & Who is the Most to Blame for the loss of lives?
o Students will be able to support claims with text evidence.

V. Evaluation/Assessment:
Informal: Students will be informally evaluated while they participate in the inner
circle during the discussion. Outer Circle students will observe a partner in the
inner circle, fill out feedback form, and will meet to give their partner feedback
towards discussion success criteria.

Formal: Teacher will not only record notes on discussion strategies, but will also
give students feedback on their Reflection Sheet. Students will be answering the
same question in the discussion on paper. The teacher will analayze students
ability to provide text evidence to back up their thoughts on focus question.
Teacher will give feedback towards students writing with complete sentences,
using paragraphs, punctuation, spelling, etc.

VI. Procedures:
Introduction: Ask: How do lawyers win a case? Listen to students as they
share their ideas. Then explain, lawyers win their case when they really elaborate
and rely on the evidence. Explain that Historians do that as well as they engage in
various sources to come up with a claim about a specific event or time period.
 Teaching/Activities:
1. Review activity from yesterday. Students were analzying texts to
determine how a crew member was responsible for the loss of lives on the
Titanic. Students recorded evidence on a recording sheet.
2. Explain that good Historians work together and discuss before they
solidify their claims. Explain that students will have a few more mintures
(10) to look over their work from yesterday and decide who they believe
is the most to blame and why (evidence from text).
3. Give students 10-15 minutes to solidify their claim and evidence. Students
may work with partner, independently, or with a group. Help as needed.
4. Bring students together to go over Discussion Norms/Success Criteria.
Have students generate a list of how they can be successful in todays
discussion. Record students generated lists on anchor chart paper or
digitally.
5. Go over expectations for Socratic Seminar. Students will be split into
groups (inside and outside circle). Inside circle students will be engaging
in the discussion. The outer circle will observe and fill out an observation
sheet-feedback for a partner in the inner circle. After a set amount of
time, students will switch roles. Ask students to repeat discussion
directions back to you and to the people sitting around them.
6. Put students into groups (inside and outside circle).
7. Start discussion by sharing discussion focus question: Who do you belive
is the most to blame for the loss of lives on the Titanic? As students
discuss, record your observations on Teacher Recording Sheet
(observation notes-checklist). Ensure studnets in outer circle are filling
out their observation sheets.
8. Switch roles and repeat discussion question.
9. When discussion is over, have students meet with their inside
circle/outside circle partner. Students will meet to share observation
forms and give feedback.
Closure:
Bring students together to share progress towards Discussion Norms/Success
Criteria. Share with students what worked, what went well, what they could
improve on for our next discussion. Then, pass out Reflection Sheet. Students will
work on this independently and turn in for feedback.
References:
Tes Resources. For teachers, by teachers. History Detectives. (2014, November
12). Retrieved April 25, 2017, from https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources