History Challenge

The Historical Road Less Travelled 

Submission Due Date: April 17, 2020 

Designed for Middle and High School Students

 

Table of Contents The Challenge Assumptions and Logistics Process Presentation of Learning Media Support Resources Evaluation Rubric Essential Questions Student Proficiencies Common Core Curricular Correlations (RI1, W2, W3, W4, SL1, SL4, SL5, L3, RH2, RH3, RH7)

Range of Activities Historical Research – Primary and Secondary Sources Analysis of Historical Figure Creation of Plausible Alternative History Creative Narrative Development Digital Literacy Skills – Video – Pre-production, Production and Post-production 21st Century Skills: Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Presentational Skills

The Challenge

In one of the most famous American poems ever written, “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost urges his readers to take the road less travelled when coming across a fork in the road. His larger idea in this poem is to pay attention to the choices that we make…and don’t make.  This challenge asks you to create a digital story that focuses on one life-defining moment, or fork in the road for a historical figure of your choice.  Within this moment, students must create one alternative path which their historical figure could have taken, in addition to the path chosen. Specifically, your team will create a graphic flowchart detailing this moment and the choices available, and then focus on the alternative history…that never happened.

For instance, your team could examine the moment when Martin Luther King Jr. made the choice he made to combat racism in a non-confrontational manner, despite harboring resentment and violent feelings toward whites in his youth, and how that choice allowed him to become a symbol of hope and strength. But maybe that moment is too obvious. Can you identify a key moment earlier in Dr. King’s life that foreshadowed this decision?  A moment where, if he had made a different choice, history would have turned a different corner? Or examine Edward Snowden and his choice to reveal thousands of classified documents to media outlets as a result of his disillusionment with the government surveillance that he was witnessing. If he hadn’t leaked those documents, what might be the ramifications today? In choosing to focus on that ‘non-decision’ what wouldn’t we know today? How might politics, globally, be different now. Or, what other choice did Snowden make prior to this moment that led to knowledge of these emails being the tipping point for him? Perhaps that is your point of focus.

By studying a singular, pivotal decisions in a person’s life, and specifically creating a plausible different pathway that the person might have chosen, your team will be able to explore the serendipitous nature of history itself.

Deliverables include:

• Digital Story (this is the only Meridian Stories deliverable)
• Decision Summaries (at teacher’s discretion)
• Flowchart and Draft Script (at teachers’ discretion)
• Alternative History Draft Script (at teacher’s discretion)

Assumptions and Logistics

Time Frame– We recommend that this Meridian Stories Competition takes place inside of a three to four-week time frame.

Length– All Meridian Stories submissions should be under 4 minutes in length, unless otherwise specified.

Slate– All media work must begin with a slate that provides:

1. the title of the piece;
2. the name of the school submitting;
3. the wording ‘Permission Granted’ which gives Meridian Stories the right to a) publicly display the submission in question on, as linked from, related to or in support of Meridian Stories digital media; and b) use or reference it for educational purposes only in any all media; and
4. We strongly recommend that students do not put their last names on the piece either at the start or finish, during the credits.

Submissions– Keep in mind that each school can only submit three submissions per Competition (so while the entire class can participate in the Challenge, only three can be submitted to Meridian Stories for Mentor review and scoring).

Teacher Reviews– All reviews by the teacher are at the discretion of the teacher and all suggested paper deliverables are due only to the teacher. The only deliverable to Meridian Stories is the media work.

Teacher’s Role and Technology Integrator– While it is helpful to have a Technology Integrator involved, they are not usually necessary: the students already know how to produce the media. And if they don’t, part of their challenge is to figure it out. They will! The teacher’s primary function in these Challenges is to guide the students as they engage with the content.  You don’t need to know editing, sound design, shooting or storyboarding: you just need to know your content area, while assisting them with time management issues.

Digital Rules/Literacy– We strongly recommend that all students follow the rules of Digital Citizenry in their proper usage and/or citation of images, music and text taken from other sources. This recommendation includes producing a citations page at the end of your entry, if applicable. See the Digital Rules area in the Meridian Resources Center section of the site for guidance.

