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 Take this link to Aimee's Project Plan

Design a Conceptual Framework

1. What important and enduring concepts are fundamental to each subject you teach? List them. Try to limit the list to two to three big concepts for each subject. Refer to content standards you teach to determine those covered by these big “umbrella” concepts. 

Ack, so many.  As a block teacher, I'll grab three big concepts:

    Writing: command of a lucid, organized, and mechanically correct argumentative essay

    Reading: identification and use of terms used in unit on revolution and Constitution

    Social Studies: Events leading up to, during, and following the United States revolution

2. Why do these concepts matter? Why are they important? 

 They're important because they're basic.  I joke about the 5-paragraph essay ruling the world, but we use it in all disciplines and it's never too early to begin mastery of the language arts "equation."  Lit terms might not help you in any "real-world" way, but it will help round out a person and potentially enchant them...I can hope...Social Studies content knowledge is less important to me than the WHY it happened, so reasons for the American Revolution would necessarily feed into critical thinking about war, basic rights of man, guerrilla warfare and how these events can be applied to current events.Who was FOR the Constitution?  Who was AGAINST it?  Why?

 I agree-- any study of any event is really a study of dynamics-- what factors contribute to the ultimate decision to go to war? How do the contributing factors differ from conflict to conflict?

3. Outside of school, who cares about these topics? What is their relevance in different people’s lives and in different parts of the world?

 Informed and aware citizens care about current events that affect their lives and the lives of people they love.  Social Studies has such a broad impact on parts of the world, how we relate to those parts or study different areas.  And poorly-spelled and -punctuated signs on every U.S. roadway notwithstanding, I think a properly placed apostrophe is better, in some cases, than chocolate.

4. Select one or two of the most promising of these topics and think about real-to-life contexts to answer: What are the interdisciplinary connections? What other subjects might be incorporated?

 American Revolution: I can use many aspects of language arts in a social studies unit here, so a block planning won't be as onerous.  Reading primary source documents (political cartoons, pamphlets, letters, etc.) and secondary sources (autobiographies, newspapers) could feed into students' own newspapers or pamphlets. excellent. Geography: in what ways did the geography of the Colonies assist or hinder the rebels?  the British?  the Native Americans? What were the results (if any) of these events? Social history: How did gender, race, and class affect ideas toward independence and revolution?  Debate: what are arguments for "both sides" of the issue?  Current Events: can you compare events in the late 1700s with wars in this century and the previous one? exactly. Why?

5. As you begin to imagine working with these topics, how might you push past rote learning into analysis, evaluation and creation? Incorporate Bloom’s “rigor” verbs in your answer.

  Cause and effect: what were some of the driving factors for the Revolutionary War?  What were the criteria for constructing documents of the Revolution and following--the Declaration of Independence, Common Sense, P. Henry's speech, etc.; poetry, letters by not Dead Guys (tm Peggy K.) , Bill of Rights, Constitution, treaties, etc. - analyze and compare. exactly

6. Imagine authentic ways students might engage in this topics within a project and the ways 21st century skills might be addressed. Hint: The terms collaboration, digital tools, and information literacy could appear in your answer! 21st century skills

Independence Wiki or Blog: Blog for full-class and Wikis in research groups?  (Blogs are more easily controlled; Wikis are less accountable.)  Google Tools: Google Docs allows sharing and accountability (if you're willing to slog through all the changes).  Either whole-class or small-group collaboration--kids can do independent research (online or not) and store info on the Docs or the Wiki; check the class blog for updates, assignments, helpful hints; and update their project blog to keep all advised on what's going on. 

iMovie, claymation, posters, newspapers, ???? for propaganda: student can make their own piece of propaganda exhorting for change (whatever change they desire) and give meaningful, thoughtful reasons for this change.  (NO "Because we're cool like that!" reasons accepted--I'll put it on the rubric.)

 Really liked Terry Smith's online newspaper and progression of documents: kids write their own newspaper and edit each other's work, identifying final drafts.  Good way to potentially synthesize social studies big ideas into a language arts medium.

7. What aspects of these topics will interest your students? (A feature that seems superficial or tangential but fascinates students can give you entrée into more essential matters, so brainstorm as many as you can.)

 Never can tell... but you can anticipate and plant the seeds...

I'd like to use a KWL chart to adjust the outcomes to the interests, or at least let the projects be influenced by the interests.  What do the kids wonder?  How did revolution affect them personally?  What kind of revolution could they start, and how would they interest others?

8. What learning dispositions should you cultivate and ask your students to pay attention to? (REINV p. 51-52)

 Learning dispositions I'd like to cultivate are critical thinking, courage to express opinions, cooperation to work together, and persistence and motivation (to complete assignments, to DESIRE to work together and individually)

So what's next? Project sketch? It's coming, I am still brainstorming.  Thanks for the input!  :)