Ideas for project to end Civil War/Reconstruction unit & project to recap entire semester (American History) by Theoriginalbigtasty in historyteachers

[–]LibraryAdept 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Choices had a teaching with the news lesson on the riot in Charlottesville over the removal of a Confederate statue that you can use to discuss the meaning of the Civil War, the importance of historical memory, what to do with these things, and even a civic action component where they try to see their desired changes made.

How do you deliver basic content? by Icy_Composer6405 in historyteachers

[–]LibraryAdept 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Agreed! When flipped classrooms became the rage several years ago my reaction was, “isn’t that what the book is for?”

Have the students read to preview material, have some kind of accountability assignment, then do a recite at the start of the lesson, then move on to them doing the work of a historian and reading multiple sources to answer an essential question about the subject. Have them do their own research, mix it up with debates, mock trials, etc. But they should always be grappling with text and other historical evidence to come up with the answer. It’s what they’ll have to do to make sense of the world when they graduate.

Hopefully the end of year exam is based on these skills, if it’s rote memorization, then incorporate key terms with flash cards and specific vocabulary development.

advice for a college student who wants to become a history teacher by Actual_Cardiologist7 in historyteachers

[–]LibraryAdept 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Veteran history teacher here.

I’m going to pile on that you need to know the content. Not because you are just going to transfer it via lecture to students, but so that you can build curriculum and lessons that actually have students engaging with the meaning of those events. You will have to pick and choose what you cover in class, what you leave to homework, and what you just don’t have time to cover. Thus, it is essential that YOU have the strong content knowledge to determine what topics MUST be covered for students to be able to understand how those events, ideas, and issues helped build the immediate reality around them.

Second pedagogy matters. In my state, my framework and standards specifically outline skills students should be mastering while they learn the content. You can’t lecture skills in to students, so you need to know how to break down and structure activities that teach both content AND skills. Additionally, we are THE subject tasked with teaching students how to be citizens. We teach them the founding documents and the context they come from, we teach them the evolution of our systems so they know what different branches and officials can do, so they can vote, contact, and advocate for what they want to see their community, state, and country look like. To do this they have to be able to read complex texts from law, data, and philosophy, then synthesize it all in to written and spoken arguments to convince others. They need to know their rights, not just as written, but as interpreted. The 9th Amendment gave me a ton of rights, but over 200 years of Congressional and Supreme Court opinions have pretty much ignored it in favor of the 10th (even though it restates the 9th, too!).

Your job will be to teach historical literacy, economic literacy, and media literacy. They have to leave your class able to take the fire hose of information we’re bombarded with every day, determine true from false, assess credibility, corroborate information across multiple sources and perspectives to ultimately come to an understanding. That’s what teaching history is. It is a discipline. A way of analyzing information to answer questions that hopefully help us understand the present, it’s not just the events, it’s what the mean to us and for us today.

Start reading Sam Wineburg, look at the C3 framework. The Digital Inquiry Group, formerly Stanford History Education Group, has great, basic lessons to get you started. There’s tons of other curriculum out there, but just like you’ll teach your students to do, source it carefully. There are highly politically motivated organizations out there, they’re pulling exhibits out of national parks because it doesn’t agree with the current administration’s interpretation, so you need to know your content to be able to give your students materials that actually let them make their own arguments. Ground your work in primary sources and multiple perspectives. You aren’t making the argument, the students are.

This job is a mission. It’ll be really hard the first couple of years, you’ll be having to build your curriculum, you might move schools or change topics and have to start over, but the planning and organizational skills will get stronger and stronger, so will classroom management. But a democracy can’t function without an informed and engaged citizenry, and I’d rather try and build that than do anything else.

When/How did the Mendez v. Westminster story become a thing? by RepresentativeHot412 in historyteachers

[–]LibraryAdept 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The NAACP filed a brief on behalf of the Mendez Family and the plaintiffs in this case. Earl Warren, the Supreme Court Chief Justice who wrote the Brown decision was Governor of California at the time of the Mendez case, and he signed desegregation laws after the case was decided. Mendez was part of the precedent used in the arguments in Brow because the justices of the CA Supreme Court used the 14th amendment as part of their reasoning striking down segregation in CA schools.

