In Mrs. Collins’ 10th grade U.S. History class, students were actively engaged in analyzing historical documents and strengthening their writing skills through Document-Based Questions (DBQs) aligned to KSA expectations.
Students worked with authentic, released assessment items, closely reading documents, identifying key information, and responding to complex questions. As they analyzed sources, students unpacked vocabulary, made sense of historical context, and applied evidence to support their thinking.
Students also examined the DBQ rubric and reviewed exemplars representing different performance levels. Through discussion, they explained their thinking, compared responses, and identified what strong historical writing looks like. This process helped students understand expectations and reflect on how to improve their own work.
Building on this learning, students will write their own DBQs focused on explaining how and why the 1920s changed American society, using evidence from multiple primary and secondary sources to support their claims.
This learning experience highlights students taking ownership of their learning—analyzing, discussing, and refining their thinking as historians.