at the Century house Teacher s Pre-Visit Information and Resources prepared by: 800 Greenwood Avenue, A4 Toronto, Ontario M4J 4B7 tel: 416 393-0661 fax: 416 393-0089 http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/day/tusc
Introduction Welcome to, a program where students step back in time at the Toronto District Board s Century house, 502 Sammon Avenue. Built as a bicentennial project to commemorate the Borough of East York, the Century house was modelled after the more substantial type of brick schoolhouse built in Ontario between 1860 and 1890. As a reproduction of a typical one room school, the classroom area provides an excellent stage on which to re-enact a school day as it would have been circa 1890 for the children who lived in this once rural community. Since the focus of the program is a role-playing re-enactment, this booklet is provided to help you and your students prepare for. It is divided into three parts: PART A: Information for the Teacher (introduction and checklist of things to do) PART B: Student Sheets (four sheets to introduce the program to the students and help them get ready to come to ) PART C: Additional Resources (includes materials you may wish to draw on as you develop your own pre- and post- visit activities) We hope you find this booklet useful as you and your students prepare for! If you have any questions, please call the : 416 393-0661. Suggestions for post-visit activities are also posted on TUSC s website. Acknowledgements The gratefully acknowledges the help of the Toronto District Board s Sesquicentennial Museum and Archives. Their interest and generous support has helped relaunch programming at the Century house. We would also like to thank the staff of the Enoch Turner house (Toronto) and the staff of the Jordan Historical Museum on the Twenty (Jordan) for sharing their expertise with us. Our acknowedgements would not be complete without drawing attention to the work of the former headmasters of the Century house, especially Mr. W. Norman Irish, whose materials were most helpful in the preparation of this booklet.
Program Outline Purpose To introduce students to school life as it would have been for children living in a rural community near Toronto attending a one room schoolhouse, circa 1890. Program Outline Morning * following a welcome to the program, students are introduced to the history of the Century house and how things have changed from then (a rural community) to now (an urban community) * to set the stage for the role-playing activity in the schoolroom, students work in pairs and go up to the schoolroom and complete What and Where, a mapping activity designed to introduce them to the key features of a one room school * in Who Am I, each student takes on a role for the day (derived from names of people who lived in the area at the time); key background information about their family is on their worksheets --- students are encouraged to interact and participate in all activities using their new names * then, to prepare for the re-enactment, the routines, discipline and manners that characterised education circa 1890 are highlighted * the school day, circa 1890, begins with the singing of God Save the Queen followed by attendance and a health inspection * students pick-up their lunch from the cloakroom and eat in the classroom (in keeping with the re-enactment, students are encouraged to bring an appropriate lunch) * following lunch (time and weather permitting) there is a recess break in the school yard of the Century house; games and activities appropriate to the time are provided (supervision of students during this time is the responsibility of the classroom teacher) Afternoon * the re-enactment continues when the teacher rings a handbell at the back of the classroom and enters * during the afternoon, there are sample lessons in two or more of the following: reading, arithmetic, materials(art) * the re-enactment ends with a spelling bee * the program concludes with a question and answer period
Curriculum Links In, students have an opportunity to (direct connections to the program are shown in bold): During the Program... Social Studies Early Settlements in Upper Canada compare aspects of life in early settler communities and present-day communities (opening activities) compare and contrast aspects of daily life... (all activities) compare and contrast buildings/dwellings... (all activities) read maps to understand and share their findings (Activity 1: What and Where) Urban and Rural Communities compare buildings and structures in urban and rural communities (during Introduction to the Program) consult map legends when looking for selected features (Activity 1: What and Where) recognize that a range of features may be represented by different colours on maps (Activity 1: What and Where) Language Reading use their knowledge of word order in oral and written language to determine the meaning of sentences (throughout the day) understand specialized terms in different subject areas (throughout the day) Oral & Visual Communication contribute ideas appropriate to the topic in group discussion and listen to others ideas (throughout the day, both in and out of role) The Arts Drama & Dance demonstrate an understanding of a character s point of view through speaking and using body movement in role (during re-enactment) demonstrate the ability to concentrate while in role in drama (during re-enactment) If Follow-up Activities