The
approaching Veterans Day has me thinking about the task of teaching about war and
the sacrifice Americans have made to protect and defend democracy. We are
surrounded by popular portrayals of war and public opinion about war. Americans
themselves have called solders heroes and villains. The challenge is determining
what to teach students and our children about war and service.
Do we focus on generals and battles
or causes and consequences? Do we read a book or show a movie? Is there a resource that helps teach about
the war in the time we have and the manner we want? Yes. There is a resource that will help. I recommend
the Smithsonian exhibit, The Price of
Freedom, Americans at War (http://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/). This exhibit has the appeal of short videos
and biographies of veterans mixed with images of key artifacts and historical analysis.
Beginning with the American Revolution, this website has individual exhibits on
Americans in conflict through the war in Iraq today. I think this exhibit can
be enjoyed in a large classroom or a small group.
I first found this website when
looking into the Western Indian Wars. This was the best selection of materials
I could find for students to use to examine thoughtful conflict in the west
with emphasis on Little Bighorn and Wound Knee. I use the exhibit as the basis
of a webquest for my students, but you could do any number of activities. You
could play the introductory movie in class or have students select an artifact
and research its importance. My students enjoy the use of the website and I
know they are viewing thoughtful, l historically accurate, interactive materials.
Looking
for interactive web resources about other American wars? Check out the ones
below. All of these resources offer opportunities for students to interact with
history. One of these resources may be
one of your new favorites. Let us know what you enjoy and how you use it!
Revolutionary
War
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/static/neh/interactives/americanrevolution/
War
of 1812
http://www.asailorslifeforme.org/educator/index.php
Mexican
American War
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/index_flash.html
Civil
War
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/static/neh/interactives/civilwar/lesson1/http://teachingamericanhistory.org/static/neh/interactives/civilwar/lesson2/
Spanish
American War
http://civclients.com/nehint/spanam/World War II
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