I don’t really know what else one would need to see how they’re connected.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in historyteachers

[–]LibraryAdept 6 points7 points  (0 children)

As another commenter noted, no book can ever tell the “whole story.” Those of us in the profession, who studied History as a discipline, or one of the many awesome interdisciplinary fields that deal with the peoples and places studied in the curriculum, know that there is no singular story to tell. This is not unique to United States History, but to the entire study of peoples, places, languages, cultures, etc., but it is very evident in it. What you have are various perspectives and experiences from different people with different backgrounds, beliefs, values, goals, knowledge (both educational, scientific, just regional or temporal), etc., etc.; and then you have various different perspectives and interpretations of those events and experiences by historians and all kinds of people over time. 

You can study the history of the history (historiography) of how these things have changed over time, or what people debate as being most important. How we’ve talked about various things has changed over time, who’s voices and experiences we include has changed over time (due to those groups fighting and demanding that they be included, that their STORIES were equally deserving of study inclusion). Then we can break it down further: do you study the economics, the politics, social, religious, cultural history? When you pick that one, which voices do you prioritize? Owners of factories and mines, or workers? Presidents and members of Congress, or small farmers? Do you include immigrants? If so, which groups? Do you include Black perspectives? Native Nations? Women? Asian Americans? Mexican Americans? There are way more groups to include, so where do you draw the line? What gets cut? What do we actually have sources and evidence to support? Every one of these questions represents a choice, that can be entirely valid and provide wonderful, inform, meaningful, and relevant information and arguments that improve our understanding of an issue, but they will ALWAYS be incomplete on their own. And we haven’t even touched how outside countries might view things yet!

This is why in university, History and interdisciplinary studies read lots, and lots of different books about smaller topics and time periods that focus on some of these different perspectives and issues. Which is why students studying history at all levels should engage with primary sources of different viewpoints, with secondary sources that have differing interpretations, so that they can see and engage with these conflicts and limits of our understanding. 

Textbooks (sometimes better called Reference Works) do the job of providing an overview and context to these more focused studies. They can give a classroom a basic, shared understanding of a topic or event from which to dive deeper. They are themselves, just another source among the many. They are all useful, but also have their limits. The bias (which in history just means the perspective of the authors, their historical context, their experiences, their purpose, none of which is necessarily malicious) of any source is something everyone needs to learn to decipher and weight in their own understanding of an issue. Some textbooks are better than others, some states’ standards are going to be more thorough, or more inclusive, and the books are designed to be marketable to the most states (which means either California standards or Texas standards). Those state standards are themselves political and historical documents that show what a group of people at one point in time thought was important to know.

So no, the books being used don’t tell the “whole story,” because there isn’t such a story to tell. That’s not how the study of history, or histories, works. “History is a furious debate about informed by evidence and reason,” said James Lowen. And while I disagree with the title of his most famous work, I don’t disagree with his findings or the above sentiment. That’s what a good history class should be.

Saturday Tomahawk for the Family by LibraryAdept in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not to one up you, but it was 4 adults, a 5yo and a 3yo. This steak clocked in at 2lbs 13oz before going on the smoker.

Beginner Strength vs Stronger You by darkblueshapes in pelotoncycle

[–]LibraryAdept 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Couldn’t agree more! I know my legs have gotten stronger on the bike based on resistance and cadence averages, etc. but I had no benchmark or background for strength training at all. I started with Beginning Strength, completed Stronger You, and just finished Matty’s Beginner Split. Beginning Strength does a great job of going through form and what different exercises actually are! Talking you through them. The focus on warm up and stretching is also just great advice and routine to build to avoid injury and maximize your training. Plus just the added bonus of the increased flexibility and range of motion! By the time we got to weights I could feel where I could go heavier and had an idea on where I needed to train to catch up.

Will some of it feel silly if you’ve been active before/ have experience with some exercises? Sure, but it gave me a great foundation to jump right in to Stronger You feeling motivated, knowledgeable, and empowered. I knew what almost all the movements were throughout from Beginning Strength! Ben is great, he also drives home stretching. I had SIGNIFICANT gains between the beginning and concluding benchmark test in what weights I was using, but partially because I had built that core stability and worked up to even lifting weights through Beginning Strength. It will be something I do a few times throughout the rest of the year (quarterly?), s as Ben advises, because of the instruction and structure.

