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Bringing History Alive
The study of history and a sense of community is alive and well and living in Millet, Alberta. During the 1996-97 school year, I have been part of a collaborative effort between teachers and students of two schools in Millet, Alberta and the staff of the Millet and District Museum and Exhibit Room to develop and implement a field study program focussed on the Alberta social studies, science and health curriculum.
The need to make student learning relevant and meaningful is motivating many social studies teachers to make field studies part of student's experiences. In using community resources and historical sources such as museums and archives, the teachers and students of two schools in Millet are focussing on the study of family, community, province and country through an understanding of their area's history and development. Students are learning about the importance of primary sources through research and inquiry. The school program, developed for students from grades one to nine, is designed to help students move from an understanding of their local community and the specific stories that represent its lifestyle and development to general understandings of how the development of the community was influenced.
Our communities are rich in places and ideas for students to investigate. A field study provides a valuable opportunity for students to explore the resources and artifacts that represent their community's history and lifestyle. The historical resources in our communities can make learning come to life. They give students firsthand opportunities to explore places, people and ideas that have shaped their own lifestyles.
Starting With Place
The grade two program starts with the concepts of community and needs. Students at Millet School use the museum to focus on how needs were and are met in their community. Students start in their classroom by thinking about how they meet their own needs and are then asked to hypothesize how they might find out how people meet their needs in the community of Millet. They complete a community walk to research services and facilities and record drawings and descriptions of places they find that they think help people meet their needs. Students are then asked to brainstorm examples of different jobs or occupations and discuss how jobs help us...