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Time Travel

Grade 8, ELA & Reading

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Description of Unit

Students will investigate in-depth the role a particular character portrayed in an historical novel. After reading the novel, students will use primary and secondary resources to verify the accuracy of the role as portrayed in the fictional account. Examples of roles include, but are not limited to, slaveholder, slave, Revolutionary War soldier, pioneer in the Westward Movement, artist, and politician.

What was it like to live in another time? Students are going to become historical researchers and find out. As they read historical novels, they will discover what it was like to live during the time of the novel. Each student will focus on a particular character in the novel to find out as much as he/she can about what it was like for a person in that role to live during that time period. The student will need to gather data on questions and document feelings, perspectives, and changes that the character encounters during the course of the novel. Each student will also read diaries, letters, and other historical documents from the period. (Adapted from Tomlinson, C.A., Kaplan, S., Renzulli, J. S., Purcell, J.H., Leppien, J.H, & Burns, D.E. (2001). The parallel curriculum. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.)

This guide links the Time Travel unit to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for eighth graders. Time Travel is a social studies/English language arts unit that allows students to explore an historical event through a piece of literature. Time Travel also teaches students skills in the other subject areas of mathematics and science. For example, students use graphs and tables and draw conclusions, as included in the Mathematics TEKS, and use critical thinking and problem solving, which are part of the Science TEKS. The following document includes the applicable TEKS and the details of the Time Travel unit. The asterisks indicate that those TEKS are testable on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). The final section of this document presents the applicable Texas College and Career Readiness Standards adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) on January 24, 2008.

Phase I. Learning Experiences

  1. Opening activity. Prior to reading a selection from an historical novel or short story, assign groups of students different characters to investigate in-depth. Each group will describe the character and his/her role in relation to events of the time. What were the character’s attributes? How do you know? How would the person (or people) in that role be likely to impact society at that time or in the future?
  2. You may wish to use graphic organizers, such as the following one to help students organize their character analysis. In the left-hand column, the student records events in the life of the character he/she is investigating. Then, in the right hand column, he/she records his/her personal reactions to what is happening to the character.
      Table showing 'my characters life' on the left and 'my thoughts and feelings' on the right
  3. Now share with students primary source documents that show details of the lives of actual persons who lived the roles portrayed in the novel. What are differences and similarities?

  4. You may wish to use graphic organizers, such as the one below, to help students organize this comparison.
    Table showing from left to right: 'source', 'information', 'relationship to my book', and 'my interpretation and questions'

    You may wish to have students present their findings in a paper or other format.

    Explain that in this project, each student will have an opportunity to find the answers to his/her own questions about an historical figure or group.

Phase II. Independent Research

A. Research process

  1. Selecting a novel/historical figure or role. Each student selects an historical novel and an historical figure or role to examine within that novel.
  2. Asking guiding questions. To understand the historical importance of a subject, students must ask questions of time and place, cause and effect, change over time, and impact and significance. They must ask when their subject(s) lived and also how the events of the time contributed to the impact the subject(s) had. What factors contributed to their development? How did the subject affect individuals, communities, states, nations, and the world? Each student should think of three to five guiding questions to explore, such as:
    • What political, economic, religious, environmental, or sociocultural perspectives influenced and/or motivated your subject’s life or lives?
    • What contributing factors led to the subject’s success or demise?
    • How did the subject impact society? What groups or individuals did your subject affect?
    • How did the person or group communicate their perspectives? Who were their primary/secondary audiences?
    • What if the person or group had lived in another time? Would their point of view have changed?
    • What if the person or group had lived in another part of the country or the world? How might they have been different?
    • Has the person or group gained more or less popularity over time?
    • What rights or responsibilities did your subject’s work influence? How?
    • How did the times they lived in influence what they did?
    • How did the fictional portrayal of the historical figure or group compare to other primary and secondary source depictions? If different, what can the differences be attributed to?

