Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

[Shockoe Hill Cats]

Good Evening,

So, I REALLY wanted to post this cute, kind, warm-hearted letter that one student wrote to me after I went in to do a Living History presentation for my father's fifth grade class. Of course, when I drove into the school parking lot the audience of 10-12 kids turned out to be, "Oh, there's about fifty or so..."

Anways, it just made me realize the importance of our most honourable and important hobby. The after effects are always soo rewarding to me.

But on that note, here's my question: Has anyone produced a "program" or method on presenting to young children? There are obviously several differences with teaching to younger audiences than say teenagers or adults. What do you think is the most effective? Can anyone redirect me to a source?

Thanks for any input and or generated discussion!

[Robert A Mosher]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

I'm afraid I don't have much to offer to help on this one, but I would like to share an idea I got from another forum I participate in - the Napoleon Series. That Forum recently decided to present Lesson Plans prepared by a group of Forum members who are teachers and educators themselves. As I understand their plan, the lesson plans will be included in the online material at the Forum website for the free use of interested teachers.

There must be several teachers who are members of this forum who would be knowledgeable about format for a proper lesson plan and about what would actually be useful by way of content and presentation ideas. Me, I dropped out of the education program before it got that far! But I thought it might be a useful idea for the AC Forum.

Robert A. Mosher

[13thnhv]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

I've done numerous talks to groups of young people, and 5th graders are ideal. They're old enough to comprehend most of what you tell them, but not wisea--es as they tend to become at the middle and high school levels sometimes. They are interested in the GUN more than anything. Make sure everyone has a chance to handle and aim it.

Next, keep it relatively short (as the attention span will inevitably wane), and animated. No one wants to hear droning. Pick a narrow focus of subject matter.....one battle, life in camp, what a soldier wore and carried, etc.

Tell them interesting things the classroom teacher might not touch on, or even know: why the triangular bayonet was designed that way, various uses for same, the myriad ways a shelter half could be erected. Browse through Hardtack and Coffee to give yourself a refresher and take notes. Keep it light. Realistically, most of your audience will never carry an interest for the Civil War too much beyond your presentation, but TWICE I have given talks at public schools, and each time we managed to pick up a new recruit for our unit. One was the head custodian who took a break from his work to listen in, and the other was the high school history teacher who called us in.

Remember to keep it light and pass around some tangible goods. A minie ball, utensils, poke sack, etc. can go a long way to make it more real, same as us reenactors who can't get everything we want out of just books or lectures. Have fun, and good luck!

[Chris Suppelsa]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

I know someone else will post this, but DON'T let students handle your weapon.

I am trying to do a presentation for a middle school this spring, but I'm catching a bunch of flak about how I can't carry a weapon since I'm a student of the district. Anyone else gone through this?

[13thnhv]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

It's really district-specific, so you need to ENSURE that you will be able to bring your long arm onto school property. I was always able to in Massachusetts, of all places, which next to NJ is probably the most prohibitive. Provided you get the clearance you need, and the close supervisory presence of the school administration, it is perfectly acceptable. I've never had a problem with this issue. Make sure you check first.

[DJCasey]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

Chris,

I had the same problem with my weapon when I was in High School. I was able to get a note from the Superintedent to use it in presentations. It had to be escorted to and locked in the office along with my bayonet when I was not giving a presentation (I still had my own classes to go to). Of course that was pre 9/11 and Columbine.

[Micah Trent]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

I know someone else will post this, but DON'T let students handle your weapon.

I am trying to do a presentation for a middle school this spring, but I'm catching a bunch of flak about how I can't carry a weapon since I'm a student of the district. Anyone else gone through this?

I'm not a student, but I can relate. I do presentations with school kids, mainly elementary. Because of certain rules and safety issues, I never let a child handle the gun, I have a hard enough time trying to get the gun in the school or museum without asking twenty-twenty questions. Sometimes I can get in with it, sometimes I can't. It really ruins the presentation though without the rifle...I mean, I understand why they are asking what my purpose is with the musket, but it is difficult. The rifle is the attention getter. I've learned to always have a plan B ready, so no matter the situation, you can always be prepared to give the best presentaton you can.

