Implementation of a “Girl power – historical figures” (SoI-HR-465)

Introduction

For this implementation story, I chose the scenario “Girl power – historical figures (LS-PT-702).” I selected it because I am a homeroom teacher to five girls in seventh grade at a rural primary school. I also teach them History and the Croatian language. The aim of this lesson was to celebrate International Women’s Day with them and introduce them to courageous women from local and world history.

Unlike the original scenario, we analyzed biographies of five deserving women. Instead of pairs, I decided on individual work. Two are from the region where the students attend school (Otti Berger and Jelka Mihaljev), showing that women from rural areas can have impressive careers. One is from Croatia (Marija Jurić Zagorka), a writer and advocate for women’s rights.  And two are from world history – Amelia Earhart and Marie Curie.

Students following the adapted program researched globally renowned women with abundant online information (Amelia Earhart and Marie Curie). Others focused on women from local history, with less online information, including one (Jelka Mihaljev) with no data on Europeana. The scenario spanned three school hours, covering Homeroom, History, and Croatian Language classes.

First lesson – Homeroom class

In the introductory part during Homeroom, the students first played the card game “Fierce Women.” It’s an educational and entertaining game introducing players to women’s contributions to culture, politics, science, feminism, human rights, and art. Each card features a notable woman and her brief biography. The girls found their stories inspiring, especially regarding women’s rights history, and felt motivated to delve deeper into their biographies.

Second lesson – Croatian language class

The curriculum of the Croatian Language class includes biographies. I introduced the task to the students and assigned each of them a biography to research. Using online resources like the Croatian Encyclopedia and Wikipedia, the students researched their chosen biographies. Their task was to write down the biographies in their notebooks.

Third lesson – History Class

In the next History class, the task was to identify how these women influenced local or world history in promoting women’s rights or shaping further developments. The curriculum emphasizes analyzing the dynamics among individuals and social groups.

Afterwards, the girls created a poster on Canva. I introduced them to Europeana and explained its usage, helping them find visual representations for the poster. They used permitted materials and practiced text summarization by extracting essential details from the biographies.

In the end, the students presented their posters to each other. We commented on them and concluded how the researched women influenced women’s rights in global, national, and local history.

Outcomes for students

• Students gain a deeper understanding of historical figures, particularly women, and their contributions to society, both locally and globally.
• They develop research skills by exploring biographies and using various sources such as the internet, Croatian Encyclopedia, and Europeana to gather information.
• By analyzing the impact of these women on women’s rights and societal changes, students enhance their critical thinking abilities
• By creating posters on Canva, students express their creativity in visually representing the researched information and key points from the biographies.
• Utilizing digital tools like Canva and Europeana enhances students’ digital literacy skills, preparing them for the modern digital world.
• During the presentation of their posters, students engage in collaborative discussions, share insights, and effectively communicate their findings to their peers.
• Learning about inspiring women from history empowers students, especially young girls, by providing them with role models and showcasing the impact women have had on shaping society.

Outcomes for me as a teacher

• As a teacher, I’ve witnessed firsthand how I facilitate an engaging and interactive learning environment where students actively participate in their education.
• Recognizing the diverse needs of my students, I implement individualized tasks to ensure each student can work at their own pace and level.
• I effectively integrate technology into my lessons by incorporating digital tools like Canva and Europeana, enhancing learning outcomes and keeping students engaged.
• By including both local and global historical figures in my teaching, I promote cultural sensitivity and appreciation for diverse perspectives among my students.
• Through guided discussions on the impact of historical figures on women’s rights, I encourage critical thinking and analysis among my students.

As a teacher who has implemented Europeana Learning Scenarios in my classroom, I recommend them to my fellow educators. These scenarios offer a rich and diverse content that engages students and enhances their learning experience. The flexibility of these scenarios allows for adaptation to various subjects and learning objectives, ensuring relevance and effectiveness in educational settings.

Link to the learning scenario implemented: Girl power – historical figures (LS-PT-702) – Teaching With Europeana (eun.org)

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CC BY 4.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Wellcome Collection.