Educator. Creator. Optimist.
Portfolio:
Lesson Plans and Student Work
In my classroom, I take the core values of history education: critical thinking, inquiry, and contextual understanding, and implement them in ways that align with my students’ strengths. My lessons are designed to be creative, academically rigorous, and kinesthetic, offering students multiple entry points to engage with historical content. Whether through hands-on activities, thoughtful discussion, or interdisciplinary projects, I strive to make history meaningful, relevant, and accessible for all learners.
The Mauryan Empire:
Was King Ashoka Really Great?
What makes a good ruler—and can a ruler ever truly change?
This 9th grade world history lesson uses the rise of the Mauryan Empire and the complex legacy of Ashoka the Great to spark critical thinking about leadership and transformation. After a brief lecture on the empire’s unification of India, students engage in a source-based investigation of Ashoka’s reign.
The core of the lesson is a Mini Document-Based Question (DBQ) in which students analyze primary and secondary sources to evaluate whether Ashoka deserves the title “the Great.” This task builds skills in argumentative writing and historical reasoning, preparing students for more advanced DBQ-style assessments later in the year. Through discussion, evidence analysis, and writing, students practice thinking like historians while exploring enduring questions of power, morality, and legacy.
The Rise of the Qin
and Shi Huangdi
This Qin Dynasty lesson introduces students to the foundations of Chinese ethical and political thought. Framed around the essential question, “Are humans inherently evil, or can they be trusted to follow their instincts?”, students explore the rise of Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of a unified China, and the Legalist philosophy that shaped his rule.
To deepen engagement and build historical writing skills, students take on the role of news reporters, investigating Shi Huangdi’s legacy and crafting a report on how history should remember him. Through this creative lens, students analyze sources, weigh evidence, and practice argumentative writing while grappling with the moral and political complexity of authoritarian leadership. This lesson also sets the stage for future comparisons with Confucianism and Daoism, enriching their understanding of Chinese ethical systems.
New York Times: The Year in Pictures
“The Year in Pictures” is a media literacy and history-focused ELA assignment that invites students to reflect on the major events of the previous year and consider how it might be remembered in the historical record. Using photographs and news coverage as a starting point, students analyze current events through both critical and creative lenses.
They are encouraged to express their understanding by choosing from a range of formats: original poetry, visual art, or written reflection. This lesson builds skills in media analysis, historical perspective, and expressive communication, while giving students space to engage with the world around them in meaningful, personal ways.