    While these examples are general, the student’s questions should be specific to the chosen topic. The questions should lead him/her to form individual research-based opinions. The student should also develop a hypothesis or some possible answers to the questions.

    Each student should think of guiding questions about the character that will lead him/her to form research-based opinions. Each student should also develop a hypothesis or some possible answers to the questions.

  3. Developing and submitting a research proposal. The student should include numerous components in the research proposal:
    • The novel he/she will read and the historical figure or group he/she will research
    • The five questions he/she will investigate
    • Resources he/she will need to find answers to questions, such as primary and secondary sources, correspondence with experts on the subject, etc.
    In the process of writing the research proposal, students may refine their guiding questions. Here are some questions to guide student identification of resources:
    • What libraries, research centers, archival institutions, museums, or organizations will have information on the topic?
    • What are some key words, dates, or people related to the subject?
    • What types of primary sources might exist? Who might you interview to gather information?
    • What letters, diaries, or other first person narratives are available?
    • What manuscripts, songs, hymns, photographs, court proceedings, governmental records, original newspaper articles or cartoons, or oral histories are available?
  4. Conducting the research. After the teacher has approved student proposals, each student begins using the resources he/she has identified and others he/she may encounter. During this stage, the student will need to keep a log, note cards, or resource process sheets of all the sources and what he/she has learned from each one.

B. The product

The student shows what he/she has learned through one of the following written products:

  1. A formal essay. The student should respond to the following questions, using the primary and secondary resources to support his/her position:
    • After examining your character’s actions and motivations, do you support your character’s actions, or would you have done things differently? Why or why not?
  2. A rewrite of a chapter or portion of the novel. The student should choose a section of the novel that, based on his/her research, she/he feels is inconsistent with information learned from primary source documents. The student should rewrite the section so that the fictional portrayal is more historically accurate.

Whatever product is chosen, the student must complete a Reference List/Works Cited Page that includes at least ten references.

C. Communication

Talk Show. The student will assume the persona of the historical character or role investigated on a radio or television interview. Another student plays the role of the interviewer (e.g., Oprah). The interviewer questions the historical character as though on a contemporary talk show. The student being interviewed provides the interviewer with questions he/she has developed about the historical character. Audiotape or videotape the interview. The audience should ask questions, too. The entire presentation should last no more than fifteen minutes.

D. Submission

    1. The cover sheet
    2. A research proposal, including guiding questions
    3. A research log, notes, or resources process sheets
    4. The product, including a Works Cited Page with at least ten references
    5. Notes for the book talk/interview
    6. A videotape or audiotape of the book talk/interview, including the Q&A session

    This unit may address the following TEKS.

    110.24., English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 8, Adopted 2017

    110.24(b)(3)
    Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--fluency. The student reads grade-level text with fluency and comprehension. The student is expected to adjust fluency when reading grade-level text based on the reading purpose.
    110.24(b)(5)(C)
    make, correct, or confirm predictions using text features, characteristics of genre, and structures;
    110.24(b)(5)(G)
    evaluate details read to determine key ideas;
    110.24(b)(6)(A)
    describe personal connections to a variety of sources, including self-selected texts;
    110.24(b)(6)(E)
    interact with sources in meaningful ways such as notetaking, annotating, freewriting, or illustrating;
    110.24(b)(6)(I)
    reflect on and adjust responses as new evidence is presented
    110.24(b)(6)(J)
    defend or challenge the authors' claims using relevant text evidence.
    110.24(b)(6)(F)
    respond using newly acquired vocabulary as appropriate;
    110.24(b)(12)(F)
    synthesize information from a variety of sources;
    110.24(b)(12)(E)
    differentiate between primary and secondary sources;
    110.24(b)(8)(F)
    analyze characteristics of multimodal and digital texts.
    110.24(b)(8)(A)
    demonstrate knowledge of literary genres such as realistic fiction, adventure stories, historical fiction, mysteries, humor, fantasy, science fiction, and short stories;
    110.24(b)(8)(E)(iii)
    identifying the intended audience or reader
    110.24(b)(8)(E)(ii)
    identifying and explaining the counter argument
    110.24(b)(8)(D)(ii)
    features such as footnotes, endnotes, and citations
    110.24(b)(8)(D)(i)
    the controlling idea or thesis with supporting evidence;
    110.24(b)(8)(D)(iii)
    multiple organizational patterns within a text to develop the thesis;
    110.24(b)(9)(B)
    analyze how the use of text structure contributes to the author's purpose;
    110.24(b)(9)(F)
    analyze how the author's use of language contributes to the mood, voice, and tone
    110.24(b)(11)(C)
    compose multi-paragraph argumentative texts using genre characteristics and craft
    110.24(b)(7)
    Multiple genres: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--literary elements. The student recognizes and analyzes literary elements within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse literary texts.
    110.24(b)(2)
    Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--vocabulary. The student uses newly acquired vocabulary expressively.
    110.24(b)(8)
    Multiple genres: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts.
    110.24(b)(10)
    Composition: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--writing process. The student uses the writing process recursively to compose multiple texts that are legible and uses appropriate conventions.
    110.24(b)(1)
    Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking--oral language. The student develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion.
    110.24(b)(12)
    Inquiry and research: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes.

