Candace+McKoy+Story+of+NC

Candace McKoy Story of NC

Part I: There were several things I enjoyed in the Story of North Carolina exhibit. My favorite parts of the exhibit were the housing structures (the wigwam, the slave house, and the fourth oldest house), the interactive NC maps, and the farming station. I loved the housing structures because I felt as if I stepped into another time both mentally and physically when I went through the entrances of each house. These structures were very authentic in appearance and I appreciated the artifacts that were included in the structures. I particularly liked how the slave house from Martin County was a bit disheveled as if there was a family living there. I liked the interactive maps because they connected historical content to geographic locations. The map with the various industries/specialties of each county that included lights and sounds were very engaging. I often forget the geographical context of information so these displays are a great way for those, like me, who have trouble connecting facts to geographical locations. I found the farming station to be particularly interesting not just for the cow and the animal figures but also because of the schedule and the questions that accompanied this part of the exhibit. The thing I found most surprising about North Carolina’s history was the stone with the ancient, unintelligible text. I did not expect North Carolina’s history to go so far back.

Part II: I would prepare students for a trip to the museum in various ways. Before the trip to the museum, students would research the NC History Museum’s webpage and peruse the Story of North Carolina history exhibit. Students would then create a timeline. This would probably be a jigsaw activity through which each group within the class would take on a particular time frame and the students would put their parts of the timeline together at the end. Students could also create a map on Thinglink.com displaying six to eight important events that took place in North Carolina. Students could also research a particular industry or crop within NC and create a poster describing the crop or industry and it’s effects on North Carolina. I would require students complete a scavenger hunt to not only help guide students through the exhibits but to also ensure students are on task. If possible, I would separate students into two groups and have one group start from the end of the exhibit and another group start from the beginning. After exploring the exhibit, students could then compare their thoughts and feelings of going through the exhibit from two different points of view. Students would complete the scavenger hunt and tour of the exhibit in small groups of four or three to prevent chaos among the students and to allow students to collaborate. A prize for the first team to complete the scavenger hunt will help students progress quickly through the exhibit but encourage students to complete the every task. I would focus more on the war-related, technology-related, slavery, race relations-related, and industry-related information because these types of events probably had the most prominent effects on North Carolina. Technology has helped move North Carolina and the United States forward. The war has played a huge role in the lives of families who have had relatives fight in wars. North Carolina is also well known for its military forts. North Carolina’s status as a southern state in which racial tension existed makes the issue of race relations important. Slavery is also important for this reason.

