In the 2013-2014 school year, the Oriental Institute partnered with
the Chicago Public School Department of Literacy for the Social Science
Academy, a
year-round professional development program for classroom teachers.
Through this program, we engaged three Chicago Public School teachers
(from Orr Academy
High School, Gage Park High School, and Alcott East Elementary
School) in a project focusing on the theme “Defining Ancient
Civilization and Connecting It
to Today’s World.” Through an object-based approach, teachers
learned how to incorporate primary-source materials, including maps,
artifacts, and
archaeological discoveries, and integrated them into classroom
curriculum that focuses on ancient inventions such as writing,
urbanization, and economy.
Building upon the scholarship of the Oriental Institute and in
alignment with the Common Core State Standards, teachers worked with
Carol Ng-He, K-12 &
Continuing Education Program Developer at the Oriental Institute, to
develop and implement a unit tailored to the needs of their students.
Students who
participated in the program gained important twenty-first century
skills, ranging from making global connections to developing
critical-thinking skills.
The following is an excerpt from an essay by a student who
participated in the program. In this essay the student reflects upon
artifacts that were studied
at the Oriental Institute, and the connections discovered between
the ancient world and today’s government:
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Gage Park High School social studies teacher Andrew Martinek led his students to visit the Oriental Institute Museum.
Image credit: Carol Ng-He. 2014. |
