Teaching Strategies for the JFK Assassination, Spring 2019

Note: Course payment or purchase order, payable to Castleton University, is due at the time of registration. A purchase order number can be entered into the online registration form and the purchase order can be uploaded to the registration form. If paying by check, please mail the check to: Financial & Registration Services, Castleton University, 62 Alumni Drive, Castleton, VT 05753. To help us ensure that your payment is applied to the correct course, PLEASE WRITE “CFS” IN THE CHECK MEMO LINE. Thank you.

Course Description

This course of study will include a selection of topics related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and include academic disciplines based on the needs and interests of the participants. It is intended for students and administrators seeking continuing study, and middle school and high school educators seeking advanced study in content areas.

Through presentations, workshops, readings, and fieldwork, participants will explore the environment and history of the Kennedy assassination in Dallas, Texas. Participants will work daily to produce and develop integrated and differentiated standards-based lessons, complete with assessment products for implementation in a classroom. This course is designed to be adaptable for all grade levels and content areas, and for veteran and aspiring teachers and administrators.

The lesson plans will be based upon the instruction received in Dallas and through readings and will be wholly reproducible as digital resources made available for Castleton State University and the public domain.

Coursework in will include readings and film work followed by an assessment. Participants will develop integrated lessons to be shared.

Course Goals & Objectives

Course Goals:

• Develop new and integrated curriculum
• Improve instruction
• Use the curriculum effectively to support the learning of students at all levels
• Analyze curriculum
• Ask questions that will help students deepen understanding
• Assess student understanding and choose appropriate tasks to support that understanding
• Develop differentiated assessments that will reflect student progress
• Reflect and analyze thoughts and learning about the course content

Texas Theater - Oak Cliff
Texts, Readings

Each participant will develop a bibliography that will identify materials that are grade-level specific and will be used by teachers participating in grade level groups.

Course Expectations

Course expectations:

• Attendance - Participants must:
  
  • Participate in pre-course meetings via computer (no travel involved)
  • Participate in a post-course meeting via computer (no travel involved)
  • Travel to Dallas Dallas, Texas for on-site field work:
  • Attend each session designated by the instructor
  •  Attend all field work (all site visits in Dallas) and class sessions.
• Successful completion of all pre-trip and post-trip assignments
  
  • Schedule will be provided
  • Assessment requirements will be emailed/shared
• Record and provide an interview/conversation and transcript as part of the fieldwork in Dallas.
• Develop new curriculum/programs or a series of lessons to be integrated into the school district’s curriculum.
• Each participant will develop a bibliography of sources used in support of developed lessons.
• All work completed is for the public domain.
• Here are two examples from Holiday’s courses:
• A general reflection at the end of the course (2 examples below).
• All final projects will be shared with holiday@wsesu.org by May 15, 2019
  Sample General Reflection #1

Required Texts

Readings will include sources applicable to instructor’s topics and to differentiated instruction techniques and theory:

Required Reading – EITHER of the two listed books below.

1. JFK and the Unspeakable by James W. Douglass
2. Crossfire by Jim Marrs

Required Reading – EITHER of the two listed books below.

1. Case Closed by Gerald Posner
2. Reclaiming History – The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy by Vincent Bugliosi

Optional Reading – listed books below.

• Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design by Tomlinson and McTighe
• An Educator's Guide to Differentiating Instruction by Tomlinson and Cooper
• Differentiating Instruction With Menus: Social Studies by Laurie Westphal

For additional course information

Bill Holiday
(802) 558-7454

For additional registration information

Bethany Sprague
(802) 468-1325

Register online now!