Making History Come Alive
The thing that excited me most about the Ellis Island simulation was how it energized the teachers. It was certainly an unforgettable day for students and that excitement was energizing for the staff involved in the project.
Students learn more and are more likely to develop creativity if they are excited about what they are learning. The video below recaps a museum exhibit on the Colonies that my students worked on as an extension project over the period of several months. The students researched and designed the exhibit. They then acted as tour guides as classes came through our exhibit.
Student exhibitions at any time of the year really make the concepts and eras come alive. It could be a cumulative year end project, or mini-projects that go with a current unit.