How to Handle 9/11 September 5, 2011
Posted by Wendy Wolfe in Educational Resources, History, US History, Webbased tools.Tags: 9/11, US History
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I remember my colleague Brian appearing in my door saying, “Turn on the news, someone just flew a plane into the World Trade Center,” voting in the primary that day, and fighter jets occasionally flying over the city. I have 3 sections of seniors this year so they were about seven years old on 9/11 and I imagine that their memories are more connected to their emotions and how their households handled the day and those following it rather than the images of the day’s events unfolding in real-time. Next Sunday being 9/11/11, I have a little time, but I haven’t settled on how to address 9/11 in class this week. In August, the Smithsonian held a conference centered on 9/11 and teaching contemporary history. The conference was recorded and is available on the conference website, as well as links to 9/11 timelines and teaching resources from across the web. Thinking across the web, Larry Ferlazzo also has a great collection of “The Best Sites to Help Teach About 9/11.”
What really drives my thoughts this morning? I turned the TV on while exploring some class materials for tomorrow and C-SPAN 3 was running American History TV. This episode was an interview with Major Heather Penny of the DC Air National Guard. (The whole episode is online here and links to more of the 9/11 interviews are also included). Everyone I have ever heard talking about that day says the military was authorized to shoot down planes over Washington DC that day, Major Penny discussed how part of her assignment that day included flying into the tail of Flight 93 if it was in her flight space because they didn’t have weapons capable of shooting the plane down.
This country has so many amazing people in it, most of whom probably don’t consider themselves to be amazing either.
Museum Monday: Picture This August 1, 2011
Posted by Wendy Wolfe in Museum Monday, US History, Visual Literacy.Tags: Images, Museum, US History, Visual Literacy
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From the Oakland Museum of California comes “Picture This: California’s Perspectives on American History,” 140 primary source images from the museum’s collection for students and educators. The images are organized into six time periods: Early California 1769-1800s, The Progressive Era 1890-1920, Depression Era 1930s, World War II/Post War Era 1940-1950s, Vietnam/Civil Rights Era 1960-1970s, and Post-Vietnam Era 1980-present. The museum also offers eight activities to further the visual literacy skills of our students.
Possible classroom applications? This online exhibit could serve as an example for students to create their own image museum showing their state’s perspective on American History also. The Minnesota Historical Society encourages Minnesota educators to remember “Minnesota history is American History” and that is true for anyone in any state. It is understandable that it may be easier for students to make local connections than national so an exercise such as this one could help bring the big picture home. These images could also serve as writing prompts. Students could write newspaper headlines for what they see or they could research the event behind the photo and write a newspaper article. (A lesson plan for this type of activity can be found at the Library of Congress, I love this assignment for sophomores and juniors!)
Gaming through the Revolutionary War June 18, 2011
Posted by Wendy Wolfe in Games & Simulations, US History.Tags: American Revolution, Games and Simulations, US History
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After a quick registration, I was ready to play! And I was impressed. Mission 1 of Mission US, “For Crown or Colony,” is a 5-part multimedia game with a solid flash introduction to the setting of the Revolution. The “game” ”puts the player in the shoes of Nat Wheeler, a 14-year-old printer’s apprentice in 1770 Boston. As Nat navigates the city and completes tasks, he encounters a spectrum of people living and working there when
tensions mount before the Boston Massacre. Ultimately, the player determines Nat’s fate by deciding where his loyalties lie.” I really wish I taught US History again.
Including historical background on the time period as well as game characters for teachers, a primary source collection focusing on pertinent documents from the Revolutionary period and more, this is a great activity for learners, especially grades 7-10. There is also a version of the game available for download which would help with bandwidth issues. Impressive financial backing from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
I look forward to the near future as it looks like any day now there should be a rollout of a second mission, focusing on resistance to slavery.
Museum Monday: New York’s Tenement Museum March 14, 2011
Posted by Wendy Wolfe in Museum Monday, US History.Tags: Museum, US History, Virtual Tour
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Explore 97 Orchard Street, a tenement built in 1863 on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. This New York City Museum tells the stories of the
immigrants who lived here. The Tenement Museum’s website gives excellent historical context for tenement living, click “Play” in the site’s menu to reveal a virtual tour, an immigration game showing the path from Ellis Island to 97 Orchard Street, work with folk songs, multi-cultural heritage, webcomics and more. Under “Education,” find lesson ideas, primary sources, and more.
The Tenement Museum provides a glimpse into the lives of those who journeyed to the United States and whose reality was so different than those of our students of today.
