Contextualization

History is the science that studies past actions, ideas, and events in order to understand the present and predict the future. It is a field that combines a variety of disciplines, such as geography, archaeology, and the social sciences, among others, to understand the cultural, political, and social legacy left by previous generations.

To understand what history is, we need to understand that it is not just a list of facts and dates. History is the interpretation, understanding, and analysis of these facts. It is through history that we are able to understand why we are here today, and what path humanity has taken to get to this point. Thus, understanding what history is goes far beyond simply knowing what happened. It is necessary to know why it happened.

To speak of history is to speak of narratives. Therefore, to understand what history is, we need to understand that there are many different stories: the history of a country, the history of a people, the history of a person, among many others. History is made up of several narratives, and each of them has its own importance.

The study of history is essential for understanding our identity as human beings and members of society. History helps us understand why we are the way we are, why our society has the characteristics it does. In addition, knowing the past prepares us for the future, allows us to learn from the mistakes and successes of past generations.

Historical knowledge is a powerful tool for the formation of conscious and active citizens. Through the understanding of history, we are able to understand the origins of current social problems and to seek solutions for them.

As supporting material for understanding what history is, students can delve deeper into the subject from the book "What is history?" By British historian Edward Hallett Carr. The video classes by Professor Leandro Karnal, available on YouTube, are also an excellent source of content for a more in-depth reflection on the subject. The Nova Escola platform makes available a set of articles and class proposals on "What is history?" which can be extremely useful in developing the project.

Practical Activity

Activity title: "Our History, Our Story"

Project objective:

To stimulate student understanding of what history is, and how it is composed of different narratives which when intertwined form our understanding of the past and present.

Detailed project description:

The students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 people. Each group will be asked to research the history of their own community/town/state, depending on which scale is most appropriate. The objective is to compile a "local history" that demonstrates the importance of historical understanding and how different perspectives can shape this history.

They should interview older people in their families or the community, research local records or online, and present the history they have discovered in a creative and engaging way. This could be through a presentation, video, animation, podcast, play, etc. They are free to choose any format they prefer as long as it is capable of conveying the "story" they have discovered.

During the project, students should note down all the stages carried out, problems encountered, solutions found, and what they have learned throughout the process. These notes will be used for the composition of the report to be delivered at the end of the project.

Materials needed:

• Notebook or notepad for recording observations
• Internet access for research
• Material for preparing the final presentation (depending on the chosen format)

Detailed step by step:

1. Formation of groups - 10 min
2. Initial discussion on the project, understanding of the proposal and division of the first tasks - 30 min
3. Start of research - 1 hour
4. Continuing research, starting to form a timeline of local history - 1 hour 30 min
5. Organizing the data collected and starting to develop the presentation - 1 hour
6. Finalizing the presentation (may require extra time depending on the chosen format) - 1 hour
7. Final review of the presentation and report - 30 min
8. Project presentation - 2-4 hours (depending on the number of groups)

Project deliverables:

At the end of the project, each group must deliver:

1. The final presentation in the chosen format
2. The written report, containing:
   • Introduction: Presentation of the project, why the theme was chosen, objectives, and relevance of the activity.
   • Development: Detailed description of how the project was carried out, what its main challenges were, and how they were overcome. Also include the theory learned about the discipline of history and how this helped in carrying out the project.
   • Conclusion: What were the main learnings, surprises, and discoveries throughout the process. Evaluate the importance of teamwork and collaboration.
   • Bibliography: List of all research sources used, whether books, websites, interviewees, etc.