Society+of+Historical+Investigators

**Introduction:**
The Society of Historical Investigators will engage students in the exploration of historical mysteries through extensive research, creative collaboration, and cutting edge technology. Students will develop a multimedia program demonstrating their obtained knowledge that aligns with required Indiana State Standards in social studies, language arts, and technology. This will be accomplished through a cross-curricular collaboration involving Evansville Christian School’s social studies, language arts, technology, and library departments. This collaboration will give the 6th grade students at ECS an in-depth mastery of the required Indiana State Standards in each field of study.

**Project Explanation:**
6th grade students were introduced to The Society of Historical Investigators in their social studies classroom. They began developing a historical documentary exploring and uncovering mysteries from the past in teams of three to four. I, as the librarian/media specialist, developed a web pathfinder with valid resources for use in researching historical mysteries from Ancient Greece. In their language arts classroom and library, the students were taught research skills applicable to state standards. Once these skills were successfully communicated, the 6th graders created a script for their documentary. This was done with the facilitation of the librarian, social studies, and language arts teachers. After each draft of their scripts, the teachers asked questions to encourage the teams to search deeper into their mystery. The Society of Historical Investigators then progressed into the next phase of the project. The investigative teams' documentaries were videoed using basic flip cameras; after the filming, teams of upper level students in conjunction with a technology assistant edited the videos and completed the documentaries which will premier at a Red Carpet event. Below, you will find a portion of the video project. This process included creating and using graphic arts, lighting, video editing software, sound edition software, and expert testimony. The 7th/8th grade technology students assisted in the editing of these documentaries.

Setting:
====﻿This project was set in the 6th grade social studies, language arts, library, and technology classrooms of Evansville Christian School. ECS is located in Southern Indiana and is a private K-8 School. This was a cross-curricular project.====

**Intended Audience:**
====﻿The project was developed for a mid-level audience between the ages of 5-8th grade. It could be adapted for lower level students by lowering the critical thinking skills required and pulling out the editing component making it a simple video project. To enhance the project for older students, the critical questions could be intensified and the entire process could be required by each student including the writing, videoing, and editing process. In addition, a sharing component could be added for 8-12th grade students forcing them to create a web sharing component.====

**Need/Pupose:**
This project will provide the 6th grade students of Evansville Christian School with a memorable, engaging, and highly motivating method of mastering multiple state standards in social studies, language arts, and technology. The project will push students to enhance their critical thinking skills. As opposed to simple memorization, students will examine, investigate, analyze, and explain historical events. This process will not only increase subject retention, but increase the students problem solving and critical thinking skills. In addition, the cooperative learning skills obtained through this project will be a valuable asset to the students of ECS.

**Why Video?**
====﻿The question arises, why video? In our ever-changing world, our children are bombarded daily with new information as well as new delivery formats. In order to meet them where they are as well as minister to their multiple intelligence needs, we must instruct them by providing them experience in "locating, evaluating, using, and communicating using a wide range of resources including text, visual, audio, and video sources" (Information Literacy). It is critical for us as well as our students to "understand the new literacies" (NCREL's enGaugem, 2003). As a media specialist, it is my privilege and responsibility to assist my students and fellow teachers in uncovering the wealth of information and choices available to them via our virtual world.====

=﻿= =**Join the exploration: media type="custom" key="8742154" width="110" height="110" align="right"Click on the purple glogster arrow to learn more.**= =Reflection:= ====﻿As I refect upon this project, I do so with a sense of accomplishment. It was not, however, as simple as it seems. There were many times of extreme frustration, most of which revolved around my sixth graders constantly wanting to do a simple ask or google search to find their answers rather than sifting through and analying scholarly documents. In addition, there were moments in the tech section that were frustrating as well. Often-times, kids become very nervous in front of a camera and something that sounded great on paper, didn't come across as great on film. All-in-all, for each of us that were involved, it was a great learning experience and one that I am sure we will tweak, but continue. What will we do differently? I think we will spend much more time collaborating on specific requirements in the beginning rather than winging it. There were times, when one of us would give one answer, and another would answer something else. In addition, rather than going with critical questions, I think we will stick more to basic research. 6th graders struggled with bringing enough information to the table to establish a 5 minute documentary based merely upon one critical question.====