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Stepping Back in Time: Fourth Grade Visits
Colonial Days
“Say cheese!” The way to capture
images in the colonial days was not
with photography, according to
fourth grade teacher Colleen
Paulson. Wealthy colonists would
sit for hours and have their portraits
painted. Others who could
not afford this had to settle with
having their silhouettes made.
WYOMISSING HILLS G
ELEMENTARY CENTERG
insight: the newsletter of the Wyomissing Area School District
4
For three days in April, fourth
grade students had a glimpse of
what life was like in colonial days.
Participating in six different stations,
students made silhouettes
and cornbread, practiced calligraphy
writing, colonial dancing, and
weaving, played games, and experienced
a one-room schoolhouse.
Gwen Gibson’s students were surprised
to learn that meal time in
colonial days was much different
than today. Colonial children
often had to stand for the entire
meal and weren’t allowed to talk!
Meals were very simple and consisted
of a lot of corn. Most of the
time colonists ate with their fingers
rather than utensils.
Jahir Alba and Lukas Terefenko dressed as
colonists while participating in the activities.
Emerson Gagnon enjoys cornbread, a
staple of colonial meals.
According to teacher Nancylee
Chaiko, “The fourth graders were
surprised to learn that the professional
weavers were men! Both the
boys and girls were very proud of
the bookmarks that they wove!”
Dressed in colonial garb, Nina
Botvin and Lydia Botterbusch
practice their weaving skills.
Andrea Boerger said, “The highlight
for me as a teacher was watching
the excitement on the children’s
faces as they were learning
about colonial times. The costumes
and activities really transported
them back in time, and it made
colonial life and struggles come
alive. The kids really loved it!”
Cooper McCaffrey displays the
bookmark he is weaving.