Plimoth Plantation Launches Online Learning Center
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Plimoth Plantation (www.plimoth.org) has launched its new Online Learning Center, You Are the Historian, at www.plimoth.org/olc. The free online activity is designed to be the leading online source for early colonial and Native American history. Developed over two years, You Are the Historian provides in-depth, online educational resources on 17th century life in America.
The first unit of the activity, "Investigating the First Thanksgiving," allows students to become historians and determine on their own what really might have happened at the 1621 harvest feast. The site provides students with an abundance of engaging, interactive online learning activities that encourage them to explore myths and stereotypes. These activities are designed to shed new light on multicultural perspectives and differing concepts of Thanksgiving. Through rich audio and visual experiences, You Are the Historian replicates the immersive experience of the Plimoth Plantation by using individuals as guides, historic characters and experts.
You Are the Historian is designed to provide interactive online and classroom curriculum activities that encourage skill development for K-12 and home- school students. On the site, teachers in all settings can find grade-appropriate educational resources, which are designed to meet state and national learning requirements. The site was constructed using a teaching framework developed by the Harvard University Graduate School of Education called "Teaching for Understanding." The site has also been developed to support the curricular guidelines of the National Council for the Social Studies, National Council for History Education and the Massachusetts Education Department.
This article originally appeared in the 11/01/2003 issue of THE Journal.