Carly Starn

Starn’s innovative teaching idea, “Write Like a Historian,” focuses on the implementation and expansion of an online Document Based Questions (DBQ) source program, which currently is only offered to eighth graders. Starn’s aim is to expand the program to the rest of the middle school to create a consistent and reliable writing development tool that fosters grade appropriate growth. The program allows for both guided and independent conclusions to be drawn to appeal to both advanced and special education students. To further develop critical thinking skills, the program institutes projects such as essays or multimedia presentations so students can demonstrate their understanding of the topic in both structured and creative ways. The long term results are students who are better equipped for high school level writing and analysis in a world that is constantly evolving around them.