The Missouri Reader Vol. 35, Issue 2 | Page 27

other   ancestors   since   all   families   in   the   United   States   experienced   either   forced   or   voluntary   migration.   Explore   ways   in   which   their   ancestors   were   treated   during   these   migrations,   focusing   on   the   power   relationships   between   them   and   other   groups.   For   students   of   color,   this   information   honors   their   cultures   since   these   migrations   are   rarely   presented   in   any   depth   or   in   relationship   to   the   oppression   many   groups   faced.  As  students  see  themselves  and  their  families  in  the  unit,  their  motivation  to  learn  more  will  increase.       Another  concept  likely  to  be  included  in  a  U.S.  History  class  is  The  Industrial  Revolution  was  a  defining   time   for   industry,   business,   transportation,   and   communication   across   the   United   States.   A   well-­‐known   strategy  is  a  concept  card.  Typically,  one  side  of  a  5X8  card  or  a  half  sheet  of  paper  names  the  topic.  The  other   side  lists  the  main  points.  Here  is  an  example:       The  Industrial  Revolution:   1.   A   system   of   producing   large   numbers  of  identical  items.     MASS  PRODUCTION   2.   Lowers   costs   for   consumers   (Front  of  Card)   and   allows   them   to   enjoy   a   higher  standard  of  living.   3.  Henry  Ford  assembly  line.   4.   Work   was   made   easier   through  mass  production.     However,  imagine  the  possibilities  if,  in  addition  to  the  typically  uncritical  way  this  time  in  history  is  presented,   students  create  concept  cards  on  a  larger  card  or  an  entire  sheet  of  paper.  In  this  added  space,  students  would   answer   critical   questions   about   the   treatment   of   workers   during   this   time,   the   role   of   women   and   children,   and   opportunities   for   people   of   color   looking   for   jobs.   No   longer   are   students   memorizing   information,   but   they   are   using   texts   –   probably   multiple   texts,   including   trade   books   and   the   internet   –   to   find   answers   to   interesting,  critical  questions.       If  the  main  concept  is  how  The  Vietnam  War  was  a  turbulent  time  in  our  country’s  history,  song  lyrics   provide   texts   that   students   can   read   and   respond   to   (Lloyd,   2003).   For   example,   Marvin   Gaye,   an   African   American   musician,   wrote   and   performed   “What’s   Going   on?”   as   a   response   to   his   brother’s   experiences   in   the  Vietnam  War.  This  song  examines  the  war  and  can  be  a  take-­‐off  point  to  critically  analyze  ways  in  which   people   of   color   were   affected   by   this   war.   Students   might   question   whether   or   not   things   have   changed,   finding  relevant  texts  to  answer  this  question.     Math  Examples     Reading  math  books  is  often  an  obstacle  for  struggling/striving  readers.  Again,  reading  strategies  can   help   make   the   text   more   understandable.   A   concept   that   might   be   addressed   in   geometry   is,There   are   relationships  between  lines  and  angles  formed  by  transversals,  and  complementary  and  supplementary  angles.   To  help  students  understand  this  difficult  concept,  the  teacher  could  begin  by  reading  a  children’s  book  about   27