The social studies curriculum for sixth-grade students in the Conway School District changed significantly this school year.
The students went from studying world history to now focusing on more modern, post-Civil War events, which is mostly new material to this group, according to Amy Jordan, literacy coach at Ruth Doyle Intermediate School.
"We noticed as teachers we had some areas we needed to supplement our instructional materials and we're always looking for things to do to go above and beyond the textbooks," Jordan said Tuesday. "We also noticed in students' historical fiction writing, they were confusing the civil rights movement with slavery and not really understanding the bigger picture of the time line."
To help with this change in the curriculum, Jordan, along with sixth-grade teachers Natalie Lea and Kelli Gordon, applied for a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and received $2,984 to purchase materials to teach a civil rights unit.
"We have noticed a real gap in learning from World War II on and we hope to make this important part of our state's history important to students," Gordon said Wednesday. "The earlier they learn the better chance they have of not repeating the mistakes of our ancestors."
According to Jordan, every sixth-grade social studies and literacy class at Ruth Doyle will receive about 175 chapter books dealing with different aspects of the civil rights era, and several more nonfiction books, including "Freedom Walkers" and "Witness to Freedom." She said the grant money will also purchase audio and video materials and picture books.
"They have a very limited knowledge and that is unfortunately because the movement is so close in our past that they just don't get to that point in their studies," Jordan said.
Lea said Wednesday these new materials will help bring students into the world of history through reading about the experiences of others.
"Unless lived through personally, few understand or appreciate the impact this period in history has had on our society," Lea said. "Hopefully, through this grant we can help to change that."
Jordan also pointed out these materials will help the school's mission of incorporating reading and literacy into every subject across the curriculum. She added in the literacy classes, students will be able to use these materials to build peer-to-peer discussions.
"What will help our students is that there will be six different titles of historic fiction books and the kids will read them in groups," Jordan said. "Once they've read it, they'll discuss it as a group and that will spark conversation like having miniature books clubs in the class."
Jordan said the teachers will then be able to observe students' discussions and answer the questions raised within the group. She said the group reading of fiction will be taking place in the reading classes and students will be studying the nonfiction books in their social studies classes.
"History is something that just lends itself so beautifully to storytelling and anytime you can get students to hear stories, the better they understand and retain it," Jordan said. "Instead of just facts and dates and numbers, they'll be able to hold onto it a little better."
(Staff writer Jessica Bauer can be reached by e-mail at jessica.bauer@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
