BROOKINGS – A Brookings educator has been named the 2022 South Dakota History Teacher of the Year.
Justin Palmer, a Mickelson Middle School eighth-grade history teacher, was recognized at Monday’s Brookings School Board meeting.
The state award is presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education, according to an attachment to the school board agenda. This award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school.
The state award was announced in August, and Palmer is one of 53 finalists for the 2022 National History Teacher of the Year Award.
“Mr. Palmer’s passion for kids is shown best in his ability to establish positive relationships … with his students. Justin is creative in his class, involves others to share in his class, and has a way of reaching all his students. He is always looking for new projects or ideas to incorporate in his class,” Brookings Superintendent Klint Willert said in recognizing Palmer on Monday with a September B.E.S.T. Award.
Willert cited several of Palmer’s lessons and activities that engage students in the classroom, including the Underground Railroad.
Following a short reading with background knowledge information about the Underground Railroad, “the students then worked in groups to solve a series of codes to break digital locks. After finishing the five locks, they were given a new puzzle that unlocked a lock box. Inside the lock box were flashlights and a primary document,” Willert said.
“Students then entered another classroom that had the lights off and glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. The stars were set up into constellations. The students would follow the Big Dipper to the North Star. Under the North Star was the final lock box that had the final prize and ended the breakout,” Willert said.
The superintendent said these activities take a lot of time to prepare, “but (Palmer) knows that the students learn so much more by doing these activities and the engagement, excitement, the enthusiasm and the learning is well worth his time and effort. He is always putting the students’ learning at the forefront.”
Willert also noted that Palmer had students engage in a battle re-enactment against another class while teaching about the French and Indian War.
“The first time the classes met, students ‘fired’ paper snowballs from organized battle lines. The second time, the class portraying the French sides used guerilla warfare, such as hiding behind trees and the buildings, to surprise the English and gain the battle advantage.
“During the WWI Trench Warfare Dodgeball game, students use primary and secondary sources to research the types of weapons and trenches used during WWI. The ‘capture the flag’ type game then involves students advancing to their opponent’s side using floor-taped trenches as cover. Different colors of dodgeballs represent the different types of weapons used during the conflict. Justin continues to work with his team to incorporate history into their lessons whenever he can.”
Palmer enjoys working collaboratively with other teachers within their subject area, Willert added.
