Quick Tips: Using Wikipedia and Citing Sources

Okay, so I'm about to get the hate of almost every single high school teacher in the world for writing this, but here it goes:

Wikipedia is not a bad source to get historical information.

If you have the sudden urge to bash me in the comments for saying this, just hear me out; I actually have a point in saying this. Wikipedia, as an encyclopedia you can access on the Web, was created for the sheer purpose of being a teaching tool. In recent years, it's gotten fire from the media and the general population for being easy to manipulate and edit, a process they put in to make it as user-friendly as possible. Because of this, several teachers have decided that any cited source that has Wikipedia in the URL will be a dock of points for a grade; in their mind, it's almost like cheating. However, i have a way to have students use Wikipedia without getting those points taken away.

You know that Resources tab at the bottom of most articles on Wikipedia (of course you do, it means the end)? Well, those books and websites listed are basically where the combined info from the article came from; like Frankenstein, it was stitched together from other parts to make one massive article. Let's say you're down to your wit's end for a big project, and have no other sources but Wikipedia to turn to. Well, use Wikipedia, and then, copy down all the sources in Resources (if you can, only the ones that are relevant to your main project). Instead of copying the Wikipedia link, just put those into your cited sources; if you need to make it MLA, do so, but most of the sources should already be in the correct form. Lastly, turn in the project-you're done. Because you didn't put the Wikipedia source in the Sources, you can't get docked points, and your teacher would be clueless to which one was from Wikipedia unless they checked themselves (a process they wouldn't do, because it would make grading take too long).

History class is the worst offender for this, so I've always used my non-Wiki sources plus the Resources section; it makes me feel a little guilty, yes, but in the end, I won't lose points over something so trivial. The best part of this Quick History Tip is that I learned it from my Chemistry teacher Ms. Vargas-she used it in several of her college assignments to make citing sources easier.

Well, if I haven't already been burned at the stake by an army of angry teachers who think I'm the Antichrist, I'll see you all in a few days! I hope I've saved some time (and points) for using Wikipedia and citing correct sources!

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

Discussing Modern History (A Rant About Textbooks)

What do we consider modern history? Is it something that happened a decade ago, two decades, or even just a day ago? Whatever the case, if it can be considered in the future an event significant enough to be in a history textbook, it is modern history-no matter how large or small the event was. But the real question is this: how do we discuss recent history? How do you go in front of a group of students and teach them about something they already experienced (some more than others)? By 2019, there will be seniors in high school who may not have even been born when 9/11 happened-is that modern history to them? So many questions and so little answers; discussion seems almost impossible without the latter. However, there is an easier way to re-teach modern events to students, without having to devise the perfect way of going about it: just talk to them about it.

Many of my teachers would skirt around modern political or social issues when they would come up in a classroom, as well as modern history and which side of the story you tell (was the Iraq War necessary to stop terrorism or used by the US to extort oil?). Yet some of my teachers would just pause, take a breath, and TALK to us about it. Really, just talk. You'd be surprised how much someone pays attention to a peer, or someone who speaks to them like a peer. I learned the most from history teachers who wouldn't sugarcoat anything-no "Hollywood" type endings, no correct point of view; they'd just let all of the information flow. For instance, 9/11 came up in Global Geography one day a few years ago, back when all those documentaries were coming out about it every month(side note: so glad that this year I didn't hear the Twin Towers mentioned ONCE on the date-that shows that we're starting to move on as a country from the disaster). Our teacher, Ms. Osborn, made the rest of the class a discussion time, where we just all shared our stories about our experiences with the day; it wasn't much, considering we were all 2 or 3 when it happened. But Osborn's story was both funny and sad; she recalled how she didn't panic, but went to go fill up her car (it was getting low) and saw, in her words, "cars that were lined up across the entire road". She explained that many people naturally panicked about the attacks, but thought that it was the end of our trade with the Middle East, which they assumed meant "no more gas". She further explained how, as she sat in line, the price per gallon literally changed before her eyes every few minutes-several gas companies were taking advantage of the disaster and profiting off of the panic. Did you know that? I didn't, and I wouldn't had Osborn not told me.

Do you see how just talking helped me and others learn more about modern history? I have a first-hand account (Osborn) of the event, and a new understanding of what all happened during that event. Had this been in a textbook (the entire day is a paragraph in the last chapter of Bentley's World History textbook), I wouldn't've learned anything like this-only a few dates and an opinion of some old dead guy (no offence Bentley, wherever you are). This is what I hate about textbooks. The degree of separation from the events in modern history is so noticeable, it would hit you in the face were it real; the writers always treat it as some thing that happened long ago rather than recently and that we should just move on from it.

