Hands on History for students

[Canebrake Rifle Guards]

We are putting together a trunk of reproduction items (donated) from the 19th century for use in school programs.

I'm asking for ideas of what to include in the trunk that help illustrate Civil War era life from the perspective of women & children.

The ideal pieces would be ones that can easily be handed by students (also safe for students), things that spark interest & conversation, things that illustrate a good point or facet of the life of the civilian.

I have a few ideas, but know that the wealth of experience represented on this forum would be very helpful.

I look forward to hearing what you might suggest. If you have any interesting stories or ideas about your experience in presenting such items to students, I'd be interesting in hearing them.

My most recent interesting exchange occurred when I was showing a Civil War surgical kit to a group of students. Here's the dialogue:

Me: This is a trephine, it was used to bore a hole in the skull to relieve pressure of a swelling brain.

Student: Wow.... was that one actually used?

Me: Yes

Student: So there's real brain juice on it?

Me: Uh.... Sure

Students: COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.............


Thank you,

Greg Starbuck

[bizzilizzit]

Re: Hands on History for students

We are putting together a trunk of reproduction items (donated) from the 19th century for use in school programs.

I'm asking for ideas of what to include in the trunk that help illustrate Civil War era life from the perspective of women & children.

I find girls are most interested in "toilet" items and what's underneath the dress. Hair jewelry, curling irons, "how-to" books, wigs/rats/mice, corset & cage always go over well for me. Personal items like fancy combs, brooches with images, writing tools, diaries and letters, unusual images (to show how they would have looked in the 1860's) and mourning items like tear vials, mourning jewelry, post-mortem images, and various stages of mourning stationary seem to fascinate everyone.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Hands on History for students

How about magazines, children's books, toys (if you can find any without lead paint...sigh)? Bits of ribbon and yarn are touchable. A magazine article or pattern about knitting for soldiers with a finished sock or pair of wristers might be good. (If you have anything actually on the needles, it'll get ripped out.) If it's a small, organized group, you could offer period candy and/or cookies.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Hands on History for students

How about magazines, children's books, toys (if you can find any without lead paint...sigh)? .

The reproduction toys we sell do not have lead paint on them and they are documented to the time period so you don't have to worry about having an "old timey" toy instead of a correct one for the period. If the documentation is not on the web page, we can supply it separately since it is taking awhile to get all the documentation up.

We also have reproduction children's activity books and other children's books in the Books, 19th century reproduction section.

[AndrewGrim]

Re: Hands on History for students

This is all from experience as a docent at the Museum of the American West. The kids like gross, disease and hygiene. Also things they can hold and fell, quilt blocks, a sewing kit, and a hair straitening iron, are things that are used in the African American box that is sent to schools. A writing kit and a blank journal help tell how we know there story. Fake food, especially things that are still eaten helps understand the times.

[Canebrake Rifle Guards]

Re: Hands on History for students

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Great ideas, I'll follow up on them. Keep 'em coming.

Of course students are usually pretty enthralled with musical instruments. Especially if they're something they aren't familiar with.

Greg Starbuck

[Indianabugles]

Re: Hands on History for students

Signal Flags, the little action ones that are not usually seen. Chuck in a code book and a diagram of how to flag and they can do it.
I have demostrated this and a kid said to me at an event.
"So, is this like a civil war mobile phone!!"
I thought that was a really good way of understanding it.

[BrandonEnglish]

Re: Hands on History for students

From my museum experience girls loved the hoop skirts and hats, they put that stuff on the most. The boys loved the wooden muskets and cartridge box.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Hands on History for students

The reproduction toys we sell do not have lead paint on them and they are documented to the time period so you don't have to worry about having an "old timey" toy instead of a correct one for the period. If the documentation is not on the web page, we can supply it separately since it is taking awhile to get all the documentation up.

We also have reproduction children's activity books and other children's books in the Books, 19th century reproduction section.

Please give me a good smack between the eyes for forgetting you have those! (And it's still a good idea.)

[Anna Worden Bauersmith]

Re: Hands on History for students

My campers like the process from fiber to usable items. Think "sheep to shawl" type progressions. You could do wool fibers to finished fabric and/or cotton fibers to finished fabric.

I've found with other groups some of the most basic things that I grew up knowing about turned out to be completely new to the students. The one instance that always stands out in my memory is when I was showing a pierce tin lantern to a group of suburban 4th graders. I grew up with lanterns. So, I expected the usual "lanter" answer followed by a discussion of what type of lantern. Instead I got silence followed by "cheese grater". We had to back up to talk about electricity.

Anna Worden

[Campjacksonboy]

Re: Hands on History for students

Greg
Surgical kit eh? Nice call!

I'm not sure what your back ground is or for what circumstances you are putting together a trunk. Whether it is for your classroom or if you travel around and do displays. Regardless hope my perspective helps.

Someone above mentioned hair jewelry. I brought in a hair watch chain once and the kids (8th grade) were really disgusted by it. I mean they really freaked out and couldn't get past the fact that it came from someone who died a long time ago and that backfired for me.

I usually set up a small encampment such as a shelter half, blanket, knapsack etc. I can't bring a musket but I can bring a flag. Then I get some slab bacon from the local butcher and some of that dried beef (for the Islamic kids). Since my school has a very large front lawn I get permissions from the principal and fire departments and build a fire. Then I have the kids making sploosh in a canteen half. Someone else boils my coffee in a tin cup. They read about camp life but then I put them in it. The first year everyone thought there was a homeless guy on the school grounds but now its something my incoming students look forward to. I don't know if you could do the same but its worth the effort and I work in a surburan area.

Besides what's mentioned above uniforms and gear are also big. I like to dress the kids up but also weight them down with a haversack, accutrements, and knapsack. This really gives them some perspective.
Other things to consider:
marbles, a pen and inkwell, something from the wet plate collodian? minnie balls and round balls. Ok they are made of lead but this is something that caused much of the suffering. cannon Balls or shell fragments will also have the same affects on an audience. The things others mentioned above are all good too. In addition Perhaps a letter a good reproducion will suffice but pick a good one.
Primary sources are a great resource that can be applied to things principals and superintendants want taught and maybe foster the success of your trunks.

As I said above, I don't know your background and hope this doesn't insult your intelligence. Things where I work are so tied down by No Child Left Behind, state mandated grade level expectations, benchmark tests and etc., I sometimes wonder how long I'll be able to do my lesson. If you aren't a teacher you might want to hit up the local school district to see what their curriculum says about the Civil War. For me the topic is so broad it often helps me to narrow it down a little and pick a direction after all I could spend an entire class period on a knapsack. Many districts have their curriculums on line now. Either way they are public domain.
Frank Aufmuth

[Heidi Hollister]

Re: Hands on History for students

I've made games with the kids before, like Nine Men's Morris. I give them pieces of cardboard a pen to draw the board with and bits of clay. They make their game pieces with the clay and paint them, and draw their board and when the clay and paint is dry, they get to challenge each other to a game.

If you've never heard of Nine Men's Morris, check out this site

I've also made molasses candy in my freezer and had the children come to me and pay me a penny for candy in my "store." It was a great experience and they loved it.

Candle dipping is always popular as well.