Michigan Historical Museum

Purpose: This field trip and follow-up assignment have several purposes.
Students will: 1) engage in inquiry to identify and analyze associations
between

artifacts

related

to

one

cultural

universal(clothing,

transportation, food, tools, or childhood); 2) create a digital story using

artifacts and information from the museum to engage students with the
content; 3) work collaboratively with a group of peers in planning and
implementing the digital story.
Grade Level: 8th Grade History
Time: One 3 hour field trip to the Michigan Historical Museum; 4 45
minute class periods to complete the digital storyboard
Materials: Access to Michigan Historical Museum; Signed field trip
permission slips; paper/pencil; iPhone/video camera; classroom computers
Resources: Michigan Historical Museum
Focusing on your topic: Each group will be assigned a topic to investigate
and create a digital story (clothing, transportation, tools, food, and
childhood). During the museum visit, groups will visit at least three galleries
(which reflect different time periods) to document how their topic has
changed over time in Michigan. Each group should address the following
questions in their digital story:

- What artifacts (between 3-5) represent your topic?

- What are examples of how your topic was used by people? Or what
are ways people have experienced your topic over time?
- How has your topic changed over time?
- What factors might account for the change?
- What is the importance of your topic to Michigan?
- Imagine the future how might this topic change in the future?
Take photographs and or/video: Groups will take photographs and/or
video of the exhibit for their digital stories with a digital camera. For your
digital story, you will probably only end up using 10-15 of the photographs
(or a few short video clips), but we encourage you to take many more
photographs than that so you can select which photographs are the best
quality/most relevant. You will also take notes on the images, which will be
used for the narration of the digital story board.
Compile Story: Following the museum visit, in a group meeting during 4
class sessions, groups will create a five-minute digital story about the
exhibit. Remember this is a digital story, not a slide show. History is full of
narratives and stories which is why, in large part, people are so engaged
by historical accounts. Narrate your digital story with that in mind. Note: Be
sure that each member of the group has a speaking role.
- Each group must include in their digital story:
o Traces the evolution of the topic through at least three time
periods

o Highlights a theme that connects the exhibit to a big idea in

Social Studies
o Connects the exhibit images in a logical, coherent way to tell a
meaningful story
o Demonstrates creativity (through the images, narration, text,
and/or music)
o Acknowledges a missing/omitted perspective and identifies
possible next steps
o Considers how this assignment helps them develop as a citizen
Reflection: During one designated class period, each group will show their
digital story to the class.