1. Inquiry
1.1. Relevant connections with own lives
1.1.1. Diana-looking at the chart of Taino population "Cause there's me! 'Cause I'm alive!"
1.2. Creating essential questions
1.2.1. "Many teachers find it hard to let go of authoritatively knowing, but that is the first step, to model for my students how to ask really big and hard questions."
2. Content
2.1. Variety of perspectives
2.1.1. Witness activity
2.2. Socially constructed, history as someone's story
2.2.1. Personal opinions in journals
2.3. What topics will you teach and how?
2.3.1. Difference between Cowhey's Columbus instruction and what students will later learn
3. Pedagogy
3.1. Use of primary sources
3.1.1. Letters, journals, witness activity
3.2. Discussions
3.2.1. "How do you get at the truth?"
3.2.2. "What's your evidence?"
3.3. Role play and simulation
3.3.1. Alien and earthling activity
4. Social Justice
4.1. Thinking about definitions and meanings
4.1.1. Charts of vocabulary words related to unit
4.1.2. Importance of precise language
4.2. Power relationships
4.2.1. Aliens taking things from earthlings
4.3. Democracy/Citizenship
4.3.1. "If you do not create citizens who think critically about history and current events in the context of history, then you give tyranny a free hand. Democracy doesn't work as democracy with an ignorant and apathetic citizenry."