This special is one of fifteen Service Learning Standards Based Models
For more Service Learning activities Connecting Classrooms~Communities~Careers
visit bostonteachnet.org or contact  Barbara Locurto  IMPACT II @ School-to-Career, 
Boston Public Schools

Education

Walk Her Way
on a Women's History Trail

Arts, English Language Arts, Math, Social Studies

Connecting
Classrooms older & younger students
Communities pre-school, neighborhood schools, local residents, city visitors
Careers historical research, journalism, publishing
 

What is fame?
As a preface to creating a Women's History trail, elementary students discuss and define this elusive state. To understand who is considered famous, they distribute questionnaires to families and friends. Data results reveal an enormous gender gap that students address by identifying and studying local women and sharing findings with younger children and e-pals. Neighborhood walks lead to an oral history project while students document their interviews with audio recordings and photos. Creating a database of women contributors, they add photos, primary source documents, and old newspaper articles to their files. Students profile their candidates at a schoolwide assembly, and prepare for an election to determine the final selection. With the brochure designed and word processed, students announce their Women's History Trail and invite the community to walk her way. 
Resources How To Tape Instant Oral Biographies by Bill Zimmerman; Boston Women's Heritage Trail, Four Centuries of Boston Women: Guidebook, Walking Tours, and Maps; Scholastic Encyclopedia of Women in the United States
Technology search Internet, e-mail messages, design database, word process & scan images for ballots & brochure 
Web Sites  Boston Women's Heritage Trail;  National Women's Hall of Fame ; National Women's History Project
 Community Partners National Park Rangers, public library, Boston Women's Heritage Trail, The Bostonian Society

Learning Standards Classroom Activities Service Activities
o Conduct historical & social studies research (SS)
o Collect, organize & describe data (M) 
 		o Discuss & define fame
o Design & distribute questionnaire on fame
 o Sort & graph questionnaire results
o Interview Boston Women's Heritage Trail member & agree to collaborate on new trail  		o Design a school bulletin board on women
o Display results on school bulletin board
o Conclude there is a need to feature local women in a local history trail
o Host BWHT board member in class
o Obtain information from a variety of sources (SS)
o Construct, read & interpret data (M) 
 		o Plan & rehearse oral interview process
o Design & send invitations to senior citizens, historical societies, local educators, clergy, etc.
o Create database files after interviews 		 o Contact trail participants in other schools
o Compare details of trail blazing
o Continue to share reflections on the changing roles of women 
o Engage in historical analysis & interpretation (SS)
o Understand & use writing process effectively (ELA)   		o Research historic women on Internet & in local libraries
o Develop Readings on Women bibliography
o Write & word process profiles of subjects		 o E-mail results & bibliography to trail participants in other schools
o Continue yearlong progress updates
o Share information with younger students
o Understand the concepts & details of physical & political geography (SS)  
 		o Conduct neighborhood walks to locate where subjects lived & worked 
o Compare & contrast locations on current map & historic map to indicate neighborhood changes		 o Display maps on school bulletin board, local public library & historical society
o Engage in historical decision making (SS)
o Use various formats & technology to complete & enhance work (ELA)
 		 o Plan & conduct schoolwide election on women who will be represented on trail
o Schedule & plan a schoolwide assembly
o Create bookmarks outlining lives of women candidates 		 o Present candidates for trail & explain voting process at assembly
o Distribute bookmarks throughout school
o Read & explain to younger students
o Announce election results schoolwide
o Same as above
o Make effective presentations (ELA) 
 o Design, write, illustrate, word process & edit brochure featuring trail selections 
o Acknowledge supportive partners
o Compose trail press release for newspapers 		 o Distribute brochures to community
o Conduct trail walking tours for local residents & younger students
o Conduct tour for visiting trail participants