Campbell House at Christmas

It is Christmas time and it is a perfect time to take a tour of the Campbell House.  The Spokesman website has a wonderful slideshow.  

Here is a quote from the Northwest Museum of Art's and Culture website. "Historic Campbell House and the Carriage House will be in an open-house format with festive holiday decorations, cooking demonstrations and professional actors portraying people that actually lived, visited or worked in the Campbell family home during the late 19th and 20th centuries. There will be fun, take-home children's activities, too. Appropriate for all ages. This seasonal program is included in your museum admission and open Wed- Sat noon - 4pm through January 1, 2013. (Check in at Museum Admissions first)"

Living History: Part 2

What would happen if students dressed up as characters from history and interacted with other local historical characters? This is what happens in our classroom each year. Students are persuaded to choose characters not found in a history book, but to investigate and discover stories from within our own community. It sounds tough and it is! This classroom based assessment (CBA) project is rewarding for the students, teachers, and community members.

Our students did not memorize a speech, but had to dig into primary sources, documents, and interviews to help develop the character.  Many of the students selected a family member, homesteader, politician, Tribal Elder, family member, and much more. Seeing and hearing first-hand accounts allowed the students to learn so much more about history.


Preparation:

   Timeline Lesson (making connections)

• personal timeline

1.       Introduce primary sources

2.       Learn to analyze primary documents

3.       Develop interview questions

a.       Interview a friend

4.       Develop research questions

a.       How to use the library

5.       Research and note taking (Research PowerPoint is developed by Tracy Dick)

6.       Write a letter through your characters eyes.

7.       Teacher demonstrates a character example/skit

8.       Students practice character with peers

9.       Living History Day (more information available at our TPT store. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Liz-And-Ron

Sample Parent Letter

Living History: Part 1

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Family interviews help students engage and dig into their personal history. I find that this is one of the best ways to introduce “primary sources.”  Often my students are required to develop a set of questions for a “family member interview.”  After gaining more confidence the students then prepare to interview community members. The T. Harry Williams, Center for Oral History has a wonderful list of questions organized by topic.  Scholastic developed a kid friendly interview process.  Listening to the stories from “way back when” can be a gift to the listener and the speaker.  It is my belief that communities bond through this type of activity.
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Washington State: Classroom Based Assessment Lessons (CBAs)

CBA Lesson Plans:

http://stories.washingtonhistory.org/education/teachers/index.shtml

http://stories.washingtonhistory.org/treatytrail/teaching/lessons.htm

OSPI

National Archives

• 100 Milestone Documents (sorted by era)

Washington Library Media Association (Tribal Sovereignty, etc.)

• Museums, Libraries and Other Archives
• Elementary CBA Topics
• CBA School Topics 
• High School CBA Topics
• Research Process
• CBA Lesson Plans

Washington State CBA/links to the National Archives

CBA Support Whatcom County

Northwest History: Early Missionaries

This week my reading has been more focused on the early missionaries. These  missionaries demonstrated a strong vision, motivation, and determination to overcome many obstacles. Many of these stories are filled with conflict and reconciliation. The primary documents are housed in library archives, but the collection overviews are very detailed.

Spalding Church

Catholic Missionaries:

Father. Peter DeSmet

Reverend. Joseph Cataldo, S.J established missions in Idaho, Eastern Washington, Montana, northeastern Oregon, Alaska, and California.  He also founded Gonzaga University in 1887.

• History Link

Father Charles M. Pandosy

Congregational Missionaries:

Reverend Elkanah Walker (1805-1877). Pioneer Congregational missionary in Oregon and Washington.

• Historylink
• Mary Walker
• Elkanah and Mary Walker Papers

George Henry Atkinson and Nancy Bates Atkinson

Methodist Missionaries:

Alvan F. Waller, pioneer Methodist missionary in Oregon. (1838)

David Blaine (1853)

Presbyterian Missionaries:

Henry Spalding was a Presbyterian pioneer missionary to the Oregon Territory. (1836)

• More Information

Marcus and Narcissa Whitman

• Whitman/Spalding Mission Party Arrive at Ft. Vancouver
• Narcissa Whitman
• November 29, 1847
• Nancy Jane Fenn McPherson Letter    

 Henry T. Cowley came West in 1871 to serve as a Presbyterian missionary to the Nez Perce Indians.

• More Information

 

More People:

William Hentry Gray

ReverendDavid Leslie

Washington State History: Traveling Trunks

Collecting objects and information for an "artifact box" or "traveling trunk" can be a fun activity for a class or family.  Grants help many agencies put together extensive traveling trunks for public use.  Most trunks are designed to be shipped to your school location.

Each year my 4th grade class designs a "personal artifact" box.  They are limited to eight items.

Traveling Trunk Programs:

Maryhill Art Museum-History Boxes

Yakima Valley Museum

History Boxes

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

San Juan History

Whitman Mission

Natural History Center

Olympic National Forest 

Alaska National Park Educational Sites

Idaho State Historical Society


Sample Artifact Box Parent Letter:

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