I was able to question some of the examples the groups had come up with, and press them on how and why their evidence was appropriate for that theme. This gave me the chance to see what ideas still remained to be discussed, so I added some questions to the handout to provoke further thought. Prior to the mid-term exam, students told me that this handout was a valuable study guide, and for the most part, it was one that they had written themselves. Most of the exams in the history courses in which I've assisted use essays rather than multiple choice questions. One of the most important skills a student in a history class needs is the ability to write clear concise thesis statements.
Students use their posters to help one another articulate an argumentative thesis statement.
Prior to the activity, I modeled for my students some good argumentative thesis statements drawn from old essay exams. I emphasized that in order to take a position on an issue, students must have some information on their side to use as evidence. After discussing what goes into a thesis, I gave my students some practice. Our assigned reading that week was Frederick Douglass's autobiography, which offers vivid descriptions of slavery in the early 19th Century. Each group was given a poster and a major theme from the book, such as slave culture, literacy and education, the brutality of slavery, or religion.