But we can't just move on! The whole point of history-teaching it, learning it, studying, prodding, dissecting it-is to keep reminding ourselves of what NOT to do in the future! That's why we have those Holocaust Survivor seminars: we don't want another Holocaust. That's why we have the 9/11 documentaries, hated as they may be- we don't want another 9/11. In the community, these things are widely known and accepted; in the classroom, the textbooks are almost forcing the teachers to keep the present day out of the picture. This is why I respect teachers who go out of their way to make sure the students know about what is happening in the now: it will get them prepared for what is going to happen in the tomorrow.

I'm sorry if this turned into a rant about the condition of history textbooks; this subject is important to me because I want the future generations to be safe about what they do and how it affects everything else. If you're looking for the teaching point, here it is: Talk with your students about modern history, don't teach it. Rant over.

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

Lesson Idea: The Election of 1824

In the period during and following James Monroe's presidency, the United States was in an "era of good feelings". Several notable figures emerged during this era: John Quincy Adams, the son of President John Adams and Monroe's Secretary of State, Andrew Jackson, general and veteran of the War of 1812, William Crawford, Monroe's Secretary of War/Treasury, and Henry Clay, a senator from Kentucky who was the Speaker of the House. In 1824, these 4 faced off in one of the closest presidential elections of all time; it was so close that the House of Representatives had to decide a winner (influenced by Clay, they chose Adams). So for today's Lesson Plan, we'll be re-enacting that famous election, with your students as the candidates! They'll be able to practice a mock election and learn more about the emerging United States in the early 19th century (which is, of course, something everyone wants to understand).

First, choose four of your students to be Adams, Jackson, Crawford, or Clay (gender doesn't matter in this project!). Next, either have them choose a group or you divide the class into groups of 5 or 6, including the candidates. Tell the candidates that they must assign a select amount of people as their Press and as their Advisers. The Press will ask the candidates questions during an interview and the Advisers can help out a candidate if they're getting stuck (for instance, if they don't know their policy on foreign affairs). The 2nd job of the Press is to give their own candidates easy questions in the interview ("Do you believe in America?") and give opposing candidates challenging questions ("It says here that you once attacked a city when the enemy wasn't stationed there. How can we be sure you're not a war monger?").

Have the students then go and research their candidates. They should know stances on certain issues, beliefs, spouses, anything that may come up in a Press question. The Advisers should also take extra notes to be prepared to help their candidate in a sticky situation. The most important rule is that the students CAN NOT use any information about a candidate or what they have done after 1824! If any candidate references a future event, accuse them of being a "time traveler" and "banish" them (disqualify them). If the only way to make sure your students don't use future knowledge, make the project graded on accuracy; a good student never wants a bad grade!

Finally, let Adams, Jackson, Crawford, and Clay start their interviews. They'll give a minute-long introductory speech, field questions, and then give a closing statement, moving on to the next candidate. After all the candidates have gone, have the class choose the best 2 out of the 4 (as Congress did). Let's say your class chose Adams and Crawford; because Clay is now out, he/she will throw their support behind Adams and become and Adviser (this would not be reciprocated if Adams was out; this is because Clay convinced Congress to elect Adams instead of Jackson). Have Adams and Crawford then field more questions, and then have the class choose the President. Despite Clay's efforts, Crawford wins the election (like he was originally supposed to)!

While this project is focused on a very specific event in American history, that's why I love it; it helps students understand that every era usually had their own crises or scandals, and that history isn't just the things they hear about the most on TV. I mean, which of your students could say, before doing this project, that they knew there was a scandal behind the Election of 1824? Hopefully, they'll have learned something, and hopefully they'll have fun!

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

Quick Tips: Speed Reading

Everyone hates reading out of a history textbook, right? It takes too much time to go through every assigned page and decide what answers which question in a particular order, and then copy down that answer in your own words for the teacher to grade (because why not). Well, for anyone with reading skills higher than a 2nd grader may have figured out is that many people can skim through a book and retain enough information to sufficiently answer a question on that topic (but only for a short time period; short-term memory, and all that). Not only is this useful for boring LA classes, but you can use this to a great advantage in a history textbook.

Let's say you've come up to a long passage that you have to read and answer 10 questions on. Instead of reading those 15 pages (rough AP length for that amount of questions), just take a moment to glance at each page. Read the words slow enough that you understand them, but fast enough that it doesn't take you over 2 minutes on each page; basically like you're taking the Reading Test on the ACT. After you've finished skimming, reread your questions and see if anything seems familiar to what you just sped read. For instance, if the question was Who was the leader of China in 300 B.C.E and what were some legacies of their rule?, you may remember seeing Emperor Qin but don't remember the legacies. Simply go back to where you thought you saw the relevant information and read it at your normal pace; answer the question as accurately as you can once you're finished. Repeat this process for the next 10 questions, and you'll be done within an hour (I promise, Scout's honor, etc.)

