That word “standardized” in standardized testing is there for a reason and I need to remember that when the test scores come back in a few weeks and show that my 2nd grader hasn’t gotten the traditional standardized 2nd grade history education yet. I’m not worried – I know she’s been getting history education, but apparently it looks differently than that of the other kids.
When I picked the girls up today from their testing site, I asked if they remembered any of the questions and if they thought they knew the answers or if they had to guess at any of them. Maddie said that for the test on environmental studies, they asked her a question that said, “Which black woman refused to give up her seat on a bus and was put in jail for it?” She said, “I choose the one with glasses.” Anyone know if Rosa wore glasses? We’ll find out I guess. She then told me that another question asked her to name the woman who made the first American flag and that it started with a Betsy. Those two she had to guess on.
I panicked for a minute as I thought I’d forgotten some pretty important parts of her education, but then just as quickly remembered that American history comes later on the 4 year classical cycle, and that we’ve pretty thoroughly covered the Ancients by now. I guessed that the standardized tests didn’t ask her many questions about the ancient civilizations.
That’s okay, because I already know what she knows. And we’ll get to Rosa Parks and Betsy Ross soon.
Half-Pint House 
I know the exact question you mean because I administered a test to two second graders! I couldn’t believe that they were supposed to identify Rosa Parks by a picture (drawing)! There were a couple of other ones that surprised me, too.
My son said he had a lot of economics questions on his test, and of course, we didn’t study economics this year. Fun!
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As your local Rosa Parks expert (given the fact that we live in Montgomery), I am almost positive she wore glasses. I’m sure you were holding your breath to find that out!
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According to the picture in this article she does.
Betsy Ross is the other, but you knew that.
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in second grade, aren’t your main concerns going to be in the areas of reading and math? that they are up to speed there? i’m sure they are WAY ahead in reading. they HAVE to be in your house. the fact that they haven’t had all the US history facts by now b/c they are studying ancient history is no big deal. m
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Well, RP wore glasses when she appeared on Touched by an Angel, so Mary probably guessed right. *shrug*
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Are they really still teaching that Betsy Ross made the first American flag? That is totally an urban legend.
http://www.usflag.org/history/aboutbetsyross.html
Teaching history to kids can be tricky. It wasn’t until I was in middle school that I figured out that Christopher Columbus wasn’t one of the Pilgrims. Of course, maybe I was/am just an idiot.
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I thought the same thing about Betsy Ross as Nick. Was there a question on the test about the Great Lakes being formed by a Big Blue Ox?
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Oh wow. My only knowledge of Betsy Ross came from my own standardized education as a child. I had no idea there was a question there.
Just add that to my growing list of reasons why I continue to homeschool. I really hope our books on American history are factual in nature! 🙂
As for the Big Blue Ox… I have no idea (if there was a question on the test, that is) – technically we’re not supposed to know, but I did ask them if they remembered any of the stumpers and those were the ones she came up with.
Now then, Nick – do you believe man really landed on the moon?
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I know the exact question you mean because I administered a test to two second graders! I couldn’t believe that they were supposed to identify Rosa Parks by a picture (drawing)! There were a couple of other ones that surprised me, too.
My son said he had a lot of economics questions on his test, and of course, we didn’t study economics this year. Fun!
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As your local Rosa Parks expert (given the fact that we live in Montgomery), I am almost positive she wore glasses. I’m sure you were holding your breath to find that out!
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According to the picture in this article she does.
Betsy Ross is the other, but you knew that.
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in second grade, aren’t your main concerns going to be in the areas of reading and math? that they are up to speed there? i’m sure they are WAY ahead in reading. they HAVE to be in your house. the fact that they haven’t had all the US history facts by now b/c they are studying ancient history is no big deal. m
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Well, RP wore glasses when she appeared on Touched by an Angel, so Mary probably guessed right. *shrug*
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Are they really still teaching that Betsy Ross made the first American flag? That is totally an urban legend.
http://www.usflag.org/history/aboutbetsyross.html
Teaching history to kids can be tricky. It wasn’t until I was in middle school that I figured out that Christopher Columbus wasn’t one of the Pilgrims. Of course, maybe I was/am just an idiot.
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I thought the same thing about Betsy Ross as Nick. Was there a question on the test about the Great Lakes being formed by a Big Blue Ox?
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Oh wow. My only knowledge of Betsy Ross came from my own standardized education as a child. I had no idea there was a question there.
Just add that to my growing list of reasons why I continue to homeschool. I really hope our books on American history are factual in nature! 🙂
As for the Big Blue Ox… I have no idea (if there was a question on the test, that is) – technically we’re not supposed to know, but I did ask them if they remembered any of the stumpers and those were the ones she came up with.
Now then, Nick – do you believe man really landed on the moon?
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Yep, Rosa Parks wore glasses. And Birmingham has a great Civil Rights museum.
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Yep, Rosa Parks wore glasses. And Birmingham has a great Civil Rights museum.
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