Making Projects and Research Fun by Making it Culturally Relevant!

Presented by: Kimberlee Hughes 8th U.S. History TeacherStucky Middle School/USD 259Wichita, KS

What is Cultural Relevance?

Cultural Relevance is a term used to describe how well a given idea, or the presentation of such an idea, speaks to a given group of people.

An idea or a presentation that is cultural relevant will be better received and understood than one that is not.

Making Research Culturally Relevant?

THEN

NOW

History Research Project gets Facebooked!

The Task: Researching a Reformer during the 1800’s that positively impacted American Society.

Wait a minute….you can’t get on Facebook at school! How can this project even be possible???

The ProjectUsing the “Facebook” format, we researched

various reformers during the 1800’s that impacted American Society.

Research was completed Cornell Note format.

The Project (continued)…..

After we conducted our research and cited our sources using www.citationmachine.net or www.easybib.com, the students then constructed their “Facebook” page.

The Project (continued)…..

Once the research was completed and all data needed was collected, the students began construction their 3 “Factbook pages” modeled after Facebook

(Wall, Info and Photos):

The research that the students did on their Reformer was placed on the Info page. It had to include the following information (just like on “Facebook”):

Life Span About Me Relationship Status Location Activities

The Project (continued)…..

On the Photos Page of the “Factbook,” the students had to find a minimum of 4 photos, either of the Reformer or items involving the Reformer (such as a book cover) and add a caption to the photo:

The Project (continued)…..

The Project (continued)…..

Once all the students “Factbooks” were created, they then took on the persona of the Reformer they researched and the “posted” wall posts and added “comments” to other reformers wall posts: