Francis J. Degnan
Objective
Students will be able to describe similarities and differences between the Colonial school experience and their own.
Activity
In order to give the students as much of the feeling of an Early American school experience as possible a teacher may elect to devote an entire day to this lesson. Paper was scarce and only certain lessons demanded it. There were no pencils. Chalk and slates were used in many lessons. Quill pens and ink were used for the penmanship lessons. John Hancock’s signature is an example of what was considered an excellent hand. The use of intricate designs and patterns were considered part of the skill of handwriting. The students should be reminded to be obedient for it was considered the basis of learning. They could only speak when they were spoken to and the teacher had the rod to aid in administering discipline. A class should be prepared for this special day.
Procedure
Upon arrival the students may find their desks in a new order. Desks were at first arranged around the walls of a room. With benches in the front of the room for those expected to recite. The Pledge of Allegiance may be recited along with the singing of a patriotic song.
Now the day might begin with a writing lesson done on the slates. Depending on the grade level this might well be a lesson similar to what they are used to. The difference being that they erase the slate and continue on.
A poetry lesson that presented both short poems to be memorized and a short one or two to be copied on the slates could follow. Students in different sections of the room could stand at different intervals and recite different stanzas or be compared with each other, consideration being given to emphasis and expression, on the same section.
At this point perhaps a game of “Hide the Thimble” would relax and refresh the class. You could always play “King George Says.”
The students may be instructed how to make quill pens or simply have them handed out along with the ink which they are to use. If they are to make a quill pen they may use just a scissors. The first step is to cut the tip off. Now the hollow shaft may be cut lengthwise about a half inch. One side may be cut away and the other shaped into a point. This may be considered a craft or art period. Writing with ink should prove interesting. We are no longer familiar with the smearing of wet ink and the blotting that is necessary. Be prepared to cut new points and have cloths ready to wipe the pens.
The children can be given a list of vocabulary words that might reflect the crafts of the time. They can copy these. They might also develop a special elaborate signature.
It should now be time to for lunch and recess.
The afternoon may start off with arithmetic. The teacher may ask questions, the students immediately put their answer on the slate and hold it up. YOu could stress that this be done without a sound. Rote drills of the addition or multiplication fact dependent upon the grade level could also be incorporated into the lesson. Word problems could be read, it should be an exciting class.
Now after that lesson it is time to see if the morning’s poetry is still fresh in their minds. Again we may drill and recite the morning’s assignments. Reading of passages put on the board may be done individually or in unison. The students may add their own endings or answer questions on their slates.
The day may close with a spelling bee.
EXTENSION
The children may wish to write a story about the differences of the ‘typical’ school days. They may illustrate their favorite activity.