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INTRODUCTION

An abandoned one-room schoolhouse in your community is scheduled to be torn down. The neighbors say the schoolhouse is an eyesore and a danger to children in the area. The town historical society says the schoolhouse is a valuable historical resource. You have been named to a committee to convince the town zoning commission to save the old schoolhouse.

TASK

You and three of your classmates will work together to create a presentation demonstrating how the schoolhouse can be restored and used as a "living museum" for the benefit of the community.

• Step 1: Have each member of your committee choose one of the following roles:
  
  The Time Keeper will answer the questions below and then use a spreadsheet program to create a schedule for a typical day in a one-room schoolhouse.
  1. What time did school begin?
  2. How long did students have to eat lunch?
  3. What did students do while the teacher worked with other students?
  4. What special classes, chores, or activities did students participate in?
  5. What time did the school day end?
  
  The Architect will answer the questions below and then use drawing tools to sketch the structure and exterior of the restored one-room schoolhouse and buildings around it.
  1. What materials were used to build one-room schoolhouses?
  2. How big were the schoolhouses?
  3. How were the schoolhouses heated and lit?
  4. Where were the bathrooms?
  5. How did students know when school was about to begin?
  
  The Decorator will answer the questions below and then use a paint program to draw the interior of the restored schoolhouse.
  1. What did students' desks look like?
  2. Where was the teacher's desk located?
  3. What other items would you usually find in the classroom?
  4. Did the schoolhouse have chalkboards, bulletin boards, activity centers…?
  5. Where did students put their jackets, lunches, and so on?
  
  The Educator will answer the questions below and then use lesson plan templates to plan two or three lessons appropriate to a one-room schoolhouse 100 years ago.
  1. What subjects were taught?
  2. What books and other tools and materials did students use?
  3. What resources and materials did the teacher use?
  4. How were students expected to remember what they were taught?
  5. What did students do while the teacher worked with other students?
     
     
• Step 2: Use appropriate online resources as well as library resources, if available, to learn more about the one-room schoolhouse.
• Step 3: Open a new Word document and use it to make notes about the questions assigned to your role. Be sure to also copy and paste into the Word document the URLs of the Web sites where you found the answers. Don't forget to save your notes! The file name should be (your name)_schoolhouse_notes.
• Step 4: Use the information in your notes to complete the technology activity assigned to your role.
• Step 5: Work as a group to create a PowerPoint presentation, Web site, or illustrated brochure describing a "living history" program the restored schoolhouse museum might offer the community.
• Step 6: Present your work to your classmates.

The Time Keeper

• One-Room Schoolhouse Project
• Pioneer Sholes School Teacher's Manual
• Pioneer Sholes School Suggested Schedule
• A Basic One-Room Schoolhouse Day
• One Room Schoolhouse Center

The Architect

• Photographs of Rural Schools of the late 19th and early 20th Century
• The Milan Township One-Room School
• The One-Room Schoolhouse Web Photo Album
• A Basic One-Room Schoolhouse Day
• One Room Schoolhouse Center

The Decorator

• A Basic One-Room Schoolhouse Day
• One Room Schoolhouse Center
• Pioneer Sholes School Narrative of a Day in the Life of a Rural School
• Some Cool Artifacts
• One-Room Schoolhouse: A Local Legacy

The Educator

• Pioneer Sholes School Teacher's Manual
• The Milan Township One-Room School
• Some Cool Artifacts
• Really Neat Books
• A Basic One-Room Schoolhouse Day
• One Room Schoolhouse Center

Living Museum Programs

• Pioneer Sholes School
• Schoolhouse Lessons
• A Basic One-Room Schoolhouse Day
• One Room Schoolhouse Center

EVALUATION

You grade will reflect:

• the accuracy of your research as demonstrated by your notes. (10 percent)
• the quality of the technology activity assigned to your role. (20 percent)
• the quality of your group's final presentation. (30 percent)
• your contribution to the group process. (20 percent)
• your role in presenting your group's work to your classmates. (10 percent)

CONCLUSION

Students who attended a one-room schoolhouse had a much different experience than most students do today. Some of their experiences, however, may have been very much the same as yours. What similarities and differences did you find as you completed your research? Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the one-room schoolhouse of 100 years ago with your school today. Need Help? Explore Evolving Classroom

Click here for the Save Our Schoolhouse! Teacher Page.

Article by Linda Starr
Education World®
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