After the Advanced Placement Exams, the course curriculum for these classes is said to be completed, giving teachers freedom to fill the remaining time as they wish. AP US History (APUSH) students started their end of the year project, which allows them to explore key contributions of a figure who they and their partners feel is worthy of being considered a great figure in American history.
On May 12th, APUSH students were instructed to form small groups and select a historical figure of choice for their documentary. With their assigned person, students created a 12-15 minute argumentative documentary telling a story that argues the figures’ importance.
This project offered significant choice and license for interpretation. The selected individual didn’t necessarily have to be great or morally correct within history itself, but rather, fundamental in the historical context that they existed in.
“We have a long couple of weeks and I’d like something where students can use their interest and choice to pursue something that they’ll be interested in,” APUSH teacher Jay Garrish told The Prowl.
One group chose to highlight Jane Adams as their historical figure for their documentary. Their group consisted of three members: Nishka Singh, Rhea Kosur, and Chimaka Chidiadi.
“We decided to do Jane Adams because of her passion to not only advocate for one cause but many causes such as world peace, women’s suffrage and social settlement movements,” sophomore Nishka Singh said.
APUSH is a fast moving class, and the end of the year project served as a good opportunity to look at stories that are interesting to students and a chance to work collaboratively.
“I hope [this project] is an opportunity to use their inquiry mind and create an argument because it’s not just a biography, it’s an argument that this person should be considered a change maker,” Garrish explained.
The end of the year project not only tested student’s analyzing skills and their minds, but also on their ability to create an argument as a whole. With much anticipation towards the end of the school year, APUSH students worked hard to put in as much effort as possible in order to end the class on a good note.
