April 2, 2003
Students step back in time at Colonial Village
Courtade fifth-graders portray early American artisans and tradesman
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Throwing themselves into their research, fifth-grade students recreated a Colonial America village last week at Courtade Elementary School.
The students wore period costumes and turned the classrooms of teachers David Goodwin and Karen Smith into a stroll down history lane.
The students portrayed a variety of artisans and tradesman, including brick maker and miller, saddle maker and baker. Gunsmiths, brass founders and blacksmiths worked metals while a tanner, candle maker and basket weaver made items for early American homes. An apothecary described how he kept his friends and neighbors healthy, treating everything from toothaches to broken bones to illnesses.
The students worked in teams, creating a fictitious family unit and describing the roles and duties of each member, including the children. They found their research and presentation experiences helped bring home the lives of the Colonial Americans.
"You actually feel like you are in that time and get to be that person," said Chris Kyro, who portrayed a miller.
Staff, students and parents from the school attended the village, which was presented on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at the school. As guests moved from table to table, each display focusing on one aspect of Colonial life, the students recited pertinent facts about their trade or lifestyle.
"We learned about the different trades," said Caleb Robinson, who discussed the various duties and tools of an apothecary. "We got to pick our own trade, and I looked at bookkeeper, storekeeper and doctors."
Student also created props, including construction paper baked goods and cardboard bricks, ovens and guns. At the miller's table, students ground corn and oats while the brass foundry featured an assortment of brass items that an old-time artisan could have fashioned. The tanner's booth included pouches, clothing and knife or rifle holders made from animal skins plus a deer antler powder horn.
"It was surprising how they lived, because it is strange to compare it to now," said Brittnay Campeau, who portrayed an apothecary's wife. "Doing this was a good experience, it took a long time to get this all put together."
"It is better to learn this way because if you're reading a book it is boring," she noted.
David Goodwin said this is the third year he has spearheaded the Colonial Village for students. He finds the research and the hands on immersion a great way to reinforce the information while also encouraging differing styles of learning.
"Some of those who are more hands on learners get the content this way," he said. "They pick their trade and then take on a role, either adult, grandparent or child."
Goodwin set up a Colonial Village Webquest site pointing students to sources and outlining the project. The students spent nearly two months delving into the details of this period in history and pulling together their costumes, props and presentations.
He did note the irony of using the Internet to drive his students' research into the past.
"I created the Webquest using modern teaching and research techniques to help teach about 300 years ago," he said. "The site gives them a direction of what they need to do and the sources they can check."
Some students noted that their research uncovered some interesting facets of life.
"Children could not sit down to eat and there was not a lot of silverware," Kryo reported.
Added Kala Bongard: "I didn't expect there to be 110 rules to live by, like children couldn't talk at the table or they would be whipped."
These facts did not dampen Kyro's enthusiasm for learning more - even on a firsthand basis.
"I would like to travel back in time to see how everything was built, to see how their buildings were actually structured," he said.