Introduction

When we think of history, one can immediately name 5-10 white men who in some way impacted society and brought about change.  Men have undoubtedly dominated the arena of politics, science, and industry since the beginning of recorded history.  However, it must be noted that women have also been involved in the very same arenas, but because of their gender and limited numbers, their efforts were not recognized and acknowledged.  The idea that women haven’t contributed to history, society, or their communities in some way is a myth that needs to be debunked.  Despite the responsibilities of their families and societies expectations, women have overcame incredible odds to educate themselves, find and break through the “glass ceiling” of thousands of professions, and show the world that women can achieve much when given the chance.  Local history is no different.  Men have dominated the local libraries for centuries.  My goal is to identify and acknowledge the contributions of the various women in Central Vermont and highlight their contributions to history and their communities.  As a group, we will explain how these ordinary women have lived extraordinary lives.   

Timeline and Description of Student or Program Paricipants

Students from my Women in US History Course will find a female member of the local community that they wish to use as a subject.  Subjects may come from a variety of professions and even include members of their own families.  I have generated my own list of women in the community for those students who are unable to find subjects on their own.  Over the course of the quarter, students will find their subject, interview them using a variety of self generated questions and create a 10-page biography of their subject, which will eventually be housed in a special section of the Aldrich Library. 

Materials and Resources Needed

Resources:  A female subject over 50 who lives in the local community of Washington County.  Access to Aldrich Library. 

Materials:  Students will need access to some type of recording device such as audio recorders, digital cameras, video cameras, access to the library to connect their subject to the historical era, set of student generated questions, pictures of their subject, access to computers for their biographies. 

Essential Question

How can my students identify and relate their knowledge of women’s history in the United States to the various women who live in their local Washington County community?

Focusing Questions

How has (subject of choice) changed history and impacted the people of Washington County?
How has (subject of choice) lived and extra ordinary?

Rationale

Students don’t understand the impact that people have on their lives.  Most certainly they can’t relate to someone not of their own generation.  By interviewing a woman of a different generation, it is my hope that my students will find the commonalties between themselves and their subject and just talk to each other.  By generating conversation, I also want them to realize that although society had specific expectations for their subjects that these women lived up to their traditional role, as well as, broke out of those expectations and impacted their community.  Finally, I want there to be a series of biographies that illustrate the rich and diverse group of women from Washington County who have made historical contributions to the community. 

Culminating Activities

Students will create a 10-page biography of their subject that highlights their personal story from their subjects childhood into their current lives.  These biographies will be housed at the Aldrich Library so that all in the Washington County community will have access to their wonderful stories.  These biographies will also include pictures donated by the subjects as well as their audio/visual interview so that future historians will also have access to their stories.  

Addressing Service Learning Best Practices

Curricular Learning Goals

  • Using Primary and Secondary Sources in research projects
  • Researching an historical era
  • Students will use their critical thinking skills in order to connect the events to the past with a current historical figure.
  • Using their interviewing and listening skills to gain knowledge

Assessment

  • Student generated questions will be assessed for content and relevance to project.
  • Oral/visual interview will be assessed for content.
  • Biographies will be assessed for content, completion of task, and students ability to answer the focus question. 

Service Goals

  • Students will create an historical source for their community that highlights the lives of various women in the community. 

Evaluation

  • Evaluation of service goals will depend on completion of the project. 

Participation

  • All students enrolled in the course are expected to participate in the project.

Diversity

  • As students have a choice in whom they will interview and create a biography for, there will be an opportunity for a wide and diverse group of women to interview.

Community Connection

  • All women and students who participate in the project are from the Washington County community, therefore students will create partnerships with those who live in their community. 

Preparation

  • Students will identify subject or obtain a subject for the teacher.
  • Student will create questions that are relevant and specific for their subject.
  • Students will interview their subjects and create a visual or oral recording of their interview.
  • Students will re-interview their subject if necessary in order to clarify questions and information.

Reflection

  • Over the course of the quarter, we have many discussions and journal writes which help the student to reflect on their project.

Celebration

  • As both a celebration and time to meet and introduce subjects to the rest of the class, a traditional High Tea is given at the end of the quarter.  Each student invites their subject to the tea and highlights their extra ordinary life through conversation and reflection.
  • My students are also expected to write an individual thank you note to their subject and present the note as well as a copy of  their subjects biography at the tea. 
  • Copies of the biographies are then turned over to the Aldrich Library to be included in their collection.