    111.28, Mathematics, Grade 8

    111.28(b)(1)
    Mathematical process standards. The student uses mathematical processes to acquire and demonstrate mathematical understanding.
    111.28(b)(2)
    Number and operations. The student applies mathematical process standards to represent and use real numbers in a variety of forms.
    111.28(b)(11)
    Measurement and data. The student applies mathematical process standards to use statistical procedures to describe data.

    112.28., Science, Grade 8, Adopted 2021

    112.28(b)(1)
    Scientific and engineering practices. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to:
    112.28(b)(4)
    Scientific and engineering practices. The student knows the contributions of scientists and recognizes the importance of scientific research and innovation on society. The student is expected to:

    113.20, Social Studies, Grade 8

    113.20(b)(1)
    History. The student understands traditional historical points of reference in U.S. history through 1877.
    113.20(b)(6)
    History. The student understands westward expansion and its effects on the political, economic, and social development of the nation.
    113.20(b)(7)
    History. The student understands how political, economic, and social factors led to the growth of sectionalism and the Civil War.
    113.20(b)(9)
    History. The student understands the effects of Reconstruction on the political, economic, and social life of the nation.
    113.20(b)(10)
    Geography. The student understands the location and characteristics of places and regions of the United States, past and present.
    113.20(b)(11)
    Geography. The student understands the physical characteristics of North America and how humans adapted to and modified the environment through the mid-19th century.
    113.20(b)(12)
    Economics. The student understands why various sections of the United States developed different patterns of economic activity.
    113.20(b)(15)
    Government. The student understands the American beliefs and principles reflected in the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and other important historic documents.
    113.20(b)(17)
    Government. The student understands the dynamic nature of the powers of the national government and state governments in a federal system.
    113.20(b)(21)
    Citizenship. The student understands the importance of the expression of different points of view in a constitutional republic.
    113.20(b)(23)
    Culture. The student understands the relationships between and among people from various groups, including racial, ethnic, and religious groups, during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
    113.20(b)(24)
    Culture. The student understands the major reform movements of the 19th century.
    113.20(b)(26)
    Culture. The student understands the relationship between the arts and the times during which they were created.
    113.20(b)(27)
    Science, technology, and society. The student understands the impact of science and technology on the economic development of the United States.
    113.20(b)(28)
    Science, technology, and society. The student understands the impact of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on daily life in the United States.
    113.20(b)(29)
    Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology.
    113.20(b)(30)
    Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms.
    113.20(b)(31)
    Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings.

    This unit may address the following Texas College and Career Readiness Standards.

