“Local History, Universal Truths” will emphasize the importance of exposing middle school learners to local history. We will dive into the role of teaching local stories to expose greater patterns throughout the state, country and world. Inspired by the speaker’s own experience learning about her hometown of Wilmington and its controversial history as an undergraduate in college, this session will allow History educators to brainstorm the resources and stories within their own hometowns and apply it in practical ways for their students. Teachers will look at a variety of primary and secondary sources to make materials that are age appropriate and thought provoking. This session will show that History can become wildly more real when students can see, touch, and feel the place and space where lives were changed for better or for worse, and more importantly, they feel like they can do something about it.
