A ChatGPT-Using Learning Activity Pertaining to Women in America from 1607–1945

Designed for middle school and high school US History students

This activity seeks to engage students in a critical thinking exercise that first calls on the students to use CHatGPT to learn more about the historical significance of different women in American history and then to use what they’ve learned and CHatGPT to create a no-more-than two-minute oral presentation designed to convince their city’s mayor to rename a street located within the city’s borders with a name of an important woman in American history (1607–1945).

Instructions:

Divide the class into groups of 2–3 students.

Ask each group to select one of the names appearing below:

• Ida Tarbell
• Jane Adams
• Abigail Adams
• Clara Barton
• Susan B. Anthony
• Frances Willard
• Florence Nightingale
• Emily Dickinson
• Mary McLeod Bethune
• Margaret Sanger
• Sojourner Truth
• Ida B. Wells
• The Lowell Mill Girls
• Elizebeth Cady Stanton
• Harriet Tubman
• Harriet Beecher Stowe

Ask each group to use CHatGPT (if their school allows it) to research the historical significance of the person their group has selected.

Then ask the students to use what they have learned and ChatGPT to create a no more than two-minute oral presentation calling for the renaming of a street located within the city where the students go to school.

• This oral presentation should reveal the name of the street that the students want to see renamed and the name that the students want to see go in its place (ie., will it be Ida Tarbell Way, Tarbell Way, Tarbell Lane, the Tarbell Alley, etc.?)
• This oral presentation should also explain why the students think the street they have selected for remaining should be renamed after the person they have selected, and what impact this would have on the community.

Then have the students use ChatGPT (if their school allows it) to help them figure out how best to respond to any logical follow-up questions and/or any criticisms of their street renaming proposal.

Once all groups have completed their oral presentations and learned how to respond to any logical follow-up questions and/or criticism of their street renaming proposal, ask the mayor (or a city council representative) to come to the class to hear the students’ oral presentations.

Remember, the students’ street renaming oral presentation should last no more than two minutes, with the period for follow-up questions not to exceed five minutes in length.

After each group has presented, ask the mayor (or city council representative) for feedback.

Hold a class discussion to reflect on the process of using CHatGPT to conduct research and to create an oral presentation that seeks to convince a real-life audience to make a change for the better.

Sidenote #1:
I recently put this learning activity before the students enrolled in my four APUSH classes, though with the following changes.

• Rather than ask the students to try to rename a city street, I directed them to try to rename an access road found on the San Marino High School campus, with this access road nearly a 1/4 mile in length and commonly referred to as the West Driveway.
• Rather than ask the San Marino city mayor to hear the students’ oral presentation, I asked one of my students to take on the role of the SMUSD Superintendent and five other students to take on the role of SMUSD Board Members. I then took on the role of an SMHS junior, meaning I started off the “Board Meeting” by asking the “superintendent” and five “board members” to vote in favor of renaming the West Driveway to Tarbell Way.

Here’s the script for my oral presentation.

Superintendent, esteemed board members, and members of our community, good evening.

I stand before you tonight with a burning passion in my heart and a fire in my soul.

Specifically, I propose that we rename the West Driveway, also known as the access road to San Marino High School, to Tarbell Way.

Ida Tarbell, as you perhaps know already, was a trailblazer, a pioneer, and a force to be reckoned with. Through her journalistic work, she exposed the corrupt practices of the Standard Oil Company and through her determination, led to its breakup and shaped our nation’s antitrust laws.

But this is not just about recognizing a historical figure, it’s about inspiring our students, our community and future generations. It’s about showing them that one person can make a difference, that one person can change the course of history. It’s about creating a tangible reminder that standing up for what is right, and fighting for justice, is worth it. Especially, for the young girls in our high school, it will be a source of inspiration and a reminder that they can also achieve great things in their lives, just like Ida Tarbell did.

I urge you with all my heart, to support this proposal and rename the West Driveway to Tarbell Way. It is a small change that will have a big impact on our community, and on the next generation of leaders. Let us honor the legacy of Ida Tarbell, let us inspire our students to strive for excellence and to make a difference in the world. Let us make a change that will be felt for generations to come. Thank you.”

After giving my oral presenation, the superintendent and board members asked a number of questions. So did various “audience members” (aka the other students in the class.)

Some of the best questions/comments I received can be found below:

1. Why not rename the West Driveway to Barton Way, in honor of Clara Barton? She did a lot of good and, according to my research, didn’t say the kind of problematic and quasi-misogynistic things that Tarbell said.
2. Why not rename the West Driveway to Tubman Way, in honor of Harriet Tubman? Her story is way cooler than either Barton’s or Tarbell’s.
3. We should think twice about naming it Barton Way given that we have a teacher at the school with the last name of Barton. He’s a man and therefore if we name the driveway after him, the message we’re trying to convey will either be lost or muddled.
4. Given that there’s a serious attempt to put Tubman on the $20.00 bill, then she’s surely worthy of having her name attached to the West Driveway.
5. This is so stupid. It’s been called the West Drive for nearly seventy-five years, so leave it alone. Besides, if you’re going to name something after Tubman, then I suggest picking something way better than a little lame lane.
6. Soujourner Truth is my hero. She did and stood for so many cool things. Above all else, she had a great motto; “Work hard, be kind, and help others.” That’s the kind of philosophy we promote here at SMHS and with that said, I support the call to rename the West Driveway to Truth Way.

