Historical Role-Playing Scenarios: Exploring Influences
Created byPhillip Charles Alcock
2 views0 downloads

Historical Role-Playing Scenarios: Exploring Influences

Grade 7English5 days
Want to create your own PBL Recipe?Use our AI-powered tools to design engaging project-based learning experiences for your students.
📝

Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we role-play historical scenarios to uncover the influence of individuals and ideas in shaping significant events and societal changes?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • How do individuals influence historical events through their actions?
  • In what ways can ideas shape the decisions of individuals or groups?
  • What are the consequences of significant events in history, and how do they connect to the actions of individuals?
  • How can role-playing help us understand the complexities of historical scenarios?
  • How do interactions between different historical figures lead to changes in society or culture?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will be able to analyze how individual actions influenced significant historical events.
  • Students will simulate historical scenarios to explore the influence of ideas on decision-making.
  • Students will evaluate the consequences of actions taken by individuals in historical contexts.
  • Students will understand the relationships between various historical figures and their impact on society.

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.3
Primary
Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).Reason: This standard directly supports students in analyzing the interconnectedness of historical figures, events, and ideas, which is central to the role-playing project.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Escape from History

Students receive a mysterious package on their desks, containing artifacts from a pivotal historical event. Inside, there is a letter stating that they have been 'transported' to this moment in time. Their challenge is to escape the event by understanding the influences that led to it and creating a solution to change its outcome. Throughout the simulation, students will role-play historical figures, analyze documents, and engage with the concepts of cause and effect in history.
📚

Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Historical Role-Player's Toolkit

Students create character profiles for historical figures involved in key events. This activity fosters comprehension of the individual's influence on the events and vice versa.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Choose a historical figure from a list provided by the teacher.
2. Conduct research to gather key facts about the figure's life, actions, and their impact on events.
3. Fill out a character profile template that includes the figure's background, motivations, key actions, and impact on history.
4. Prepare to share your character's influence through a presentation or a written narrative.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed character profile and a presentation highlighting the chosen figure's influence on historical events.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers RI.7.3 (Analyze interactions between individuals and events by describing how the figure's actions influenced history).
Activity 2

Event Echoes: Cause and Effect Chart

Using the research from the previous activity, students will create a cause-and-effect chart that maps the connections between their character's actions and historical events.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Refer to the character profiles created in the previous activity.
2. Identify major actions of the historical figure that led to specific events.
3. Create a cause-and-effect chart that illustrates the relationships between the character's actions and the results, ensuring to include at least three significant connections.
4. Present your chart to a partner or small group, explaining the connections you've illustrated.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA visual cause-and-effect chart that displays links between individual actions and larger historical events along with a brief presentation of insights.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers RI.7.3 (Analyze how individual actions influence events by illustrating these relationships in the chart).
Activity 3

Debate of the Ages

Students engage in a structured debate where they defend or critique the actions of their historical figure, allowing them to explore different perspectives on the same event.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Choose a controversial action taken by the historical figure and take either a supportive or opposing stance.
2. Use the information from character profiles and the cause-and-effect chart to prepare arguments.
3. Participate in a debate, presenting your arguments respectfully and responding to counterarguments from classmates.
4. Reflect briefly on what you learned from opposing viewpoints during the debate.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA debate presentation that includes structured arguments for or against the character's actions, followed by a reflective piece on the discussion.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers RI.7.3 (Analyze how ideas influence individual actions by articulating different perspectives during the debate).
Activity 4

Impact Reflection Essay

Students will write a reflective essay analyzing the overall impact of their historical figure in context to the events they influenced, integrating all previous activities' insights.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Review the character profiles, cause-and-effect charts, and debate notes.
2. Outline the essay by including an introduction, body paragraphs about the figure's impact, and a conclusion on their overall significance.
3. Write a draft of the essay, ensuring to support claims with specific examples from research and class discussions.
4. Peer review the essays in pairs, offering feedback and making revisions as necessary before final submission.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA reflective essay analyzing the impact of a historical figure based on research findings and class discussions.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers RI.7.3 (Analyze the interactions between individuals and events through reflective writing that synthesizes previous work).
🏆

Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Historical Role-Playing and Analysis Rubric

Category 1

Understanding of Historical Influence

Assessment of students' ability to analyze interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in historical contexts.
Criterion 1

Analysis of Character Influence

Evaluates how well the student analyzes the impact of a historical figure on events.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates a sophisticated analysis of the historical figure's influence, providing comprehensive evidence and insights.

