Fact or Fiction Teaching with Historical Fiction 2012

Fact or Fiction Teaching with Historical Fiction © 2012 CICERO Systems™

Historical Fiction and the Common Core O Level of Examination O Compare and Contrast O Common Core Learning Framework O Key Ideas and Details O Assessing the reliability of the information O Comparing ideas within and across texts © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 2

Framing the Session O What is historical truth? O What strategies promote students’ understanding of historical truth? O How does historical fiction contribute to an understanding of historical truth? © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 3

What is historical truth? O For historians, truth is a complex concept. O The idea that history deals with true events and fiction with invented ones isn’t always helpful. O To support students in understanding what is “true” in history, they need to understand that historical fiction combines the three different kinds of truth: literal truth, artistic truth and historical trueness. O This process supports students in becoming critical readers/viewers of history and better historical thinkers. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 4

What is literal truth? O Literal truth is an account that can be verified, such as an event that actually occurred at a certain time. O The Declaration of Independence was officially approved by the delegates on July 4, 1776. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 5

What is artistic truth? O Artistic truth is an account that can’t be verified, but seems true based on what we know about human nature. O A young boy describes how happy he felt during the first celebration of the Declaration of Independence, as he watched people ringing bells, marching in a parade and hoisting the flag. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 6

What is historical trueness? O Historical trueness is an account that cannot be verified, but is likely to have happened based on what we know about the historical context. It is plausible. O A soldier overhears George Washington say that the Declaration of Independence is one of the greatest documents ever written. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 7

Why teach historical fiction? O Historical fiction: O Engages student interest. O Levels the playing field. O Provides details of daily O O life. Focuses on individuals over events. Presents the complexity of issues. Provide multiple perspectives. Bridges the gap between narrative and informational text © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 8

What are the features of quality historical fiction? O Quality historical fiction should: O Present a well-told story O O O © 2012 CICERO Systems™ that doesn’t conflict with historical records. Portray characters realistically. Present authentic settings. Artfully fold in historical facts. Provide accurate information through illustrations. Avoid stereotypes and myths. 9

What are the challenges of teaching historical fiction? O Historical fiction provides limited access to the broad range of historical interpretation. O Many examples of historical fiction present the dominant interpretation of history or that which is found in most textbooks. O This interpretation, or selective tradition, often excludes the voices of minorities, and as a result, limits student access to the truth. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 10

O Historical fiction is often “presentist”. O The authors give the characters presentday thoughts, beliefs and concerns, thereby presenting an inaccurate view of the past. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 11

O Historical fiction often contains historical inaccuracies. O Historical fiction reflects the historical context, the author’s purpose, and ideological predisposition. O The prevailing cultural attitudes of the time in which the novel is written may influence the author’s attitude toward the events. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 12

O To effectively use historical fiction to support students in understanding history, they need to: O understand the three types of truth. O understand what historical fiction is and what they can expect to learn from reading it. O know that historical fiction and non-fiction present history in different ways. O question what they read. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 13

What are the goals of the historian? O The goals of history: O Separate fact from myth O Make educated guesses using cultural clues O Consider multiple points of view O To achieve these goals, the historian: O Identifies and analyzes primary sources © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 14

What are the goals of the author of fiction? O The goals of fiction: O Entertain the reader O Create an emotional Connection O Convey a message or objective O Create memorable characters and plot O To achieve these goals, a writer often uses: O Poetic license O Invented dialogue and language © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 15

What are the guiding questions for reading historical fiction? O Guiding questions for reading historical fiction include: O Could the events described have happened? What evidence do I have? O Which characters really existed? What evidence do I have? O What are the examples of literal truth, artistic truth and historical trueness? O How does this book help me understand life in the past? © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 16

Featured Strategy Pairing Texts O Pairing historical fiction with non-fiction on the same event allows students to experience three kinds of historical truth: literal, artistic and contextual or historical trueness. O In this strategy, students read historical fiction to savor the story, and to identify examples of literal truth, artistic truth and historical trueness. O As they read, they sort the information into three categories: fact (literal truth), fiction (artistic truth), and not sure. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 17

O After compiling their lists, students work in pairs or small groups to discuss and verify, where possible, the information on their fact, fiction and not sure lists. O As a class, they share and discuss their lists for further verification of the information on the fact and fiction lists. Here they also differentiate between artistic truth and historical trueness. O Finally, they compile a class list of questions based on the items on the not sure list. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 18

O Using the class list, students read the paired non-fiction text and clarify the information on their not sure lists, marking the facts with a check. O Questions that are not answered as a result of reading the non-fiction text can be the basis of additional research. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 19

Modeling the Strategy © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 20

Paired Texts The Civil War O My Brother’s Keeper: Virginia’s Civil War Diary by Mary Pope Osborne © 2012 CICERO Systems™ O The History of US by Joy Hakim vol. 6 21

Step #1 Compile the Lists O Form groups of 2 -4. O Read the excerpt from My Brother’s Keeper: Virginia’s Civil War Diary O Make three lists based on your knowledge of the Civil War: O What is factual O What is fiction O What you are unsure of © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 22

Step #2 Comparison and Discussion O Share and discuss the items on your lists with your group. O Come to consensus on what is fact, what is fiction and what remains uncertain. O Create research questions based on your list of unsure items. © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 23

Step #3 Class Discussion/Sort/Clarify O What did your group identify as: O Fact O Fiction O Unsure O What is your list of research questions? O Where might you find the answers to these questions? O How can historical fiction and non-fiction texts be paired in the classroom? © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 24

Additional Titles O Fiction O Behind the Blue and the Gray- The Soldier’s Life in the Civil War by Delia Ray O The Boys’ War. Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War by Jim Murphy © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 25

Resources from Cicero O Videos: O “The Civil War 1861 - 1863” O The Civil War 18631865” © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 26

Applying Paired Texts to the Classroom O Where and how could you use historical fiction in your classroom? O What adaptations could you make to the strategy of paired texts? O How might you use video and film? © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 27

Final Thoughts O High quality historical fiction: O Engages student interest O Levels the playing field O Provides details of daily O O life Focuses on individuals over events Presents the complexity of issues Provide multiple perspectives Bridges the gap between narrative and information text © 2012 CICERO Systems™ 28