Social Studies In Action: Competing Ideologies

Watching the Video

Image of a notebook with the following text displayed: Reflect: As you reflect on these questions, write down your responses or discuss them in a group.

Before You Watch
Respond to the following questions:

How would you define ideology?
Ideologies shape not only world events, but also community ideals. What are some informal ideologies students can relate to in their school or community?
Why is it important for students to understand the role of ideologies in shaping history?

Watch the Video
As you watch "Competing Ideologies," take notes on Mr. Brooks's instructional strategies, particularly how he engages students through questioning. Write down what you find interesting, surprising, or especially important about the teaching and learning in this lesson.

Reflecting on the Video
Review your notes, then respond to the following questions:

What struck you about the classroom climate, background, preparation, strategies, and materials used in this lesson?
What strategies did Mr. Brooks use to engage the students in learning about ideologies?
What sequence of ideas and examples did Mr. Brooks use to develop the concept of ideology? What made this an effective sequence?
How did Mr. Brooks use questioning in the lesson?
What prior knowledge did the students have that made their group work possible?
Why do you think it was important that Mr. Brooks gave his students the opportunity to ask questions or add comments after the student presentations?

Looking Closer
Let's take a second look at Mr. Brook's class to focus on specific teaching strategies. Use the video images below to locate where to begin viewing.


		< < <		Linking Concepts to Students' Lives: Video Segment Go to this segment in the video by matching the image (to the left) on your video screen. You'll find this segment approximately 8 minutes into the video. Watch for about 5 minutes.

At the beginning of the lesson, Mr. Brooks and his students define and discuss democracy.

How does Mr. Brooks link the concept of democracy and its attributes to the lives of the students?
Why is it important to activate students' prior knowledge and support them in linking new learning to what they already know?


		< < <		Group Work and Presentations: Video Segment Go to this segment in the video by matching the image (to the left) on your video screen. You'll find this segment approximately 17 minutes into the video. Watch for about 3 minutes.

The class is divided into groups, with each representing a different ideology. The students in each group work together to identify examples of their ideology in history, choose a slogan, and design a poster with a logo.

What do you believe Mr. Brooks expects the students will learn as they complete this assignment and present their findings?
What does the discussion in the "communism" group reflect about the learning that is occurring in this classroom?

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