are Completed... Social Studies Early Settlements in Upper Canada compare and contrast aspects of daily life for early settlers... and children in present-day Ontario (e.g. education...) compare and contrast buildings/dwellings... with present day... (comparing house with their school/classroom) compare and contrast tools and technologies... (comparing house with their school/classroom) communicate information using media works Language Oral & Visual Communication create simple media works Writing use correct subject-verb agreement correctly use nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs use phonics and memorized spelling rules to increase accuracy in spelling accurately use titles and subheadings as organizers use visual material to reinforce a message Arts Drama & Dance explain how their understanding of work in drama has been increased through research (be able to explain how preparing for the program and completing the activities at the schoolhouse helped them play their role more effectively)
Things to Do! General Preparation distribute and collect TDSB Excursion Policy forms ( note: completed forms are sent with arrange an appropriate number of adults to accompany the class (if applicable) arrange transportation program fees are due following the program by budget transfer; no cash or cheques please (TUSC s Office Administrator initiates the budget transfer) Program Preparation review all parts of, Teacher s Pre-Visit Information and Resources distribute Let s Get Ready for and introduce program to students help students plan a costume help students plan what to bring for lunch and how they are going to carry it (basket, pail etc.) help students learn God Save the Queen (the words and music are included in Part C) remind students that they will need appropriate clothing for travelling to and from the Century house and for outdoor recess call the (416 393-0661) to: discuss any special needs your students have inform us of the total number of students you are bringing (broken down according to the number of boys and the number of girls in your class)
During the Program On the day of the program, we ask that you become an active participant! During the activities preceeding the reenactment in the schoolroom, please work with us to get your students ready for stepping back in time. When the students are role-playing in the schoolroom, choose a role for yourself: a grade 8 helper assisting the teacher with the students; a student from the Normal learning to be a teacher by watching and helping; a member of the class. No matter what role you choose, please consider playing along with your students by coming in costume and bringing an 1890s lunch. Throughout the day, we would also appreciate your assistance with: supervising the students at lunch time and during recess; assisting TUSC staff with washroom supervision; dealing with disciplinary matters.
During the Program Since the success of the program requires pre-visit preparation, in addition to reviewing Let s Get Ready for (see Part B), consider the following: For Dress the Part... visit the library to find more pictures showing what children (and adults) wore use a visual art activity to help the students design a costume (draw, use cut outs, etc.) consider having a clothing pool at school for students to share if putting together a costume at home creates potential problems For Bring a Lunch 1890s Style... review what students would have brought 100 years ago have students make a list/draw a picture of lunch today and compare lunch today with lunch in 1890 use the comparison as a starting point for: identifying things we eat/use today that would not have been available 100 years ago, for example: plastic wrap prepackaged/prepared food (with the exception of some canned goods) examining food sources now and then, for example: today we buy most of our food in a supermarket in the past, rural children would have helped grow food on the family farm dry products such as spices or salt would come from the local general store comparing methods of food storage and preservation now and then, for example: - today we can keep perishables fresh longer because of refrigeration and freezing - in the past, perishables were kept fresh in an icebox (ice from the winter was stored in sawdust to keep it from melting) - because meat could not be frozen, it was often smoked or cured with sugar and spices to make it last longer - to have summer fruit like strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in the winter, the fruit was preserved (made into jams or jellies or cooked in a sugar syrup and sealed in a jar) - in winter, root vegetables were eaten because they could be stored in a cool place (a root cellar) to keep - pickling was a popular way of preserving vegetables for the winter looking at the nutritional value of a modern school lunch with one from the past estimating the amount of time devoted to food preparation today with that in the the past comparing which lunch is the most environmentally friendly (least wasteful) - the lunch from today or the one from the past try making some special treats with/for your students using the authentic recipes outlined in What s Cooking? (see Part C) and bring the results to share at lunch on the day of the program make an appropriate container to carry lunch in (today s plastic tubs can be covered with aluminium foil as an improvised alternative to a tin pail or basket)