The Look Back
The Look Back is a series made for learners in grades 4-6 that explores eras from Wisconsin’s history through artifacts. The series is hosted by historians who model an inquiry process: sharing artifacts, asking questions, visiting archives and museums to learn more, telling the story of their findings as they go, and making connections to our lives today.
Learning Goals
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Explore
Explore artifacts and their context to learn about eras from Wisconsin history.
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Understand
Understand historical inquiry by watching historians investigate, infer, contextualize, and make meaning.
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Examine
Examine Wisconsin’s history through timelines and primary sources.
Featured Episode
Was Lighthouse Keeper the Most Remote Job in Wisconsin History?
Territory to Statehood
Before railroad lines and highways criss crossed the landscape, travel by water was the way to get around, and relied on lighthouses to help navigate. Throughout the 1800s, the Great Lakes saw a significant increase in shipping traffic, which meant more lighthouses were needed. The first lighthouse in what is now Wisconsin was built on Rock Island, and many more followed, both in Door County and all along Wisconsin’s Great Lakes coastlines.
Explore the collection
Partners
Quotation
I loved how you made the videos educational and fun at the same time!