Category 6: Historical Landmarks

A: Task:

Design a website that documents and showcases historical landmarks (i.e. Missions, battle fields, architecture, street names).

The theme for CyberFair 2010 is "Believe and Unite!"

Youth are challenged to publish original research projects that focus on how the positive beliefs, behaviors and contributions of their local citizens have the power to improve, preserve and unite their community.

B: Learning Objectives:

1. Students' views of the world community will be broadened through familiarity with the local community by an understanding of the concepts of continuity and change.
   

2. Students will be able to relate the special historical landmarks that distinguish their community from other communities.

C: Discussion Questions:

• Is there a mission or other historical site in your community?

• Are there any well-known architects or famous buildings around?

• How were the streets in your community named?

• Are there any places especially interesting to students?

D: Suggested Starter Activities:

1. Investigate the special geographical features that are land marks in your community. Describe how these features have impacted your area.
   

2. Compare the historical landmarks in your community to those in a neighboring community.
   

3. Students, individually or in small groups, choose a landmark to represent in an artistic manner: collage, drawing, mural etc. an d present their creation to an appropriate representative of that museum, mission, or historical site.
   

4. If there is an historical society in your community, invite a member to visit the classroom. Prepare interview questions.
   

5. Determine which historical landmarks students are familiar with in their community, which ones they have personally visited, which ones they would like to visit and why.
   

6. Distribute promotional brochures which students have obtained from various historical landmarks. Have students select the most effective ones and explain why those were chosen.
   

7. Create their own archives of the community which can be updated by ensuing classes.
   

8. Large maps of the area around the school and scale models of the community can provide spatial perspective of historical landmarks. Topographical maps can also be built in.
   

9. Working in small groups students can tape oral history interviews, write up the information, collect artifacts and present their projects to the school library, local library or museum.

E: Examples of Projects

• Trails of History
  Gimnazjum no 3
  Bedzin, Poland
• The Deng Yun Academy
  Wen Chang Primary School
  Chai-yi County, Taiwan