    Science:

    S.I.A.1
    Utilize skepticism, logic, and professional ethics in science.
    S.I.C.1
    Collaborate on joint projects.
    S.III.C.1
    Prepare and present scientific/technical information in appropriate formats for various audiences.
    S.III.D.1
    Use search engines, databases, and other digital electronic tools effectively to locate information.
    S.III.D.2
    Evaluate quality, accuracy, completeness, reliability, and currency of information from any source.
    S.V.C.1
    Recognize patterns of change.
    S.V.E.1
    Use models to make predictions.

    Social Studies:

    SS.I.A.2
     Analyze the interaction between human communities and the environment.
    SS.I.A.3
     Analyze how physical and cultural processes have shaped human communities over time.
    SS.I.A.5
     Analyze how various cultural regions have changed over time.
    SS.I.A.6
     Analyze the relationship between geography and the development of human communities.
    SS.I.B.2
     Identify and evaluate sources and patterns of change and continuity across time and place.
    SS.I.B.3
     Analyze causes and effects of major political, economic, and social changes in U.S. and world history.
    SS.I.C.1
     Evaluate different governmental systems and functions.
    SS.I.C.2
     Evaluate changes in the functions and structures of government across time.
    SS.I.E.2
     Define the concept of socialization and analyze the role socialization plays in human development and behavior.
    SS.I.E.3
     Analyze how social institutions (e.g., marriage, family, churches, schools) function and meet the needs of society.
    SS.I.E.4
     Identify and evaluate the sources and consequences of social conflict.
    SS.I.F.1
     Use a variety of research and analytical tools to explore questions or issues thoroughly and fairly.
    SS.I.F.2
     Analyze ethical issues in historical, cultural, and social contexts.
    SS.II.B.1
     Explain and evaluate the concepts of race, ethnicity, and nationalism.
    SS.II.B.2
     Explain and evaluate the concept of gender.
    SS.II.B.3
     Analyze diverse religious concepts, structures, and institutions around the world.
    SS.II.B.4
     Evaluate how major philosophical and intellectual concepts influence human behavior or identity.
    SS.II.B.5
     Explain the concepts of socioeconomic status and stratification.
    SS.II.B.6
     Analyze how individual and group identities are established and change over time.
    SS.III.A.1
     Distinguish spatial patterns of human communities that exist between or within contemporary political boundaries.
    SS.III.A.2
     Connect regional or local developments to global ones.
    SS.III.A.3
     Analyze how and why diverse communities interact and become dependent on each other.
    SS.III.B.1
     Apply social studies methodologies to compare societies and cultures.
    SS.IV.A.1
     Identify and analyze the main idea(s) and point(s)-of-view in sources.
    SS.IV.A.2
     Situate an informational source in its appropriate contexts (contemporary, historical, cultural).
    SS.IV.A.3
     Evaluate sources from multiple perspectives.
    SS.IV.A.4
     Understand the differences between a primary and secondary source and use each appropriately to conduct research and construct arguments.
    SS.IV.A.5
     Read narrative texts critically.
    SS.IV.A.6
     Read research data critically.
    SS.IV.B.1
     Use established research methodologies.
    SS.IV.B.2
     Explain how historians and other social scientists develop new and competing views of past phenomena.
    SS.IV.B.3
     Gather, organize, and display the results of data and research.
    SS.IV.B.4
     Identify and collect sources.
    SS.IV.C.1
     Understand and interpret presentations (e.g., speeches, lectures, informal presentations) critically.
    SS.IV.D.1
     Construct a thesis that is supported by evidence.
    SS.IV.D.2
     Recognize and evaluate counter-arguments.
    SS.V.A.1
     Use appropriate oral communication techniques depending on the context or nature of the interaction.
    SS.V.A.2
     Use conventions of standard written English.
    SS.V.B.1
     Attribute ideas and information to source materials and authors.

