Contextualization

History, being a discipline of great wealth and complexity, allows us to broadly understand the journey of the human being throughout time. Its study is fundamental to understanding the present and current society. It presents the diverse facets of humanity in different periods and civilizations, showing how each human being was shaped by their experiences and how society was structured over the centuries.

History is the record of the past, but we must understand it as a selective and interpretive record of the past. Each generation of historians makes its own choice about what is important or not, what deserves to be preserved, highlighted, or forgotten. In history, the questions are open and the truth is always partial. It is always ready to be rewritten, revised, and reinterpreted.

When we study history, we are not just looking at past events. We are evaluating how the society that studied them interpreted them. This makes history a discipline that is constantly changing and, therefore, can be fascinating. Past events do not change, but our understanding of them can change completely.

The Value of History

History helps to understand how society was built, how social relations and political structures were established and consolidated. Understanding history is understanding the present, as past events shape the world as we know it today. This is the importance of History, it is the narrative of the events that led us to the present.

In addition, history can teach us a lot about ourselves. It shows us that our actions have consequences and that every decision made has an impact on those around us. History also teaches us empathy, helping us to understand people from different cultures and times and to appreciate the similarities and differences between us.

I recommend for this study the reading of the book "What is History" by Edward Hallett Carr and "Saber ver a cidade" by Raul Pereira Bastos. In addition, the documentary "History of Civilization", available on YouTube, provides a fun and informative overview of the development of human societies.

Practical Activity

"Creating Our Own History"

Objectives of the Project

Students will create a historical documentary, which can be fictional or based on real events, to demonstrate an understanding of the historical concepts covered in class, in addition to developing teamwork, planning, research, and creativity skills.

Detailed Project Description

The documentary created by the students must include an introduction, development, conclusion, and bibliography. It should be clear, concise, and creative, with a well-developed script. Each group should choose a topic, which can be a historical event, a historical figure, a historical period, or a historical concept.

Materials Needed

Students will need access to the Internet for research, a camera for filming (a smartphone can be used), video editing software (there are several available for free), and presentation tools such as PowerPoint, Canva, or Google Slides to create visual presentations if desired.

Step-by-step guide to the activity

1. Defining the theme and cast of the group: Each group must choose a topic and a set of roles. The roles can include scriptwriters, directors, actors, video editors, researchers, and others that the group deems necessary. Once the roles have been assigned, the group should discuss and decide on the theme of the documentary.

2. Research: After choosing the topic, students should conduct extensive research to understand the events, characters, places, customs, among others, related to the chosen topic.

3. Script: Based on the research conducted, students should write a detailed script for the documentary, including dialogue, scene description, etc. The script should include an engaging introduction, development, and clear conclusion.

4. Production: After the script has been approved, students can start filming and collecting footage for the documentary. They can also use images and videos found on the internet, as long as they respect the copyright.

5. Editing: After collecting all the necessary material, the next step is to edit the video. The documentary should be clear, concise, and have a logical flow of ideas.

6. Presentation and Discussion: Upon completion of the project, each group will present their documentary to the class. After the screening, there will be a discussion period where other students can ask questions and give feedback.

7. Final Report: Each group must produce a written final report, detailing the process of creating the documentary, including the introduction, development, conclusions, and bibliography used.

Project Deliverables

1. Video Documentary: The final product of the project is the video documentary. It should present the chosen topic in a clear, concise, and creative way.

2. Final Report: This is a written report that details the process of creating the documentary, including the introduction, development, conclusions, and bibliography used. The report should be a careful reflection on the production process, detailing the difficulties encountered, the solutions found, what was learned, and how the historical concepts studied were applied.