Location– Try not to shoot in a classroom at your school. The classroom, no matter how you dress it up, looks like a classroom and can negatively impact the story you are trying to tell.

Collaboration– We strongly recommend that students work in teams of 3-4: part of the educational value is around building collaborative skill sets. But students may work individually.

Process

• Below is a suggested breakdown for the students’ work.

During Phase I, student teams will:

• Select your historical figure as based on your teacher’s parameters and your team’s specific interests. Your team should search for people who have had impactful and notable lives in history.
• Research the life of your chosen person. Delve into the areas of their lives that aren’t what brought her/him fame or importance.
  • Imagine telling a story to someone you know- you need to tell them where you were, what you were doing, when it happened- in other words the context of the situation before the story unfolds and then the story itself. This is the same kind of information you are researching around your select figure.
• Identify one or two significant decision-making moments in your figure’s life. These should not simply be the most important or famous moments in a lifetime, but rather moments where a decision, option, or other sort of challenge presented itself and your chosen figure had to make a choice.
• Create an analysis of each moment, using, if possible, a mix of primary and secondary sources. Pay close attention to:
  • Context – What is going on in the person’s life to bring them to this moment? What is going on in the world at this point? Think politics, economics, and the framing of cultural and/or national identity.
  • Choices – What is the defining issue – what is at stake – and what are the options or choices confronting this figure?
  • Decision and Outcome- What did this person decide and what were the historical ramifications of this decision, for the person and society as a whole?
• Once you have chosen and researched your moments, choose one. Outline the context, the actual decision and the historical ramifications of that decision.
• Now, create an alternate version of history that might have happened: the road not taken. What could have happened differently if the historical figure made a different decision? In this Challenge, it’s this made-up story that is of real interest to the viewer. It’s this story …that hasn’t been told.
  • For instance, what if George Washington didn’t leave the presidential office after four years and set the standard for term length? Would the rest of the founding fathers support a longer presidency or see it as a threat to their new government? Explore this history that might have happened and see what you come up with! In alternative histories, there are no right or wrong choices. But plausibility is a factor.
• Write up a) your select moment; and b) the outlines of the two paths for your moment: the one taken and the one not taken.
  • Teacher’s Option: Decision Summaries – Teachers may require that teams hand in a two page summary of the pivotal moment, the decision made and the decision not made, all replete with brief historical ramifications.
• Finalize the information by a) having a clear sense of each decision itself and the historical ramifications; and b), fleshing out the details of the new story that you are going to tell.

During Phase II, student teams will:

• Focus on the visualization of the actual historical decision and the alternate story that you have hypothesized. Here are the guidelines:
  • Each team must present a visual flow chart of the moment, beginning with communicating the context for this moment (verbally or otherwise) and taking us to the branch in the road where there are two (or three or four) pathways forward: the one taken and the one(s) not taken;
  • A brief explanation/analysis of the decision made; and
  • A deeper presentation/exploration of the decision not made. It’s in this last area that we encourage the teams to be visually creative.
• Create your flowchart. This can be hand drawn, animated: any style you choose. Bring it to life!
• Script the voice-over or narration that accompanies your explanation of the choice that your historical figure made in the moment you selected. You may add imagery, shoot video, or elaborate on your flowchart, as you explain this portion of your video. Keep this part of your digital story simple – we recommend no more than 45 seconds, but this is up to your team.
  • Teacher’s Option: Flowchart and Draft Script – Teachers may require student teams to hand in a draft of their flowchart and accompanying narrative, for review and feedback.
• Once you have drafted the look and sounds of your presentation of the decision made, it’s time to focus on where history might have gone a different way. You get to choose how to portray this alternate story. Some options might include:
  • Scripted scene – Group members act as historical figures and create a scene that follows an alternate storyline. These stories could begin with, ‘Imagine if Abraham Lincoln/ Mikhail Gorbachev/ Nelson Mandela (etc.) had decided instead….”
  • News Report- Create a TV or Newspaper report that dramatizes and reports on the diverging historical path.
  • Documentary Style- This style gives you an interesting option of creating a documentary about …something that didn’t actually happen!
• Draft the script and outline the visual approach for your alternate history.
  • Teacher’s Option: Alternate History Draft Script – Teachers may require student teams to hand in a draft of their scripted alternate history for review and feedback.
• Pre-produce the video:
  • Scout locations for shooting;
  • Research, as necessary, the still images that you will integrate into your video;
  • Animate or prepare for flowchart shooting;
  • Create costumes, props and other set pieces, as needed;
  • Prepare the logistics for the actual shooting of the video; and
  • Rehearse the scenes that will compromise the video.
  • Brainstorm about possible music and sound effects that you may want to use to enhance your narrative impact.

