The 5th grade at Hazelwood Elementary School and Central Elementary School experienced Colonial Life first-hand when Camp Flintlock came to visit Hazelwood Elementary recently. Camp Flintlock came to the field at Hazelwood and let students travel back in time to the 18th century when our nation was born. Students learned about early American history, from the Colonial period in history to the Revolutionary War. This is part of the Common Core’s Essential Standards in Social Studies for 5th graders. All day long these students got to experience what it would have been like to live in the time of people such as, George Washington, Molly Pitcher, and Daniel Boone.

Emma, a 5th grader at Hazelwood Elementary, recorded her impression of the experience:

“When we got up on the field you could see we were going to do lots of activities that were based on Colonial times. Some of the things we got to learn about were what the Colonial people wore back then and some of the games the children played. For example, Colonial people used to make necklaces to represent a certain thing or object. Now we make necklaces for friendship representation, but back then they used different colored beads for different symbols. Most of the beads they used were made out of glass, others were bone. This was the way to show any kind of rank or symbols. The string was made out of a tendon.

Another thing we learned about was Colonial games. They played many different games than we do now. When we think of games, we think board games or games on an iPhone or an electronic device. Back then they would play games such as jack-n-ladder and nine-pins which is like bowling. Quoits is similar to ring toss. There is also another game that was important, that lots of boys played. It was called rounders. Rounders is kind of like baseball, but when you play rounders, you run in the opposite direction. This game was a really popular game to be played. We got to play rounders during our time with Camp Flintlock. I am so glad that they let us play the Colonial games and activities. Playing these games can really make you think about putting your electronics away!

Thanks to everyone who helped put this Colonial Day together. I am glad I got to learn all of these interesting things about Colonial people and their times.”

Submitted by Carol Clarke, Hazelwood Elementary