Engage the Maze....
A Teaching American History Newsletter from Dr. Christine Johnson
Hello fellow teachers! Welcome to a new installment of Engage the Maze. Christine Johnson, Editor
Ah, happy spring to my TAH colleagues!
This issue of the newsletter is devoted to a request from me. I need your expertise and feedback on a lesson I have designed. Right now I don’t have access to a class for the trials I usually do at this point to refine it. I request that you give the lesson Historical Marker a trial.
Historical markers dot the landscape and are placed to give honor to some event associated with that place. Each marker is designed to inform the general public often by state historical societies. (Ohio is no exception.)
This lesson provides a vehicle to explore student understanding of the static nature of “place” while undergoing historical events. Students will create their own historical mouments to follow marker content spcifications.
The focus can be on any historical era and can be used to include a student’s own community or a place already significant for a specified reason. This variety of usage allows a teacher to target a specified place and era when needed.
Google Earth (the link is provided in the lesson), with all its wonders is used to assist students gather the required longitude and latitude and it also includes an introductory PowerPoint (link also provided) and rubric.
Please give it a try or at least a “look.” My intent is to share the lesson during our summer institute and have you share how you have used it.
My email address in cj@alivelearn.com . Please let me know any feedback you have (useability, suggested uses, recommended additions or changes.
I look forward to seeing you in June for the Institute and hearing recounts of this year’s historical classroom events!
Historical Marker Lesson Components
Lesson plan (PDF)Historical Markers PowerPoint presentation (PPT), also available in PDF format.
Previous newsletters
Early Spring 06
Late Spring 06
Early Summer 06
Late Summer 06
Fall 06
Winter 06-07
Spring 07