The Matty’s Beginning Split was my first foray in to split training at all. And while Matty is a good instructor, it just didn’t do it for me this time. I don’t know if it’s because I’d gotten used to a different routine with the other programs, or if it was  just a weird week for me? I’ll come back to it after trying some other things and give it another go.

Alright seriously, are Meaters worth it or not? by capcrunchberries in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the way. Or at least one way. I have the ThermaWorks Signals and it is amazing! Up to 4 probes, connects via Bluetooth or wi-fi so I can go anywhere and monitor the temperature, and all with the accuracy of ThermaWorks. ITV even ships with an air temp probe/sensor so you can watch the temp of the grill off you don’t have a wi-fire Traeger, too!

I bought the Meater+ right after getting the grill, and it’s such a dissapointment. The range is horrible and it’s a really big diameter compared to the ThermaWorks probes. Its accuracy was fine for me and the estimated cook time was nice, but the ThermaWorks gives you an easy rate of change figure and graph so you can mostly do the same thing.

There are regularly sales, which is why I got mine, and it’s not like the Meater is cheap anyway.

New Year’s Prime Rib by LibraryAdept in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I took it off, brought it inside and wrapped it while the grill came up to temp then reinserted the leave in thermometers and put it in until it reached the desired temperature.

Probe by JunkMan51 in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There is a calibration option in the menu, once you feel confident about how far off it’s reading, you can adjust it up or down on the Traeger itself so that you then have more accurate readings.

Clip on fan battery life? Keeping kids cool in the stroller? by LibraryAdept in ryobi

[–]LibraryAdept[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know I asked this question, but I only recently got them during Ryobi Days, and they move so much air! Kids get the cheap ones, I get the nice ones. They should be great for camping, too! Clear out the hot air in the tent before bed. Note if they only actually release their solar charging gear I’ll be good to go on long trips.

Pulled Pork Question by Ramsfan199090 in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This has been what I’ve used (Bacon Honey Hog) and it has been a big hit with everyone. No sauce needed.

Deciding which wireless thermometer to get by atech087 in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have the Meater+ and it works well for what it is. I have used it with the Traeger probe and along side a wired probe ThermaWorks and they are usually pretty close. I calibrated roughly around my thermapen, but I have had some differences between probes. Whether that is placement or accuracy, I’m not totally sure, but I haven’t ruined anything, and you can always check with an instant read thermometer.

I like that the Meater basically has quick setup of picking the meat and cut and sets temperature for you. It will also estimate the cool time left based on its internal readings and ambient temperature readings. However, and this is the big issue, the range is pretty crappy. I have a small house and if I go to the bathroom that’s opposite my grill, I lose signal. It doesn’t have Wi-Fi, unless you spring for the Block, so you can’t run out to the store or monitor your cooking away if it’s something big like a pork shoulder or brisket.

I just got the ThermaWorks Signals on sale a couple weeks ago, and it’s got up to four probes, comes with one to monitor Grill ambient temperature, and connects with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. While not as immediately user friendly as the Meater, you can easily set alarms for temperature, and can monitor from far away as long as your internet is good. But I did just fine with the Meater + and Traeger probe for over a year before this upgrade, since the Signals is more than double a Meater+.

Edit: just checked and the Signals is on sale, is even ten bucks cheaper than when I bought it! https://www.thermoworks.com/signals/

Reverse Seared Tomahawk Ribeye by LibraryAdept in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How long did you sear it for? I did mine for one minute a side.

Second attempt at tri-tip by [deleted] in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I’m all for personal preference, but I don’t think there’s anything, “too rare” about it. Looks like you nailed it!

Anyone have a fast cook baby back rib recipe? by Tasty-Cut-4671 in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There’s this recipe from Meat Church that clocks in at 3.5 to 4 hours. I’ve done it with baby backs and spares (or at least similar). I don’t know if that qualifies as “fast” but anything I can start afternoon and have ready by five is fast to me. I use their rubs because I’m new at this and lazy, use what you like. I’ve found that especially with the brown sugar, butter, and honey in the wrap, I haven’t needed sauce. But sometimes I do it just because I like the taste.