Proficient
3 Points

Provides a thorough analysis of the historical figure's influence with clear evidence.

Developing
2 Points

Offers a basic analysis with some evidence of the historical figure's influence, but lacks depth.

Beginning
1 Points

Attempts analysis with minimal evidence and lacks clarity in describing the figure's influence.

Criterion 2

Cause-and-Effect Understanding

Evaluates how well the student illustrates the relationship between a historical figure's actions and their consequences.

Exemplary
4 Points

Creates a detailed, accurate cause-and-effect chart with multiple significant connections and insightful analysis.

Proficient
3 Points

Produces an accurate cause-and-effect chart with clear connections and good analysis.

Developing
2 Points

Produces a cause-and-effect chart with some connections, but analysis is limited.

Beginning
1 Points

Attempts a cause-and-effect chart with minimal connections and limited analysis.

Category 2

Critical Thinking and Debate Skills

Assessment of students' ability to articulate arguments and engage with opposing viewpoints during debates.
Criterion 1

Argument Construction

Evaluates the clarity, logic, and evidence in constructing arguments during debates.

Exemplary
4 Points

Presents highly logical and well-structured arguments with comprehensive supporting evidence.

Proficient
3 Points

Presents clear, logical arguments with relevant supporting evidence.

Developing
2 Points

Presents arguments with some clarity and limited evidence.

Beginning
1 Points

Attempts to construct arguments with minimal clarity and evidence.

Criterion 2

Engagement with Opposing Views

Evaluates how effectively students engage with and respond to opposing viewpoints in debates.

Exemplary
4 Points

Engages respectfully and insightfully with opposing views, demonstrating open-mindedness and reflection.

Proficient
3 Points

Engages respectfully with opposing views, showing clear understanding.

Developing
2 Points

Engages with opposing views but lacks depth in understanding and response.

Beginning
1 Points

Attempts engagement with opposing views, showing minimal understanding.

Category 3

Reflective Writing and Synthesis

Assessment of students' ability to synthesize information from all portfolio activities into a coherent reflective essay.
Criterion 1

Synthesis of Historical Impact

Evaluates the student's ability to synthesize research and discussions to reflect on a historical figure's impact.

Exemplary
4 Points

Presents a well-organized, insightful reflective essay that synthesizes all activities comprehensively.

Proficient
3 Points

Presents a clear reflective essay that synthesizes activities effectively.

Developing
2 Points

Presents a basic reflective essay with some synthesis of activities.

Beginning
1 Points

Attempts a reflective essay with minimal synthesis of activities.

Criterion 2

Clarity and Coherence

Evaluates the organization, clarity, and coherence of the reflective essay.

Exemplary
4 Points

Writes a clear, well-structured essay with coherent arguments and fluid transitions.

Proficient
3 Points

Writes a clear, structured essay with coherent arguments.

Developing
2 Points

Writes an essay with some structure and occasional clarity.

Beginning
1 Points

Attempts to write an essay but lacks clarity and structure.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

How has your understanding of the interactions between historical figures, events, and ideas evolved through these activities?

Text
Required
Question 2

On a scale of 1 to 5, how effectively do you think these activities helped you understand the influence of historical figures in significant events?

Scale
Required
Question 3

Which activity did you find most challenging, and what strategies did you use to overcome these challenges?

Text
Optional
Question 4

What new insights have you gained about the complexities of historical events and figures from your peers during the debate?

Text
Required
Question 5

Multiple choice: What aspect of the activities do you feel most contributed to your understanding of historical impact?

Multiple choice
Optional
Options
Role-playing scenarios
Cause-and-effect charts
Participating in debates
Writing the reflective essay