A Day at the Museum!

   

We got a glimpse of two museums yesterday in preparation for the creation of our own interactive museum installations next week.
Thanks to Aaron, Ellen, Kendra, Sam and the Mount Holyoke College students who were our docents.  They all helped us see the artifacts and displays of the Skinner Museum and the Mount Holyoke Art Museum with fresh perspectives and gave us a chance to look behind the scenes at artifacts from South and Central America.  What a wonderful way to connect us with our study of Incan, Aztec, and Mayan culture!

 

Thanks also to the parents and guardians who joined us on the trip!  We could easily have stayed twice as long and never run out of things to see and experience.

 

 

Mae Tuck’s Trial

We held a mock trial last Friday for Mae Tuck, a character in Tuck Everlasting. It was fun to put on costumes and have a trial, but the issues we talked about were serious and the debate was lively! We wound up with a hung jury: 3 insisting on Mae’s innocence, 3 convinced of her guilt, and 9 convinced she was guilty of a lesser crime than the capital offense she was charged with.

What a class of performers!

Visit to the State House for the Electoral College Vote Dec. 19

Protests outside the State House December 19, 2017 prior to the Electoral Vote

In conjunction with our election study, I made a trip to the State House in Boston to witness the Electoral College’s historic vote. Although Donald Trump won the electoral vote overall, Massachusetts voted unanimously for Hillary Clinton, the winner of the popular vote and the first woman in history to win electoral votes in a presidential election. There were protests out front, but the ceremony within the State House was joyous, purposeful, and spirited. The Electors made speeches about how and why they were casting their votes and the atmosphere felt historic. Looking at the names painted  on the walls around the House Chambers reminded me of a time when Massachusetts lawmakers shaped the course of this young country as it revolted from England and charted a path away from tyranny.  It was an inspiring field trip!

   

 

I was also able to take a tour of the State House and found Leverett’s flag in the Hall of Flags!  Can you find it?