WORLD WAR as an ARTS and CRAFTS PROJECT

An article out of The Detroit News by Janet Sugameli describes how a local high school is using arts and crafts to teach students the history of WWI. The Novi High School history class constructed a life-size WWI battle trench with model rats, barbed wire, bedding stations, captain's quarters with maps and battle plans. History instructor Lee Bonner came up with the arts and crafts idea.

"They get an idea of the research that is involved in designing museum exhibits," Bonner said. "The other thing is that they get a lot of teamwork out of it."

The building of a replica battle trench would most definitely provide the student teams with hands-on experience in designing museum exhibits. The article, however, indicates the purpose of the course is to learn history.

My take on this story is two-fold. One is that the study of history is not the primary emphasis of the course. If it were, students would concentrate on history and not spend considerable time and resources on designing a museum display of a trench.

My second comment on the course pertains to the fact that the article makes no mention of the impact that poison gas (a weapon of mass destruction) had during WWI, in general, and on trench warfare, in particular. With recent world geo-political emphasis on nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons being possessed by rogue nations and terrorists, it would seem that a history course would make special mention of the use of chemical poisons during WWI.

The arts and crafts method of teaching is probably best suited for subjects other than history, especially since it is so time intensive. History class time should be devoted to teaching and learning history. Of course, it wouldn't be as much fun.

Hat tip to Joanne Jacobs.