We have been really focusing on our social studies unit on the history of Arlington Heights this week! We have been learning about what life was like long ago during the Westward Expansion, as the settlers packed up their belongings into their covered wagons and moved west. After reading several books- both fiction and nonfiction, the children wrote about what life in a covered wagon was like!
Then it was time to do some very important field work. The children headed to the Arlington Heights Historical Museum on Wednesday morning to experience their learning in a more authentic way!
They visited the home of F.W. Muller, a German immigrant who moved to our area back in 1871. The home we toured was built in 1882 and allowed us to see how life was different long ago! We viewed a crank telephone, a formal parlor for visitors only (no children!), Mr. Muller's office, the kitchen- including the old stove and icebox, the dining room, and the bedrooms upstairs. We learned that the home did not originally have a bathroom or electricity!
The children played with some old-fashioned wooden games!
One of the early "games" helped the children learn how to milk a cow! :)
Then it was time to pack a covered wagon!
Ms. Iris read us a story called "Covered Wagon, Bumpy Trail."
Some items the children packed included washboards, clothing, blankets, seeds, lanterns, and an inkwell! They also brought along a cow and the family dog.
With all of their belongings, the children arranged themselves into a shape the size of a covered wagon!
The children learned about how the early families had to build their log cabins themselves, often before the winter set in. We noticed that even though the log cabin was only one room, it was the kitchen, dining room, and bedroom all at the same time!
John demonstrated how the children gathered water from the river for the family.
We sat in a version of a one room school house, with a wood-burning stove
in the center to keep everyone warm.
We noticed that the US flag back in the 1800's looks a little bit different than our flag from today! Less states = less stars!
Ms. Iris showed us a series of dioramas that show the evolution of our town,
from open prairie to log cabins to a small town!
The children "bartered" for a few items at the country store- including pencils, pictures, and an old replica of a newspaper!
Demetra practiced churning a butter churn to a catchy little poem that went like this:
"Churn butter churn. Churn butter churn. Demetra's by the garden gate waiting for a butter cake! Churn butter churn."
Then Nick had a turn!
The children had some time outdoors completing chores from long ago- including "beating" the rugs!
They practiced tossing corn cobs into a barrel for fun!
They swept.
They gathered sticks!
Here is our class!
Thank you to Mrs. Schickerling, Mrs. Grave, and Mrs. Bevacqua for coming along on our field trip!
Goodbye, Arlington Heights Historical Museum! Thank you for a great morning of learning!
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