Medium Post 3 Tariffs
One of the great joys about history is connecting it to contemporary issues and having students see the connection. For this lesson have high school social studies students do a “What do you know? What do you want to know? and What have you learned?” activity (KWL). Use this article titled: China Suggests a Trade Compromise With the Trump Administration. The article discuss the negotiations going on between the US and China on ending the tariffs that the US has put on China. The US and China are two of the largest economies in the world, if either is disrupted, it affects the global economy as well. No matter the outcome of these negotiations, it will have an affect on the future of the world, thus changing history. For high school social studies, use this article as a launching pad to have students find other examples of tariffs and the US and how it affected the US/world.
To start the KWL activity, have students take out a piece of paper and a pencil, or a tablet, or computer. Then have each student write/type 3–4 bits of information they know about tariffs and the US. After that is done, have the students write/type 3–4 questions they want answered about tariffs. Now have each student read or listen to the article, have them write anything down that answers their questions or is knew information. Once all students are done, reading have them write/type 3–4 bits they learned from the article about tariffs and the US. Bring the whole class together, and go over what the students have learned from the article about tariffs and the US. After about ten minutes, bring the class into focus, let them know they will be doing a research project. The research project is on the US, tariffs, and how they have affected the US/world in the past and present. Students will be given the option of working with a partner or solo. Using preselected text and websites direct students to picking a specific time in US history that was affected by tariffs. The students will have three days to work on the project in class. At which point they will present with a PowerPoint or acted out scene. Or they can turn in a three page paper, comic strip, or a podcast discussion. It is suggested to use a rubric to grade the project.
The project will meet social studies content standard 1 “Students access, synthesize, and evaluate information to communicate and apply social studies knowledge to real world situations.” As well as content standard 4 “ Students demonstrate an understanding of the effects of time, continuity, and change on historical and future perspectives and relationships.” In addition it will answer the Grand Challenge of understanding the American experience. Use material culture and documentary collections to research and interpret American life and national identity. By allowing the project to be on the US and tariffs which also means the world. Enables students to be in their academic identity and still complete the project.
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