Talking Buildings of Hartford:
A Unit on Historical Preservation
Nothing grounds one’s sense of the ravages of time…like working with old structures
-Arthur Moore in “The Powers of Preservation”
Talking Buildings of Hartford: A Unit on Historical Preservation is an elementary unit of study designed for 4th graders. It is an 8-12 week history project that involves students developing authentic research skills. Each 4th grade student selects a building of their choice located in Hartford. This building becomes the focus of their research and leads students down the path a historian follows. During this process students will learn many skills. They will begin by exploring what it means to be a historian. Once they have this foundational knowledge, they will proceed by learning how to formulate historical questions. Students will conduct research to answer their questions by identifying, analyzing, and synthesizing both primary and secondary sources. Students will then conduct and record interviews with experts (historians, professors, archivists, preservationist, architects) in order to build historical context. Using the information they have gathered, they will author a script that tells the ‘story’ of their building from that building’s point of view. Lastly, students will create a final product—a mini documentary—using iMovie. This requires the student to learn basic editing techniques (important characteristics of an effective multimedia project).
Students will be exposed to the unit through a variety of instructional techniques, but major emphasis will be placed on students uncovering the principles and concepts of the work of both a historian and the historical preservation process. Acting as the “guides on the side,” teachers will facilitate learning activities that will allow students to explore the objectives of individual lessons.
The purpose of this unit is for students to learn the motivations and methods of people who work in various historian roles, with a special focus on the area of historical preservation, and in turn develop a sense of personal responsibility for their own community and its preservation.
Students will be exposed to the unit through a variety of instructional techniques, but major emphasis will be placed on students uncovering the principles and concepts of the work of both a historian and the historical preservation process. Acting as the “guides on the side,” teachers will facilitate learning activities that will allow students to explore the objectives of individual lessons.
The purpose of this unit is for students to learn the motivations and methods of people who work in various historian roles, with a special focus on the area of historical preservation, and in turn develop a sense of personal responsibility for their own community and its preservation.
Click on the Links to the Right to Learn More About the Buildings of Harford
(Under construction: if you have a good link for any of the topics to the right, I would love to hear about them!)
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State Capitol Building
Mark Twain House Colt Factory City Hall (Municipal Building) Capitol Community College ( Children's Hospital Charter Oak Cultural Center Hartford Hospital Hartford High School (The original) Old State House Sailors and Soldiers Memorial Arch |
Great Resources for Hartford
Search the Hartford Courant for full online article |
Online Hartford Courant |
Architecture and Photography |
Meet Hartford Photographer, Karen O'Maxfield
Different Ways of Seeing Brochure
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Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) Connection
Type 2.5
Powerpoint Presentation of Process and Skills
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Interested in viewing the unit lesson plans?
Contact me for more information!
(If you have the password, click on the link above.)
Contact me for more information!
(If you have the password, click on the link above.)