Disciplines/Subjects: History, Chinese, Media, Design
Key Themes: Nonfiction Writing, Modern Chinese History, Microhistory
“What can a small individual or a small family tell us? How much can it aid our understanding of Chinese history? We believe that the experiences of ordinary people can reflect the changes of an entire era, and we can genuinely feel the turning points of significant times through the vivid, detailed small histories. Without a micro perspective, our history would be unbalanced and incomplete.”—History does not float in the air; it is all around us, in the daily meals and routines of every family. Each family is a book, and if we can salvage and collect these memories, they too can be the magnificent voice of the times.
In this project, learners explore modern Chinese history by tracing family stories and ultimately complete a “family memoir.” The project integrates multiple disciplines such as history, language arts, media, and design, aiming to document the individual stories of ordinary families against the backdrop of significant historical periods.
Habits of mind: Empathy, Strive for Excellence
Transferable skills: Selecting Relevant Sources, Contextualizing Sources, Synthesizing Multiple Sources, Narrative
Content Knowledge: Major Methods of Historical Inquiry, Historical Sources and Principles and Methods of Collecting and Utilizing Them, Oral History Research, Nonfiction Writing