Part 1: Before You Watch

In This Task...

Students regularly ask, “How am I ever going to use this stuff?” In this video, Bob Bain examines exactly what makes history usable and useful. He presents an example from his own history class where students explored the history of the city of Detroit. By looking at historical documents, talking to grandparents—and yes, even reading a little history—they developed a deeper sense of their own city today.

Resources...

"What makes history useable?"

By the end of the video, you should be able answer the following questions:

1. Bob Bain describes a long debate that politicians and educators have “waged war” over, about what should be taught in the history classroom. What are the two sides and what do they argue?
2. What was the big driving question Bain’s students in Detroit studied?
3. What did students do over the course of the school year, after they shared the stories they collected?
4. What did looking at multiple narratives help students do?
5. According to Bob Bain, what makes history usable?

Evidence of Learning...

1. Watch the video, "What makes history useable?"
2. How might looking at the stories of the history of our city or community help you understand the present better?
3. How might looking at the stories of the history of your city help you understand the future better?