New Places, New Faces

2017-2018, First Grade

“The Great Stone Face” served as a springboard for this first grade expedition. Who is this person? Why is he here? Through primary source documents and field studies, the class discovered who this man and his family were, why they came to settle in this area, and how one of the earliest Rochester communities was established.

Stake Your Claim!

2017-2018, Second Grade

Why did people make the long, arduous journey from “back east” to Rochester? Why did the first settlers inhabit specific spots along the banks of the mighty Genesee River? What did they need to do to create a sustainable life for their families? In this expedition, the second grade class learned about the first seven settlements along the Genesee River. They visited the locations of the settlements, studied old maps and city directories, and worked with a local historian and historic texts to piece together the history of the settlements. To simulate the interdependence of early settlers and experience daily life in the early 1800’s the class embarked on a camping trip in Webster Park. Each crew was responsible for creating specific structures needed in a particular settlement. Crews decided what materials they need to build their structures and barter with the storekeeper – Jebediah McCracken. Exhibition Night took the form of a “Town Square Fair” where students shared songs and dances, games, their opinion writing, and their maps and town plans.

Taking Liberties

2015-2016, Fifth Grade

Many of the early colonists came to the new world as British citizens who held their kings in high regard. The fifth grade class worked throughout this expedition to understand why and how these sentiments changed. They studied a variety of perspectives – colonists, British government, Patriots, Loyalists, and those where were neutral or undecided – to deepen their understanding of the time period. As they learned about the American Revolution and the long road to independence from Great Britain, the class worked with cause-and-effect relationships from the Stamp Act to the Treaty of Paris. They explored what the Founding Fathers believed about government and why they structured our government the way they did. This expedition was rich in primary documents and compelling historical characters and included a field study to Boston, MA to understand – from multiple perspectives – how our nation was born.