May 28, 2003
History class revolutionary idea
Norris students experience early America through Living History lesson
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
The front lawn of Norris Elementary School transformed into a Revolutionary War battlefield Friday as fifth graders brought history to life.
Students portrayed members of the Continental Army, the British Army, nurses or Molly Pitchers, female helpers on the battlefield who provided water and comfort. Before the battle began, some students had signed the Declaration of Independence. Others chose to remain loyal to Britain while a few decided to be neutral. These positions mimicked the split in the country just before the Revolutionary War began.
Friday afternoon, the students brought the conflict of 230 years ago into the present: the armies camped, sang, marched, battled and tended their wounded. After battle, they demonstrated traditional colonial dances. Fourth- and sixth-grade students plus family, parents and teachers came to watch.
With makeshift costumes, yardstick rifles and hours of marching drills behind them, the two armies faced off. As the ranks 'fired' at each other, the two opposing generals directed the battle and kept their troops in line until the hasty British retreat.
"No one else got to act it out like we did," said Lauren Aprill, who portrayed the British general. "We learned a lot from it."
"It was fun, I liked being a nurse and bandaging people that were injured," said Luisa Salinas, who portrayed a nurse. "I liked the dancing, too."
Emily Wilk, a student teaching intern from Michigan State University and a substitute teacher for the remainder of the year, has guided the students through a Living History lesson all year. With this curriculum, which Wilk based on a teacher's from downstate, the students did not just study history this year - they lived it.
"They love Living History, it is something they want to do every day," said Wilk, who also enlisted the help of her mother and grandmother for the costumes, accessories and event. "They take it seriously because I get their emotions involved and once they have ownership of something, we go to the textbook and study it."
Earlier in the project, Wilk divided the students into settlements and they learned all facets of life from the differing perspectives of the participants: colonists, indentured servants, natives and British soldiers. They worked together to create models of various settlements, representing life in the 1700s.
Wilk, who played a harsh and overbearing British queen, taxed her students for simplest tasks such as using the drinking fountain or sharpening a pencil. Paying paper pounds, the students learned firsthand about the economic pinch and felt the stirrings of freedom, just as American colonists had.
Some formed to create the Declaration of Independence. By signing the document they pledged themselves to the cause of freedom, fully realizing the consequences of death or financial ruin that faced the first signers.
"I did sign the Declaration of Independence and I felt like I was going to get my head chopped off," said Nathan Wilson. "I think how lucky we are to be in this country and not be ruled by a queen and to have freedom of speech."
Wilk decided on Monday to recreate a battle and some aspects of Colonial lives, saying that her best ideas often strike her at the last minute. Last week was spent in a flurry of preparations as students practiced their marching, dancing and singing.
Wilk created dozens of muskets out of yardsticks, sewed costumes and cut out hats, drawing on her eight years experience working at Mackinac Island.
As the students marched in ranks before the battle, history came alive as Wilk narrated the happenings for observers. Dressed in a royal costume and crown from that era, she also played colonial songs on her fife and led the students in singing.
"They've just lived this history from the very beginning," said Michelle Brown, a fifth-grade teacher who has worked with Wilk this year. "Everything's from that point of view this year, whether from a Patriot's perspective, a Loyalist's perspective or an indentured servant's perspective."
"They've learned to make informed decisions as these people," she noted. "It helps them understand real history."
Aprill agreed that Living History made the lessons come to life.
"We learned everything that happened to the colonists and what their life was," said the fifth-grader. "You learn more because you have more fun than reading the textbooks."