Sense of History
History is a vibrant collection of parallel stories, and it cannot be fully understood just by reading about it or listening to a teacher talk about it. I believe that it is essential to spark students' curiosity to explore the world beyond the classroom, and to help them hone the skills they will need in college and beyond. This includes taking students on learning expeditions to learn about history in our local community. Our world has become smaller and more interconnected than at any point in our collective history.
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One of the ways that I put these ideals into practice in my classroom is through a series of units called “Getting a Sense for History.” I believe that students need to learn early on in their journeys that history is so much more than what is written in textbooks. They must explore history using all of their senses (well minus smell), so I have designed four projects that do exactly that; Taste of History, Sights/Sites of History, Sound of History, and Touch of History. These projects also serve to build a greater sense of community within the classroom, as they provide opportunities for students to incorporate and share parts of their personal histories with their peers.
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Taste of History
No matter what background you come from there is one thing that connects all humans, food. But have you ever thought about what we can learn about people and their history by looking at what and how they eat? Inspired by the Netflix show "Street Food" and the book/show "High on the Hog," this project gives students an opportunity to do exactly that. To select a dish/food that they love, and learn about the origin and history of that dish.
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Sights/Sites of History
This project takes a look at the power that an image or a monument holds in telling the story of history. Over the course of this project students will understand that when creating monuments, artists and communities make choices about what aspects of a particular history are worth remembering and what parts are intentionally left out. Students will research and design their own memorial to represent a historical idea, event, or person they deem worthy of commemoration.
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Sounds of history
Music is an essential part of culture and identity. It serves to connect us, but it also gives us insight into the experiences and practices of different cultures. In this project students will come to understand the roll that music played in shaping the concept of the American Dream in the United States. This will lead to their creation of the own American Dream playlist filled with music that represents their own story and the dreams they hold for themselves.
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Touch of herstory
Through out history social movements for change have used many strategies to help raise awareness about their cause. This lesson will look at the ways many of these movements made use of fashion as a form of protest to help physically represent their message. Looking specifically at the roll it has played in women's movements throughout history. Starting with the early Women's Suffrage Movement and ending with the 2016 Women's March on Washington. Over the course of history groups have used what they wear as a tool to communicate their message.
