Being an historian is more than researching other people’s ideas and regurgitating them in a paper. Students of history and everyone in general can be inspired and excited by history when they handle artifacts of the past. Getting access for our students to artifacts can be challenging. Here are a few ideas to consider while you plan for spring assignments.
1. Students can donate volunteer hours at a museum or archeology site to participate in the preservation of history and how to effectively convey our past to the public. An instructor might pre-arrange this for students with a local museum or historical site.
2. Turn your class into a Landmark Society and have each student research viable historic sites and compose a Landmark sign for that site. The project would include understanding what to include on signs and is a great practice on how to be concise. Content on signs are often limited by cost and space. Additionally, Landmark societies often review and edit each others’ work in groups and as an organization approve the content of signs. This process would not only make students “experts” on a particular topic, but also would inspire collaboration and teamwork among class members. Instructors might even assign committee roles to students or allow the class to vote for a Chairman, Co-Chairman, Secretary, ect. Here is one helpful resource to help students get started http://www.landmarksociety.org/section.html?id=1 One technical expansion of this class project would be to make a geo-mashup of these locations and their signs.
3. Finally, send students looking for antiques, or provide pictures or objects for a class to research. Students can go to an antique store or locate an object that has been passed down in their family. They should look for an object they don’t recognize and take a picture or pictures of it. Research the origin and use of the object, maybe they start with the owner of the object to find out what they know about it and it’s significance. Present to the class information about this object in a presentation or report . The first challenge for the class would be to define the term antique…here is a place to start http://collectibles.about.com/od/collectiblesglossarya/g/antique.htm
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Yum! That smells wonderful!
Walking into Grandma’s house on Thanksgiving day, do you smell turkey in the oven, the warm pumpkin pie, hot bread, and apple cider on the stove? Does your family have other traditions that speak about your own customs and history?
What if we invited our students to make historical meals that would travel them back in time to the customs, traditions, and scents of meals from the past? In a unique way, we would engage a learning style that could be coupled with research on not only finding the recipes but why the people we study used those ingredients. Some possibilities include asking students to research on the web the appropriate recipes for the period the class is studying, how and why those ingredients were chosen, and report about their experience cooking, smelling, and tasting the food. Students might also research their own family’s unique recipes, where they came from, and how they are still important to their family’s customs and experiences.
Below are a few web sites with historical recipes.
http://www.historyforkids.org/crafts/index.htm
http://www.shootingstarhistory.com/kidshistory/crafts.htm
http://www.foodtimeline.org/
http://www.foodbooks.com/recipes.htm
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/recipes/ethnic/historical/
http://www.reciperewards.com/Historical.html
As you celebrate Thanksgiving, take a moment to experience some of your family's unique traditions and customs and consider some shared meal traditions you may have with other families. Students in the future might research these very meals and traditions to learn about you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
What if we invited our students to make historical meals that would travel them back in time to the customs, traditions, and scents of meals from the past? In a unique way, we would engage a learning style that could be coupled with research on not only finding the recipes but why the people we study used those ingredients. Some possibilities include asking students to research on the web the appropriate recipes for the period the class is studying, how and why those ingredients were chosen, and report about their experience cooking, smelling, and tasting the food. Students might also research their own family’s unique recipes, where they came from, and how they are still important to their family’s customs and experiences.
Below are a few web sites with historical recipes.
http://www.historyforkids.org/crafts/index.htm
http://www.shootingstarhistory.com/kidshistory/crafts.htm
http://www.foodtimeline.org/
http://www.foodbooks.com/recipes.htm
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/recipes/ethnic/historical/
http://www.reciperewards.com/Historical.html
As you celebrate Thanksgiving, take a moment to experience some of your family's unique traditions and customs and consider some shared meal traditions you may have with other families. Students in the future might research these very meals and traditions to learn about you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Get Engaged
How do we engage students and provide opportunities to actively experience history?
The University of California One outlines a cohesive plan at The History Project Website . Instructors “apprentice students in age-appropriate ways” to “learn to work with sources, consider different perspectives, analyze and interpret information, and marshal evidence in support of their conclusions.” This project includes a lesson plan template, a linear research method, and a sample lesson. Additionally, you’ll find here numerous image and primary source document resources including Our Documents website that houses 100 key US primary sources with images of the originals, transcripts and lessons plans. Hippocampus.org has primary source documents included in its lessons in appropriate places such as the Virginia Charter in the Jamestown Lesson.
But we’ve talked about utilizing primary sources before. I really want students to engage history. Mission Inn Museum in California is getting closer to what I am thinking of with their Hands-On History Lesson Plans and their Family Voices Project. In the Family Voices Project students are “given the task of choosing a family-related object or tradition and conducting research on their chosen subject with their families. Project artists- including a writer, a storyteller/singer, and a photographer- work with the students through numerous workshops to teach the students how to preserve their family heritages through written, oral, and visual techniques.” What a way to make history relevant to the student and a life-long mission!
The Family Voices project could be adapted to any classroom or online learning environment, but the students would become their own artists. As a group project each student could be responsible for creating a piece of the project to illustrate a tradition or historical significance of an object. A history must be able to research a topic but also be able to tell the story in a creative and interesting way so others will listen. This project certainly gets the students involved in research but also how to share their knowledge with others in dynamic ways.
Next time get ready to engage your sense of smell!
The University of California One outlines a cohesive plan at The History Project Website . Instructors “apprentice students in age-appropriate ways” to “learn to work with sources, consider different perspectives, analyze and interpret information, and marshal evidence in support of their conclusions.” This project includes a lesson plan template, a linear research method, and a sample lesson. Additionally, you’ll find here numerous image and primary source document resources including Our Documents website that houses 100 key US primary sources with images of the originals, transcripts and lessons plans. Hippocampus.org has primary source documents included in its lessons in appropriate places such as the Virginia Charter in the Jamestown Lesson.
