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Chronological Reasoning and Causation

Communities: Then and Now

  1. Load School No. 2, Grooms Corners, 1914, Alma Wood, Teacher in Main Image Viewer
  2. Load School No.5  (Brockway's),  Grooms and Moe Roads, 1952 , Edith Adsit,  Teacher in Main Image Viewer
  3. Load Interior of the Clifton Park District No. 3 School, 1914 in Main Image Viewer

Suggested Teaching Instructions

Sort objects into primary sources or not. 

Primary Sources: photographs, old books, old maps, newspapers, Not primary sources:
books about history, historical fiction

Historical Background: Schools have changed tremendously over time. Schoolhouses used to hold students of all ages in the same classroom. Oftentimes a widow or single woman would convert part of her house into a schoolhouse and become a teacher. This is very different compared to today's schools which house many students of a community and focus to individualize learning as much as possible. 


Primary Sources: photographs, old books, old maps, newspapers, Not primary sources:
books about history, historical fiction

Find the cornerstone of your school. What year was it built? Look for a plaque or sign
with other information about the origin of your school. Check your school district’s
website for info. Ask students to decide if the cornerstone/plaque or website are
primary sources. (Conerstone and plaque are primary/ website is not.)

Show students the primary source pictures. Put the pictures in order from oldest to newest.
Explain that we have just made a timeline.

Standards: 

  • 2.6 Identifying continuities and changes over time can help understand historical developments. 

    • 2.6a Continuities and changes over time in communities can be described using historical thinking, vocabulary, and tools such as time lines.