Implementation of “Take A Trip With Orient Express Into The future!” (SOI-HR-269)
Author: Ljiljana Štanfelj, Geography teacher
School/Organization: Primary school “Dobriša Cesarić” Osijek, Croatia
Students in the seventh grade learn about the characteristics of the regions of Europe. They observe the characteristics through historical-geographical development. The application of this learning scenario helped us in understanding the historical-geographical development of the area through which the route of the Orient Express took place.
Students developed cartographic and digital skills using different tools and creativity.
The implementation context
Students observed the historical and geographical development of the area through which the Orient Express train traveled. Studying the past helped students understand the present. Students connected the content of History and Geography.
They compared the way of life and the luggage of passengers in the 19th century and today. They noticed a significant development of society and technology.
Students researched individual destinations – cities in the past and today (Munich, Vienna, Budapest and Buchurest). They marked the train route on the map of Europe. By using digital tools, students developed their creative and digital skills.
The learning scenario was applied to a group of students who attend additional Geography classes.
There were eight students in the group. The students are in the seventh grade. They are 13 years old.
(Orient Express – Étkezőkocsi, Forum Hungaricum Non-profit Ltd., source: https://mandadb.hu/tetel/461901/Orient_Express__Etkezokocsi )
The narrative
Activities with students lasted two school lessons (two 45-minute lessons). In my work, I applied the main concept of the chosen Learning Scenario, but I adapted the activities to the number of students and applied several other tools. This contributed to the dynamics of the story.
Watch and compare (motivation)
Students watched the trailers of the films Orient Express from 1974 and 2017 from YouTube (0:45 sec) and the illustration of the Orient Express. In the Wooclap tool, students wrote the common features of what was shown. The students were introduced to the features of the luxurious Orient Express train (presentation from LS).
Students answers in Wooclap tool.
Choose your wagon
In the Google Pinwheel tool, the students chose their wagon.
The students were introduced to the features of the luxurious Orient Express train (presentation from LS).
The selection of wagons was made in the Google Pinwheel tool. Students chose their wagon.
The students were divided into 4 groups of two.
At the beginning, the students had to write what they would take on the trip in their luggage. They wrote their answers in the Wooclap tool.
Send me a postcard
In pairs, they created postcards that they placed in the Padlet tool as a mailbox. To create the postcards, they used the Remove Background online tool (https://www.remove.bg/) and photos from the Teaching with Europeana website (according Learning Scenario).
Students posted the postcards in the Padlet tool.
The map of our journey
At the same time, on the blind map of Europe, students marked the route taken by the train from Paris to Istanbul.
Students marked the route that the train was traveling on.
Luggage from the 19. Century
Completing the journey from Paris to Istanbul, the students compared the luggage of today and that of the 19th century. They explained if there are similarities and differences. They wrote their answers in the Wooclap tool.
Students answers in Wooclap tool.
Create your own story – Breaking News
Based on the story about the Orient Express train and the cities next to which the train stopped, the students created their breaking news. For that, they used an online tool from Classtool.net (https://www.classtools.net/breakingnews/) In the news, they were supposed to show the story they made up.
Student stories were created in the Breaking News tool.
Evaluation and certification for students
Students evaluated the activities according to the template from the Learning Scenario.
At the end, students received certificates for their participation. The certificates were created in the Canva tool. I also adapted that according to the source.
Learning outcomes
Achieved goals
By applying LS, students applied and connected what they learned about Europe from History and Geography, they developed cartographic literacy. Through various activities that were applied in the work, students developed their 21st century skills. They communicated together with each other and they thought critically about the content they used, and at the same time they applied new tools.
This Learning Scenario can be implemented for face-to-face learning and online learning. It encourages students to be creative in their work
Europeana in the Geography classroom
Outcomes for the educator
By applying resources from Teaching with Europeana, students develop 21st century skills, but at the same time apply digital cultural heritage. Also, students and teachers are offered a new way of learning and teaching. Students can find different resources such as pictures, videos, texts, etc. This will help them study the past in order to better understand the present.
Did you find this story of implementation interesting? Why don’t you read about the related learning scenario? Take A Trip with Orient Express Into the Future (LS-HR-699) created by Ana Marinić
Did you find this story of implementation interesting? You might also like:
- Time Travel Agency (LS-HU-02) implemented by Katalin lorincz
- Europena living museum (LS-HR-10) implemented by Ivana Štiglec
- Stories on the move – mobile and outdoor storytelling (LS-ME-735), implemented by Daniela Sokovic
Do you want to discover more stories of implementation? Click here.
Public Domain Mark 1.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Västergötlands museum.