To help the superintendent learn how to conduct the school board meeting, I again turned to CHatGPT. Below is the script that CHatGPT produced:

Superintendent: Good evening and welcome to tonights, January 21, 2023 San Marino Unified School District school board meeting. I would like to call this meeting to order.

The first and only item on our agenda is a matter of great importance to our community. As many of you know, there has been a recent push to rename the West Driveway in honor of female that has played an important role in American history between 1607 and 1945.

In that regard, we will now here from San Marino High School APUSH student, Joe Titan. Joe will present for no more than two minutes, after which board members and audience members will have the opportunity to ask follow-up questions. Joe, please come forward and begin your presentation.

(Joe gives his presentation)

Superintendent when Joe has finished: Thank you, Joe, for your presentation. Board members, any questions?

(Questions from board members)

Superintendent when seeing that the board members don’t have any more questions or have stalled: Members of the audience, do you have any questions?

(Questions from audence members)

Superintendent when seeing that neither the board nor the audence members have any more questions put’: Thank you, Joe, for your presentation. Board members, any questions?

Superintendent: Thank you, Joe, for your time and for sharing your insights with us. You may be seated now.

Superintendent: All right everyone, now that we have heard from Joe and have had the opportunity to ask any follow-up questions, it is time to put this question to a vote. The question at hand is whether to rename West Drive after any one of the following, Jane Adams, Abigail Adams, Clara Barton, Susan B. Anthony, Frances Willard, Florence Nightingale, Emily Dickinson, Mary McLeod Bethune, Margaret Sanger, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, The Lowell Mill Girls, Elizebeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, or Harriet Beecher Stowe

We will conduct the vote through hand raising.

(Voting and tallying of results)

Superintendent: The votes have been tallied, with the board deciding that (either the superintendent announces the name of one of the historical figures or the superintendent says that the majority of the board has decided to leave the driveway named as is — the West Driveway.).

Superintendent: Ok everyone, with that work completed this board meeting is about to end, but before we officially adjourn, I would first like to take a moment to thank all of the board members, staff members, and members of the community who have participated in the discussion and decision-making process. Your input and engagement is greatly appreciated.

I would also like to remind everyone of the next meeting date and time and the agenda for that meeting.

I would also like to remind everyone that all meeting minutes will be posted on our website for review, and any further questions or concerns can be addressed through email or at the next board meeting.

And last but not least, I would like to thank everyone once again for their time and dedication to the education and well-being of our students and community.

This meeting is now adjourned.

Sidenote #2
To take this one step further, you could ask the students to use CHatGPT to produce a story describing for their local newspaper what took place during their mock school board hearing.

When I asked CHatGPT to do this for my period 5 mock school board hearing, I received what appears below, but only after having CHatGPT produce more than a half dozen drafts. In other words, I kept having to ask CHatGPT to make changes. The work that CHatGPT produces is only as good as the directions you give it.

SMHS Students Hold Mock School Board Hearing to Debate Renaming of the West Driveway

Recently, Mr. Paccone’s 5th-period APUSH class engaged in a mock San Marino Unified School District Board Hearing, with one student taking on the role of superintendent and five of the students taking on the role of board members tasked with deciding whether to keep the name of the school’s West Driveway as is or renaming it after a historical figure.

The options presented to the board included: Ida Tarbell, Jane Adams, Abigail Adams, Clara Barton, Susan B. Anthony, Frances Willard, Florence Nightingale, Emily Dickinson, Mary McLeod Bethune, Margaret Sanger, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, The Lowell Mill Girls, Elizebeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Leave It As Is.

The meeting started off with student-superintendent Mathew Mizrahi calling the board to order.

Then various students were given a chance to argue in favor of the historical figure they believed the West Driveway should be named after. Board and members of the audience then asked some follow-up questions.

Toward the end of the period, the board deliberated on the merits of each proposal and after only a few minutes of discussion and debate, voted unanimously to rename the driveway to Barton Way, in honor of Clara Barton.

“I think a better choice would have been to rename the West Driveway to Barton Way, in honor of Clara Barton,” said student and audience member, Carlos Kassam Clay. “Barton did a lot of good and, according to my research, didn’t say the kind of problematic and quasi-misogynistic things that Tarbell said.”

Student Jason Kurtenbach also didn’t support the board decision. “I wish the board would have decided to name it Tubman Way,” in honor of Harriet Tubman. Tubman’s story is way cooler than either Barton’s story or the story of any of the other choices,” Kurtenbach said.

This reporter also couldn’t find one SMHS teacher who supported the board’s decision. SMHS Department Chair Casey Holcomb especially urged the board to reconsider. “I think it’s a bad call to rename the West Driveway to Barton Way given the fact that we have a teacher at the school with the last name of Barton,” said Holcomb. “The teacher names Barton is a man and therefore if we name the driveway after a Barton, the message you’re all trying to convey will either be lost or muddled.”

Even English teacher Lisa Davidson thought the board should have selected someone else. “Soujourner Truth is my hero,” she said.” Truth did and stood for so many cool things. Above all else, she had a great motto; ‘Work hard, be kind, and help others.’ That’s the kind of philosophy we promote here at SMHS and with that said, I think your board should have decided to rename the West Driveway to Truth Way.”

In any event, the “student board” has made its call. Now it will be interesting to see whether any of the five student board members, the student superintendent, or any of the student-audience members will press the matter further