Find the Core (simplifying without dumbing down)
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Find the Core (simplifying without dumbing down)
The first principle of sticky ideas is that they are simple. This poses a unique challenge to teachers who face the task of pairing down without dumbing down. The advice here is to “find the core” which means stripping away the non-essential elements and making difficult choices about what to emphasize or even mention. The authors note that the best way to get a core message across is through a generative metaphor, and claim that the holy grail of simplicity is the proverb. With this in mind we can analogize the Industrial Revolution to the Neolithic Revolution: just as the adoption of farming led to a division of labor and changes to the basic structure of human society, so did the industrial revolution (and they are probably equally important to the story of human civilization and progress). The other way to use this principle is through the use of anchors and scaffold. The authors note that simple plus simple can equal complex if there are enough layers. This gives teachers an opportunity to add layers of information as needed by the class or even individuals who may be ready and eager for a more nuanced explanation.
When finding the core there is a false choice between accessibility and accuracy: the point is lost if either is lacking as all the accuracy in the world is useless if it cannot guide behavior or inform predictions. Another way to simplify the Industrial Revolution is to make the claim (which can then be debated) that it marks the beginning of modern society, with the foundations being laid for modern economics, modern conceptions of the roles of government, and an interconnected global economy.
Another suggestion for simplicity is to use the Industrial Revolution rap song from Flocabulary.com. Students can view this at the beginning and end of the unit and be asked to explain a few of the lines from the song after they are more familiar with the concepts. Finally, any textbook chapter can be distilled to 10 sentences or less, and students should always be given such a summary at the start of each unit (higher level classes or students can be asked to create their own after they have read the whole chapter). (See Appendix D for a rough draft of a 10 sentence summary of the Industrial Revolution. Students could be asked to write a paragraph on some or all sentences as the unit progresses).
When finding the core there is a false choice between accessibility and accuracy: the point is lost if either is lacking as all the accuracy in the world is useless if it cannot guide behavior or inform predictions. Another way to simplify the Industrial Revolution is to make the claim (which can then be debated) that it marks the beginning of modern society, with the foundations being laid for modern economics, modern conceptions of the roles of government, and an interconnected global economy.
Another suggestion for simplicity is to use the Industrial Revolution rap song from Flocabulary.com. Students can view this at the beginning and end of the unit and be asked to explain a few of the lines from the song after they are more familiar with the concepts. Finally, any textbook chapter can be distilled to 10 sentences or less, and students should always be given such a summary at the start of each unit (higher level classes or students can be asked to create their own after they have read the whole chapter). (See Appendix D for a rough draft of a 10 sentence summary of the Industrial Revolution. Students could be asked to write a paragraph on some or all sentences as the unit progresses).