It is the expectation at my school that students, beginning in the 3rd grade, will conduct and present historical or scientific research. Research and presentation starts off easy enough in 3rd grade with biographical research and culminates with a Living Museum project. So, on the same night that the big kids present their projects in the gym, we gather in the cafeteria, dressed as the people we researched, to create our little Living Museum. Our parents, families, and teachers enter in small clusters for the tour, stopping in front of each of us long enough to listen to us present, in character, what we've learned.
For my 4th grade research project topic, we had to pick a local history topic so I choose to research Ms. Susan Blow, who established the first US public kindergarten here in St. Louis. Since it's local history, you are encouraged to do field research as well. These photographs are from the field research and documentation that I collected for my project.
The Blow family plot and Susan Blow's grave and grave marker at Bellefontaine Cemetery.
I'm standing in front of Des Peres School in the Carondelet neighborhood of St. Louis City which was the site of Susan Blow's first kindergarten. It is now the home of the Carondelet Historical Society.
I'm standing in front of Blow Elementary School in the Carondelet neighborhood, which was named in honor of Susan's father, Henry Taylor Blow.
Research displayed and ready to share!
Celebrating my hard work and achievements with a milkshake at the Tower Grove Creamery.
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