Anderson Middle School Explores Titanic

To mark the 100th year since the voyage of Titanic, seventh- and eighth-graders of took on this history lesson in a up-close-and-personal way – as passengers.

An interactive exhibit was set up in the library of the school all week for classes to take turns visiting. Upon entering the transformed room, students "boarded" the Titanic with assigned tickets of real-life passengers.

Stations were set up on the ship and students rotated each eight minutes at the sound of the a whistle being blown. Each station had a particular task or game that evoked a lesson about the epic history experience.

Maureen Watson, the library media specialist, said the interactive approach really resonated with Anderson students. She spearheaded the exhibit with the help of staff, parents and even students, who set it up last week during spring break.

"I think this is a huge event in history. It's a world event," she said. "Some think that kids don't relate to history and this is something they relate to."

To complete the history lesson, students learned through artifacts, geography and even technology.

Challenges included navigating the ship based on the class relations of passengers and using Google Maps to virtually experience the shipyard where Titanic was build and where passengers where picked up.

Students enthusiastically traveled throughout the exhibit, frequently shouting "I survived!" or expressing the disappointment of being denied something in the dining room because they held a third-class ticket.

Portholes and icebergs where among the creative "scenery" in the exhibit – all handmade.