I'm a fan of the Common Core state standards as their emphasis on skills over factual knowledge seems to me a better fit with the kind of teaching we need to do in order to prepare our students to be their most successful selves in the modern world. I do, however, think it is an oversight that these standards as a whole do not explicitly define and assess global competency. Still, Common Core meshes nicely with a global approach to education.
Here are a few examples. I will list below sample standards along with how they can be globalized in a middle school social studies classroom.
1.
Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
Globalization: In a simulated United Nations forum such as the one I use as a culmination for the World of Wonders unit, each student must support his/her ideas with evidence. That evidence is strongest when it comes from primary sources. At the same time, students practice their presentation skills, a key component of global competency.
Integration of Global Education:
*Students will be able to distinguish fact from opinion in a source written by a non-American
*Students will understand how to distinguish between primary and secondary sources in newspaper articles written by foreign publishers.
Specific Lesson Plan Modifications for Global Education:
*Students will read and analyze opinion editorials published in foreign newspapers
*Students will text-code the narrative account of the slave Venture Smith taken from Africa
Informal Outcome Assessments:
* Students will select a primary source article from any non-American newspaper linked on Newseum's Todays Front Pages section, highlight the thesis and highlight evidence used to support that thesis
2.
Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Globalization: Before participating in the United Nations simulation, students read and discuss meeting protocol. They need to not only define terms used in diplomatic settings such as decorum, motion, adjourn, abstain, caucus, and placard, they also need to demonstrate their understanding by using them in practice.
Integration of Global Education:
*Students will be able to define key words in the United Nation's Declaration of Human Rights
* Students will be able to find and define social studies vocabulary terms in WInston Churchill's "Never Give In" speech
Specific Lesson Plan Modifications for Global Education:
* Students will use a 'numbered-heads together lesson' to break the UN Human Rights document into sections and share findings.
* Students will watch video on Churchill's speech and then use key terms in a speech of their own
Informal Outcome Assessments:
* Students will participate in a Model United Nations session in which they will demonstrate use of key social studies terms in action