Using Objects to Promote Inquiry
I have a small collection of artifacts that I use with my students, such as a WWII canteen, LIFE magazines, and replica Civil War odds and ends, such as buttons, dice, and minie bullets, among other things. I use these artifacts when I can for inquiry, but often forget that I have them!
Students like interacting with tangible items instead of just looking at images. Images can be powerful, but students find the real thing to be a lot more interesting. I find a lot of these artifacts at garage sales and antique stores. Sometimes I buy items that even confuse me, and I learn all about them and use them as an archaeology experiment in class.
I have also purchased old photographs from antique stores so students can analyze them and try to construct meaning: Who is in the photograph? Where are they? When was the photo taken? Students use clues to determine the background story of the image. This is a great activity even if I’m not sure who is in the image, or what is happening in the image.
Field Trips
I have only taken one field trip to a historical museum. The trip was to a Victorian-era home with most of their original furnishings. We took a tour through the house and students were able to ask questions and learn about what it was like to live in a different time period. Their favorite part of the house was the central vacuum system, where the vacuum was built into the walls and the person cleaning only had to plug in a hose and was able to vacuum any room in the house.The town that our school is in has a Historical Society Museum that I would love to take students to eventually. There is also a walking tour of town complete with metal plaques that we could use to learn more about our town.