    Cross-Disciplinary Standards:

    CDS.I.A.1
     Engage in scholarly inquiry and dialogue.
    CDS.I.A.2
     Accept constructive criticism and revise personal views when valid evidence warrants.
    CDS.I.B.1
     Consider arguments and conclusions of self and others.
    CDS.I.B.2
     Construct well-reasoned arguments to explain phenomena, validate conjectures, or support positions.
    CDS.I.B.3
     Gather evidence to support arguments, findings, or lines of reasoning.
    CDS.I.B.4
     Support or modify claims based on the results of an inquiry.
    CDS.I.D.1
     Self-monitor learning needs and seek assistance when needed.
    CDS.I.D.2
     Use study habits necessary to manage academic pursuits and requirements.
    CDS.I.D.3
     Strive for accuracy and precision.
    CDS.I.D.4
     Persevere to complete and master tasks.
    CDS.I.E.1
     Work independently.
    CDS.I.E.2
     Work collaboratively.
    CDS.I.F.1
     Attribute ideas and information to source materials and people.
    CDS.I.F.2
     Evaluate sources for quality of content, validity, credibility, and relevance.
    CDS.I.F.3
     Include the ideas of others and the complexities of the debate, issue, or problem.
    CDS.I.F.4
     Understand and adhere to ethical codes of conduct.
    CDS.II.A.1
     Use effective prereading strategies.
    CDS.II.A.2
     Use a variety of strategies to understand the meanings of new words.
    CDS.II.A.3
     Identify the intended purpose and audience of the text.
    CDS.II.A.4
     Identify the key information and supporting details.
    CDS.II.A.5
     Analyze textual information critically.
    CDS.II.A.6
     Annotate, summarize, paraphrase, and outline texts when appropriate.
    CDS.II.A.7
     Adapt reading strategies according to structure of texts.
    CDS.II.A.8
     Connect reading to historical and current events and personal interest.
    CDS.II.B.1
     Write clearly and coherently using standard writing conventions.
    CDS.II.B.2
     Write in a variety of forms for various audiences and purposes.
    CDS.II.B.3
     Compose and revise drafts.
    CDS.II.C.1
     Understand which topics or questions are to be investigated.
    CDS.II.C.2
     Explore a research topic.
    CDS.II.C.3
     Refine research topic based on preliminary research and devise a timeline for completing work.
    CDS.II.C.4
     Evaluate the validity and reliability of sources.
    CDS.II.C.5
     Synthesize and organize information effectively.
    CDS.II.C.6
     Design and present an effective product.
    CDS.II.C.7
     Integrate source material.
    CDS.II.C.8
     Present final product.
    CDS.II.D.1
     Identify patterns or departures from patterns among data.
    CDS.II.D.2
     Use statistical and probabilistic skills necessary for planning an investigation and collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data
    CDS.II.D.3
     Present analyzed data and communicate findings in a variety of formats.
    CDS.II.E.1
     Use technology to gather information.
    CDS.II.E.2
     Use technology to organize, manage, and analyze information.
    CDS.II.E.3
     Use technology to communicate and display findings in a clear and coherent manner.
    CDS.II.E.4
     Use technology appropriately.

    English Language Arts:

