GRADE: 4
Blended Lives
Lesson 3
Preserving Our Legacy
Those who Preserve our Legacy
Learning Goal:
The students will evaluate primary sources to infer as to how history can and should be preserved.
Essential Question:
How and why do we preserve our history?
Materials and Resources needed for all Core Activities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Pencils/ Pens
Paper/Index cards
Pictures/ flyer
Computer with Internet access
Suggested Teaching Time: 30- 60 minutes
Overview | What aspects of our lives deserve saving for future generations? What relics and
traditions are in danger of disappearing forever, and should be preserved? In this lesson, students
examine a range of efforts to preserve history and culture. Students can take the role of
preservationist, investigate cultural theft and play referee on local and international preservation
debates.
Warm-up: Ask students to identify what the Riley house and Capitol symbolize. (note: we want
to guide them to the idea that the symbolism is about shared history and culture)
1. Ask if students if they understand why the buildings are no longer lived in or used for
business.
2. Ask the students if they can make any connections before the lesson between these two
buildings. (answers may vary or be nonexistent)
3. Explain that both of those buildings were going to be destroyed but why weren’t they?
Ask students what the word “Preservation” means. Explain that a group of local citizens
worked together to convince the government of the city of Tallahassee to save the Riley
House and the state of Florida to save the capitol. (show picture of the Capitol plan that
removes the Historic Capitol)
ALL LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES CAN BE EDITED FOR YOUR CLASSROOM AND CAN SERVE AS SOCIAL
STUDIES BENCHMARK CORRELATION
4. Ask why is it important to preserve history? Explain students will meet those who
preserve our history at the Museums and today will put themselves in their shoes.
Hook:
5. The year is 2115 – one hundred years from now. We’re long gone, and so are most of the
things around us. What do you think people will remember about the world of 2015? Do
you think they will understand what daily life was like for us? If we could send them a
package of items to help them understand, what would we include? (Write brainstorming
ideas on the board. Consider discussing how to preserve your school through artifacts
etc.)
Activity:
6. We’re going to jump into the role of preservationist – a person who tries to preserve
historical or cultural artifacts from the past or present, so that they won’t be forgotten.
7. Students will use an online museum “the Florida Memory Project” as well as the
Museum websites to research the history of the Riley House and Capitol.
o http://rileymuseum.org/site/
o http://www.flhistoriccapitol.gov/index.cfm
o https://www.floridamemory.com/
8. Students in groups will:
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Identify the museums’ mission or educational goals. Write in your own words (both
museums)
Identify three important details, events or people connected with each museum
By looking at the primary sources below explain how each demonstrates things that were
done to preserve the history of the Riley House and the Historic Capitol.
Note: The hope of this lesson is that students will be able to understand some basic background
knowledge of both sites and the importance of historically significant preservation of our history
SS.4.A.1.2
SS.4.A.9.1
Synthesize information related to Florida history through print and electronic media.
Utilize timelines to sequence key events in Florida history
SS.4.C.2.1
SS.4.C.2.2
SS.4.C.2.3
Discuss public issues in Florida that impact the daily lives of its citizens.
Identify ways citizens work together to influence government and help solve community and state problems.
Explain the importance of public service, voting, and volunteerism.
ALL LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES CAN BE EDITED FOR YOUR CLASSROOM AND CAN SERVE AS SOCIAL
STUDIES BENCHMARK CORRELATION
ALL LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES CAN BE EDITED FOR YOUR CLASSROOM AND CAN SERVE AS SOCIAL
STUDIES BENCHMARK CORRELATION
ALL LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES CAN BE EDITED FOR YOUR CLASSROOM AND CAN SERVE AS SOCIAL
STUDIES BENCHMARK CORRELATION
ALL LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES CAN BE EDITED FOR YOUR CLASSROOM AND CAN SERVE AS SOCIAL
STUDIES BENCHMARK CORRELATION
ALL LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES CAN BE EDITED FOR YOUR CLASSROOM AND CAN SERVE AS SOCIAL
STUDIES BENCHMARK CORRELATION