Author: Greg Dillon

I submit two new “Enduring Issue” essay prompt modeled on the New Regents examinations in New York State. This Enduring Issue Essay presents the students with five documents, from which they select three to support some enduring issue they see through history.

Available at our TeachersPayTeachers store:

• Regents Global 9 Enduring Issue Essay, “Of Decandance and Empire’s Fall”
• Regents Global 10 Enduring Issue Essay, “On Students in Revolt”

Both products include access to video lessons with embedded questions here at Innovation so your students can review the historical context before writing their analysis.

Video Lesson previews

• Ancient Rome part 1, [preview]
• Ancient Rome part 2., [preview]
• Ancient Rome part 3., [preview]
• Transforming the Roman Republic, [preview]
• Ancient Rome part 4, [preview]
• Early China and the Qin Dynasty, [preview]
• Han Dynasty, [preview]
• Competing Ideologies of the 20th Century part A,  [preview]
• Competing Ideologies of the 20th Century part B,  [preview]
• China in the 20th Century part 1, [preview]
• China in the 20th Century part 2,  [preview]
• Clash with Modernity: Iran,  [preview]

Of Decadence and Empire’s Fall

When empires start to crumble, the “group feeling” that Ibn Khaldun noted as the binding force of society begins to unravel. In the face of the stress of migrations, invasions, internal political polarization, economic distress there comes a disintegration of morals and customs of courtesy. This does not go unnoticed by everyone. In Of Decadence and Empire’s Fall, students explore primary sources from the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty. They may see the warnings from the wise about a decline in moral behavior. They may piece together similar contributing factors to the disintegration of a political unit.

Document excerpts included in this essay prompt:

1. Excerpt, The Conspiracy of Catiline, Gaius Sallustius Crispus, 63 BCE
2. Excerpt, Sima Qian and Laissez-Faire:Manifestations of a “Discordant and Degenerate Age”
3. Excerpt, St. Jerome, “Letter 127: To Principia”, 412CE
4. Excerpt, A Translation of the Chronicle on the ‘Western Regions’ from the Hou Hanshu, the dynastic history of the Han dynasty
5. Painting, The Course of Empire: Destruction (1836) by Thomas Cole

On Students in Revolt

Those of us who have taught high school for decades are well acquainted with adolescent rebelliousness. Frankly, I respect it, I expect it, and I wonder about the young person who is not a little instinctively resistant. Be that said, I know that I am usually right anyway. : )

When the proportion of young in the population gets high, such as in Iran in the late ’70s and the US when the Baby Boomers came to late teens, you can bet there will be social upheaval! In “On Students in Revolt”, students in Global Studies 10 (New York State curriculum) will examine primary sources related to times in history when students were the impetus for change. These are not generally positive, which I hope does not reveal a middle aged bias on my part.

Document excerpts included in this essay prompt:

• Report by Louis P. Lochner, Head of the Berlin Bureau of the Associated Press (10 May 1933)
• Mr. Dai, a sociologist in Beijing, attended Tsinghua University High School, where the first Red Guard groups were formed.
• On the Hostages’ Release, AFP Press Release, 14 January 1980
• The Prague Spring of 1968, image
• Paris: May 1968, Eyewitness Account

Regents Global 9 Enduring Issue Essay Prompt: Belief Systems

This particular enduring theme essay began as an exploration of the idea that spiritual leaders in history often had “wilderness experiences” as part of their own religious awakening. This is the best-selling enduring issue essay prompt product from our store at TeacherPayTeachers that I would like to showcase today.

The enduring issue essay is a task in the curriculum and state testing in New York State for Global History and Geography. Students examine a set of documents and compose an essay making the case for an enduring historical issue that they observe, combining documents and their knowledge of the historical context.

Visit our store at TeachersPayTeachers for a full range of enduring issue essay prompts!

