Altona Schoolhouse Virtual Field Trip

Videos

Talk, Write, Draw, & Think

What kind of training and how long did you need to study to become a teacher in the 1880s at a one-room school like Altona? What kind of schooling or training does it take today? What ages were teachers during this time period and typically, how old are beginning teachers nowadays?

What would it have been like to go to a one-room school? What kinds of chores would there be for students and the teacher to do? Would you like to go to a school like this? Would you rather have done that in the 1880s, World War II time, or do you like your school now best?

Make a list of pros (good things) and cons (things that are not as good) about each timeframe and school.

What is your favorite subject in school? Is that something you also would have learned in a one-room school long ago?

Things To Try

Spelling Bee

Teacher’s Note: For the spelling list, you can use the reading and spelling lesson words you would typically use.

1. The students line up in front of the teacher or someone you choose to be the teacher/leader.
2. The teacher states the first word on the spelling list to the first student in line. The teacher should speak the word slowly and clearly. The student can ask the teacher to define the word or use it in a sentence.
3. The student pronounces the word and then spells the word and pronounces the word again after spelling it. For example, “Blackboard, b-l-a-c-k-b-o-a-r-d, Blackboard.”
4. When students misspell a word, they return to their seat.
5. Once the competition is down to two students, the elimination process changes. When one of the remaining students misspells a word, the other student gets a chance to spell that word. If he succeeds, he must spell the next word on the list correctly to win. If both students misspell the word, another word is given. To win, a student must spell two more words than the second-place student.
6. Give the winner a small prize, such as “first in line” or first to go out to recess, a piece of candy, or even a silver dollar. For a fun description of a community-wide spelling bee, which Pa Ingalls wins, read aloud the “Literaries” chapter of “Little Town on the Prairie,” by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Fox and Geese

Fox and Geese is a recess game. Choose one object that will act as the “goose” and one object to act as the “fox.” Announce which is which. Both should be easy to handle and soft enough to be thrown without causing damage! Period-appropriate examples include small leather balls, clean rolls of socks, etc.

1. Have students sit in a circle.
2. One student will start by passing the goose to their left; the goose can only move around the circle clockwise, one person at a time.
3. Another student begins with the fox. The student tries to throw the fox, so it hits the person holding the goose. If he/she succeeds, that student is out. If he/she misses, whichever student is closest to the fox picks it up and tries again.
4. The game ends when there are only two or three students remaining.

Important rules: Students must remain sitting (or standing) in the same spot the whole time; they can’t get up and run. The goose can ONLY move clockwise, one person at a time, and cannot be thrown. Throwing the goose disqualifies the thrower.

Geography Game

1. Students stand in a circle.
2. Each student must name a country or continent.
3. The next student in the circle names a country/continent that begins with the last letter from the previous student. (for example, “Chile” “England” “Denmark”)
4. If a student makes a mistake, they sit down outside of the circle.
5. The last student standing is the winner!

Buzz

Buzz is a math and number game played in the 1800s.

1. Students stand in a circle.
2. The teacher/leader calls out a “buzz” number, such as four.
3. Starting with one student, students would begin counting off around the circle by ones.
4. Any time a student says a number with a four in it or is a multiple of 4, the student has to say “buzz” instead of that number. If the student doesn’t not say “buzz,” he or she is out of the game.
5. Play continues around the circle until only one person remains. That person is the winner.