A Visit to the Hysterical or Historical Society?
Some time ago, after a long week, a docent at the Michigan Historical Museum said to me, “Given the behavior of some of the youngsters, I feel like I’ve been volunteering at the hysterical museum.” Believe me, this was not the case the week our North Aurelius fourth grades students were there! Their behavior and focus were stellar!
They had the privilege of being a part of “The BIG History Lesson.” Their teachers believe, as do most social studies educators, that history deserves an important place in the curriculum as valuable background knowledge that students can draw upon to develop contexts for understanding current issues and events, as well as fostering empathy regarding our past. The fourth-grade curriculum focuses on Michigan and its story.
Our fourth-grade classroom teachers were limited in what they could do to bring Michigan's history to life in the classroom. Prior to this five-day experience, students read, wrote, re-enacted events, participated in conversations, watched videos, studied photographs and more. Going to the Michigan Historical Museum added another dimension, heightening interest and a quest for learning more!
Teachers, along with the guides, orchestrated a plethora of learning opportunities during the visit to experience parts of Michigan’s story, including the Henry Ford exhibit, a lesson focusing on manufacturing and the assembly line. The students also studied an exhibit and engaged in a simulation associated with the lumbering process. A host of other exhibits were available for the fourth graders to interact with in order to expand their appreciation for our state.
There is no doubt in my mind that our students at North Aurelius acquired a wealth of knowledge regarding the big ideas associated with history. Not only did they see snippets of Michigan’s past, but they also learned the why and the how – realizing we have everything of the past and more too!
For our fourth graders, their scholarly ways must have thrilled the docents – and the idea of volunteering at the hysterical society was farfetched!
