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In collaboration with
Links
article
- National Geographic: Finding Clotilda
- Ocean Exploration and Research: What Tools Does a Marine Archaeologist Use?
- NPR: Alabama Historians Say The Last Known Slave Ship To U.S. Has Been Found
video
- Display the top graphic from the article Finding Clotilda for students.
- Ask: What do you notice in this image? What questions does this image bring to mind?
- After discussing the graphic, divide students into pairs and distribute the Identification and Authentication Seminar Prep Sheet student worksheet.
- Explain: The seminar prep sheet is to help you collect your thoughts and ideas. As you are reading articles or watching videos, it will be helpful to take notes on the preparation sheet so during the seminar, you can refer back to the specific sources we’ve used.
- Have the pairs of students read the remainder of the image captions from Finding Clotilda, noting any relevant details on their worksheet.
- After students have finished reading, ask: What details were known about the Clotilda that could help with its positive identification years after its sinking? List key details from students in a visible location, such as on a whiteboard or chart paper.
- After reading, ask: Which of these tools were probably helpful in identifying and authenticating the Clotilda? (Possible answers: measuring tools, such as rulers or measuring tapes; the type of wood the boat was made from; length of the boat; height of the hold; the type of metals used; 3D scanners; magnetometers).
- Inform students that they will be viewing a short clip from a video that covers what the findings on the Clotilda tell about the stories of the enslaved persons and their descendants.
- Ask students to skim over the questions on their Identification and Authentication Seminar Prep Sheet and to listen for possible responses to those questions as they watch the video.
- Have students watch until 8:15 of The Hunt is on for the Last Slave Ship to Arrive in the U.S. video.
- After watching, have students respond to the relevant questions on their Identification and Authentication Seminar Prep Sheet.
- Then, have students read NPR’s Alabama Historians Say The Last Known Slave Ship To U.S. Has Been Found and respond to the questions on their Identification and Authentication Seminar Prep Sheet.
4. Review the expectations for a seminar discussion, including speaking and listening expectations.
- Prompt students to develop personal speaking and listening goals and write them down on the Identification and Authentication Seminar Prep Sheet.
- Share expectations for the Socratic seminar, including any participation and behavioral expectations, such as each student should participate at least three times, students should refrain from sidebar conversations, and students should not speak over one another or interrupt. It may be helpful to have expectations posted on the wall for quick reference.
- Prior to the seminar, list all participating students in the left column of the Seminar Tracking Sheet.
- Seminar participants should be seated in a circle with the facilitator/teacher included within the circle. Encourage students to refer to the notes they’ve taken on their seminar prep sheet throughout the seminar.
- The facilitator poses questions one at a time, giving students time to respond.
- The first question is suggested as a “round-robin” question that everyone should answer to warm participants up to the seminar process.
- Students are encouraged to share their responses, as well as deepen the responses of others by asking clarifying questions, adding to the thoughts of other participants, or respectfully disagreeing with explanations.
- As students participate, record participation and behaviors on the Seminar Tracking Sheet.
- Once the discussion on one question begins to lull, move on to the next question.
- Have students reflect on whether or not they’ve met their goals and how the learning may impact their own thinking and lives.
- Encourage students who felt unable to share their thoughts during the seminar to write any additional comments they wanted to share in the space provided.
- Collect students' responses.
Informal Assessment
Discussion: As students discuss their findings from the video and the readings, clarify any misunderstandings or probe deeper for further learning.
Identification and Authentication Seminar Prep Sheet: As students are working, walk around monitoring their responses. Encourage students to provide additional detail or reasoning where needed.
Subjects & Disciplines
- Anthropology
- English Language Arts
- Geography
-
Social Studies
- U.S. History
- World History
- Storytelling
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Provide reasoning and evidence when developing answers to open-ended questions.
- Actively participate in a discussion using evidence about historical events and multimedia resources.
- Connect first-person and second-person accounts of historical events to their own lives and the present.
Teaching Approach
- Project-based learning
Teaching Methods
- Discussions
- Multimedia instruction
- Research
Skills Summary
This activity targets the following skills:
-
21st Century Student Outcomes
- Information, Media, and Technology Skills
- Learning and Innovation Skills
- 21st Century Themes
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Critical Thinking Skills
- Analyzing
- Applying
- Remembering
- Understanding
Connections to National Standards, Principles, and Practices
Energy Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts
- D2.Civ.10.6-8: Explain the relevance of personal interests and perspectives, civic virtues, and democratic principles when people address issues and problems in government and civil society.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.2: Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
The College, Career & Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards
- D2.Eco.1.6-8: Explain how economic decisions affect the well-being of individuals, businesses, and society.
- D2.Geo.6.6-8: Explain how the physical and human characteristics of places and regions are connected to human identities and cultures.
- D2.His.6.6-8: Analyze how people’s perspectives influenced what information is available in the historical sources they created.