Even though many claim speed reading is a myth, you can use it to your advantage when reading boring subjects in history (or any) class! Go out an try it right now; I bet you'll be finished in the time it took to read this entry (plus 2 or 3 more, give or take)!

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

Lesson Idea: Women's Suffrage/Liberation Banner

Since we're right in the middle of election season, I thought it would be appropriate to make this week's Lesson Idea about women gaining the right to vote! Until 1920, women in America couldn't vote for anything-president, mayor, or even on a decision to build a road. Many women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony fought to make women equal, but the fight still continues today. However, the fight now includes equal pay, no discrimination, and the ability to be treated in a respectful manner, united under the fight for Women's Liberation. That's where your students come in-they get to make their own suffrage banners and "join" the battle for equality!

Supplies:

• Scissors
• Pens/Pencils/Markers
• Internet access
• Large Paper (you decide the exact size)

First, describe Women's Suffrage (or Liberation as a whole) to your students. You don't have to go into great detail about the subject, but explain enough that they'll understand the basic reasoning for why it happened. Next, assign the students into groups of 4. These groups will study their topic together as well as make the banner together; this project is better to do as a group than as an individual. Now, if you want to be more inclusive of other areas of women's liberation, assign the following topics to your students for their banners:

• Equal Pay
• Right to Vote (Suffrage)
• No Discrimination
• Respect

Have the students choose one of the topics for their banner; because this lesson will be focusing on suffrage, we'll choose it for the example. Have the students then choose four events that happened during the topic: protests, rallies, speeches, reports, whatever occurred involving the topic during the time period it was most focused on (side note: because that was when it was most likely paid attention to by everyone). Have them write down names of people involved, dates, locations, etc. Then give the students banner-sized paper and instruct them to tell the story of their topic with the events surrounding the name of the topic. Here's an example:

Johnny and Reba chose Suffrage as their topic. Their events were Susan B. Anthony being arrested for voting, speeches made by Elizabeth Stanton to amend the Constitution, protests for suffrage during WWI, and President Wilson's opinion on the topic. These events, seen with an appropriate picture of what happened and relevant information, surround large red letters that spell out: SUFFRAGE.

Depending on the accuracy of the information and understanding of the topic, you can get two completely different banners on the same subject. Grade this project based on amount of info used, events used, relevance to topic, and color (because every banner should have some attention grabbing colors on them).

Voila! You have yourself an army of women's suffrage/liberation banners! While they may not be of the best quality, your students will now understand how different the US was not even 100 years ago, and how many women fought for the modern world to be created! The best part is that you can completely personalize this lesson idea to your suiting-make sure to make it good, and happy voting!

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

Getting Re-acquainted With History Class

If I can accomplish anything here, I want students to see that history isn't all that bad as a subject, and it has certainly gotten the short end of the stick on how it's portrayed in the media. However, I also know that most students, even with tips and tricks to make the class EASIER, will still not believe that history class is FUN. That's completely fine. But I've always wondered about adults well into their own Middle Ages who suddenly find themselves wanting to know more about history; either they had blown it off in school and never understood it fully or they had an idea of historical events but were simply not interested in their contents. Basically, these adults have decided to re-acquaint themselves with history to discover once and for all if it was fun. I have no choice but to support them 100% of the way, and I've devised 3 things to do if you suddenly want to break out that old dusty college textbook again.

3. Sign Up For Community Classes

The biggest part of learning history was that it took place in a classroom. The difference between school and now, though, is that your boring history teachers have been replaced by volunteers (usually historians or history majors) who actually ENJOY teaching you about history. Welcome to Community History Class 101! Communities will always offer opportunities for adults to learn, be it night classes, seminars, or simple group meetings so people can enjoy a subject they may have always had a small interest in in their lives. In my community alone, there have been at least 4 history-related night courses/groups that have been offered for the citizens to attend in the past year (I unfortunately couldn't, because I was enjoying vacation). As previously mentioned, the teachers of these courses usually have a better understanding and love for the course they teach, and can make the classes really fun. So if you want to find out if you really should've been paying attention in history class, the best place to find out is your community center.

