What Historians Do

Yesterday, our seventh graders presented their annual Colonial Museum to lower and middle school students and teachers and to their families. The museum represents a culmination of several months of study including a week-long visit to Williamsburg. During their week in Williamsburg, students gathered information for their research papers, conducted and recorded interviews with historical re-enactors, and took photos to document their experience. This initial research in the field informed the substantial additional research that they carried out once they were back at school.  Based on the research papers that they then wrote, each student created an exhibit that s/he curated at the museum. For the final stage of the project, students will make additions to our growing Colonial Museum wiki that future seventh grade classes will explore and will then add to in turn. In this way, students come to understand something of the historians experience as they wrestle with what new contributions they can make to the field.

Click here to view a slideshow of the museum and here to view a slideshow of the class trip to Williamsburg.