World War II history came alive this week for Seabury Middle School students through various field study experiences!! This semester we've focused our studies on World War II across the curriculum. Students have learned about the history in Social Studies, are reading Anne Frank's Diary in Language Arts, and learning about flight and rocketry in Science. But, learning in the classroom only goes so far- Seabury makes the city its classroom and we are lucky to have so much WWII history in our city (or a short driving distance away!!)
On Monday, we made our second of four visits to the Franke Toney Jones retirement community, where students had the chance to interview several WWII veterans. Realizing they are probably the last generation of students who will get a chance to meet and talk with these people first hand, students were armed with questions and paper, politely and respectfully listening to the stories about events the students had only read about. They all walked away from the day talking excitedly about the stories that they were told and how amazing the experience was. When we visit Normandy, Paris, and Amsterdam in a few weeks, they will be able to have some real stories to connect to the geography!
On Tuesday, the Middle School visited the Museum of Flight in Seattle,
where students took a tour of the museum, including its vast collection of WWI
and WWII planes, uniforms, and other primary source material. Their study of
flight in science prepared them with great questions and comments as they
viewed the collections.
Bringing the classroom to the city is an integral party of the Seabury Mission, and this week we really got out there! Reading about things in books, watching movies, or listening to lectures certainly give students the facts, but our students learn more and learn better when they get their hands dirty. Seeing a WWII bomber, trying to fly one in a flight simulator, shaking the hands of a WWII vet- these things have helped bring a war almost 80 years old to real life for our students!!
