Project PRISONS!
CRITICAL THINKING • WRITING • ETHICS • COLLABORATION • RESEARCH • DESIGN THINKING
Students will research the history of correctional facilities in the United States, using Alcatraz as a major case study (and possible field trip). They will learn about reform movements and mass incarceration. Students will consider several viewpoints as they develop a thesis about US prisons, then work on an argumentative essay. They will also use their knowledge and creativity to develop an ideal prison, then place them "behind bars," using grey PVC pipe.
How can archeology deepen my understanding of a place?
Alcatraz Uncovered excites your students about history's mysteries by using Alcatraz Island as your archeological case study. Besides being a popular national park site, Alcatraz served as a military post from 1854 to 1933, a federal penitentiary from 1934 to 1963, the site of an American Indian fight for sovereignty from 1969 to 1971, nesting site for thousands of birds annually, and the subject of many Hollywood movies. Students will search for clues from each historic era and draw conclusions about daily lives and cultural perspectives and contemplate issues facing individuals within each of these time periods.
Alcatraz Uncovered uses the Understanding by Design framework, incorporates Common Core Standards and Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies. The program is framed by the essential question - How can archeology deepen my understanding of a place?
