Are there “big events” in the history of the community where your school is located? Tragic events? Great historical memories?
What were these events? How were they reported when they happened? How have they been remembered in the years since?
How have these stories changed over the years? Why do you think the stories changed?
Every community has a history. That history might lie in the land, even in geologic time, or it might lie in the development of the community, or it might lie in a more recent event. Most communities have some type of memorial or commemorative spot or plaque. Gloucester, MA remembers those of its fishermen lost at sea. Grand Rapids, MI remembers police officers killed in the line of duty. Cherry, IL remembers those who died in a mine disaster.
Sometimes there is an active group keeping the history of these events alive, other times we find forgotten plaques in school lobbies, in parks, in cemeteraries, in churches and synagogues. And often, we find nothing at all.
Students can assemble in groups and begin to dig into the history of their own communities. This is a great chance to practice online research skills at the start of the school year. It is also a chance for students to reach out into the communities - to talk to their parents, their grandparents, their neighbors, their librarians.
What events can they find? What monuments can they find? What stories can they find?
Do these stories, these histories, impact their community today? If the students were creating their own history class, what would they include? - why and how? Can they design a lesson about the event and put it online for the community?
Examples: New Rochelle, NY
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10F12FB3D5A177B8EDDAF0994DA405B878BF1D3
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/mass/neptune/pieces_9.html
Charlottesville, VA
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/31/education/31school.html http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/weekinreview/01rosen.html
You might want to edit available events to make this suitable for any age.