Prior Knowledge Interview

Transcription

1 Caitlyn: I am going to show you two pictures, and I want you to put the one that you think is from the longest time ago on your left and the one you think is most recent on the right. Baleigh: (She put the Native American picture on the left and performance coal picture on the right) Caitlyn: How did you know where to place the pictures? Baleigh: Well one looks old and it s Indians and the other one is about coal. Caitlyn: Now I will show you the other pictures one at a time and you need to put them in order. Before, after or in between the first two pictures. Baleigh: (she places the pictures in what she thought was the order--she got most of them correct!) Caitlyn: Ok, you did a really good job! So, what in each picture made you place them where you placed them? We will go through one by one. (Christopher Columbus was the first photo.) Baleigh: They are on boats and the woman looks like she is of higher power. Says First Voyage on the bottom. Caitlyn: (next picture was Civil War soldier photo) Baleigh: It looks like the railroad and the railroad was a long time ago. They re are canons and it is black and white. There is a black guy. It looks old. Caitlyn: (next picture was Women s Suffrage) Baleigh: She said it was for the women s vote which was a long time ago so it seemed to fit in the middle. Caitlyn: (Chinese photo is next) Baleigh: I have no idea what this one is. It just looks like a railroad. It looks like Indians. Caitlyn: This is the best photo I could find. They are Chinese immigrants working on the railroad. Baleigh: I haven t learned about that yet. Caitlyn: (Dust Bowl photo) Baleigh: That was of the sand storm. We read a book about that...the Dust Bowl. Caitlyn: (car picture) Baleigh: It had cars in it. Caitlyn: (women in WWII) Baleigh: It looks like a telescope. Caitlyn: Ok good, it is actually a plane, but it is taken apart. Baleigh: Oh I see! Caitlyn: (I explained the exact chronology) You did a really good job. Caitlyn: Now I have to ask you a few more questions. Was that easy or hard? Baleigh: Pretty easy. Caitlyn: Which picture did you find the most interesting. Baleigh: I like the Performance Coal picture. Caitlyn: Showed her Dust Bowl picture and asked how do you think your life would have been different if you were alive at this time? Baleigh: I would be more aware of things. Probably would have been poor. Probably growing crops. Dust would have bothered me. Caitlyn: What do you know about the time period of Christopher Columbus? Baleigh: He sailed in 1802, I think. Caitlyn: It was 1492 but that s ok! You got the two right! Baleigh: I got the two right because it rhymes with ocean blue!

2 Caitlyn: What do you know about the time period of the space shuttle launch. Baleigh: It was an important time in history. Caitlyn: What was life like for people? Baleigh: Way different. Bad cameras. Caitlyn: Think about technology. Baleigh: We built the better technology to get us up there. Caitlyn: Do you know anything about the time period of the coal picture? Baleigh: Nope. Caitlyn: What time period do you think this is--picture of the women in WWII working on the plane? Baleigh: Late 1800s maybe. Caitlyn: Little later try another guess. Baleigh: 1940? Caitlyn: YES. What was going on during the 1940s? Baleigh: Better technology was being made. Caitlyn: Any significant US event at that time? Baleigh: I don t know. Caitlyn: It s WWII. But it s ok that you didn t know it! When do you think the car picture was? Baleigh: It was Henry Ford, but I don t remember when he came along. The early 1900s? Caitlyn: Yes. What would life have been like in that time period? Baleigh: Exciting cause you finally get a car instead of having to ride a horse. Caitlyn: Do you know anything else about this time period (women s suffrage)? Baleigh: I know that it was in the late 1800s. Caitlyn: Yes, started in late 1800s and ended early 1900s. When do you think this one was (black Civil War soldier)? Baleigh: Early 1800s or late 1700s. The Civil War. Caitlyn: Yes, that is very close! What would life have been like in the Civil War? Baleigh: Tough because women didn t do much. We were sitting at home and waiting for the husbands to come home. Some had to work as nurses. Caitlyn: What if you were Chinese at this time during the railroad? Baleigh: I would be sad because it would be hard work. Caitlyn: Ok, and when was this one (Native American)? Baleigh: 1600s. Caitlyn: What if you were Indian. Baleigh: It would be really cool because I would be tan! Caitlyn: Ok, picture part is over. I am going to ask you some questions not relate to the pictures. Among your school subjects, where would you rank history in terms of your interest over the years (top, middle, bottom)? Why? Baleigh: Middle because it can be interesting but other times I feel like why do I need to know this? Caitlyn: What is history? Baleigh: It is important events that happened in the past. Caitlyn: Why do we study history? What is your favorite historical topic/period? Why? Baleigh: We study it to learn about important facts and events from the past. I like the Harlem Renaissance because it was a good time for music and art.

