SOCIAL STUDIES INTERACTIONS   Copy and print this page to paste in your SS spiral (on inside cover).

 Use a variety of interactions.  Focus on quality and meaningfulness!  Create at least two interactions per chapter.  One interaction per section, e.g. 8.1, is even better!  All interactions must be original work.  The purpose is to process the information you've learned in a new and different way in order to understand it better and remember it longer.  DO NOT simply COPY pictures, charts, graphs, timelines, etc. 

• VISUALIZE 5-6 key terms, people, places, events, i.e. draw a picture, cartoon, or icon/symbol.  Include a caption (sentence) for each one.  Dialogue bubbles and/or labels are also helpful.  Avoid "portraits" (the face of a person) unless (a) it resembles the person and (b) this really helps you learn and remember.  A cartoon showing key people interacting/speaking with each other is much better.  Dialogue bubbles should reflect what you learned.
• VENN DIAGRAM: Compare and contrast important people or events.  Consider using thematic shapes rather than just circles!  Several bullets of information are required, not just 2 or 3, please.
• Pose 3-4 QUESTIONS (counts as one interaction).  Don't forget how and why questions, in addition to who, when, where, what questions!  Provide the answer to each of your questions.  Three FAT questions with complex answers are better than 4 or 5 questions with simple, short answers.
• EVALUATE (judge) a person, group, or event (I think...because...) Each evaluation should be a BEEFY paragraph that reflects your KNOWLEDGE and OPINION.   Usually, two evaluations will count as one interaction.  You might want to evaluate and compare two different people. groups, or events, such as the Democrats and the Republicans, or the American Revolution and the War of 1812.
• SUMMARIZE briefly the main concepts of each lesson (3-4 sentences per lesson).  If a chapter has 4 lessons (sections), four brief summaries would equal one interaction.  DO NOT just copy the main ideas in each lesson!
• Make 3-4 INFERENCES or GENERALIZATIONS or draw CONCLUSIONS:
      In general, ...
      ...Thus,...
      I conclude that...
      This infers that...  (Exlain what "this" is, first.)
• ACROSTIC: Write  an acrostic about an important person, event, etc.  An acrostic should use at least 8 letters and each letter should begin a sentence, not just a word or phrase.  Use a variety of sentence patterns.
• POEM:  Write a poem with 10 or more lines that reflects your knowledge and understanding.  It should use rhyme, rhythm, and/ or other literary devices to make it poetic.
• Create a FLOW CHART that shows a chronology of events and/or cause & effect relationships
• Draw and label a TIMELINE of main events in the chapter (different from the one's provided in textbook).  Consider illustrating some events are the timeline.  Simple drawings or icons are fine.
• If you think of other ideas for interactions, let me know!

rsantibanez@powayusd.com  (last revised 3/19/09)