Kyle+Davenport+NC+Museum

Part 1: It may sound like a typical guy answer but I think I enjoyed the Civil War exhibit of the museum the most. To me it just seemed that the weaponry of the time was barbaric compared to some of the things we have at our disposal now. Although that sounds a little weird, I get that opinion from the massive lead balls they used as ammunition at the time and knowing how much damage one of those could do even if they just grazed someone. Both fortunately and unfortunately, I took North Carolina history over the summer so most of the exhibits seemed more familiar than they probably should have. The textile mill exhibit impressed me the most though. I know that most states in the south failed to match the industrial power that the New England region of America boasted, but I still found myself surprised by the scale with which the mills in North Carolina operated. Part 2: Before heading to the museum, I would have all the students sign behavior contracts letting them know the expectations that the museum staff and I have for them. I want them to understand that the chance to visit the museum is a privilege and that they should appreciate the opportunity they have received. They should also agree to not touch any of the materials in the building without specific permission and supervision and that they should maintain the same level of respect for their surroundings and each other that they have in school. I would probably have a scavenger hunt for the students to fill out as they explore the museum, but I would vary up the hunt for different groups so they could explore the museum in smaller, more manageable packs and to prevent them from sharing too many answers with one another. I would probably change my focus on the museum trip to meet our current focus in the classroom. However, I would make sure to take full advantage of the exhibits detailing antebellum slavery and the Jim Crow era of segregation in NC. I find that these periods of history seem to fail to receive enough attention in the classroom and that they deal with cultural issues that we as a society have yet to fully come to terms with. I think that, especially given the current debate over voter ID laws, students need to see up close examples of what segregation looked like and why people are making such comparisons. When visiting the museum, I would model the students’ scavenger hunts around a particular topic: what might a person from this era use, see, or experience in their daily lives. I would try to tie this in with their language arts curriculum by having them consider the trip a research and note-taking experience from which they will base an upcoming paper describing people from various ages of North Carolina history. Along with this, I will let them know that they will create a visual representation to go along with their paper, which they will complete during social studies class in the few days following the trip. As an example, for the Jim Crow era of history I would ask students to write down a detailed description of the lunch diners and the sit-ins that occurred there. For an earlier period they might detail some of the work hazards that came along with working in a textile mill and the challenges that resulted from the low pay rate and dust-related health issues. So far as questions related to visiting the museum, most of mine would concern classroom (or exhibit, in this case) management and the manpower needed to keep an outing like this under control. I would also have to take into account the financial budget this trip could require and whether I should allow the trip to run all day or have the students return to school for later class periods. I would plan to check the students notes before they file into the bus at the end of the trip, but I would also like to know some other ways to encourage them to actually pay attention to the exhibit. Part 3: NC History Museum Question Guide Imagine that you were a teenager (boy or girl, whichever you want to be for this assignment) living through the different time periods. Take notes on specific things that would affect your daily life and any special events that would have drastically changed the way you saw the world. Below you will find some more specific questions for examples of things you might want to think about. You will write multiple stories in class based on these notes, so remember that the more information you can look back to, the easier it will be to use details in that writing. Our State: As a Native American… What were your primary goals each day? How did you get food? What tools did you use? Did you stay with your family, and did you all move or stay in one place? How did your way of life change? What about the new people concerned you? Did they seem friendly or dangerous? (Start by deciding if you were a slave or a master) __As a slave:__ What freedoms did you have (if any)? What was your work like? What were you afraid of from your masters and overseers? What did you have to eat? How did you become a slave? Why would you choose to escape or stay in bondage? __As a master__ What were you afraid of from your slaves? Why did you own slaves? Why did you think it was acceptable to do so? What were your thoughts on secession and the possibility of civil war?
 * Pre-colonial times**
 * Upon Colonial Arrival**
 * Antebellum Slavery**
 * Also be sure to write about…**
 * The Civil War**
 * Segregation and Jim Crow**
 * Industry and farming in the early 20th century**