**9. A four-dimensional tool with practical suggestions for developing creative and critical thinking in learning local history**

I would like to share a helpful tool for teachers who want to develop local history lessons using inquiry-based and art-based learning methods. The tool is comprised of four lists of practical strategies, covering important aspects such as learning



#### **Table 1.**

*Dimension 1—Practical strategies for learning interactions.*



#### **Table 2.**

*Dimension 2—Concept work to understand historical times.*

interactions, understanding historical times, art-based learning, and specific strategies for local history (see **Tables 1**–**4**). Each strategy is backed by reasoning to justify its effectiveness. In general, this tool ensures that the conditions discussed earlier are met, and it allows teachers to establish a setting that promotes creative, critical, and analytical thinking while exploring local history.



#### **Table 3.** *Dimension 3—Art-based learning.*




#### **Table 4.**

*Dimension 4—Approaching local history.*

When approaching local history several sources can be utilized: artifacts and furnishings; monuments; buildings, entrances, and fountains; artworks; museums; places of worship such as monasteries, churches, mosques, and temples; photographs, books, albums, and sound recordings; letters and stamps. Different sources call for unique approaches and provide distinct opportunities. In **Table 4**, we focus on strategies for work with artifacts and furnishings, monuments, buildings, and other large constructions, and museums.

## **10. Conclusions**

Learning about local history can help children develop a historical perspective and better understand the connections between different groups, cultures, and civilizations. This can also help children become more self-aware and learn about the challenges of their time. Inquiry-based and art-based learning methods can create a learning environment where children act as investigators, gathering and analyzing information from primary and secondary sources, and expressing their conclusions creatively. I hope that the learning principles, practical strategies, and conditions outlined above, will give teachers the confidence to develop their own creative approaches to teaching local history in pre-primary and primary students.

## **Acknowledgements**

Classroom implementations were conducted to test the effectiveness of the practical tool mentioned earlier in the "Early Childhood Education – building sustainable motivation and value paradigm for life (MOV UP)" project, funded by Erasmus+ (580339-EPP-1-2016-1-BG-EPPKA3-IPI-SOC-IN).

*Utilizing Creative and Critical Thinking to Build Knowledge and Comprehension… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112688*
