Flossmoor Veterans’ Memorial will present its Flossmoor Veterans’ Time Machine project Oct. 31 at the Constitutional Democracy Project 2025 conference sponsored by IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law.
The presentation is in the area of “History in the Classroom,” part of the Teachers of Civics, Law and Government section.
The FVM local history project was launched in 2024 as a partnership with Flossmoor School District 161’s Parker Junior High School. The Veterans’ Time Machine provided seven days of local history coursework focusing on the role of Flossmoor veterans in service to the United States Armed Forces.
FVM developed teacher and student workbooks, interactive slide shows, lists of primary resource materials, and Americans with Disabilities-accessible videos on eight servicemen who perished in service to the country as well as Flossmoor’s efforts to honor all veterans and those who currently serve.
The Time Machine was designed in conjunction with District 161’s shift to standards-based learning and grading, which is a new approach to assessing the knowledge, skills and abilities that students should be able to demonstrate after learning new material.
Nearly 300 Parker Junior High seventh- and eighth-grade students participated in the 2024 launch.
At the conclusion of the Veterans’ Time Machine, each student completed a report, interview, project or other artifact demonstrating their newly developed knowledge, skills and abilities.
In addition, each classroom received a 3D printed replica of the proposed Flossmoor Veterans’ Wall of Honor. Students then designed and decorated their own custom Walls of Honor, focusing on the symbolism of their choices. Seven submitted 3D replicas were put on display at the Flossmoor Public Library during November 2024, with the community participating in online “fan favorite” voting.
District 161 and FVM continues the Veterans’ Time Machine this school year, and Flossmoor’s Infant Jesus of Prague School will join the program this year as well.
FVM President Paul Braun said, “FVM’s mission statement focuses on community engagement, education and civic awareness of this effort. We are thrilled with the level of interest and commitment our School District 161 scholars demonstrated to become more engaged citizens. We’re honored to share the results of our research with the Constitutional Democracy Project because we believe our partnership can be replicated in other communities to civically engage our youngest residents.”
The Constitutional Democracy Project’s mission is to offer high-quality, hands-on civics education programming to middle and high school students.
The project provides professional development training for faculty and classroom resource experts to Chicago and collar county school districts. Originally housed for nearly 50 years with the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, the project has served nearly 18,000 students and 450 teachers with classroom resource experts and educational materials.
For more information, visit @honoringflossmoorvets on Facebook/Instagram, @FlossmoorVWH on Twitter/X, https://flossmoorvets.square.site on the Web, or [email protected] via e-mail.