[Micah Trent]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

Remember to keep it light and pass around some tangible goods. A minie ball, utensils, poke sack, etc. can go a long way to make it more real, same as us reenactors who can't get everything we want out of just books or lectures. Have fun, and good luck!

Good point! Also, if you have some hardtack, pass it around. At times I have had some with me in my haversack, so the kids could sample it if they want. The reaction to it and telling them about it is priceless!

[coastaltrash]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

Jason,
According to that letter, looks like you found a pretty good method.

[ephraim_zook]

"Going home on furlough"

On furlough! I wrote to my friend Miss Teacher and told her I'd be passing through her town on my way home and she invited me to visit. I've used that reason to explain why I was at the school sans weapons.

At the sixth grade level, that in itself was worth a few minutes of discussion. Kids understand "vacation". How often did a soldier go on vacation? How did they choose who could go? Even without telling them, the kids realize that the whole army can't leave at once. How long was furlough? Etc.

Comparisons between common activities of 186X to 200X are good; they relate to eating, bathing etc because they do it too. What did we eat? How did we prepare it? What happened if you got sick? Where did you bathe? Relieve yourself? Do laundry?

As others here have suggested, have "stuff" to hand around. Canteen, mess furniture, can of essence of coffee perhaps, period currency, especially a couple of fractionals. A paper "dime" is quite a novelty to them. The possibilities are endless.

Bring along a couple of extra hats and coats -- one for a "sergeant" and one for a "corporal". Get them out of their seats and have them form the company. They'll have a blast doing it.

If you are able to bring your rifle, then you can speak about Soldier As Weapons Delivery System, to put it in modern terms.

However you approach it, have fun with it.

regards
Ron Myzie

[ElizabethClark]

Re: "Going home on furlough"

Moderator Bonnet On briefly--folks, let's not get distracted from Mr. Spellman's excellent topic, that of what methods work well to engage younger students. Gun issues have been hashed over ad infinitim. Mod Bonnet Off. :)

I'll ditto the suggestion to relate mid-century life to the children's lives. Ask what they do in the morning, and tell what a soldier does in the morning. They may have an alarm clock or their mom kissing them awake--the CW soldier has a bugle and a commanding officer to kick him if he's not in place, etc. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, "recess", "vacation"... And, with kids in the 6-10 range, toilet stuff. They're fascinated by historic toilet stuff, but you have to be tasteful and willing to keep control of the jokes. :) Same with diseases and treatments ("what if a soldier gets sick? A cold? Flu?")

Having things that can pass around is vital. I don't know that I'd let them taste hardtack--too many allergies and alerts out for poor modern kids--but getting to handle it, try to break it, etc is instructive. For some reason, boys tend to be fascinated by a thimble, though that's not likely something a soldier would carry, is it?

One key: keep it short and action-oriented. They'll get facts and figures out of boring old textbooks. Key into the STORIES behind those facts and figures, things that make the diagrams and maps come alive, because they're linking to real people. You'll spend time reading and documenting, but when giving the presentation, share the story, rather than the research paper.

[sharpshooter]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

I go all out on my with gear, the kids are visual learners. I bring other uniforms, caps, different color chevrons, regimental flags, guidons and a bugle. I bring extra leathers and put the on extra gear on a couple of kids and drill them. I save putting all the uniform items, shirt, vest, sack coat and my great coat on the teacher. The kids go crazy with that one. I do a full hour with out weapons since public school here prohibit weapons, the kids really don't miss them if they have enough to see.

[Michael Comer]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

I do these programs quite a bit through my work and have done a couple things that seem to work well.

One thing I would stress, especially with elementary students, is that you are not a Civil War soldier. Up to 4th grade or so many of these kids don't have a well developed concept of time. I don't know how many times some kid has actually thought I fought in the war. Well, that opens up an avenue for a little math lesson.

I talk mainly about the common soldier during the war and try to relate that to Missouri history and the local history of whatever school I am at. I think if you talk about the men that came from your area and what went on in and around your town it brings it closer to the child and sparks their interest.

