Learning From History
Studying history gives context to the issues and challenges we experience in the present day, so giving our students the opportunity to learn from the past and think critically about its impact is an important part of the curriculum at Saint Patrick Catholic School.
On Thursday, December 1st, Seventh Grade students traveled by double-decker bus to Richmond, VA to visit the American Civil War Museum. They learned about local Civil War history and viewed hundreds of artifacts on display. The Civil War-era artifacts ranged from muskets and uniforms to dolls used to smuggle medication to the Confederate Army. Students also learned about disease, medicine, surgery, and what to expect in a makeshift Civil War hospital. Some even had the chance to participate in an interactive learning session by playing the role of a Civil War doctor and treating patients with battle injuries. Before heading home, the Seventh Grade class walked to Brown's Island on the James River to see the newly dedicated Emancipation and Freedom Monument.
Giving students the opportunity to travel together on a field trip like this gives them time to grow closer together as a class, see history up close, and begin to reflect on how they might transform the world tomorrow.
