Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Teaching with artifacts



Yesterday marked the 27-year anniversary of the Pan Am 103 disaster.  On Dec. 21, 1988, a terrorist-planted bomb exploded on that flight over Lockerbie, Scotland.  All 259 on the flight were killed.  The resulting crash killed an additional 11 people on the ground.
Image result for lockerbie disaster
Pan Am flight 103, 21 Dec. 1988













We'll all certainly be discussing the attacks of September 11, 2001, with our students.  Using earlier terrorist incidents like the Pan Am 103 explosion and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing help to put that attack into historical context because the coordinated airplane hijackings on that date were but the latest incident of the use of terror by non-state groups.  This 41-second CNN clip reports that 1993 terrorist bombing:
A helpful way to introduce the subject of terrorism might be to show them a picture of this artifact.  Show them the picture of this lapel pin and ask: What symbols do you see?  What do you think each represents?  What does the word "Lockerbie" mean or signify?  Why is that date significant?  What does that circle near the bottom represent?  Why where those two colors chosen and what message do they send?  An essay accompanying the artifact's picture in the CIA Museum explains the Lockerbie explosion and story behind the lapel pin.

1 comment:

Wafiya Bukhari said...

"Teaching with artifacts involves utilizing physical objects from the past, such as historical documents, tools, artworks, or everyday items, as educational resources in the classroom. The blog readers are in contact with the Wall cladding services providers to complete students' study desks and renovation work. By incorporating artifacts into lessons, educators provide students with tangible connections to history, culture, and various academic subjects. This hands-on approach fosters deeper understanding, critical thinking, and empathy, as students analyze, interpret, and draw insights from these real-world objects. Additionally, teaching with artifacts promotes experiential learning, encouraging active engagement and sparking curiosity among learners of all ages."