Cemetary Restoration
Presented By:
Rebecca
Collier
Instructional Technologist
Eastern Hills Middle School
Killeen Independent School District
Cemetary Restoration is a project that
allows students to research and study the history, geography, and societal impact of Bell
County through and organized and systematic process of fieldwork and data collection. This
curriculum unit provides an interdisciplinary approach to the utilization of information
gathered in a cemetary restoration project.
This module aligns directly to 7th
grade history. Students develop an awareness of the county government concept, accurate
record taking and the importance of historical data to the community. Most 7th grade students view cemetaries as a place
of death and don't want to be near them. This
project will allow students to broaden their thinking skills by allowing them to
understand cemetaries have a wealth of knowledge from the past waiting to be discovered.
This module will take a minimum of 2
weeks to complete. The activity timespan
should reflect the degree of difficulty as determined by the teacher.
This module can be completed during any
time of the year weather permitting.
Global Positioning System-(GPS) tracker
Digital camera
Internet access
Database worksheets (found on Bellnet
Webpage)
Pencil
Multi-media Software (Hyperstudio,
PowerPoint, Astound, Avid-Videoshop)
Database and Spreadsheet Software
Bell County Research Materials
(Available on the Bellnet Website)
The objective of this module is to
provide teachers with mathematical applications to be incorporated as an extension of the
Historical Cemetary Restoration Project written for 7th grade history. These mathematics extensions will help create an
interdisciplinary strand that can be implemented throughout the grade level.
The objective of this module is to
provide teachers with language arts applications to be incorporated as an extension of the
Historical Cemetary Restoration Project written for 7th grade history. These language arts extensions will help create an
interdisciplinary strand that can be implemented throughout the grade level.
The objective of this module is to
provide teachers with technology applications ideas to be incorporated as an extension of
the Historical Cemetary Restoration Project written for 7th grade history. These technology extensions will help create an
interdisciplinary strand that can be implemented throughout the grade level.
Procedures
Mathematics
Cemetary Restoration Projects naturally can lead to mathematical extensions in the classroom. Measurement of headstones and distance apart of graves may be taken and averaged. Perimeter of the cemetary may be taken if the cemetary is not too large in size. Average lifespan of the deceased may be calculated along with records of how many of the deceased were in their teens, twenties, thirties, etc. All records may be taken and then put into a database or spreadsheet format for students to give oral reports on at a later date. Graphing of the data may also be done by students to be included in their class reports. Individual GPS readings of the headstones should be taken and used to create a detailed map on graph paper. Map legends may include the alphabetical listing of graves as well as show the coordinating points of graves on the graph paper such as: Smith Grave: (4,3), Jones Infant Grave (2,5) etc
Language
Arts
Language arts activities can include
more than the typical research paper used in many classroom settings. Research is important as well as format in
processed paper, but teachers may want to be more creative in the Cemetary Restoration
Project.
Data could be used to create but not
limited to the following topics:
A Virtual on-line Tour of Bell County
Cemetaries
Narrative Essays to include: "The
Life and Times of A Bell County Pioneer Family"
A historical format newsletter to
include advertisements of the 1850's
Classificatory Essays comparing the
past to the present
Informative Essays focusing on Food,
Transportation and Communication of the 1850's
Property Rights and Land Grants
Law Enforcement
Community Government and the Court
Systems of the 1850's
Science classes could determine what
diseases were prevalent in the 1800's along with the cause of death and average lifespan
of people during that time period. Extensions
could be made into present day immunizations and the life changing effects they would have
on pioneer settlers. Students could analyze
changes in organisms that would result in fever, vomiting, or dysentery that are a result
of internal stimuli. Geology and the rock cycle could be another avenue of study leading
to the materials utilized to make the headstones at the cemetary. The art of rock sculpture, study of granite and
limestone, along with the art of making memorial headstones could be studied. The effects of the elements and acid rain to the
headstones could be implemented through the topic of weathering and erosion. The science of embalming bodies in ancient Egypt
up to and through the 1850's to present could be presented as research projects.
Technology
The prospect of utilizing technology in the classroom as a tool integrated with the cemetary restoration project provides endless possibilities. Word processing, database and spreadsheet integration have been mentioned in the aforementioned objectives. Students could take video of other students gathering information, interview teachers and students alike about the importance of the project as well as take digital pictures of the gravesites. This media could be incorporated in a multi-media slide show. The media could be used in student-produced commercials or computer generated movies as well. A virtual 3-D computer generated museum of Bell County History could be created with computer software and placed on the Internet. Bellnet is producing databases to be put on the Internet, and students could create databases as well in the classroom representing the cemetary restoration or their own family genealogy.
These extensions can be used with a
broad range of students from upper-elementary through high school. Individual teachers will need to decide what
assessment technique will be developmentally appropriate for the grade level being
addressed. Project Rubrics are highly
recommended to assess extension activities. Rubrics should be considered for assessment
techniques before the assignments are discussed in the classroom with the students. Once the teacher determines what will be expected
from the learner to be assessed, then the appropriate lessons should be created to reflect
the assessment itself. The assessment should be discussed with the students in detail. Copies of assessment criteria should be sent home
for parents to review in lieu of starting the actual project a minimum of 7 days prior to
student participation.