Mildred E Strang MS
Yorktown, NY
Christopher DiPasquale
Email- cdipasquale@yorktown.org
This the first year of the Living History Program. It is done once a week in
my 7th grade Alternate Ed. Social Studies class with a small group of great
kids. Here are some the programs we have done and will be doing this year.
- October 4th Field Trip
to The Little Red Schoolhouse- Students enlisted in the Continental Army,
and were taught about the life of solider and were drilled in how to march,
their uniforms and even their food. The class then proceeded to the VanCortlandville
cemetery to the monument and grave of John Paulding (A war hero from the Revolution).
Then they did grave rubbings from various 18th century graves to show the
age and significance of the area.
- October 23rd: Cider Making.
Students will learn how to make cider from an 18th century apple press. This
will teach them about a local crop vital to the area, and about the labor
that was involved in the everyday life of local residents.
- November 20th Candle
Making. Students will learn how to make drip candles from bee's wax. The original
landowners of the area (the VanCortlandts), were bee keepers and they made
most of their candles from it instead of cheaper material such as tallow.
- 18th Century Medicine.
The class will make 18th century Rolaids just like residents of the Hudson
Valley did 250 years ago. They will use oyster shells , and other ingredients
just as was done then
- Weekly drills- The class
will be drilled as soldiers were on a weekly basis (one period a week). They
will dress as soldiers in frocks, tri-corned hats, etc
- December 17th recreation
of the Boston Tea Party. Students will research why the event occurred and
recreate it almost to the day it happened 234 years ago.
- Jan Feb08- research on
French Hill encampment and the Battle of Pines Bridge. We will be doing research
in conjunction with the Yorktown Historical Society. Our overall goal in to
get an historic marker erected at one of those sites.
- March Mini day encampment-
students will learn how to pitch a wedge tent (tent used by soldiers); they
will learn how to set up an 18th century military camp, and all the different
roles involved in it. Including 18th games such as Bilbos
Table top Nine pins and marbles.
- April Encampment Fort
Montgomery. We will travel to Fort Montgomery and set up our encampment. Students
in period dress will follow the historic trails from Fort Clinton (Bear Mt
State Park to Fort Montgomery. After learning about the battle there we will
conduct a drill, create a commissary, and make our camp food. We will then
tour the historic site and visitor's center and drill. We will then break
camp and march out of Fort Montgomery. Students will get an invaluable experience
of being at one of the areas most important historic site.
- May Creation of MESMS
Living History website with downloadable podcasts. Students will create the
site and we will use the schools technology to create podcasts from our fits
person 18th century journals that the class has been keeping throughout the
year.
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