During the exhibit, I could have the students pretend to be a reporter and write a review of their experience by jotting down notes as they go through each part of the exhibit. Students would later rate the exhibit and defend their rating. I could also assign students a particular group of immigrants/ people and have each group examine their assigned group of people in detail and later have each group put on a skit without telling the rest of the class what group they are and have the other students guess. I could also have students create a character portrait in which they would write information about each group using the information in the exhibit around a generic human figure and have students add physical details particular to their group of immigrants/people. I could also have students go through the designated “For Whites” and ‘For Colored” entries (possibly having minority students go through the ‘whites’ entries and white students go through the ‘colored’ entries.) and provide a biased set of information for students. Students could also complete a picket sign advocating for or against any of the issues in the exhibit. This could be one of the tasks students would be required to do on their guide/scavenger hunt. I would incorporate some of the artifacts used with the displays and the exhibit as a whole with lessons. Each part of the exhibit could fit in with a lesson on war, technology, culture(s), social issues, and other topics found in North Carolina or US history. Students, in groups, could design their own wigwam using the wigwam in the museum as an example and explain how the design choices made would result in the most efficient wigwam based on environmental and geographical factors. These lessons would require students to use the information learned in the exhibit by applying the information from the museum. One lesson could be to have students attempt to translate the writing and symbols on the Judaculla rock. Students would defend their translation and then create their own message on a “rock” (paper with the same outline as the Judaculla rock) and have others guess the meaning of the symbols and writing on the rock. Students could also learn about the ancient game that was played by early North Carolinians, play the game themselves, and create their own game using raw materials. I could use one of the pictures as an anticipatory activity before beginning a lesson on the resourcefulness of Native Americans or on Native American culture. I could also provide some information on Sam, the slave mentioned in the exhibit, and have students hypothesize what happened to Sam during his escape and create a possible escape route Sam could have taken while taking geography and other factors into consideration. I could use the story of Nancy “Nanye-hi” Ward to introduce a lesson on how Native Americans rebelled against European takeover. I could have students design their own farm using the picture shown in the exhibit around the fourth oldest house and farm animal display titled ‘A Typical 1830’s farm’. I could also have students create a narrative or short story about the slaves living in the slave house based on the staging of slave house included in the exhibit. Students could also take the role of general or lieutenant and allocate weapons and food to their troop based on resources. After this activity, the teacher could relate the student’s allocation of resources to how generals and lieutenants divided up resources. This would also require primary resources or other research describing how a particular troop’s resources were allocated. I could also teach students the importance of black suffrage had on voting the NC by creating an activity where students would participate in a mock election and assign students a particular racial identity. Students could also compare and contrast topics like the evolution of technology/mills/factories, the use of women and minorities in Tobacco ads compared to white males, the roles of each participant in the Social Order display, Students could study the invention of Pepsi Cola. Students could examine how propaganda was used during wartime and other time periods. Students could play an altered version of the game Monopoly or the game LIFE where students would try purchase basic necessities during the difficult times of the Great Depression. Students could also explore the history and effects of drafting. Considering how big the Story of North Carolina exhibit is, the most obvious concern is time. My cooperating teacher’s class periods last roughly 50 minutes and the drive from there to the museum is almost thirty minutes. As a teacher, I would want students to see every part of the exhibit while focusing important topics (mentioned above). Another concern would be keeping track of the students. Students can easily wander off or get lost in such a vast exhibit.

Part III: Scavenger Hunt


 * DIRECTIONS ** : Students will complete the following scavenger hunt in a timely manner. The first group will receive a prize upon completion of the exhibit AND the scavenger hunt. The last two items are to be completed after touring the exhibit. Several questions from this scavenger hunt could **(__will)__** be used in a quiz and/or test so it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that students complete the entire scavenger hunt.

___ Pick up a guide or map (one per group. They can help you complete this Scavenger Hunt) !

Describe one way pipes were used by Native Americans: ______________________________

____ Touch the ancient tools used earlier on in North Carolina (You are allowed to touch these)

Which type of ship would you use in a battle against Blackbeard? ____________________________

Organize the following groups based on their geographic location (hint: use map near Blackbeard’s booty): Western Indians, Scots-Irish, Highland Scots, African Americans, Germans, English, Eastern Indians


 * Mountains – **


 * Piedmont – **


 * Coastal Plains – **

___ Go inside the old home. Name one thing that is inside that we no longer use. __________________________

What battles were fought in the coastal plains region of NC (HINT: use map of NC close to war exhibit):

____Milk the cow! When does the schedule say to milk the cow? ____

____Find the eggs! What is the hen’s name? ______________________

____ Look inside the slave home display. How many beds are in the room? _____

Where in the world are the Wrights brothers? Wave ‘hi’!

____ Take a step in one of the Tar-covered footsteps. How many footsteps are there? _____

During what time was the gold five-dollar coin used? _________-__________

Which tobacco company used the phrase “A __Good__ Black chewing tobacco” in an ad? ________________________

Did children work in mills? (Y / N) List 1 issue children working in mills could have. ____________________________

How did some people make money during the Great Depression? _______________________________________________

Look at the soldier displays. What would have to do during an inspection if you were a soldier? (HINT: the answer is described in a display case)

Look at the war posters in hanging on the walls where the army recruiter is sitting. Name a slogan from one of the war posters. __________________________________________________

What was the UNC-CH yearbook included in the yearbook titled? __________________

_____ Draw a picket sign from the exhibit or make up your own based on one of the issues depicted in the exhibit (e.g. segregation, women’s suffrage, etc.)



Most interesting part of the exhibit?

Interesting fact to share with the class later:

(map for students)