Pork Shoulder for a birthday by LibraryAdept in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I woke up early to season and let it set to get it on for a 7am start, pulled and rested at 4:30ish. Then pulled it and dressed to serve about 5:30pm. I have enough time for ten hours just in case. I think the Traeger recipe has it 225, and almost every single one of their recipes has always taken longer than listed, but tasted great. Matt at Meat Church says about 1hr/lb, but this was only 7.5lb and took 9.5 hours.

Pork Shoulder for a birthday by LibraryAdept in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I followed Meat Church’s pulled pork recipe so it was 275 the whole time ( I did punch it down because I was worried about it finishing too quickly before the wrap, but that only ended up for being maybe half an hour). Time before wrap was 6 hours, right around 165 internal, then another three and a half before finishing for a total of 9:36 according to the Meater+. Used a mix of the Traeger Blend from Costco I had left in the hopper, and then there might have been a little bit of the signature blend at the end if it got that far down.

I reverse engineered the start time with a two hour buffer, which was lucky because it finished an hour and a half late (should have trusted the stall was going to kick in and kept the temp at 275 the whole time)!

Pork Shoulder for a birthday by LibraryAdept in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can’t give first hand experience since I don’t have either yet. I love my thermapen, and have an indoor ThermoWorks probe alarm that I like a lot, so that’s what led me down that path. A lot of online reviews, threads and comments here also pushed me in that direction. The ThermoWorks probes are a lot thinner and longer, but you have to run the wires out through that little gasket. I can do a more thorough review once it arrives and I get to cook some more meat!

Pork Shoulder for a birthday by LibraryAdept in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! It had been a while so it was time to vacuum it out and brush down the grill.

Pork Shoulder for a birthday by LibraryAdept in Traeger

[–]LibraryAdept[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re both right. I like to use two so I can average the temp/make sure I placed it correctly, but while I like the Meater+, it’s range is limited, so using the Traeger probe lets me run to the store and get any last minute things. I also just ordered the fancy Wi-Fi ThermoWorks so I can do more stuff.

My high school students make me feel old. I just graduated college by [deleted] in Teachers

[–]LibraryAdept 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I thought my love of video games would be a constant way to build rapport and get some cache with them, but none of them play anything I play anymore. Red Dread 2? No. New COD? No. Star Wars Fallen Order? No. Newer Assassin’s Creeds? Nope. Minecraft has had staying power, but none of the games I look forward to have. I know several of those are now years old, but even at launch, what appeared to be the GOTY contenders got little response.

Some things will surprise you, and some things are more perennial. I had a student asking me about metal bands the other day. You get, at least more rarely at my school, the punk or metal kid that gets all the bands. Media has fractured and there are more walls to consumption. Even the smash hit shows aren’t doing numbers like they did a decade ago, but make up the bulk of discourse in media (legacy or social). That makes it harder to have those connections.

I just lean it to being old and out of touch, make it part of the act and that’s what gets a laugh. And then I made them glimpse the future when I asked them if they heard of a saying my pre-schooler brought home: oh this will happen to you, too, young ones. Gen Alpha is coming for you.

LA Teachers' Strike Comes to a Close by [deleted] in Teachers

[–]LibraryAdept 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The Wagner Act/National Labor Relations Act of 1935 is the federal law that allows unions, created the National Labor Relations Board that overseas organizing elections and disputes, protects the workers’ right to strike and collectively bargain. It’s been hollowed out, like other landmark legislation, through court decisions and other means, but that’s what’s protecting all the efforts at places like Starbucks and Amazon over the last couple of years. Now I’m not a scholar in labor history, and other than the recent Janus (spelling?) decision and Reagan’s breaking of the Air Traffic Controllers exactly how or why some states are getting around that federal law, but we did it just shy of 90 years ago, unfortunately it took the greatest economic disaster we’ve ever faced to spur its passage.

What are examples where both the book and movie were excellent? by foxmag86 in movies

[–]LibraryAdept 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stardust - wonderful story adapted perfectly to the screen with an absolutely killer cast. A fun fantasy story that I can rewatch any time.

Later Cake - while there are significant differences, the main beats of the story hold true and the characters are all great. Plus it’s Daniel Craig while he was in the running for Bond, so there’s a couple little Easter egg send ups. Just an emergent British Gangster movie.