Living a bit of history

Christine Carrillo

Riding around the classroom on a wooden hobby-horse -- yardstick

to be exact -- Tyler Brown took on the persona of Paul Revere

announcing to his fellow classmates that the British are coming.

Battles quickly ensued, one massacre after another, as the

fifth-graders at Prince of Peace School in Costa Mesa re-enacted

three major battles fought during the American Revolution.

Each student traveled back in time to take a stroll in the shoes

of key historical figures, from George Washington to Abigail Adams,

and get a sense of who they were.

“It’s more fun,” said Pat Omaye, the fifth-grade teacher who has

taught at the school for the past 23 years. “By reading from the text

and answering the questions, it doesn’t really give them the feeling

of history.”

While acting out different battles and becoming different figures

allowed the students to learn about the events and people of that

time, they also needed to learn about concepts, ideas and beliefs

that governed that period of history. They studied those aspects of

history through a similar process.

Standing up one by one, students recited their “expert word” and

spewed out well-rehearsed definitions and summations that captured

their thorough understanding of United States history.

It was solid proof that the nearly one-month-long lesson was

learned.

“When they become these people, it’s something I don’t think

they’ll forget,” Omaye said. “I prefer teaching where there’s a lot

of hands-on activity and interacting because, hopefully, it will stay

with them a little longer.”

Discussing how it must have felt to be a woman during that point

in history, talking about issues of treason and slavery, the students

threw their hands in the air anxious to show off their knowledge.

“It’s not as boring,” Nicole Irigoyen said. “It makes us remember

it better.”

It also made the lessons come to life.

“We have to memorize everything,” Christian Miller said. “When we

start to [act], it all out it comes together in a bigger picture.”

* IN THE CLASSROOM is a weekly feature in which Daily Pilot

education writer Christine Carrillo visits a campus in the

Newport-Mesa area and writes about her experience.