While the Understanding and Analysis sections of the rubric can be applied to not just the study of cyclical history, the connections section asks students to engage fully in the idea of cyclical history. Understanding and analyzing are the first steps:
Understanding cannot be simply transferred like a load of freight from one mind
to another. Coming to understand requires active intellectual engagement on the
part of the learner. Therefore instead of merely covering the content, effective
educators “uncover” the most enduring ideas and processes in ways that engage
students in constructing meaning for themselves" (Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006, p.
123)
Once again Tomlinson and McTighe understand the importance of taking learning to the edge in order to stretch students’ minds as they ask students to construct meaning for themselves. When it comes to the study of cyclical history, constructing meaning for themselves is asking student to make connections between the historical events and the modern and push them to make legitimate connections between different historical events or with their own life. By asking students to make meaningful connections, they are building meaning for themselves and will have a deeper understanding of the topic and will have more cause to retain that information.
Understanding cannot be simply transferred like a load of freight from one mind
to another. Coming to understand requires active intellectual engagement on the
part of the learner. Therefore instead of merely covering the content, effective
educators “uncover” the most enduring ideas and processes in ways that engage
students in constructing meaning for themselves" (Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006, p.
123)
Once again Tomlinson and McTighe understand the importance of taking learning to the edge in order to stretch students’ minds as they ask students to construct meaning for themselves. When it comes to the study of cyclical history, constructing meaning for themselves is asking student to make connections between the historical events and the modern and push them to make legitimate connections between different historical events or with their own life. By asking students to make meaningful connections, they are building meaning for themselves and will have a deeper understanding of the topic and will have more cause to retain that information.