On the very wet morning of Thursday 29 February, our Year 9 students, and a small group of Year 12s, embarked on a trip to the Shanghai History Museum. Located in the heart of Shanghai, the museum provided an enriching opportunity for our students to delve into the depths of the city's history. The museum's exhibits, which showcased the intriguing eras of ancient and more modern Shanghai, helped in building their awareness of Shanghai’s long past and how it has changed over time.
The visit was closely aligned with our local history curriculum at Key Stage 3. Year 9 students will soon begin a unit in which they explore how the city changed 1849 to 1949, and by witnessing artefacts, documents and interactive displays from various periods in Shanghai's history, our students will be able to bridge the gap between what they will learn in the classroom and the tangible remnants of the past. The trip also provided an excellent opportunity for students to engage with the idea of historical inquiry. As they moved through the museum's exhibits, our students were encouraged to ask questions about the objects, documents and artworks on display. This was also of value to the small group of IB History students that accompanied us to research possible coursework topics and make links to what they are studying in Theory of Knowledge.
Hopefully, the trip also fostered a sense of connection and belonging among our students. Many of them have spent most of their lives in Shanghai, yet the hustle and bustle of modern city life often leaves little room for reflection on the past. By exploring the museum's exhibits and gaining a deeper understanding of the city's roots, students might have developed a newfound appreciation for the city they call home.