    ELA.I.A.5
    Edit writing for audience, purpose, context, and style, assuring that it conforms to Standard American English, when appropriate.
    ELA.I.A.4
    Review feedback and revise each draft by organizing it more logically and fluidly, refining key ideas, and using language more precisely and effectively.
    ELA.I.A.2
    Generate ideas, gather information, and manage evidence relevant to the topic and purpose.
    ELA.I.A.1
    Determine effective approaches, genres, rhetorical techniques, and media that demonstrate understanding of the writer’s purpose and audience.
    ELA.I.A.3
    Evaluate relevance, quality, sufficiency, and depth of preliminary ideas and information; organize material generated; and formulate a thesis or purpose statement.
    ELA.II.A.6
    Identify and analyze the author’s use of rhetorical and literary devices to create meaning and affect the reader.
    ELA.II.A.7
    Compare and analyze how features of genre are used across texts.
    ELA.II.A.8
    Identify, analyze, and evaluate similarities and differences in how multiple texts present information, argue a position, or relate a theme.
    ELA.II.A.5
    Analyze and evaluate implicit and explicit arguments in a variety of texts for the quality and coherence of evidence and reasoning.
    ELA.II.A.4
    Make evidence-based inferences about a text’s meaning, intent, and values.
    ELA.II.A.1
    Use effective reading strategies to determine a written work’s purpose and intended audience.
    ELA.II.A.2
    Use text features to form an overview of content and to locate information.
    ELA.II.A.3
    Identify explicit and implicit textual information including main ideas and author’s purpose.
    ELA.II.B.4
    Make inferences about the denotative and connotative meanings of unfamiliar words using context clues.
    ELA.II.B.3
    Use reference guides to confirm the meanings of new words or concepts.
    ELA.II.B.2
    Apply knowledge of roots and affixes to infer the meanings of new words.
    ELA.II.B.1
    Identify new words and concepts acquired through study of their relationships to other words and concepts.
    ELA.II.C.3
    Examine the influence of myths, oral traditions, and Classical literature on subsequent works over time.
    ELA.II.C.2
    Analyze the relationships between works of literature and the historical periods and cultural contexts in which they were written.
    ELA.II.D.1
    Make text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections.
    ELA.II.D.2
    Recognize the potential of diverse texts to cultivate empathy.
    ELA.III.A.5
    Plan and deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey clear and distinct perspectives and demonstrate sound reasoning.
    ELA.III.A.4
    Adjust delivery, vocabulary, and length of message for particular audiences, purposes, and contexts.
    ELA.III.A.2
    Engage in reasoned dialogue, including with people who have different perspectives.
    ELA.III.A.1
    Participate actively, effectively, and respectfully in one-on-one oral communication as well as in group discussions.
    ELA.III.A.3
    Understand how style, register, and content of spoken language vary in different contexts and influence the listener’s understanding.
    ELA.IV.A.5
    Recognize fillers, intentional pauses, and placeholders in speech (e.g., um) and make inferences in context.
    ELA.IV.A.4
    Comprehend detailed instructions, explanations, and directions in a range of contexts (e.g., specialized contexts such as workplace procedures and operating instructions).
    ELA.IV.A.2
    Listen critically and respond appropriately.
    ELA.IV.A.1
    Use a variety of active listening strategies to enhance comprehension.
    ELA.IV.A.3
    Develop an awareness of rhetorical and stylistic choices used to convey a message.
    ELA.V.C.1
    Integrate and organize material effectively.
    ELA.V.B.3
    Assess the relevance and credibility of sources.
    ELA.V.B.1
    Explore and collect a range of potential sources.
    ELA.V.A.1
    Articulate and investigate research questions.
    ELA.V.A.2
    Explore and refine a research topic.
    ELA.V.A.3
    Devise a plan for completing work on time.
    ELA.V.B.2
    Distinguish between and among primary and secondary sources.

    Mathematics:

    M.I.C.2
    Convert units within and between systems of measurement.
    M.I.C.1
    Select or use the appropriate type of method, unit, and tool for the attribute being measured.
    M.V.C.1
    Analyze data sets using graphs and summary statistics.
    M.V.C.4
    Identify and explain misleading uses of data.
    M.V.C.2
    Analyze relationships between paired data using spreadsheets, graphing calculators, or statistical software.
    M.V.B.3
    Compute and describe the study data with measures of center and basic notions of spread.
    M.V.A.1
    Formulate a statistical question, plan an investigation, and collect data.
    M.V.B.1
    Classify types of data.
    M.V.B.2
    Construct appropriate visual representations of data.
    M.V.B.4
    Describe patterns and departure from patterns in the study data.
    M.VII.A.1
    Analyze given information.
    M.VII.A.2
    Formulate a plan or strategy.
    M.VII.B.1
    Use proportional reasoning to solve problems that require fractions, ratios, percentages, decimals, and proportions in a variety of contexts using multiple representations.
    M.VII.C
    Logical reasoning
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