3 Caitlyn: What do historians do? Baleigh: They write about history or teach it. Do something with it. Caitlyn: What is a primary source? A secondary source? Baleigh: I don t know. Caitlyn: What do you think are the three most historically significant events in history? Why? Baleigh: When women got the right to vote/became more important. All of the wars. Great Depression because it made people realize the fact that life can be bad. Caitlyn: What do you think are the three most historically significant people in history? Why? Baleigh: Louis Armstrong because he made an impact on music. Jacob Lawrence because he did the 60 panel painting of migration of blacks. Caitlyn: What do you think are the three most historically significant women in history? Why? Baleigh: Mother Teresa. Caitlyn: What do you think are the three most historically significant documents in history? Why? Baleigh: Declaration of Independence because it gave the US its freedom. Caitlyn: Imagine that you could meet and talk with someone from the past. Who would it be? What questions would you ask them? Why? Because you can't actually do that, how could you find out the answers to your questions? Baleigh: Louis Armstrong because of his music. I would ask who inspired him? If he had lived longer what would he have done? Does he regret anything? He seems interesting. I would Google it to find out more information. Caitlyn: Have you ever seen a film or TV show, outside of school, on a historical topic? If so, what was it? Did you wonder if it was historically accurate? Did you do anything to check on its accuracy? Baleigh: I watch westerns with my grandpa, gladiator movies and Titanic. I did wonder about the historical accuracy but never checked it. Caitlyn: Do you ever discuss things that happened before 1975 with your friends? If so, what topics? Baleigh: Nope. Caitlyn: Among your school subjects, where would you rank government & civics in terms of your interest over the years (top, middle, bottom)? Why? Baleigh: Bottom because it never sparked my interest. Caitlyn: Why do we study government and civics? Baleigh: So we can understand more about what is going on and why stuff happens. Caitlyn: What is democracy? What other types of government are there? Baleigh: When people have a say in government. Communism and socialism. Caitlyn: What are the main features of the American political system? Baleigh: Judicial, Legislative, Executive. Caitlyn: What are the rights and responsibilities of citizens in our country? Baleigh: Free speech, freedom to assemble, freedom of press, religious freedom. Take care of our community and vote. Caitlyn: What role does government play in your everyday life? Baleigh: I am only 15 so it doesn t seem like much. Caitlyn: When did the American Civil War take place? Who was involved? What were the causes? Why is this event significant? What were the effects of the war? Baleigh: Was it 1963?

4 Caitlyn: No think about what was happening in Think about pictures and try again. Baleigh: 1840s? Everyone involved in US. Fought between states--south against North. Southerners thought they weren t getting treated well. Slavery was a problem. Effect was it ended slavery. Caitlyn: When did World War I take place? What were the causes? Who was involved in this Baleigh: 1940 no wait earlier I think 1700s or 1800s. Caitlyn: No early, 1900s. Baleigh: Don t know causes or who was involved. It as fought everywhere. US became involved in 1915 (a guess!) and didn t know effects or opposing sides. Caitlyn: When did World War II take place? What were the causes? Who was involved in this Baleigh:1940s. I think trade had something to do with it. Fought in Pearl Harbor and US joined n in Caitlyn: When was the Great Depression? What were the causes? How did the Depression impact the lives of people? Whom did the Great Depression affect? Where did the Great Depression occur? How long did the Depression last? In what ways did people and the government try to overcome the problems of the Depression? Baleigh: 1920s or 30s during the Harlem Renaissance with music and art. Everyone needed to get jobs. Needed money for the war and then US went broke. It affected everyone even other countries and lasted until after WWII. Making more jobs was how government was helping-- like we are doing now. Caitlyn: I am going to show you two pictures, and I want you to put the one that you think is from the longest time ago on your left and the one you think is most recent on the right. How did you choose? Dori: (she did it right) That one is orange and it has robes and the other one has a boat. (Indian pic and performance coal pic--she corrects that it is not a boat later on) Caitlyn: I am going to show you different ones and I want you to put them in between, before or after. Dori: (she placed them in the order she thought it went) Caitlyn: Went through each picture and asked why she picked its placement. Dori: Amelia Earhart because she is in a plane (women in WWII working on the plane). I knew it was the dust storm (Dust Storm picture). People dressed in robes, which meant it was old

