This master’s thesis examines the role of visual art in history teaching, with a particular focus on the interwar period. Paintings and other artworks support students’ understanding of historical periods by enabling a deeper engagement with the past and by fostering interdisciplinary connections with art education. The practical part presents two lesson plans for working with paintings in 9th-grade history classes in elementary school. The survey responses of ninth-grade students show that they find working with artworks engaging and helpful for understanding historical content, while interviews with history teachers highlight the importance of incorporating visual sources into history teaching as well as the potential for developing more contemporary didactic approaches. The findings indicate that the use of artworks in elementary-school history instruction enhances students’ interest in the subject and supports a deeper understanding of historical content through visual interpretation and interdisciplinary learning.
|
