America in Motion
America in Motion:
Educational Interactive Timeline
overview
So often we think of and learn about history as something that happened to the masses, to large groups of people moving across the trajectory of time--and if we ever learn about individuals, it is always the important ones, those already immortalized by the significance of the events they were involved in.
In order to understand how history affects the average person, so that we may evaluate the way our present has turned out, we should consider the lives of the less noted individuals--those who were here from the beginning and fought for their independence, others who came later and faced a whole different beast of problems, and all who struggled to make it in this “land of opportunity.”
With its vastness and history of westward expansion, The United States is a country defined by movement. The ability--or lack thereof--to navigate the spaces of our country, will be at the heart of this “America in Motion” project.
For some Americans, movement along the one-way road of time has been easy and fast. Comfortably driven by expensive shiny sport cars, these privileged groups of people have effortlessly captained their successful journeys.
For others, the journey has been ridden with obstacles, often beyond their control. At times, their old cars would break down and people would be too suspicious to stop for help. Other times, the roads would be blocked--only those driving the ferraris would be allowed to continue along.
As you researched and learned about the historical documents regarding Columbus’ journeys, some of you were shocked to encounter a darker version of history which has been successfully hidden behind playful rhymes and cartoonish depictions of the Spanish befriending exotic-looking Natives.
Some questions naturally emerged:
Why didn’t we learn about these things when we were younger?
How can we teach younger students the truth about Columbus?
As you roamed the area around HTHNC completing the project launch tasks, some of you had individual visible obstacles to deal with and group tasks that were difficult to complete without the necessary knowledge or materials.
Some statements and questions were heard:
Why are we doing this?
What’s the point of being blind-folded?
I don’t want to walk around with “a criminal record” written on my chest.
We don’t have enough money to print photos!
These natural reactions were meant to help you reflect on the experiences of individuals who may struggle to deal with a variety of daily tasks because of a number of physical, emotional, financial, etc. situations. In a country which seems to promote the universal goal of individual success through hard work, it is important to recognize that not all people start from the same place or have the same resources. Because of this, every American’s passage through the timeline of history is a unique journey. Our goal is to illuminate and honor the diversity of experiences that have created the multitude of realities we encounter.
task
As a team, design and create an interactive timeline of US history with the purpose of effectively educating middle school students about major events through the experiences of various individuals.
Educational Interactive Timeline
overview
So often we think of and learn about history as something that happened to the masses, to large groups of people moving across the trajectory of time--and if we ever learn about individuals, it is always the important ones, those already immortalized by the significance of the events they were involved in.
In order to understand how history affects the average person, so that we may evaluate the way our present has turned out, we should consider the lives of the less noted individuals--those who were here from the beginning and fought for their independence, others who came later and faced a whole different beast of problems, and all who struggled to make it in this “land of opportunity.”
With its vastness and history of westward expansion, The United States is a country defined by movement. The ability--or lack thereof--to navigate the spaces of our country, will be at the heart of this “America in Motion” project.
For some Americans, movement along the one-way road of time has been easy and fast. Comfortably driven by expensive shiny sport cars, these privileged groups of people have effortlessly captained their successful journeys.
For others, the journey has been ridden with obstacles, often beyond their control. At times, their old cars would break down and people would be too suspicious to stop for help. Other times, the roads would be blocked--only those driving the ferraris would be allowed to continue along.
As you researched and learned about the historical documents regarding Columbus’ journeys, some of you were shocked to encounter a darker version of history which has been successfully hidden behind playful rhymes and cartoonish depictions of the Spanish befriending exotic-looking Natives.
Some questions naturally emerged:
Why didn’t we learn about these things when we were younger?
How can we teach younger students the truth about Columbus?
As you roamed the area around HTHNC completing the project launch tasks, some of you had individual visible obstacles to deal with and group tasks that were difficult to complete without the necessary knowledge or materials.
Some statements and questions were heard:
Why are we doing this?
What’s the point of being blind-folded?
I don’t want to walk around with “a criminal record” written on my chest.
We don’t have enough money to print photos!
These natural reactions were meant to help you reflect on the experiences of individuals who may struggle to deal with a variety of daily tasks because of a number of physical, emotional, financial, etc. situations. In a country which seems to promote the universal goal of individual success through hard work, it is important to recognize that not all people start from the same place or have the same resources. Because of this, every American’s passage through the timeline of history is a unique journey. Our goal is to illuminate and honor the diversity of experiences that have created the multitude of realities we encounter.
task
As a team, design and create an interactive timeline of US history with the purpose of effectively educating middle school students about major events through the experiences of various individuals.