During Phase III, student teams will:

• Shoot the video
• Record the voice-over or narration, as necessary.
• Edit the video, adding stills and graphics as desired.
• Post-produce the video, adding music and sound effects as desired.

Presentation of Learning

Meridian Stories is a proud partner of the non-profit Share Your Learning, which is spearheading the movement of over five million students to publicly share their work as a meaningful part of their educational experience.

The workforce considers Presentational Skills to be a key asset and we encourage you to allow students to practice this skill set as often as possible. These short videos provide a great opportunity for kids to practice their public presentational skills.

According to Share Your Learning, Presentations of Learning (POL) promote…

• Student Ownership, Responsibility & Engagement. POLs can serve as a powerful rite of passage at the end of [a project]. By reflecting on their growth over time in relation to academic and character goals, grounded in evidence from their work, students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning. Just as an artist wants their portfolio to represent their best work, POLs encourage students to care deeply about the work they will share.
• Community Pride & Involvement. When peers, teachers and community members come together to engage with student work and provide authentic feedback, they become invested in students’ growth and serve as active contributors to the school community.
• Equity. POLs ensure that all students are seen and provide insight into what learning experiences students find most meaningful and relevant to their lives.

Meridian Stories’ own research indicates this to be a really useful exercise for one additional reason:  Students actually learn from their peers’ presentations – it is useful to hear a perspective that is not just the teacher’s.

It is with this in mind that we you encourage you to plan an event – it could be just an end-of-the-week class or an event where parents, teachers and student peers are invited – to allow the students to showcase their Meridian Stories projects. For more free resources that will support this planning, visit shareyourlearning.org.

Meridian Support Resources

Meridian Stories provides two forms of support for the student teams: 1.    Meridian Innovators and Artists – This is a series of three to four minute videos featuring artists and innovative professionals who offer important advice, specifically for Meridian Stories, in the areas of creativity and production. 2.    Media Resource Collection – These are short documents that offer student teams key tips in the areas of creativity, production, game design and digital citizenry. Recommended review, as a team, for this Competition include:
Meridian Innovators and Artists	Media Resource Collection
On Editing – Tom Pierce On Fiction Writing – Lily King On Rhythm and Movement in Video – Charlotte Griffin On Producing– Tom Pierce	“Producing: Time Management”  “Sound Recording Basics” “Producing: Tips for the Shoot” “Rendering and Animation Programs”

 

