Third Graders Excited By History Trunks!

PLEASE SEE EDITORS NOTE BELOW

Cool!”    “Awesome!”   “Epic!”  What has these third graders at Phillip Simmons Elementary so excited?

They’re talking about History in a Trunk, the latest project from the Daniel Island Historical Society.

And the children’s enthusiasm is shared by their teacher, Tina McDonald.  “WOW! I was so excited to receive the items for my Social Studies class. I have already used some of the items to enhance my instruction. I truly appreciate the generosity. Thank you!”

Cainhoy third grade teacher Tori Huerth and her students are just as enthusiastic. “They were so excited to share with their classmates the contents that they were given, grinning ear to ear the whole time. I know that they cannot wait to use the materials in our Social Studies lessons.”
The trunks were delivered to third grade classrooms at Phillip Simmons Elementary, Daniel Island School and Cainhoy Elementary by DIHS Community Outreach Director Lee Ann Bain.

“We decided to do this program because when kids are more involved, they retain the information better that they are studying and are excited to learn. When they can put their hands on history it makes it real for them. Not just some words or pictures in a book. It’s like a field trip without leaving the class.” Bain says South Carolina history is studied in both third and eighth grades and that DIHS is working on a similar project for the eighth grade social studies classes.

The trunks are a treasure trove for eager young minds containing a long list of items from basket making supplies to Blackbeard’s flag.  There are both Native American and Colonial costumes in appropriate children’s sizes.  The trunks also contain a Moultrie flag and a Native American “talking feather.”   There’s a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, samples of indigo and rice and even a quill pen and ink plus lots, lots more.

What’s in each History Trunk?                                                                                                                      

Fanner Basket

Sample of “Basket Making” Supplies

Sailing Ship

Tea Box and Tea

Picture of Indigo

1711 Map of Charles Towne

Native American Boy Costume

Native American Girl Costume

Pieces of Eight

Colonial Boy Costume

Colonial Girl Costume

Spy Decoder

Fort Moultrie Flag

Rice Sample

Indigo Sample

Native American “Talking Feather”

Replica of Hunley

Lt. Dixon’s Gold Coin

Blackbeard’s Flag

Sample Cotton

1 jar black paint (your ink)

Quill Pen (2)

Ink Well

Emancipation Proclamation

Civil War Documents

Book: Circle Unbroken

This project would not have been possible without the support of the following:

The Hunley   www.hunley.org
The Powder Magazine  www.powdermag.org
The Preservation Society  www.preservationsociety.org
Lowcountry Sketches  www.lowcountrysketches.com
Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival Association  www.sweetgrassfestival.org
Middleton Place  www.middletonplace.org
Seaside Indigo  www.seaislandindigo.net

EDITORS NOTE: This is a re-post of a 2016 blog item outlining our then new History Trunk program. The original post was corrupted and, after numerous attempts to clean it up I simply gave up and rewrote/re-posted it here. The information is still relevant and I wanted it to searchable. Sorry for any confusion my lack of WordPress skills has caused you. Your humble scrivener, Bill Payer