Crawford brings war stories to Deep Springs, Dixie

Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, December 13, 2010

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Crawford eighth-graders shared what they've learned about the American Revolution with youngsters at Deep Springs and Dixie elementaries.

Crawford eighth-graders shared what they've learned about the American Revolution with youngsters at Deep Springs and Dixie elementaries.

Crawford eighth-graders shared what they've learned about the American Revolution with youngsters at Deep Springs and Dixie elementaries.The older students fanned out and worked with the kids in small groups and one-on-one in the Deep Springs library. Some used pictures in describing soldiers' uniforms and British warships.The eighth-graders' pocket-folder books contained themed material such as famous patriots and causes of the war.When they know they'll have an authentic audience, students are more apt to prepare well and absorb the content in social studies class, according to Crawford teacher Sara Green.Since youngsters look up to older students, the Crawford project was an ideal opportunity for mentoring.

A week before the holiday break, kids at Deep Springs Elementary received a gift as eighth-graders from nearby Crawford Middle School spent part of their day explaining the American Revolution.

“It’s encouraging to see how they’re interacting with the younger students,” said Crawford principal Mike Jones, who accompanied one class. “To be able to teach the content they’ve learned, it’s evident the kids know what they’re talking about,” he added.

A group of teens also visited Dixie Elementary Magnet as part of the outreach to fourth- and fifth-graders.

The students took along pocket-folder books filled with information, much like a scrapbook of the country’s early days. Each colored pocket held themed material, from the causes of the war and key battles to famous patriots and the Treaty of Paris.

“It’s mainly how we became the United States of America. If we hadn’t, we’d still be under British law,” said Crawford’s Elizabeth Porter, who particularly liked studying the Boston Tea Party.

Classmate Cameron Adams said the project enabled the teens to stretch themselves creatively, as when they designed timelines of events and described a soldier’s life in the field.

After researching the facts, the teens generated some parts of their packets, for instance, paraphrasing the peace treaty and coloring pictures of warships and the presidential seal.

“There are all sorts of different formats,” said social studies teacher Sara Green. “It’s a way for them to show what they know to the kids.”

Older elementary students study the American Revolution, too, so the material was not totally unfamiliar at Deep Springs. After a brief introduction, the eighth-graders fanned out in the library with the youngsters, either in pairs or small groups. Elizabeth found that the kids were good listeners.

“Our students are very proud of the products they have been working on and are excited about sharing these,” Green said beforehand.

She noted that all the Crawford students, including those with special needs, benefit from such an experience.

“If they have to present it to somebody at a lower level who looks up to them, it requires them to process the information in a different way,” she explained. “They take value in their own work and want it to look good. They take more pride in it when they know they have an authentic audience.”