This particular lesson focused on the limitations and strengths found within short narratives, particularly involving human trial and error that lead to cause and effect in the real world. After reading exploration narratives, students were asked to identify and connect a cause and an effect found within those narratives. Students then reflected on whether or not those problems and solutions would have been an issue today or if society had advanced enough to eliminate those problems.
Most exploration narratives provide a space for students to reflect and evaluate on past issues that either still occur today or have been "fixed" by modern technology. Students do not even realize that some issues are still not solved until they start to discuss what the problem is and how they would solve it. This discussion also leads to the discussion of whether or not they would solve the problem that the characters face in the narratives the same way or if they would try another solution. Or would that solution only work because they are using today's technology and knowledge, which would not have been invented during the era in which the narratives were written in.
Many students were engaged in the discussion questions after the assignment, particularly when asked to put themselves in the narratives' situations and how they would solve it, but also the "what if" questions that followed. I saw that most students were more particular and insecure about the instructions and whether they were completing the assignment correctly. However, they were confident and responsive to the discussion questions and reflections afterwards.
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Student Example