Teaching History with Merlot Classics Award Winning

Materials

William Paquette, Ph.D.

Merlot History Co-Editor

Professor of History - VCCS

Why should I use material on a web site in my teaching?

Web Based Materials

Are free

Are visually appealing

Offer direct use of primary sources

Supplement instructional materials

Encourage computer literacy

Teach discrimination of internet materials

Contain learning objects

How do I use web based materials in my teaching?

Web Based Materials

Offer virtual tours in the classroomCan be used for online instructionCan be used for assignments outside the classroomContain resource depositoriesContain imbedded learning objects Offer instructions opportunities to create assignments

4 Web Sites

The Lizzie Borden Case

The Valley of the Shadow

Martha Ballard2002 Merlot Classics Winner

Who Killed William Robinson? 2003 Merlot Classics Winner

Lizzie Borden

In Class Instruction Virtual tour of 19th century Fall River, MACharacter profile writingUse of primary sources

Trial testimonyCensus dataMapsPhotographsCity directoriesNewspaper accounts

Lizzie Borden

Outside Class Activities Write short papers of 5-7 pages on 19th century

Class structureSexual politicsFamily structureWomen in the United StatesLeisure and consumer cultureClass conflictJustice and the media

Lizzie BordenTeach the Research Paper on 19th

century United States Urbanization

Industrialization

Mass Production

Consumer attitudes

Technology

Leisure

Women

Valley of the Shadows In Class Instruction

Virtual tour of primary sourcesNewspapersLettersDiariesPhotographsMilitary recordsMapsChurch recordsPopulation/census dataAgricultural census data

Valley of the Shadows Outside Class Instruction

Research and Write Social History Papers

Women

African Americans

Farmers

Politicians

Soldiers

Valley of the Shadows Outside Class Instruction

Compare and Contrast PapersAugusta County, VA with Franklin County, PANorth and South views on SlaveryOccupationsImmigrationRailroad buildingIndustrializationAgriculture

Martha BallardIn Class Instruction

Virtual tour of 18th century Maine

Teach primary sources

Teach research paper and/or short subject papers

Develop local history projects

Conduct genealogical research

Martha BallardOutside Class Instruction

Teach the research paperFilm as historical narrativeMidwifery and herbal medicinesDiary writingHistorical investigation (toolkit provided)Home textile productionLaw and justice in 18th century New England

Who Killed William Robinson? Meet the Authors!

Ruth Sandwell

John Lutz

How I Use Web Based Materials

Information collection

Supplementary readings

Virtual tours of art work

Writing short papers

Discriminating between primary and secondary sources

Extra credit

Extra Credit and Web Based Materials

Four units of study per semester

Each unit of study has an extra credit assignment worth 25 points

Accumulated extra credit points can equal 100 points

Extra Credit points may replace the lowest test grade