OH, Jr. CURRICULUM
OH, Jr.'s curricula for classrooms or after-school extracurriculars.
Obscure Histories officially filed for 501(c)3 status on 7 August 2023.
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The History Documentary Curriculum teaches real world video skills alongside Social Studies education.
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It is customizable and flexible — work it into an established curriculum or use it alone as an extracurricular or elective.
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Students will learn professional techniques to create informative videos about their history research.
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Compatible with NCSS standards. We are working on a document to show compliance with state curriculum standards.
Students make a 2 to 3 minute history video
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images
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onscreen text
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music
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narration
The Structure
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Overview
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Narrative Structure
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Brainstorming Strategies (Ideation)
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Research Practices
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Scriptwriting
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Audio Recording
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Video editing
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free video editing application
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compatible with Chromebooks
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10 & 12 week plans
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12 weeks is optimal to give time for video editing and reviews
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1 hour per week
And if you want to learn more...
THE ADVANCED CURRICULUM
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Everything in the ESSENTIALS Curriculum, plus
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More Pre-Production templates and documents
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Production Techniques, with Production Handbook, included
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basic shot setup for camera phones
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lighting
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interview setup
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interviewing techniques
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More Post-Production editing training
THE ESSENTIALS CURRICULUM
Presentations are in MS Office & PDF.
Compatible with Google Drive, Slides, & Docs.
Access granted by licensing.
Ronen's Mixed-up Narrative Structure
Written and edited by Ronen (5th grade), this video is an example in the Narrative Structure Unit (2). To make this video, Ronen used the script-writing techniques from the Pre-Production Unit (5) and the video production techniques taught in the Post-Production Unit (7) .
Ronen is the son of OH founder, Dana. He is the inspiration for OH, Jr., because he asked for instruction in video production. Ronen has a love of history and an interest in production.
THE PILOT DOCUMENTARY
8th-grade students in a Chicago school were taught the OH, Jr. History Documentary Curriculum by their school instructors and Dr. Rovang.
Using the curriculum, the students put together this incredible documentary in a limited amount of time. We are so proud of their strong voices and this impressive piece!
REVIEWS FOR THE PILOT DOC CURRICULUM
"The Obscure Histories Jr curriculum was easy to follow and adapt to our needs within the classroom. It provided clear steps about the process of creating a documentary and hands-on activities for students to practice real world applicable skills. We are looking forward to using it both in the classroom and as an extracurricular activity next year!"
—Ms. Fox, Assistant Principal
"I enjoyed being able to learn about everything that goes on behind the scenes and be able to understand everything that goes into creating a documentary. I especially liked the part where we could work together and create something using the tips and skills we learned. Being able to learn about how to make a documentary allowed me to open my eyes to the different careers in filmmaking and get a chance to try something new."
—Itzel, 8th Grade
"As our final project in 8th grade social studies, our students chose to create a documentary about the vibrant art and murals in the Pilsen Neighborhood in Chicago. The Obscure Histories Jr. Program helped bring the students' vision to life! From building a script to production techniques, Obscure Histories Jr gave our 8th graders an opportunity to fully engage in a hands-on learning experience with the artwork in their surrounding community!"
—Mr. MacDonald, Social Studies
The History Documentary Curriculum
This first-of-its-kind course takes an interdisciplinary and vocational approach. The student starts with "what is a history documentary?" and continues through ideation, research, scriptwriting, and instruction in video editing.
Students make a 2-3 minute history video using images, music, onscreen text, and narration.
OH, Jr. History Documentary Curriculum was created by video professionals, educators, with the valued input of students. It is a brand new way to teach history and research writing alongside practical instruction in videography.
