Perhaps I need to reteach this lesson....
After school today, as I sat grading tests, I noted with both amusement and dismay some of my students answers. To be fair, one of these students is an English Language Learner who recently moved here from another country. But the other two, well they really have no excuse. We are currently covering the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence. I think I may need to go back and review some key details....
Question 1: What was one good effect of having the British around?
Answer: One good effect of having the British around is that American colonists can kill them. (I guess this does make it convenient when trying to defeat your foe, but the correct answer was: The British gave the colonists protection from warring Native Americans and French and Spanish invaders.)
Question 2: How did life change for the colonists after signing the Declaration of Independence?
Answer 2 (from EL student): They get their freedom and they live like bird is flying in the sky and with love. (While I like the imagery his response brings, the correct answer is: After the colonists signed the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War began, affecting the lives of many. Neighbors and families were torn apart based on their support of the British or the Patriots and there were many bloody battles until America finally won it's independence from Britain.)
Question 3: If you had lived during the Revolutionary War, which side do you think you would have been on? Why?
Answer 3: If I had lived during the war, I would have been on the American's side because I don't like red coats at all. Blue is an OK color for me." (I guess for some people, color choice is more important than political ideals.)
I love teaching about the birth of our country because the students have such interesting questions and we are able to make some wonderful connections to events that are going on today (for example, the colonists pulling down King George III's statue and Iraqis pulling down the statue of Saddam Hussein). However, with answers like the ones above, I'm also finding that students have some interesting interpretations of historical events as well.
Question 1: What was one good effect of having the British around?
Answer: One good effect of having the British around is that American colonists can kill them. (I guess this does make it convenient when trying to defeat your foe, but the correct answer was: The British gave the colonists protection from warring Native Americans and French and Spanish invaders.)
Question 2: How did life change for the colonists after signing the Declaration of Independence?
Answer 2 (from EL student): They get their freedom and they live like bird is flying in the sky and with love. (While I like the imagery his response brings, the correct answer is: After the colonists signed the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War began, affecting the lives of many. Neighbors and families were torn apart based on their support of the British or the Patriots and there were many bloody battles until America finally won it's independence from Britain.)
Question 3: If you had lived during the Revolutionary War, which side do you think you would have been on? Why?
Answer 3: If I had lived during the war, I would have been on the American's side because I don't like red coats at all. Blue is an OK color for me." (I guess for some people, color choice is more important than political ideals.)
I love teaching about the birth of our country because the students have such interesting questions and we are able to make some wonderful connections to events that are going on today (for example, the colonists pulling down King George III's statue and Iraqis pulling down the statue of Saddam Hussein). However, with answers like the ones above, I'm also finding that students have some interesting interpretations of historical events as well.
I totally would have been on the red side. I like red more than blue.
I miss teaching American history!
My son had an assignment about explorers. One question was something like "What advantage did the Dutch get even though Henry Hudson didn't find a Northwest Passage?" Slugger's answer?
"The advantage was the Dutch got to sit on their lazy butts while Henry did all the hard work."
gotta give them a half a point for creativity. i used to laugh at those answers.