Bringing history to life
—Photo by MARY MALONE Sandpoint Christian School third-grader, Cruz Robertson, poses with an astronaut last week during the school’s annual Living History Day. Kindergarten teacher Kelly Osborn’s classroom represented the theme of “First Man on the Moon.”
—Photo by MARY MALONE Students at Sandpoint Christian School sign “Independence Rock” in Karen Foster’s classroom, which represented the Oregon Trail for the school’s annual Living History Day on Tuesday.
—Photo by MARY MALONE Marie Lane, a volunteer parent at Sandpoint Christian School, helps students dip their posters in the "Boston Harbor" Tuesday during the school's annual Living History Day event, where Julie Krajicek's classroom represented the Boston Tea Party.
—Photo by MARY MALONE Doug Pierce, fifth- and sixth-grade teacher at Sandpoint Christian School, gets students ready for the Battle of Gettysburg Tuesday during the school's annual Living History Day event.
—Photo by MARY MALONE Carson Straight, center, a kindergartner at Sandpoint Christian School, is stunned when Jenny Pierce, right, first- and second-grade teacher, tells him that an Indian along his Pony Express route might try to steal his horse, while Koen Bennett, right, second grade, waits to see what perils await him along his route during the school's annual Living History Day event Tuesday.
PONDERAY — Sun, rain, snow, robberies and injuries couldn't stop the Pony Express riders who lived by the famous motto, "the mail must go through."
The Pony Express is a moment in history students of the Sandpoint Christian School, as well as some home-school students, learned about Tuesday during the school's annual Living History Day.
"Living History Day is a long-time and well-loved tradition where classrooms become moments in American history," said Elizabeth Page, Sandpoint Christian School principal. "We think it's important because kids will remember the sights and sounds and activities — and even the snacks — so much better than if they read about the event in a textbook."
Page said Living History Day is an annual event at the school interchanges each year between world history and American history. This year was an American history year where the teachers picked a historical event in American history to highlight.
Jenny Pierce, first- and second-grade teacher for the school, walked the students back through time, showing them an old-time rotary dial phone before recruiting four young men to deliver mail for the Pony Express. The youngsters traveled through mock lightning storms, snakes scaring their horses, Indians trying to steal their horses and cowboys trying to steal packages.
The Pony Express was one of five moments in American history the students experienced. Kindergarten teacher Kelly Osborn took the students back to 1969 when NASA's Apollo 11 mission landed the first man on the moon. The students learned about the mission, made their own moon out of styrofoam and tin foil and complete with an American flag, and they got to try freeze-dried ice cream. Items displayed in Osborn's room came from the Bird Aviation Museum in Sagle.
Karen Foster, seventh- and eighth-grade teacher, led the students along the Oregon Trail after packing their wagons, which read "Oregon or bust," with supplies for the trip. When they reached Independence Rock they were allowed to rest "for about half a day" and sign the rock.
"The travelers would carve their names into Independence Rock," Foster told the kids. "And if you go to Independence Rock today, you will see the names carved in the rock."
Abraham Lincoln — commonly known as Doug Pierce, the school's fifth- and sixth-grade teacher — had the students engage in "battle" during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 after a short presentation on how the battle began when Gen. Robert E. Lee invaded the North. As the students tagged one another, the "Union soldiers" would fall dramatically to the ground. The Confederate soldiers won on day one of the battle, Pierce told the students, but in the end, Lee's army was defeated and the Union soldiers prevailed.
Julie Krajicek, third- and fourth-grade teacher, chose to turn her classroom into a scene for the Boston Tea Party. Students pretended to be the Sons of Liberty and how upset they were with England and taxes before dumping tea into the "Boston Harbor." They watched a short video and made posters with quotes like, "Ain't no party like the Boston Tea Party," "Tea Party like it's 1773," "Get this partea started," and, of course, "No taxation without representation." Krajicek told the Daily Bee it was important for her to teach the students about the event because it is a "huge" part of American history and how important it is to be involved in taxation.
"It's basically how we got started, so letting (the students) know that and that we need to fight for our rights," Krajicek said.
Page said Living History Day started out as Colonial America Day at the school about eight years ago, but it was changed to allow a broader array of historical topics to "bring history to life to make learning fun for kids." Over the years she has seen teachers pick events dating back to the Lost Colony of Roanoke in the 16th century to as recent as the space age of the 1960s, and everything in between — the Industrial Revolution, World War II, the Great Depression and more.
"Alumni recall these events and share their memories of these events up to 10 years later," Page said.
Sandpoint Christian School has two more events coming up as well. From 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, the founder and president of Executive Educational Consultants in Santa Barbara, Calif., will be at the school to host a seminar on preparing for college, specifically the college application process.
Also, the school is hosting a preview night from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1 for anyone interested in giving their children a Christian education. Guests will be able to tour the campus, meet the principal and some of the teachers, browse the curriculum and get all their questions answered.
The events are free and open to the public. Refreshments and childcare will be provided.