Washington Trip and EHL Digital Arts Project Guide for Parents
During their 8th grade Social Studies course, students will work with lessons from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent global curriculum Exploring Humanitarian Law. This program is profiled on the reverse, and the full curriculum may be explored by visiting the EHL Virtual Campus at www.ehl.icrc.org .
This program is extremely adaptable, and only those elements which directly relate to our 8th grade curriculum will be integrated into the course.
Already students have worked with EHL in a discussion of introductory questions as part of our observation of the 6th anniversary of 9/11. Students have been provided with a copy of the Basic Rules of Humanitarian Law which are derived from the Geneva Conventions to which the U.S. is a signatory. Before the D.C. trip, students will have also worked with a vignette about the concepts of human dignity and humanitarian acts based on the events of the integration of Little Rock Central High School 50 years ago.
Later in the year, EHL and EHL concepts will be developed with a case study on the French and Indian war, and a Boston Massacre mock trial. They will be further explored in relation to the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the War of 1812, the Texas War for Independence, many conflicts involving Native Americans, the dilemmas of Slavery, the Mexican War, the Women's Rights Movement, the Industrial Revolution, the Civil War, and during Reconstruction.
Given this integration of EHL, and the clear connections built into the itinerary of our Washington D.C. trip, the American Red Cross and the Digital Arts Alliance of the Pearson Foundation will be working with our students to create 3-5 minute digital stories of the students' reflections on their Washington Trip. While these stories will involve EHL themes, EHL themes are basic to American values. The title of the project has been taken from our Declaration of Independence and consists of the words, "We hold these truths to be self evident..."
Students will be instructed in the requirements of the project prior to the trip in their Social Studies classes, and much of their D.C. based activities in their Language Arts classes are directly related.
During the trip, students will be given a guide sheet of writing and photography prompts to consider at each point of interest on our itinerary. Students are invited to bring digital cameras, but digital photos may be taken from any camera even a disposable 35mm at the point of developing by requesting that a CD be made along with prints for a small additional fee. Teachers will also have digital cameras, and video cameras will be provided so that a bank of photos and videos may be assembled for students to draw from for their own projects above and beyond any of their own images that they choose to include.
Upon return, on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of November, students will be given time in Social Studies classes to work with their group of 3 students, and- in their Language Arts classes to refine their reflections into a narrative that they will record and storyboard with pictures in preparation for creating their digital story. During the week of November 12th, Pearson Digital Arts Alliance personnel will visit Harmon to work with students during their Social Studies periods and coach them in the production of their 3-5 minute digital stories. While Pearson will provide additional laptops and technology, Chris Flynn,- Harmon's Media Specialist, will coordinate student use of Aurora's in-house technology to enable and empower all of Harmon's 8th graders to express their thoughts through this media. Even students not attending the D.C. trip will be included in this project.
This project will also complement and support the traditional 8th Grade Washington D.C. Scrapbook Project.
Please direct any comments, questions, and suggestions about this unique project opportunity to 8th grade Social Studies Teachers Paul Frankmann, Pam King, and Jeff Stenger, and/or to Media Specialist Chris Flynn.
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