This week has been a mash-up of several activities. We began with citizenship, then moved westward, and ended the week with family life.
We began the week discussing the equal protection clause in the 14th Amendment and the rights it was supposed to protect. Then, we looked at signs from segregation era America and hypothesized how they would have been possible with the 14th Amendment in place. After reviewing the ruling in the Plessy v. Ferguson case which created the "separate but equal" doctrine, we took a deeper dive into how the equal protection clause was skirted by many states in the nation. We then looked at poll taxes, literacy tests, and Jim Crow laws. We ended class by reviewing an actual literacy test from Louisiana and analysed how the questions and the content as well as the 10 minute time limit and exception of a perfect score were designed to prevent African Americans from being able to vote.
On Wednesday, we took Horace Greeley's words to heart and we headed West!
The day dawned clear and cool, perfect traveling weather! The day was divided into two parts. One was traveling the trail and the other were activities related to the time period.
When traveling the trail, pioneer families met at the front of the school and created covers for their family wagons. With hoola hoop parts, zip ties, plastic table cloths, scissors, and tape, students had to design and construct their covers. Not only did they need to be strong enough to last the journey, but they needed to allow students to easily access the goods that they were packing.
Once constructed, families had to pack their wagons. Based on materials that would have been historical found in the wagons, students were given:
Food - burlap sacks with trail snacks - dried apples, hardtack, and jerky (beef or vegetarian)
Water - student water bottles
Clothing - bandanas
Personal Item - trail book with recipes, games, and art activities traditional to the time period
Tool Kit - the supplies students had left over from their construction
When the wagon train was packed and ready, we headed to the Leland Center. Braving the treacherous hills and valleys, quiet neighborhood streets, and some very strange looks, we finally arrived at our destination. Pioneers were then able to unpack their wagons, find a place on the grass, and enjoy their trail snacks and water. The apples and beef jerky were a hit, the vegan jerky was not. Once cleaned  up, we headed back to school.
In the afternoon, pioneer families continued to enjoy hands-on experiences. With Mrs. Luster, students made candles and dominios. With Mrs. Chu, families had to build wagons that had to float and hold weight. With me, we played traditional pioneer games including the pick up sticks, the cup and ball game, checkers, chess, and the surprising star of the show, jacks. All and all it was a wonderful day. Â
There are too many pictures to put on this site, so I am linking an album of pics taken by myself, Mrs. Chu, and Mrs. Luster. Enjoy!Â
We ended the week with family life. In our first lesson, we discussed how interactions with people in our families might be impacted by puberty and mood swings. Students acted out situations in which they reacted with anger or frustration. Then, they were given a second chance to respond to the same situation, in a different, more positive way.