PCES Students Go Back in Time
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| Image courtesy of the Putnam County Record |
At the museum, students were transported to the early days of the Illinois Valley. At the one-room schoolhouse, students got a taste of how pioneer children learned in class. The rules and consequences were discussed. Some of the third-graders experienced what happened if work was not completed or if they acted up in class. They even said the “Pledge of Allegiance” in the way pioneer children would have. At the end of the demonstration, third-graders put on a little play about the exploration of Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet. Some students were the Native Americans, fur traders, and one person got to portray Robert Cavelier de LaSalle.
After the school house, third-graders had to search out specific historical items by clues which were given. The last stop at the museum was to see a real blacksmith shop. Third-grade students got to see how metal is turned into different objects which were needed during pioneer times.
The afternoon was spent at the Starved Rock Lock and Dam. Here third-graders learned about the history and importance of the Illinois River. Students saw a video about the locking system and why it is needed on the Illinois River.