With Liberty and Freedom for Some

Participant Media

EU's and EQ's drafted by the 7-12 Washington West  History Department

Draft as of 3/24/10

1) Students will understand that historical events are experienced, recorded, and interpreted by individuals with different perspectives and biases that influence their perception of the event(s).

Essential Questions:

1.   What is an historical event?

2.   Who records history?

3.   How is what is experienced different from what is recorded?

4.   How is history recorded?

5.   Why do individuals perceive events differently?

6.   Why do individuals interpret history differently?

7.   Why do individuals have different perspectives and biases(How are biases formed?)

8.   What history should be taught and who determines it?

9.   Can history ever be objective?

2) Students will understand that a variety of forces, both human and nonhuman, shape historical events.

Essential Questions:

1.   Why do people move?

2.   What causes change?  Why do some things remain the same?

3.   What is a pivotal event and why?

4.   Is nature more important than nurture?

5.   Which has the greater impact on historical events – human or non-human events?

6.   Is poverty avoidable?

7.   Are humans territorial by nature?

8.   How are we all connected?

9.   How does greed affect history?

10. What is the role of crises in shaping history?*

11. How do geographical factors influence historical events?

3) Students will understand that a variety of factors influence human identity.

Essential Questions:

1.   What is identity?

2.   Do individuals create culture or does culture create individuals?

3.   How is our sense of who we are determined by who came before us? How does knowledge of history limit or  broaden our potential?

4.   What factors could cause individual or group identity to change or remain the same? (for example, from generation to generation?)

5.   We can be influenced to “identify with” or to “identify against”.  How has this been manipulated historically?

6.   How do personal experiences of history influence perceptions and identity?

7.   Is personal identity more important than group identity?

8.   Is how we identify ourselves more important than how others identify us?

9.   Why do certain events influence identity while others do not?

4) Students will understand that active citizens are able to make conscious choices to change society.

Essential Questions:

What does it mean to be an active citizen?

• Is it possible to stay neutral? What are the dangers of being inactive?
• What does history tell us about how important it is to think independently?
•  What happens when people are not allowed to be active citizens?
•  To what extent can/should individuals engage themselves in the affairs of other nations in an increasingly globalized world?

Do we always have a choice? 

• What limits our choices?
• What is an informed choice?
• What obligations do people in society have toward one another and future generations?

How and why does change happen?

• How can one person bring about any real change?
  •  Who are the heroes of history?
• What motivates people to take action and change society?
• What are the characteristics that citizens/groups need to have in order to bring about change?
• What are the most effective methods of creating lasting change?
  • When should pragmatism trump idealism?
•  Is progress possible?

What is society?

• What is power? Where does it come from?
• What is the purpose of government?
• When are the needs of the individual more important than the needs of the community?
• Should different groups of people be treated differently?
• How do different societies meet the needs of their citizens differently?

Essential Questions:

What shall we do when primary sources disagree?

How do both written & non-written data contribute to our understanding of a past event?

How do our personal biases and the sources we consult influence our perception of an event?

How do I find out more?

What is research and how do I do it?