2. Watch Historical Media

In the decades following the Internet and home computer, millions upon millions of websites have been created to gradually close the distance between our vast cultural societies. One of these websites was YouTube, a video streaming service unlike any of the past decade. For over ten years people have been uploading, and it should be a given that some of those "Youtubers" were history buffs. There are so many historical videos available to everyone that several of my teachers actually used some of them to teach classrooms subjects without having to use a textbook. My personal favorite of these Historical Series would have to be John Green's "Crash Course World History" (yes, that John Green). Not only does it accurately and explicitly go into detail about the history of the world, Green makes it fun with his own little twist of comedy and sarcasm, and you'll interested in even the smallest of historical happenings. In fact, I watched all of his videos in preparation for my AP World History Exam, and got a 4 (this included normal studying as well, lazy students!). Another series I'd recommend is Dan Carlin's "Hardcore History" and a channel on YouTube called "the Great War" that is releasing videos about WWI in correlation with that event's 100th anniversary. Whatever you choose to watch, you won't be disappointed in what you learn.

1. Read a Historical Book

No, I don't mean a textbook. I mean actually reading a book based on historical events, be it real or fictional; one of the best ways to learn more about history is to hear it from someone else's point of view. While there are too many books out there to count, you can search "historical fiction/nonfiction" on Google and it will usually lead you in the right direction. The reason I want adults coming back to history to read more is because reading is a main part of understanding history/historical context; many events were not recorded by camera and may only be documented by word or word of mouth. Reading can also give one a better sense of understanding when they come across the event in the future; what better insight to history is one that you make yourself? That's why I consider reading the best way to re-acquaint yourself with history, because it IS history.

For many, history is a dead end. But I hope that for those of you who are making an effort to reintroduce the subject into your lives, that you have success and enjoy your findings! I'd love to hear if any adults out there have changed their minds on history after following these three steps!

Here are links to the historical media. Crash Course belongs to John Green, Hardcore History to Dan Carlin, and the Great War to Patreon.

http://www.dancarlin.com/

https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep

Lesson Idea: Make-Your-Own Propaganda Poster

Throughout history, especially the parts of history you'll be teaching in your classroom, there have been conflicts between 2 or more groups of people. Usually, to justify starting a war to destroy the other group, Group A would make posters and videos to smear Group B and make them look bad to the unassuming public, called propaganda. Most of the time, it worked, and today we're left with colorful and grim reminders of how manipulative a country can become to force an issue (specifically WWII-era US). But your students can benefit from using this tactic of war to learn about a historical event and get a good grade! (Boy, isn't that a little tasteless?) Make-Your-Own Propaganda is a refreshing view on how boring historical conflicts can be connected to the partially modern world, and the best part is, you get to draw!

Supplies:

• Pencils
• Markers or Colored Pencils (no Crayons)
• 3 ft.X 2 ft. Paper
• History Textbooks/Internet Connection

Before you can even get started, you'll have to choose events from history to use as propaganda pieces. Oh, and they can only come from pre-WWI era history. Why, you may be asking? Well, while propaganda has been evident throughout all of history, the point of this project is for students to make modern-yet-historically correct propaganda, which means using modern propaganda images (like Uncle Sam) for ancient conflicts (like the Hundred Years' War). In even simpler terms, the past used very drab looking propaganda, but your students need to make theirs POP. I suggest finding at least 10 events in history for the students to study.

First, assign the students 1 of the 10 events you have chosen (let's use the Civil War as an example). Tell the students they have a certain amount of time to gather information on that conflict before they begin making the posters, and should include the following information: Groups Involved, 3 Reasons for Conflict, Context for Propaganda, and Dates (if needed). For instance, on a propaganda poster of the Civil War, I would mention that the Northern Union needed help fighting the Southern Confederacy, because the South wanted to keep slaves, disobey the rights of other states, and encroach on Constitutional law. The poster could have a copyright of 1863 in the corner, and mention the Battle of Gettysburg, which had happened that very year.

(Side note: I know it's hard to visualize this poster through words, but I don't have a copy of one to show you. That's what I get for coming up with an idea on my own).

Next, after all of the information the students need has been gathered, tell them to start drawing! However, THEY CANNOT COPY AN ALREADY EXISTING POSTER. By this I mean that if the students simply trace over a poster and change words around, without any effort to make it look like it came from the era the conflict is from, like using Uncle Sam for the War of 1812 (an era where the female Columbia more greatly represented the US) grade them a zero. If they aren't going to put the time into this project to make it look acceptable, you shouldn't have to waste your time grading it. But if a student, say, traced Uncle Sam and made him look like Abraham Lincoln for the Civil War, that's fine, because they made a conscious effort to contextualize the poster (one of the main pieces of information). Have them first draw then color the poster, and have them turn it in for grade.

Finally, after all the posters are graded, you could hang them together in like groups for the students to see. After all, it is their hard work! Now the kids should also have better knowledge of a conflict and why it happened, and a way people tried to convert people to their points of view! Who would've ever said that propaganda could be fun?

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep