AK History Learning "Out of the Classroom"

Tuesday, July 4, 2023 by Catherine Gilliland | American History

We can encourage our children to invest themselves in understanding historical events and their effects on their populations by modeling interest in history. Take time to enjoy historical literature together, visit museums, many parks, and other historical locations (including the smaller roadside historical pullouts). Follow up your experiences with casual and enjoyable conversations about how the historical events or places you have learned of shaped people's lives.

The entire state of Alaska boasts of its rich historical heritage. How much do you know about the people and events that shaped the Land of the Midnight Sun? Summer is a great time to get out and explore the places where pivotal events occurred. What are you curious about? Aviation? Military history? Cultural events? Native Alaskan people groups? The Great 1964 Earthquake? Which four historical sites could you visit with your family during July to foster their ongoing interest and value in the history of Alaska? Please let me know about your great discoveries!

How many museums in Alaska have you explored?

Completing a quick overview of a museum website will help you to prepare for the topics about which you can learn. Find an appropriate balance for your family between reading every exhibit and none! If safe, maybe your readers can explore museum areas on their own while non-readers stay with a parent who can read or interpret exhibits for their level of learning. Above all, have fun learning, imagining life as displayed in the exhibit, and thinking of questions to continue your discovery after you leave the exhibits.

Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum alaskaairmuseum.org

Alaska Museum of Science & Nature Alaska Museum of Science & Nature

Alaska Native Heritage Center alaskanative.net

Alaska Public Lands Information Centers nps.gov Visit one of the four APLIC across the state in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Ketchikan, & Tok.

Anchorage Museum anchoragemuseum.org

Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum (Fairbanks - period autos and fashion displays) fountainheadmuseum.com 

Islands and Ocean Visitor's Center (Homer) 

Kenai Museum kenaichamber.org

Maxine and Jessie Whitney Museum Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum

Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry museumofalaska.org

Pratt Museum (Homer) https://www.prattmuseum.org

Seward Community Museum Seward Community Museum

Soldotna Historical Museum soldotnamuseum.com

University of Alaska Museum of the North uaf.edu

Road systems often grow to link places of history together. In Historic Roads of Alaska, you will find an abundance of stories of how those places were linked by different roads and tunnels throughout Alaska. Be alert to road signs indicating an Alaska National Historic Landmark or pullout is ahead. Take a quick break from your drive to learn more about your state's history.

The National Park Service administers 424 sites around the United States! The NPS administers 63 National Parks, eight of which are in Alaska, yet other sites within the national park system are administered as designated national monuments, national historical parks, national battlefields, national historic sites, and so on. NPS administers nine additional sites within Alaska. Give yourself a peek into the window of Alaska's past. The NPS website is full of pages for you to learn about the people of Alaska, their economic discoveries and innovations, their culture, and their archeological discoveries. Take these stories with you as you explore national parks. Because only a small percentage of Alaska is accessible by road, Alaska NPS also maintains a YouTube channel (and specific park channels) so you can learn about far away Alaska's history, too!

Alaska's parks are diverse in their science and history. Although the NPS administers 15 sites in our great state, others are administered by the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Are you familiar with the National Every Kid Outdoors program? Get a pass to explore America’s public lands and waters with your family for free—just for being in the 4th grade! Your 4th grader's pass is valid at over 2,000 public lands and waters, national parks, national forests, and national wildlife refuges. Up to three adults (age 16 and older) and all kids (under age 16) get in free—so bring your family along! **See where you can use this pass in Alaska**

On the state and local levels, there are additional resources to fulfill curiosities about those Alaskans who came before us. The Alaska Department of National Resources maintains some resources. So do the Alaska Historical Society and various high school AK History online courses such as Alaska History and Cultural Studies (akhistorycourse.org). The Anchorage Public Library maintains a specific Alaska Collection. Lastly, numerous local authors such as Laural Bill, author of the Aunt Phil's Trunk series have written numerous books for children (and adults) about Alaska History. 

Any of these resources can be used as a springboard to creatively plan all of your Alaska historical outings! Keep your eyes and ears open. Opportunities for learning outside the classroom about Alaska's history are seemingly endless!

Why Study American History?

Tuesday, July 4, 2023 by Catherine Gilliland | American History

Have you ever asked yourself, "What is the value of studying history?" If you haven't, maybe your son or daughter has. What is your answer? 

Over the past year, I engaged in an opportunity to take a deep dive into studying US History. I rediscovered American History's capacity to fascinate and thrill me. Its value to me as a topic of rumination and discussion expanded, and the echoing of its accounts led me to retrace a wild journey of emotions associated with the human experience.

My first experience with US History was in an 8th-grade public school classroom. My memories of the class are distant in regard to the class content, yet clear as I recall the encounter was dull and boring. What was the difference between my then and now experiences? How can I encourage my students to value all that the study of history has to offer?

I believe the foundational answer lies in simply curating a value for understanding the world, people (in general), and oneself. From there, the interest follows. 

The fact that the world is constantly changing becomes evident as a learner is exposed to a myriad of historical stories. The story of humankind can be experienced through literature (short stories and novels), "field trips", movies, and oral accounts. Ask grandparents or older friends to tell stories about what their life was like when they were young. Select an engaging family read-aloud that is set during a period of history and enjoy the story together!

Events never occur in a vacuum. As students ponder history, emotions may arise as they recognize and reflect upon how individuals and groups experienced the events and culture of their day. To unfold an appreciation for the remarkable uniquenesses of humankind and depth of understanding for people in general ask questions such as, "How do the people respond to the favorable events or culture within which they live?" and conversely, "What reverberations are observed to poor and even harmful events and culture?". Follow up a grandparent's stories by asking questions about their it. "Was this a difficult experience?" "Why did this happen?" Between chapters in a family read-aloud, engage yourselves in the story through casual discussion. "What caused X to happen?" "How did the event(s) benefit/harm the characters?" "How are things the same/different now?"

Together, historical events and human responses form repetitive themes of history. Often students need coaching to recognize these themes. Once recognized, ask oneself (or prompt a student to answer) progressively probing questions. "What conclusions can be drawn from these observations?" "What corrective ideas or actions would remedy the adverse themes?" "What strategies would promote advantageous themes?" As students are challenged to consider solutions to the issues of their day and the chronicles of the past, they begin to understand themselves. Further your read-aloud conversations by considering if the characters have avoided the problems. If so, how? If not, what other actions or responses may have led to a solution?

How can I encourage my students to value the study of history?  Provide clear, engaging accounts of its actual events in story form. Undertake moments of reflection on the human experiences from different periods of history. Create real-time and simulated participation in problem-solving as it relates to historical and current events. Immersing oneself, your students, and your family in the historical record invites history to come alive for everyone!