Documents 1-4 of this prompt are selections from religious texts giving evidence for the following: Jesus’ forty days in the desert and subsequent temptation, Buddha’s temptation by Mara in the forest, Muhammad’s visits to the cave where he receives the revelation from the angel Jibreel, Joseph Smith’s walk in the 1832 New York woods to meet Jesus. Document 5 is a map of Abraham’s journey from the Torah.

Strictly speaking, the Regents enduring essay task will be something a bit different from this. However, the theme works nicely in a unit on the world’s belief systems.

When I developed this task, I did have one common theme in mind to start, however students may see others, which I illustrate in the sample student essays included in the product.

This enormous project also includes a modified version of the readings for special education purposes as well as a complete collection of video lessons on belief systems. These video lessons include embedded, auto-corrected questions to guide practice.

Preview one of the video lessons here

I invite the reader to peruse our store and explore the other thought-provoking document-based essay prompts we offer! Support great scholarship with quality materials!

Striking a Balance: Leveraging Innovation Teaching Platform for Effective Pedagogy

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the debate between teaching to the test and teaching to the standard persists, presenting educators with a perpetual challenge: how to strike a balance between preparing students for standardized assessments while also ensuring they acquire the essential knowledge and skills outlined in educational standards. Fortunately, innovative teaching platforms like Innovation Assessments offer a multifaceted approach to pedagogy that can help educators navigate this delicate balance and promote best practices in teaching and learning.

Utilizing Comprehensive Learning Management:

At the heart of the Innovation teaching platform lies a comprehensive learning management system designed to streamline content creation, assessment, and student engagement. By leveraging this robust platform, educators can seamlessly align their instruction with established educational standards while also incorporating targeted test preparation strategies.

Balancing Test Preparation and Conceptual Understanding:

Innovation Assessments provides educators with the tools to integrate test preparation within a broader framework of standards-aligned instruction. Through features such as customizable assessments, practice drills, and automated grading, educators can ensure that students receive targeted support in mastering both the content knowledge and test-taking skills necessary for success on standardized assessments.

Fostering Inquiry-Based Learning:

One hallmark of effective teaching practice is the promotion of inquiry-based learning, which encourages students to explore, question, and construct their understanding of the world around them. With its diverse array of multimedia resources, interactive activities, and collaborative tools, the Innovation platform empowers educators to create engaging learning experiences that foster curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in students.

Personalizing Instruction to Meet Diverse Needs:

Recognizing that every student is unique, the Innovation platform offers personalized learning features that allow educators to tailor instruction to meet the individual needs, interests, and learning styles of their students. From adaptive assessments that adjust to students’ proficiency levels to customizable learning pathways that provide targeted remediation and enrichment, educators can ensure that each student receives the support and challenge they need to succeed.

Empowering Educators with Data-Driven Insights:

In addition to facilitating student learning, the Innovation platform equips educators with valuable data-driven insights into student performance, engagement, and growth over time. By analyzing student data and trends, educators can identify areas of strength and weakness, inform instructional decision-making, and implement targeted interventions to support student success.

Promoting Continuous Professional Growth:

Lastly, the Innovation platform serves as a catalyst for educators’ continuous professional growth by providing access to a wealth of resources, professional development opportunities, and collaborative communities. Through ongoing training, peer collaboration, and reflective practice, educators can refine their pedagogical approaches, stay abreast of emerging best practices, and ultimately elevate the quality of instruction in their classrooms.

In conclusion, while the debate between teaching to the test and teaching to the standard may persist, innovative teaching platforms like Innovation Assessments offer a holistic solution that transcends this dichotomy. By harnessing the power of technology to integrate test preparation within a broader framework of standards-aligned instruction, foster inquiry-based learning, personalize instruction, empower educators with data-driven insights, and promote continuous professional growth, the Innovation platform emerges as a potent tool for promoting best practices in teaching and learning. As educators embrace this multifaceted approach, they can navigate the delicate balance between preparing students for standardized assessments and equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed for success in the 21st century and beyond.