But we’ve talked about utilizing primary sources before. I really want students to engage history. Mission Inn Museum in California is getting closer to what I am thinking of with their Hands-On History Lesson Plans and their Family Voices Project. In the Family Voices Project students are “given the task of choosing a family-related object or tradition and conducting research on their chosen subject with their families. Project artists- including a writer, a storyteller/singer, and a photographer- work with the students through numerous workshops to teach the students how to preserve their family heritages through written, oral, and visual techniques.” What a way to make history relevant to the student and a life-long mission!
The Family Voices project could be adapted to any classroom or online learning environment, but the students would become their own artists. As a group project each student could be responsible for creating a piece of the project to illustrate a tradition or historical significance of an object. A history must be able to research a topic but also be able to tell the story in a creative and interesting way so others will listen. This project certainly gets the students involved in research but also how to share their knowledge with others in dynamic ways.
Next time get ready to engage your sense of smell!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Games!
I freely admit that I have always disliked playing video games; however, in today's world with modern students, instructors can expect that video games will engage and teach their students at all levels of education in ways traditional education does not.
I prefer free games that are easy to access for me and my students. Some games are very simple crossword puzzles and matching games such as those found at one site for Elementary Children and this free resource. Others can be more involved like the ones on this BBC site where role playing and experimenting with different scenarios teaches about the past. One site with a wide variety of game types and topics is History.com.
A resource that I enjoyed included many games from several periods of US history including one two player game where you act as British or Colonials battling it out for control of the Colonies. Another role playing game at pbs.org tests if you can Strike It Rich in the California Gold Rush.
A simple five question game about myself that both my husband and I had fun taking was "Which Founding Father are You?" at http://www.constitutionfacts.com/. Surprisingly, this quick game got a conversation going in my house (He was Hamilton and I was Madison)... this game might be a fun way to engage or "hook" students in a more in-depth discussion about founding fathers.
You may be asking yourself "How can I assess learning from a game?" I know I have debated the use of games. However, I am beginning to realize that the rehearsal of information presented in new, dynamic, and interesting ways and the problem solving in these games has as much value as some other more traditional practice activities. There are, of coarse, games that are much cooler and detailed that are not free. But those are for another day...do you have any free games you like to use with your classes?
I prefer free games that are easy to access for me and my students. Some games are very simple crossword puzzles and matching games such as those found at one site for Elementary Children and this free resource. Others can be more involved like the ones on this BBC site where role playing and experimenting with different scenarios teaches about the past. One site with a wide variety of game types and topics is History.com.
A resource that I enjoyed included many games from several periods of US history including one two player game where you act as British or Colonials battling it out for control of the Colonies. Another role playing game at pbs.org tests if you can Strike It Rich in the California Gold Rush.
A simple five question game about myself that both my husband and I had fun taking was "Which Founding Father are You?" at http://www.constitutionfacts.com/. Surprisingly, this quick game got a conversation going in my house (He was Hamilton and I was Madison)... this game might be a fun way to engage or "hook" students in a more in-depth discussion about founding fathers.
You may be asking yourself "How can I assess learning from a game?" I know I have debated the use of games. However, I am beginning to realize that the rehearsal of information presented in new, dynamic, and interesting ways and the problem solving in these games has as much value as some other more traditional practice activities. There are, of coarse, games that are much cooler and detailed that are not free. But those are for another day...do you have any free games you like to use with your classes?
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Returned from Disney and ready to Go
I've missed communicating with you in this history blog that was dormant for the summer.
While away, my family took a vacation to Disney World where my two daughters had many dreams realized. This was our first visit, and I have to say that Disney World is more than cartoon characters and good marketing. It was an amazing place where technology, creativity, and learning came together. My oldest daughter left inspired to be an imagineer when she grows up, and really aren't we all hoping that our children will have the opportunity to use their creativity to solve, build, and inspire others.
While visiting Epcot, we traveled in the giant sphere on the old ride that illustrates historical moments in the development of communication and writing. It concludes with a brief look at computers and the internet. My young daughters can't imagine a world without instant communication, yet left the ride understanding that our level of information sharing today was a gradual progression of learning and inventing. What a hands-on, multi-learning style way of teaching history!
I teach US History Online using the Hippocampus.org content and often hear from college level students that this is a more active, engaging learning experience than simply reading a textbook and sitting in class. I believe it is the first step to creating a course that inspires students to learn more.
What's next? Join me in the upcoming months for some ideas on how to engage student's imaginations, communication skills, and all learning styles.
While away, my family took a vacation to Disney World where my two daughters had many dreams realized. This was our first visit, and I have to say that Disney World is more than cartoon characters and good marketing. It was an amazing place where technology, creativity, and learning came together. My oldest daughter left inspired to be an imagineer when she grows up, and really aren't we all hoping that our children will have the opportunity to use their creativity to solve, build, and inspire others.
While visiting Epcot, we traveled in the giant sphere on the old ride that illustrates historical moments in the development of communication and writing. It concludes with a brief look at computers and the internet. My young daughters can't imagine a world without instant communication, yet left the ride understanding that our level of information sharing today was a gradual progression of learning and inventing. What a hands-on, multi-learning style way of teaching history!
I teach US History Online using the Hippocampus.org content and often hear from college level students that this is a more active, engaging learning experience than simply reading a textbook and sitting in class. I believe it is the first step to creating a course that inspires students to learn more.
What's next? Join me in the upcoming months for some ideas on how to engage student's imaginations, communication skills, and all learning styles.
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