I take all my repro stuff and basically suit up beginning with shirt and trousers, explaining the use of each item and why I need it. We do a little comparison with what a CW soldier used and what our soldiers use and carry now. Drawing parallels or analogies with what they may be aware of in current events works well. I have compared the guerrilla war in Missouri with the type of war our soldiers are currently fighting. Although I usually see the light bulb go on in the teacher's head most of the time, I think many of the students are aware enough of what is going on to be able to possibly grasp the concept of how dangerous and deadly life here was. That analogy won't work for a lot of places but there are probably similar things that you could use for your area.

If the weather is good and the teacher doesn't mind, we might go outside and do a little basic drill demonstrating how they moved and how they formed a battle line.

I usually bring some Bent's hardtack and we talk about food and what would be carried in the haversack. I asked once if anyone knew what a soldier would carry in his haversack and one little girl said "hammers". It took me a minute to realize she thought I said 'hammersack'. Anyway, I will break this up and pass it around in a canteen half to let them taste it.

Provide hands-on experiences for them through letting them hold a minie ball, put on a cartridge box, pass around good reproduction money etc. I would echo what someone else said though - do not let them handle any weapon or bayonet.

The point is anything you can do to involve them will help them to learn it better as opposed to just standing there saying 'this is my gun, this is my jacket' etc.

I will take kid sized uniforms and let one or two put the stuff on and model for the rest of the class. We also do this with our civilian program and have a kid sized hoop and dress etc. This is usually pretty popular.

The weapon can be tricky but I have never not been allowed to bring it. At some schools I do a firing demo outside. I always make sure I tell them I have this weapon and would like to bring it. I then inform them that we can do a firing demo if that is within their policy. Many times I am allowed to do the demo, especially during summer school sessions.

I think you need to have them physically involved somehow and not just spectators, tie in what you are talking about with something they are familiar with such as what happened in their area, bringing out that they probably had ancestors that fought in the war.

Relate it to them somehow. A 4th grader here in Missouri doesn't have much of a concept about battles that took place in Virginia because he doesn't know about Virginia except where it is on a map and what its capital is. But he can certainly relate to the guerilla activity or the unit raised in his town here, skirmishes etc because he has a knowledge and familiarity with the area.

Hope that is of some value.

[Rob Walker]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

We do many school and library program throughout the year. We basically tailor the discussion to the curriculum of the age group we are speaking to. We obtain copies of the NYS curriculum as it pertains to the Civil War. Unfourtunatley that is not alot of information. The standards are basically there was slavery, this little conflict and reconstruction. The information on the war itself is very basic and the standards deal more with the time before and after the war. What we do is give the students a brief history and foucus mainly on the life and equipment of the common soldier. We do programs with a minimum of three soldiers and we try to get each person dressed a bit differently ie. sack, frock and jacket and a variety of headgear.

We do fire and on some occasions cook. We do not permit students to handle weapons although they are allowed to look closely. We also provide a few things for the kids to handle ie. hardtack, minnie ball, forage cap bees wax candle etc. The more senses they use during the presentation the more they get out of it. Touching reproductions and viewing some artifacts goes a long way with kids. we are also fourtunate to portray a company that was recruited from the same area we are from. So when we isit an area we tell the students about the men that came from where they live. We point out where they lived and what businesses they where in. We tell them where streets in their communities are named after these men and in some cases where they are burried in their towns. we attempt to make the exprience for them as personal as possible and to impress upon them that the people we portray were not unlike them and that it was not all that long ago and that the things these men touched and built are still all around them.

[bholt61stny]

Re: Teaching History to Youngsters: Is There A Proper Method?

One guy in my unit is a 6th grade history teacher, though I am not too familiar with his entire presentation I know that on one day the students have a mock battle. He spends about a week or more on the civil war. After discussing the politics, battles, he gets into the hands on portion with uniforms, food, and other things soldiers needed. He teaches them some of the very basic maneuvers as to not confuse them and on the last day spent on the civil war, they go outside and have a water balloon fight using the tactics they learned. Complete with gray and blue t-shirts they form up with their peers on opposite sides of a field and the battle commences. This is all approved by the administration, in fact, they love it and most importantly so do the students.