Outside the classroom, Personal development, Teambuilding
> 60 min.
Large group, Small group
1 hour +
Speaking, Writing, Listening, Reading
Cultural awareness, Planning, Digital skills, Information literacy, Sharing knowledge
Asking for help, Communication, Self-presentation
Ownership, Self-motivation, Self-expression
Objectives
- Discovering more about the history and culture of the place of residence
- Nurturing the connection with the direct enviromnemt
- Being able to find and use suitable sources
- Being able to create a simple presentation
- Working on self-presentation skills
Material
(Photo) printer, paper, glue etc, padlet or other online platform (optional), visit to archive, (optional), Computers (for research, to check sources)
Important sources: Wikipedia, local (online) archive, local museum
Preparation
Preparation time for your own example; your own street name presentation (show this in the introductory lesson)
Instructions
Street names often hold a significant connection to a country’s history and culture. Learners may struggle with pronouncing and memorizing these names. To enhance their memorization skills and deepen their knowledge, learners will research the stories behind the names of the streets they live in. They will then create a presentation, incorporating text, photos, or videos, to share with the class. This activity aims to foster a better understanding and appreciation of the cultural and historical context tied to street names while developing research and presentation skills.
The facilitators will introduce the activity by presenting the story about their street names. You can show the sources you used and the way you created your presentation.
How to do it?
A concrete street name (for example Church Street, Apple Street etc.):
If the street is named after something concrete, they can look for the meaning in a dictonary, ask the teacher or another person or Google it. The participants make a collage with visual material that is related to the meaning, including a picture of the actual street (a photograph or a drawing).
If the street is named after a person or something less concrete then they can work this way:
- Getting familiair with the sources:
An important source will be Wikipedia. In an introductory lesson they learn how to work with Wikipedia in a basic way. Another source might be a local or national archive. Then an introductory lesson or visit might also be needed.
- Instructions in how to collect info and images.
- Exploring, finding out the meaning of the collected info.
- Adding images of the street (photographs or drawings).
- Instructions about making a presentation or collage with the material (a good (photo) printer would be usefull because it will be easier to make a collage/presentation on paper then a digital presentation for a lot of participants).
In both cases (a personal or general street name) the participants will present the story behind their street name in the group. During all steps the teacher and fellow learners will be available to assist participants.
Variant
You can choose to work in pairs. They can visit both streets together and film each other for example while they tell about the meaning of their own street name. Instead of filming they can make pictures as well. They present the result together in the classroom.