What You’ll Need
Required Technology
- Internet Access: Required
- Tech Setup: 1 computer per learner, Monitor/screen, Projector, Speakers
Physical Space
- Classroom
Setup
To participate in a seminar, students should be sitting in a circle or square facing one another. This may require desks to be pushed against the wall and students to sit in chairs or on the floor. It is suggested that they do not have access to anything other than their seminar preparation sheets in order to prevent distractions that may come from other materials.
Grouping
- Heterogeneous grouping
- Large-group instruction
- Large-group learning
- Small-group learning
- Small-group work
Accessibility Notes
If anxiety prohibits some students from comfortably discussing their responses during the seminar, another student can share their responses or the student can provide his or her written response to the teacher to read aloud. Credit for the idea should be verbally given to the appropriate student.
Other Notes
Depending on how familiar the class is with discussions and seminars, students may need additional prompting, wait time, or time to address all of the discussion questions. The teacher may choose to omit several core questions if time is short.
Background Information
The Clotilda was an atypical schooner built by William Foster in 1855. Originally built to transport legally imported and exported goods, changes like extra sails, supplies for people, and wood for sleeping platforms were later added for the illegal transport of human cargo. As a result of the illegal nature of this voyage, great efforts were taken to destroy and hide the remains of the Clotilda. However, there were records of the Clotilda’s structure and voyages and those, along with today’s maritime archaeological tools, helped researchers identify and authenticate the remains of the Clotilda.
Prior to the discovery of the Clotilda in 2019, other shipwrecks had been discovered in Mobile Bay and on the Mobile River. As a result of the thorough documentation by shipbuilders in the 1800s, archaeologists today are able to use research and tools to eliminate or authenticate archaeological finds. Despite attempts at destroying evidence of its existence, the discovery and authentication of the Clotilda has validated the experience of those who survived the illegal voyages, as well as their ancestors.
Prior Knowledge
- The transatlantic slave trade was a part of the global slave trade that transported more than 10 million enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean from the 16th century until the early 1800s. Enslaved persons were often used as a manual work force on sugar, tobacco, and cotton plantations. In Africa, the slave trade caused devastation on many fronts. Violence erupted between tribes because of economic incentives that were offered to tribes and warlords in exchange for human cargo. It was difficult for tribes to develop economically or agriculturally because of the decrease in population and fear of captivity and enslavement. Most of the people who were taken captive were young men and women, which meant those left behind were typically too old, disabled, or dependent on others to sustain the African economy. The transatlantic slave trade legally ended for the United States in 1808, but as with most prohibitions, some people continued the practice, ignoring new laws and evading punishment.
Recommended Prior Activities
Vocabulary
real or genuine.
to prohibit or not allow.
material, ideas, or history passed down or communicated by a person or community from the past.
tall, pole-like structure rising above the top of a ship, where sails and other rigging are held.
study of ancient ship construction and use.
something that is left over.
large sailing vessel with at least two equal-sized masts.
cut a hole through the bottom, deck, or side of a ship.
craft for traveling on water, usually larger than a rowboat or skiff.
long journey or trip.
Articles & Profiles
Reference
Tips & Modifications
Tip
Step 5: Provide students with some sort of a counter (chips or cards) to monitor how many times they have participated in the conversation. They can toss their counter in the center of the circle when they participate.
Tip
Step 5: Review the Socratic Seminar teaching strategy from Facing History and Ourselves, if needed.
Tip
Step 5: To avoid seminar participation challenges, it is helpful to set a class expectation of how many times a student should aim to participate. This can be used as part of the assessment as well.
Modification
Steps 5 and 6: Fishbowl: Students sit in chairs that form an inner circle and an outer circle. Each student in the inner circle is paired up and monitored by a student in the outer circle using a form such as the Seminar Tracking Sheet. Students in the inner circle participate in the seminar first, perhaps addressing only a few questions. Then, students from the outer circle swap places with those in the inner circle and participate in the discussion. This strategy can help manage time and/or split the conversation into two days.
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Preserving the Clotilda
Students consider factors contributing to the ownership of artifacts found during excavation and develop a detailed, visual representation of the exhibit or memorial they would like to propose to the Alabama Historical Commission (AHC). Students include artifacts, photographs, and text-based features that will contribute to the story of the Clotilda.
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Treasures in the Permafrost
The Treasures in the Permafrost infographic helps students understand the important role permafrost plays in preserving artifacts—such as those of the Thule people of Greenland—in the soil.
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Reflecting on Your Learning
Students reflect on their learning about Europe and identify any remaining questions about Europe that could guide future research.
-
Preserving the Clotilda
Students consider factors contributing to the ownership of artifacts found during excavation and develop a detailed, visual representation of the exhibit or memorial they would like to propose to the Alabama Historical Commission (AHC). Students include artifacts, photographs, and text-based features that will contribute to the story of the Clotilda.
-
Treasures in the Permafrost
The Treasures in the Permafrost infographic helps students understand the important role permafrost plays in preserving artifacts—such as those of the Thule people of Greenland—in the soil.
-
Reflecting on Your Learning
Students reflect on their learning about Europe and identify any remaining questions about Europe that could guide future research.