The Importance of Including Parramore’s History
As educators, we are charged with teaching students not only core content areas and subjects like mathematics, social studies, science, and language arts, but also with teaching about the community in which students live and the larger world. Each state follows specific curricula that always include teachings and lessons highlighting amazing individuals and their contributions to the Civil Rights movement including Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. These are just two of the memorable people who form part of this movement, and we want to include their contributions. However, our curricula should extend beyond to include other significant events, people and sites found in our own surrounding area.
By teaching the history of the key players of our home-based regions and states, we preserve the heritage of unique stories that involve our own community. Creating heritage trail markers for the Parramore area with an integrated standard-based curriculum expands to not only the local area, but to the entire state of Florida and beyond. Throughout the United States are regions with untold stories related to the Civil Rights movement. These historical stories include key players and events, as well as significant locations and buildings, all of which we are integrating into the Parramore-Callahan Neighborhood Project.
Many K-12 teachers are digging deeper to discover a more accurate depiction of their local and state history and to share the untold stories of local activists that struggled and communities that fought for racial and social justice. This project will establish a connection to assist K-12 educators in learning about our local journey.
Our plan is to teach, share, and preserve a history and movement in our own backyards and throughout the region that includes events and actual accounts and oral stories that are historically correct and show the impact of the Civil Rights movement in Orlando. Click to view the curriculum unit.
The Cost of A Movement
By Mark Ophaug and Glenda Gunter
The University of Central Florida, Educational Technology, eLearning
Curriculum Area: Social Sciences (US History, Economics, Geography)
Subject Area: US History, Economics, Geography, African America History
Interdisciplinary Subjects: English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Computer Science, Finance
Grades 9-12
Overview: Political movements are critical components to change and progress made in the United States; the Parramore Heritage Trail is no different. Tantamount to these movements are the individual participants themselves. This lesson explores national and regional political movements, their participants, and the costs affiliated with taking part in changing the history of Orlando.
Student Prerequisite Skills: Basic technology skills, a pre-test can be implemented or used in conjunction with the KWL chart.
Materials and Resources Required:
Technology – Software, Apps, or Web Sites
- Visual Software
- Theatre Software
- Music Software or Apps
- Multimedia/Digital
- Webpage Development tools
- Web sites: Digital Timeline
Technology – Hardware
- Digital/Video Camera(s)
- Computer(s)
- Internet Connection
- iPads/Tablet Computers
- Mobile Learning Devices
Lesson Summary: This lesson explores the local political movement, the Parramore heritage trail that has shaped society in the Orlando area. Over the decades, the public has rallied and organized to elicit institutional changes to the American way of life, but at what expense? Students will research the Parramore heritage trail by following the sites featured in the Parramore-Callahan Neighborhood Project, learn about those who participated (their lives, rationale for joining the cause, journey, and costs of participation), and then create a narrative/story about the events affiliated with one’s involvement in the political movement. This lesson concludes with a digital artifact (video, audio, timeline, and/or Website) that documents this story through sharing the person’s experiences, journey, outcomes, and costs (in historical and today’s economy) of joining in the political movement.
Essential Question: When one decided to participate in the events indicated in the Parramore heritage trail, what were the associated costs of their participation then and in today’s economy?
Lesson Objectives: As a result of this lesson, students should be able to…
- Describe the history and significance of the Parramore heritage trail political movement to Orlando and American culture.
- Identify and describe the backgrounds and demographics of those who participated in the political movement.
- Track and document the journey of those who participated in the political movement.
- Calculate the costs affiliated with participation in the political movement in history and today’s economy.
- Create a narrative and digital artifact to tell the story of one’s participation in the political movement.