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Feb 27, 2024 · The current political, social, technological, and cultural complexities we are facing as a society demand a solid grounding in the past. History education is more indispensable than ever. If Canada is to protect, maintain, and grow its status as a healthy democracy, it requires a well-educated, engaged citizenry with the capacity to study our past.
- Tip #1 Use QR Codes
- Tip #2 Incorporate Movement Into Lessons
- Tip #3 Add Drama
- Tip #4 Use Collaborative Discussion Strategies
- Tip #5 Bring in Primary Sources
- Tip #6 Picture Books
- Tip #7 Browsing Bins
- Tip #8 Historical Fiction
- Tip #9 Assignment Choice
- Tip #10 Artifacts
This quick technology can be accessed with personal or school portable technology (phones, iPads, tablets). The QR code embeds information (text, URL, etc) into the code image. Students scan the code with a QR Code reader app and they unlock the information. I use this in my classroom for introducing vocabulary words in a new unit or for students t...
I love using the cooperative learning strategy called Four Corners. Around the classroom in each corner hang up four different answer cards such as Agree, Disagree, Undecided, and Need More Info (cards can be changed to align better with your lesson). Then ask the class a rich thinking question. Students move to the answer card area that best align...
Activities such as Monologues, Wax Museum and Hot Seat make historical figures come to life in your classroom.
Students are not always comfortable discussing in History classes due to their lack of subject area background knowledge. When we have class discussions I try to build up their knowledge and confidence by using strategies such asThink Pair Shareor Four Corners Placemats.
Where possible bring in primary sources. Photos from the time period and archival documents can make history seem more authentic to students. Lots of internet sites (government archives) have access to these excellent pieces of history. A quick Google search will contain lots of ideas. Your local library, historical societies, and museums are also ...
Do not discount the value of picture books in the middle or high school history classroom. Two of my favourite picture books for my Canadian history classes areThe Cremation of Sam McGeeandThe Canadian Railroad Trilogy. The vivid images and storylines bring history alive. Picture books can also be used to provide background knowledge prior to start...
To help ignite and maintain a spark for historical knowledge, create a browsing bin of books related to curriculum topics. Ask your school librarian or media specialist if you can borrow books from the school library that relate to your current unit of study. Keep these books in a special bin and in a highly visible area to encourage students to lo...
History classrooms are also literacy classrooms. Students engage each day with written text and make connections and inferences about the people they are studying. Keeping a good variety of historical fiction related to your topics of study can help students extend their classroom learning. Some favourite books among my students are anything relate...
It is also important that your assignments have different choice options. Students feel more empowered about their learning if given the chance to produce works of their choosing. Providing choices about content and product is a great place to start. My first major assignment in my Grade 8 History class is having students create a persuasive piece ...
Last year, for one lesson I set up my classroom as an interactive museum. The unit was calledCanada: A Changing Society 1890-1914. I tried to find artifacts around my house and relatives’ houses that could potentially represent items from this time period. I also printed off colour photos of daily living artifacts. Students had to circulate around ...
- See Important Pieces of History Up Close. Reading about historical figures and their achievements can be interesting for some students. Others are more visual learners that prefer tangible teaching tools over reading.
- Take Field Trips to Historical Sites. Another way to bring history to life is to visit historical sites. Being in the very location where a major historical event happened can be extremely impactful.
- Watch Historical Reenactments. If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where groups do historical reenactments you’ll have another way to get students involved and interested.
- Invite Guest Speakers to Share First-Hand Accounts. Rather than leaving the classroom, you can bring a piece of history to your school. Inviting guest speakers who have a first-hand account of a historical event to talk to your class is an easy way to get students invested in learning.
Jun 3, 2024 · GET INTO CHARACTER. To bring history to life, ask students to step in the shoes of the historical figures they’re learning about. (Use your best judgment, of course, as some figures and historical events may be inappropriate for classroom reenactment.) One monthlong project-based learning project —developed in conjunction with Lucas ...
May 19, 2023 · Turning Students Into Bold Historical Thinkers. By collapsing the distance between historical eras and the present day, we motivate students to ask hard questions and dig deeper into the past. New! Thinking deeply about history as a story—and in particular about the values and biases of the people who write those stories—is perhaps the most ...
May 15, 2024 · It starts with how class begins. To activate students’ passion for history, we have to activate their knowledge—and hook them into what they’re about to learn. Our new book, Make History: A Practical Guide for Middle and High School History Instruction, shares best practices from hundreds of educators on how to foster engaging, rigorous ...
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History helps you see the world around you in a new way. Everything has a history. Trees have a history, music has a history, bridges have a history, political fights have a history, mathematical equations have a history. In fact, #everythinghasahistory. Learning about those histories can help us gain a deeper understanding of the world around ...
