Make History with Your Students

From bestselling author Paul Bambrick-Santoyo and Art Worrell, Uncommon Schools’ Director of History Instruction, comes Make History, an inspiring book on how educators can take history instruction to the next level. History teachers face unique challenges in introducing history lessons to students, and they are under increasing pressure to get it “right” in an age of social progress and social divisiveness. This book is a guide to bring the past to life while teaching students how to make sense of history.

Use the ideas and techniques to turn your history students into writers, readers, and thinkers who are ready not only to succeed in college, but also to become leaders and change agents. By showing how to teach rigorous, engaging lessons that center student thinking and voice, Make History turns history class into the most exciting part of a student’s day.

• Reimagine history education to help students build their own unique arguments about the past
• Ask tough questions to help students grapple with difficult historical periods
• Set the stage for authentic discourse that students remember long past the bell
• Give students the tools to become socially aware, build their own identity, and think and write like historians

Teachers and instructional coaches in grades 5-12 will love this new, insightful approach to history—one that works for today’s classrooms.

ART WORRELL is the Director of 5-12 History Instruction at Uncommon Schools and has 20 years of experience as a teacher, instructional leader, and curriculum writer.

PAUL BAMBRICK-SANTOYO is a bestselling author and founder and Dean of the Leverage Leadership Institute, as well as Chief Schools Officer of Uncommon Schools.

Online Content

Print-Ready Materials

Videos

Acknowledgements

About the Authors

Introduction: Make History

Art’s Story

Paul’s Story

Our Story

A “Practical Guide”: What You’ll Find in This Book

Turning on the Light: Making Good Teaching Visible

See It: Videos and Work Samples

Name It: Core Ideas and One-Pagers

Do It: Materials to Make it Happen

Who Should Use this Book and How?

Making History—Starting the Journey

Part 1: Define the Destination

Learn More—Enrich Your History Map

Craft Initial Questions

Seek Sources with Multiple Perspectives

Finalize the Destination

Craft a Class Prompt:

Create an Exemplar Response

Chart the Path

Choose your Sources

Identify the Historical Thinking Skills

“Source” your Sources

Put it All Together—Know & Show

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Self-Assessment & Action Plan

Part 2: Build Knowledge

Activate Knowledge

Do Nows

Class Oral Review

Supply (or Create) a Resource:

Frontload Knowledge—Tell a Story

Hook Them

Tell The Story—Make it Memorable

Hold onto the Story—Solidify the Understanding

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Self-Assessment & Action Plan

Build Knowledge Lesson – 1 Pager

Part 3: Grapple with Evidence

Plan For Productive Struggle

Set the Stage—Activate What they Need:

Activate Skill—Break Down the Prompt:

Activate Knowledge:

Let Them Grapple—Guide Sensemaking

Monitor Reading & Address the Trend:

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Self-Assessment & Action Plan

Grapple with Evidence – 1 Pager

Part 4: Make Sense of It Through Discourse

Give Students Habits

Name the Desired Habits

Build and Maintain Habits

Set the Stage for Discourse

Launch the Discourse Cycle

Facilitate Large Group Discourse

Deepen Discourse

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Self-Assessment & Action Plan

Inquiry Lesson – 1 pager

Part 5: Stamp and Measure the Learning

Stamp in Student Voice

Stamp in Writing

Stamp the Thinking (Go Meta)

Apply It—Assess:

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Self-Assessment & Action Plan

Part 6: Put It All Together

Implementation Rubric—Make History:

AP US History – Reconstruction

Build Knowledge Lesson

Grapple with Evidence & Inquiry Lesson Plans

AP World History – Westernization vs. Southernization

Build Knowledge Lesson Plan

Grapple with Evidence & Inquiry Lesson Plans

Conclusion:

Endnotes