5 because we don t wear robes anymore (Indian picture). First time they made cars (car picture). The women wanted the vote (women s suffrage picture). When slavery happened (Chinese immigrants). War (Civil War photo). Didn t know rocket ship--placed it towards the end because it was in color. Caitlyn: Did you think this was easy or hard to do? What things made it easy or hard? Dori: In the middle. I haven t studied history very much, so I don t know much. Caitlyn: Which pictures do you think are the most interesting? Why? Dori: The dust picture because I have never seen a picture of the black dust storm. Caitlyn: How do you think your life would have been different if you had been alive at this time? (Dust Bowl picture) Dori: I would have been scared and worried and it would have been dangerous. Caitlyn: About when do you think this is? Why? What do you know about this time period? What was life like for people back then? (I pointed to each picture individually) Dori: (the rocketship picture): It was a space craft lifting off. I would be happy and excited because I think it was the first one to take off. (the performance coal picture): Coal is from a mine. I would be happy because I would be making coal and getting money. (WWII picture): 1800s because it is old and it is Amelia Earhart who was the first woman to fl around the world. I would be excited beccause it was a GIRL who did it and I am a girl so obviously I would have been happy. (car picture): 1900s. I would have been excited because cars were made and I wouldn t have to walk everywhere. (women s rights picture): 1860s and ladies weren t allowed to vote back then because other people wouldn t let them, so I put it near the beginning. (Civil War picture): It s from the Civil War because I have seen it in a history book before. People were poor so they had no money at this time. I would be scared to leave my house because of the War. (Chinese workers picture): People were going out West. Train cars were important. Caitlyn: Ok, picture part is over. I am going to ask you some questions not relate to the pictures. Among your school subjects, where would you rank history in terms of your interest over the years (top, middle, bottom)? Why? Dori: Middle because I like science at the top, math is at the bottom and history is in the middle. Caitlyn: What is history? Dori: When you learn from the past. Caitlyn: Why do we study history? What is your favorite historical topic/period? Why? Dori: To learn about what our country was like in the past. I like when the pilgrims came because it is Thanksgiving this week. It is exciting because people have descendants from pilgrims. Caitlyn: What do historians do? Dori: They teach. Caitlyn: What is a primary source? A secondary source? Dori: Primary is when you write it down and secondary is when you hear it from someone else. Caitlyn: What do you think are the three most historically significant events in history? Why? Dori: Civil War because slaves were freed. The Battle at New Orleans because it s about our freedom and we needed it. The Treaty of Ghent. Caitlyn: What do you think are the three most historically significant people in history? Why?

6 Dori: Amelia Earhart because she was the first lady to fly around the world. George Washington because he was the first president. The guy who made the gold horse during the Renaissance because he wanted to do something extraordinary. Caitlyn: What do you think are the three most historically significant women in history? Why? Dori: Amelia Earhart because she was the first lady to fly around the world. Mrs. Madison because she was a Quaker I think. Caitlyn: What do you think are the three most historically significant documents in history? Why? Dori: Declaration of Independence because it showed our freedom. Mayflower Compact because it shows they settled Plymouth and the Treaty of Ghent because it was another source of our freedom. Caitlyn: Imagine that you could meet and talk with someone from the past. Who would it be? What questions would you ask them? Why? Because you can't actually do that, how could you find out the answers to your questions? Dori: I would want to meet Abraham Lincoln to see if he really told the truth every time and why he told the truth all the time! Also I want to know why he wore a top hat and what movie he was watching when he got shot. I would look in a history book or on the Internet to find out more. Caitlyn: Have you ever seen a film or TV show, outside of school, on a historical topic? If so, what was it? Did you wonder if it was historically accurate? Did you do anything to check on its accuracy? Dori: I watch the History Channel some and stuff about Amelia Earhart. I also watch things about historical fossils. I have wondered about the accuracy but never checked the accuracy. Caitlyn: Do you ever discuss things that happened before 1975 with your friends? If so, what topics? Dori: Sometimes...Columbus and the Indians. Caitlyn: Among your school subjects, where would you rank government & civics in terms of your interest over the years (top, middle, bottom)? Why? Dori: BOTTOM! It is hard and confusing. Caitlyn: Why do we study government and civics? Dori: So we can know what it was about before we were born and what it was like. Caitlyn: What is democracy? What other types of government are there? Dori: I don t know but we learned about the Greek Democracy. Caitlyn: What are the main features of the American political system? Dori: Judicial, Legislative, Executive. President, Vice President, Judges, Senate, Governors. Caitlyn: What are the rights and responsibilities of citizens in our country? Dori: Pay their taxes, pay all their bills, make sure they follow all the rules, freedom to speak and make any building or invention. Caitlyn: What role does government play in your everyday life? Dori: I don t know. Caitlyn: When did the American Civil War take place? Who was involved? What were the causes? Why is this event significant? What were the effects of the war? Dori: 1700s. French but mostly everyone. It was about slavery and it freed all the slaves and blacks and whites came together. Caitlyn: When did World War I take place? What were the causes? Who was involved in this

7 Dori: Bring peace between countries. It was between the French, the Indians, and the Americans. It was fought on some battlefield and both the French and Indians wanted us on their side. Caitlyn: When did World War II take place? What were the causes? Who was involved in this Dori:1900s. There was a lot of death. British and US involved. Pearl Harbor. Caitlyn: When was the Great Depression? What were the causes? How did the Depression impact the lives of people? Whom did the Great Depression affect? Where did the Great Depression occur? How long did the Depression last? In what ways did people and the government try to overcome the problems of the Depression? Dori: 1940s. There were more taxes and the jobs went down. People lost their homes and it badly impacted people s lives. US and other countries involved. I think it lasted 10 years. Tried to fight back by lowering taxes and giving people homes.