Posts
When I first started thinking about my treasure box, I was overwhelmed and unsure. However, once I started working on it, I realized it was very similar to the learning centers I already use. The only difference; tracking down my primary sources....which didn't prove to be an easy task!
To create my treasure box, I first set up a goal. I wanted my first graders to be able to relate to the children who lived during the time of Benjamin Franklin. Not just know what they looked like, but to actually be able to put themselves in their shoes, and feel what those boys and girls felt in the 1700's. To reach this goal, I set up 3 separate activities:
Activity 1: GAMES NOW AND THEN
I had several different games and pictures of games set up in a tote to sort through. Some were modern day games, and others were games children would have played long ago. Once the students sorted them, they then had to compare and contrast the two. The last task was to figure out how the games of old were used. They got to share ideas to the class before we revealed the "real" usage!
Activity 2: CHORES
This activity started with a puzzle. The puzzle showed how laundry was done in the 1700's. As the puzzle was being assembled they had to try and figure out what it was a picture of. The children wrote down their guesses. Once the puzzle was assembled they made a final guess as to what the picture showed. I also included house hold items, pictures of tools, and pictures of children, men, and women working. My students had to observe the items and come up with a purpose for each.
Activity 3: CLOTHING
At this center, I placed pictures of clothing that are worn today and in the 1700's. The students had to dress a cutout boy/girl. When they finished, they were to look at the books and photographs placed in the box and observe the way the children were dressed. After looking at the books, they were then able to go back and make any changes to their cutouts.
I have to say, this treasure box took A LOT of planning, but the kids LOVED it! They really enjoyed the exploration aspect of it. The activities seemed to appeal to my entire class. Each activity was like a mini mystery they had to solve. It was neat seeing it all come together for them. When they first arrived at the activity, they were confused. As they started sorting through the materials and expressing their ideas and questions, the pieces started to slowly come together. Very enjoyable, and they certainly took a lot of new information away with them!
Your activities were just right for your first graders. You were able to provide your students with connections from this historical time to their lives with the games, household chores, and activities involving the clothing during Ben Franklin’s time. You are providing your students with many new dimensions of learning through your centers and work with primary source documents.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of the students being able to compare and connect life today with life back then. Many times we as teachers talk about people from the past and do not help the students CONNECT with life long ago. Using hands-on activities like a treasure box can certainly help the students to make connections with life back then. It also appeals to students more because it is based on brain-based learning.
ReplyDeleteYour colonial learning centers really seemed to engage the students interests into the colonial time period. I agree with you Sara that hands-on learning centers are always a lot of work. It seems the activities that engage the students the most are the activities that are the most time consuming for the teacher. However, the results from doing hands on learning centers is always beneficial in the long run for all students, no matter if they are left brained or right brained. I took part of colonial centers this year that Crystale Moyer set up and the connections the students made were amazing. Not one student rolled their eyes in boredom. It really made them realize that long ago things were truly different than the way things are today. By creating hands on learning centers with primary documents from the colonial times I truly feel students start to realize how things change over time. This is a hard concept for first grade students to understand because they are so young.
ReplyDeleteIt was a daunting task at first, wasn't it? I felt the same way in the beginning. I think if I had approached it as gathering the things for a learning center it would have been easier, too. There was just something daunting about this project at first. I'm glad we had two months! I'm glad we created this, though. I have a supply of materials ready to go for some fun, creative, projects! It sounds like you were very successful and the kids learned a lot - good job!
ReplyDeleteYour activities were really neat and I am sure your students will remember the lessons. I bet comparing the games of the colonial period with all the technology and games of today was fascinating. It is a lot of prep to get everything together but I'm sure your students loved the end result!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI loved all of these activities as well. I hope you don't mind, but I plan to adapt, then incorporate some of them into my lesson plans later this year. We rotate our entire 3rd grade among the 4 teachers. Each of us takes on a section of the curriculum - mine is History and Government. These activities will be a great way to add some movement and fun to what many kids see as a boring class - thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePS - the reply deleted above was actually my post - I put it in the wrong place the first time!
DeleteI love the idea of comparing chores and games. Kids today have little to connect them with kids of that era. Just having them "stand in their shoes" for a day is an experience they won't forget.
ReplyDeletePrimary sources can be difficult to track down, can't they? In some part, I believe it's an activity that we as teachers are not accustomed to doing. Like anything else it's hard to know where to start or how to search. Once there is some success each search becomes a bit easier. I thought your activities were well planned and just right for your students. The fact that they enjoyed all the work you put into this activity must have been extremely gratifying.
DeleteI loved the activities that you used in your treasure box. They are very appropriate and enjoyable for first grade students! Hands-on activities have a great impact on them, and keeps elementary students more interested in learning. I'm sure your children were enthusiastic and entertained while solving their "mini misteries"!
ReplyDelete