Second Graders Visit Strawbery Banke!

Last Monday, we went to Strawbery Banke! This was our first field trip of the year and we had a GREAT time learning about how Thanksgiving traditions have changed over time!

When we arrived, we were split into groups so we could start exploring. 

After watching a short introductory video, each group headed off on a guided tour into the houses of Strawbery Banke! 

Our earliest stop, 1777, had us visit Pitt Tavern to see how children celebrated Thanksgiving (after they were done with their chores of course!). One thing the children often did, was play with dolls---corn husk dolls that is! We each learned how to make a doll out of two corn husks and some string. It was a little tricky, but we loved the end product!

Comparing activities and games played by children during Thanksgiving---there are a lot of activities that were played back then that are still played today!

Staying in the same time period, we stepped over to the Wheelwright house and met Elizabeth Wheelwright. The Wheelwrights lived before electricity so it was very interesting to learn how they cooked and preserved their food. A favorite for many, second graders got to help Mrs. Wheelwright measure ingredients, string beans to dry, grate the spices, and mash the corn. 

 

 

 Another stop had us visiting the Governor's mansion. Mr. Goodwin, Governor of NH in 1870, was not in, but his wife, Mrs. Goodwin gave us a tour of their home. 

The Goodwin's were very wealthy and Mrs. Goodwin stressed the importance of giving back to their community, especially around the holidays. Each student got to help create a charity basket for a family in need! 

A final stop was a visit to Mrs. Shapiro's house. Students had to knock before entering and "brush the snow off their feet"---we were, of course, entering her home amidst the Thanksgiving snowstorm of 1919! Mrs. Shapiro is a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant who taught us about making Matzo balls. Students even got to help her crush the matzo crackers!

 

When celebrating Thanksgiving with her family after immigrating to America, Mrs. Shapiro incorporated a lot of different traditions from her culture in the Ukraine. While visiting with her, we learned the names and traditions of other harvest festivals celebrated around the world. In Israel, they celebrate Sukkot, in Germany they celebrate St. Martin's Day, and in China they have a Moon Festival. In Ghana, they have a Yam Festival and in India, they celebrate Pongal. It was very interesting to seen the similarities in how different cultures celebrate a harvest!

All in all it was a fantastic day filled with lots of great learning. A HUGE thank you to Lily's mom, Graham's dad, and Aubrey's dad for coming with us!

I encourage you to visit Strawbery Banke and visit this authentic outdoor history museum! Visit here to learn more.