The following article was on the NPS website yesterday.
Was 5th Grade This Cool for You?
In May, the first class of Star-Spangled Banner Trail Stewardscelebrated their achievements -- a long, long list of achievements -- with an Historic Field Day.
Throughout the 2012-2013 school year, all 5th graders at
Patterson Park Public Charter School learned about the War of 1812 and used
Star-Spangled Banner Trail sites and learning tools. Patterson Park, across the
street from the school, was known as Hampstead Hill during the War of 1812, and
was the site of a successful defense of the city of Baltimore in 1814 from
invasion by British troops on land.
The 5th graders made a film, starring
them, depicting that land battle 200 years ago. The British arrived by boat, so
the kids built a boat. They sewed British and American flags and uniforms in art
class. They learned how to operate tools so they could cut lumber and fashion it
into the muskets they would need. They went on site visits and studied primary
documents relating to the War. They created their own versions of historical
markers to place at Patterson Park. And they learned to play the fife and
drums.
Most importantly, they remained engaged throughout the school year on a project that crossed disciplines and taught them about the historic city in which they live and study.
You can read the blog by teacher Ryan Kaiser and watch
the film on YouTube. Make sure to keep watching so you see the second part,
the behind-the-scenes look at how the film was made.
Congratulations to all the 5th
graders of Patterson Park Public Charter School, to teacher Ryan Kaiser and his
fellow educators, and to the parents of these remarkable students!