History Social Science Schoolhouse

Schoolhouse Lessons and Activities
Activitity Three
Schoolhouses in the 1700's

Purpose:
Students will learn about daily life in colonial times by researching schools and education during this era. Relating modern day schools, which students know well, to schools as they existed in the same communities centuries ago makes the learning relevant to students. By comparing schools of the 18th and 19th centuries to those that students currently attend, students learn about changes that have occured over the years.
Students may access information through referenced books, local historical societies, films, and web sites. Students may use this research to simulate as closely as possible the conditions in schools of earlier times and the day to day school schedules and routines of the students who attended them.
Objectives:
Students work together to brainstorm all that they know about the first schools in their communities.

Students make a K-W-L (What I know, want to know, and what I learned) initially listing what hey know and want to know about early schools. Students ad to the chart as they particpate in activities.

Students use diverse resources for their research including texts, documentary film, and web sites.

Students share their new information with other students in the class by using a variety of formats including making Venn diagrams, engaging in persuasive writing, recreating some aspect of the old school house. (Other excellent activities and evaluation ideas can be found on the websites which are listed below.)

Students publish their information including drawings, photos, and writings via CommunityNet.

Time: Time required varies depending on the age and ability of students and the scope of the project.
For ESL Students
To translate web materials for students who need concepts and background information in their first language see Altavista's Babelfish. Although at times the translations are too literal, the site provides second language students with comprehensible material.

All ESL students should be given an initial vocabulary list. (This can be generated in part by the students themselves as they work on the K-W-L chart. Students should add to these lists, with help of the teacher or a friend who speaks English, as they new words are introduced. (If students are working together, from time to timethe teacher should review the lists for accuracy.)
ESL students benefit from the richness of graphic organizers, such as the K-W-L chart and Venn diagrams.

The documentary films which available from New Hampshire Public Television and graphically rich web sites will also enable students to understand the concepts even if they don't understand all of the words.

Activities such as setting up a replica of an old school house allow students whose first language is not English to demonstrate their understanding of concepts. Role Playing/Simulation by Patricia K. Tompkins is a good resource for using role playing situations with second language learners. The article provides supporting theories and practical classroom suggesions.

Pictures should be taken of the replication. ESL students can write captions for the pictures. This provides writing practice that is manageable for a student learning English.

ESL students can pair up with mainstream English students to make the necessary corrections to their writing. This pairing provides valuable grammar lessons for both students if the mainstream student has to explain why a word must be changed (ex. subject/verb agreement) and also excellent conversation practice.

Students are encouraged to publish their work on CommunityNet in both English and their native language for the benefit of everyone who reads the page. They should first write in English so they avoid translating from their native language to English.
Web Resources:
The New Hampshire Public Television site provides a summary of education in colonial New England as well as an excellent list of suggested activities and recommended books for teachers and students. The site is related to television history lessons which may be borrowed for the cost of shipping and handling or purchased for only $13.95 each. The lessons and activities may be used independently of the films with other resource books and materials.
The Montgomery County Public Schools has an excellent lesson packet that was put together for a field trip to the Seneca Schoolhouse. There are many excellent suggest activities and lessons as well as a suggested bibliography
Fourth graders in Texas spend a day in an old school house complete with all its activities!! http://198.216.152.2/ccweb/Schools/Wedgewood/fourth.html
A copy of a New England Primer can be printed so that students have a primary source for the study of curriculum and materials used in colonial education.
Lucretia Lyman Ranney of Utah has complied a nice bibliography of sources that teachers and students can use including an example of an oral history interview. This site also features a school house built in the 1800's and recently restored. http://www.surweb.org/surweb/tour/bhh/BLUFF4/bluffsch.htm
Carol Hurst's, Colonial America and Children's Literature contains an extensive annotated bibiography of relevant children's books which can be ordered on-line.