Summary
National cemeteries are powerful geographic places, yet they are rarely used as instructional anchors in the classroom. This session presents a place based inquiry model that uses national cemeteries to help students explore space, movement, scale, and human impact through the study of Korean War veterans.
Through the Korean War Legacy Foundation’s Veterans Legacy Project, students research individual veterans buried in national cemeteries and construct geographic biographies that trace lives across multiple places. Students analyze maps, primary sources, and spatial data to connect local communities to global conflict on the Korean Peninsula. The inquiry culminates in student contributions to the Veterans Legacy Memorial, giving learning an authentic civic purpose.
Participants will explore classroom ready, modular instructional materials and engage in discussion about how this work fits into existing geography and social studies courses. While examples focus on the Korean War, the inquiry structure is intentionally transferable to other conflicts, service eras, and local contexts. Teachers will leave with adaptable materials and concrete strategies they can use immediately.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | America250 through a Geographic Lens | U.S. History
Conference Room
Lacy
Meet the Presenter
Allison Cecil is a National Board Certified Teacher and social studies educator at duPont Manual High School in Louisville, where she teaches AP Human Geography and Dual Credit courses in business and personal finance. She serves as an Assistant Chief Reader for the College Board AP Human Geography Exam. Allison develops inquiry-based curriculum and professional development focused on strengthening students’ geographic reasoning and evidence-based writing. Her recent projects include contributing as an author to History of Korea: Course Companion for IB History Paper 3 and leading classroom and community-based initiatives through the Korean War Legacy Foundation Veterans Legacy Project.
