Because the relevant facts of long-past history rarely change over time, teachers and educators often struggle to find different, new ways to impart their knowledge to students.
For some, that can mean the use of multi-media presentations; for others that might include the use of posters, art, and other more conventional media. Other instructors might even include trips to museums, battlefields, or other historic locations.
Melissa Ogle’s American History 1 Class at Mount Airy High School tried a unique approach, making their own museum, with students combining their interest in modeling, art, multi-media use and other interests to delve more deeply into their chosen subjects and then show off what they learned.
The class has been studying the causes and effects of the Civil War and its impact on the social, political, and economic climate of the United States from 1860-1865.
With that subject and time frame in mind, students chose projects based on their interests and skills and then conducted their own research to create a project to demonstrate their knowledge of the topic to their peers at their very own Civil War Museum.
Their projects included 3D models of important battles, video and PowerPoint presentations on the Weapons and Technology of the Civil War, as well as posters and visual displays of important people, such as Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, and Clara Barton. Some students recreated diary entries and letters based on the experiences of actual people during this period of time.
The Civil War Museum was displayed in the Mount Airy High School Media Center on Friday for other classes, teachers, administrators and parents to view. No word on whether there will be a return engagement or extended display.
