APUSH- Habits of Mind Integrating historical thinking skills into the writing process. It’s an APUSH habit, of course.

the toolbox  Class Pass  Write ‘N Rip  Red Light/Green Light  Double-Punch  Inductive-Deductive  A.P. = Answer the Prompt  3 to 6 (or 7)  Flipped Model  (H,M,L)  (E,A)  Generalization to Analysis

General Rules  You are writing about a time period in history; not writing a history of the time period.  Avoid over use of indefinite pronouns it, they and you.  Avoid general pronoun problems that leads to ambiguity such as the reference he or she.  Past Tense / Present Tense  Disney Treatment-No need to glorify every event in American history; it doesn’t need to end well for it to be accurate.

Intro  Background information  Trace the topic to the roots of the issue  Easy, effective way to begin an essay  Thesis  Near end of the paragraph  Addresses the prompt and HTS  Answers the Prompt without repeating it  Complex  Split Thesis statements

Thesis  Do NOT repeat the Question  Address the elements  Novelty of thought  Complexity  More on thesis development in the next unit of study

Body Paragraph Information  Arrange the Trees  Arrange the Trees to See the Forest  Trees=  Forest=

Body Paragraph Structure  Prove the Forest  Prove the Forest by Using the Trees  Trees=  Forest=

Supporting Paragraphs  Effective Supporting Paragraphs  Topic Sentence that relates to thesis / introduces major concept of paragraph  Organized evidence with interpretive analysis that supports the thesis  Double-Punch- Evidence Analysis  “clincher” sentence that ties the paragraph together and links to thesis (sometimes acts as a transition to next paragraph)

Conclusion  Intuition says synthesis point is here (although, the synthesis point could be found elsewhere)  We are not interested in…….  Restating the thesis  No need for Disney endings  We are interested in….  Tie in your thesis  Leave a Legacy

Structure for Essays in APUSH  Basic set-up  Minimum Pieces to each paragraph  Skeleton to Essays in APUSH  Can I have more paragraphs? Yes. Introductory Paragraph *Background *Thesis Supporting Paragraph * Strongest Category (social, political, economic) Supporting Paragraph * Second-Strongest Category (social, political, economic) Supporting Paragraph *Third-Strongest Category (social, political, economic) Conclusion * Tie in thesis without repeating the thesis *Legacy

Scoring the Response  AP (Answers the Prompt)  Elements of the Question  Stays in the time period given  Periodization  Analysis  Complexity of argument (elements of strong responses)  Contextualization  Regionalization  Sophisticated, novel approach

Skill Type Historical Thinking Skills Foster Critical Analysis and Interpretation Comparison and Contextualization Chronological Reasoning Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence Historical Interpretation and Synthesis  Historical Causation  Patterns of Continuity and Change over Time  Periodization Historical Thinking Skill  Comparison  Contextualization  Historical Argumentation  Appropriate Use of Relevant Historical Evidence  Interpretation  Synthesis

Starting with the End  LEQs are linked to Historical Thinking Skills  Four types of LEQs:  HTS: Chronological Reasoning  Continuity and Change Over Time  Causation  Periodization  HTS: Comparison and Contextualization  Comparison

Continuity and Change  Evaluate the extent to which trans-Atlantic interactions from 1600 to 1763 contributed to maintaining continuity as well as fostering change in labor systems in the British North American colonies.  Some historians have argued that the American Revolution was not revolutionary in nature. Support, modify, or refute this interpretation, providing specific evidence to justify your answer.  Evaluate major changes and continuities in the social and economic experiences of African-Americans who migrated from the rural South to urban areas in the North in the period

Periodization  How did “republicanism” manifest itself following the Revolutionary War? Consider THREE of the following topics in your response: the Loyalists, state constitutions, women, freed blacks, slaves, and religion. Confine your answer to the period between 1780 and  Historians have argued that the Era of Good Feelings was a misnomer. To what extent is this true politically and economically?  Some historians have argued that the development of the policy of containment after the Second World War marked a turning point in United States foreign policy. Support, modify, or refute this contention using specific evidence.

Compare  Compare and contrast the New England colonies with the colonies in the Chesapeake. Be sure to address two of the three characteristics in your answer: political, economic, and social patterns.  Compare the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution. Which document did a better job of protecting civil liberties? How did the Constitution fix the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? Confine your answer to the time period between 1780 and 1800.

Causation  Explain the major political and economic causes and consequences for the growth of big business in American society from 1870 to  How did the Revolutionary War affect the new nation? Consider TWO of the following in your answer: agriculture, trade, diplomacy, and finances of the new nation. Confine your response to the period between 1780 and 1800.

What do students need to be able to do?  Elements  Periodization  Analysis  SFI  Six specific points on the “new” exam  Thesis: 0-1  Support for argument: 0-2  Application of targeted HTS: 0-2  Synthesis: 0-1

Support for argument:

Support for argument: Difference between a 1 and 2?  It’s not enough to have SFI.  You must link the SFI.

Historical Thinking Skill

HTS: Difference between a 1 and 2?  Analyzing specific examples linked to their thesis, the elements of the question, and the historical thinking skill.  Linked to thesis and elements?  Same as the old test  HTS?  Implicitly the same; however, we just need to emphasize the vernacular.  Put another way:  Tells vs. shows  Describes vs. analyzes  B. Polasky

This is only a tweak in your vernacular

Things we know about LEQs  4/6 points rely on students’ ability to pull SFI and link/analyze/illustrate/etc. the SFI to the thesis/question/skill  This test still requires students to write well.  Drilling the four skills  TS 2  Thesis  Support  Historical Thinking Skill  Synthesis