News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sons of Liberty dumped tea into Boston Harbor; a mob of angry colonials pelted British Redcoats with rocks and snowballs; Thomas Jefferson and John Adams toiled over a draft of the Declaration of Independence - and it all occurred in a classroom at Sisters Middle School on December 4.
Eighth grade students in Deb Riehle's U.S. History classes concluded weeks of study of colonial Boston and the American Revolution with a classroom presentation attended by family members. The presentation featured a series of brief skits depicting the highlights of the American Revolution - the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the surrender of British troops at Saratoga and Yorktown, and the final peace agreement in 1783 that made the United States a free and independent republic.
Sisters Middle School students staged skits to depict key moments during the American Revolution in a special presentation on December 4 to conclude their study of colonial America. Here they commemorate the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773.
The presentation made by three different classes over the day capped studies that brought the colonial and revolutionary era to life for the students. Over a period of weeks, the students created characters to live and work in the cityscape of colonial Boston, giving them backstories and occupations that brought to life that formative era some 250 years ago.
"We definitely grew in our understanding of colonial Boston," said Alexis Olivia Lowe, who served as the narrator for the presentation.
She said that the biggest takeaway from the study was that the colonies prevailed despite being much weaker than the British Empire of the time.
"I did not realize that the British people put up such little fight to it," she said, noting that "passion can make you do more than just talent and supplies."
In addition to the history they took in, students also learned to collaborate through the project, Lowe said. She expressed appreciation for the work Riehle put into making the work engaging and exciting for the students.
"I'm so thankful that I have her as my teacher," she said.
Riehle said that the students will embark on a similar project later this year on the American Civil War.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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