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| “It’s OUR War Too: Women in WWII” |
During the month of April, 8th Grade Civics
students had the opportunity to participate in four video conferences with some
of the most renowned museums in the nation following their daily PSSA Tests. Students were able to choose which video
conference most appealed to their interest from among four choices.
On April 14, Twenty-four students learned about the history
of Presidential Campaign commercials from the Paley center for Media Museum in
New York City. Through a program
entitled, “The Thirty Second Candidate”,
students discussed propaganda techniques, analyzed historic campaign
commercials from President Eisenhower and President Johnson and also compared
& contrasted them with advertisements from more recent elections (Clinton,
Obama).
On April 15, Twenty-six students participated in a video
conference entitled “It’s OUR War Too:
Women in WWII” which was broadcast live from the National World War II
Museum in New Orleans. Students not only
viewed original TV spots promoting women entering the workforce, they also
analyzed political cartoons from the era.
For many, the highlight of the video conference was the first-hand oral
history provided by a real-life “Rosie the Riveter” named Edna Donnelly who
worked in a shipyard in New Orleans during WWII.
On April 21, twenty students tested their espionage skills
when they met with an educator from the International Spy Museum in Washington,
DC. Students graduated from “Spy School 101” by completing three
tasks: analyzing a still photograph for
suspicious activity taking place in a seemingly ordinary courtyard, identifying
tools used by spies that appear to be common everyday accessories, and trying
to spot a spy in disguise during a crowded scene from a hotel lobby.
On April 22, twenty-seven students learned about the “Red Scare: The Cold War on Television” as
presented by the Paley Center in New York.
Students first viewed a famous P.S.A. that instructed everyone to “duck
and cover” for protection from an atomic bomb.
Then, they discussed the psychological effects that building bomb
shelters might have on the nation.
Finally, after viewing clips from the McCarthy hearings, students
analyzed a sci-fi clip from a famous episode of The Twilight Zone for similarities to the hysteria-causing hunt for
communists happening in the US in the 50s & 60s.