Evaluation Rubric – The Historical Road Less Travelled

CONTENT COMMAND
Criteria	1-10
Analysis of Evidence	Students display the ability to explain the underlying motives and contextual elements surrounding their historical event, as well as plausible paths forward
Historical Understanding of Chosen Figure and Choice	The digital story demonstrates a thorough understanding of the historical figure, and accurately depicts the chosen historical choice and ramifications
Plausible Alternative History	The digital story creates a thoughtful and plausible alternative version of history that displays believable ramifications
STORYTELLING COMMAND
Criteria	1-10
Presentation Style – The Flowchart	The graphics clearly present a historical flow of events that highlights the chosen moment and illuminates the different options available to the historical figure
Creative Design	The style and dramatization of the alternate history engages while creating a believable and entertaining historical fiction
Narrative Cohesion	The digital story transitions and flows seamlessly through the select chosen moments, contrasting the true and alternative histories compellingly
MEDIA COMMAND
Criteria	1-10
Visualization Style	The media style of the alternate history engages and informs the viewers
Editing	The video is edited cleanly and effectively, resulting in an engaging digital storytelling experience
Sound and Music	The selective use of sound effects and music enhances the dramatic appeal of these contrasting narratives and helps engage and entertain viewers
21st CENTURY SKILLS COMMAND (for teachers only)
Criteria	1-10
Collaborative Thinking	The group demonstrated flexibility in making compromises and valued the contributions of each group member
Creativity and Innovation	The group brainstormed many inventive ideas and was able to evaluate, refine and implement them effectively
Initiative and Self-Direction	The group set attainable goals, worked independently and managed their time effectively, demonstrating a disciplined commitment to the project

Essential Questions

1. In the life of your historical figure, what are one or two of the most pivotal moments in their life? How did this figure’s choice at this time ultimately affect the historical direction of society?
2. What is the political, societal, cultural and/or economic environment in which your historical figure made this choice?
3. What might have happened had this figure, in this select moment, made a different decision? How might history have changed?
4. How has your understanding of your historical figure and history itself changed by creating these alternative histories that may have been?
5. How has immersion in the creation of original content and the production of digital media – exercising one’s creativity, critical thinking and digital literacy skills – deepened the overall educational experience?
6. How has working on a team – practicing one’s collaborative skills – changed the learning experience?

 Student Proficiencies

1. The student will be able to identify significant moments in a historical figure’s life and explain the historical ramifications of her/his pivotal decision.
2. The student will be able to identify the key political and societal circumstances of the time period that shaped the decision-making of the select figure.
3. The student will have a broader understanding of the importance and the potential consequences of any singular decision or moment as well as the multitude of variables that, if shifted, can change the course of history.
4. The student will have a greater awareness of both the serendipity of history and of the key factors- political, economic, social, personal – that shape history.
5. The student will utilize key 21^stcentury skills, with a focus on creativity, critical thinking and digital literacy, in their process of translating historical content into a new narrative format.
6. The student will have an increased awareness of the challenges and rewards of team collaboration. Collaboration – the ability to work with others – is considered one of the most important 21^stcentury skills to develop in students as they prepare for life after secondary school.

Common Core and NCSS Curricular Correlations

The Historical Road Less Travelled Challenge addresses a range of curricular objectives that have been articulated by two nationally recognized sources:

1. The Common Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts and History/Social Studies; and
2. The Themes of Social Studies, as outlined by National Council of Social Studies (NCSS).

 Below please find the standards that are being addressed, either wholly or in part.

Common Core Curricular Standards

English Language Arts Standards

English Language Arts Standards – History/Social

The Standard	8th	9th/10th	11th/12th
RI1   READING INFORMATIONAL TEXT   Key Ideas and Details	Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.	Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.	Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
W2   WRITING   Text Types and Purposes	Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.	Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.	Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
W3   WRITING   Text Types and Purposes	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W4   WRITING	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
SL1   SPEAKING AND LISTENING   Comprehension and Collaboration	Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher- led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one- on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL4   SPEAKING AND LISTENING   Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas	Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.	Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.	Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
SL5   SPEAKING AND LISTENING   Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas	Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.	Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.	Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
L3   LANGUAGE   Knowledge of Language	Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.	Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.	Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
RH2   HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES   Key Ideas and Details	Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.	Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.	Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
RH3   HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES   Key Ideas and Details	NA	Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.	Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RH7   HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES   Integration of Knowledge and Ideas	Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.	Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text.	Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

 

Goals – NCSS – The Themes of Social Studies

Theme – Time, Continuity and Change

Through the study of the past and its legacy, learners examine the institutions, values, and beliefs of people in the past, acquire skills in historical inquiry and interpretation, and gain an understanding of how important historical events and developments have shaped the modern world. This theme appears in courses in history, as well as in other social studies courses for which knowledge of the past is important