What an exciting time to learn more about government! It seems to be working its way into all levels here at HMS. This February, the Lower Elementary community went on a wonderful field trip to the New Hampshire State House in Concord. This is a politically charged time of year, and with the Presidential election coming up this year we really wanted to spend some time learning and thinking about how our government works. We are so fortunate to be close to Concord, and jumped at the chance to see this government building in action.
In the days leading up to the trip, we spent some time talking about the Three Branches of Government and how they work together. We also talked about the differences between national (federal), state, and local governments. We have plans to talk more about the election process and our right to vote in the coming weeks. The children had wonderful questions, comments, and concerns as we began these conversations.
Our tour began in the Visitors' Center, where we spent some time with Senator Avard learning about his role as a representative. He also taught us a song about using our voice to make a difference. Then, he took us to the Senate chambers where all of the children were able to sit at a Senators' desk and one lucky student was selected to be the leader of the senate and wield the gavel.
We then moved on to learn more about the state House of Representatives, and saw the impressive room where they gather. The children were amazed by the size of the room! We learned that NH has the largest house (400 representatives) in the US. The children made the observation that for such a small state, that's pretty incredible!
Then, we were able to greet the Governor. We were able to walk into and observe his meeting with the Executive Council and witnessed their deliberation and voting. He even interrupted the meeting to greet us and shake every child's hand! The children were thrilled.
Our final stop was a reflection of the Civil War. We observed and reflected on a mural showing the Battle of Gettysburg before moving on the the Hall of Flags. The Hall of Flags showcases battle flags from the state of NH for several wars, including the Civil War. Our tour focused mainly on these, and we heard stories of the people who carried and protected them.
This last bit of our tour tied in nicely with discussions that we had later in the week about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. As we talked about events that led up to the fight for civil rights, we were able to tie in conversations about the Civil War and slavery. The children made some wonderfully insightful observations. Instances like these remind me of why Montessori education is so powerful. We are helping children to see the big picture and to make connections between people, events, and places.
Upon our return to school, the excitement and conversations about our government continued. One child asked me how you get to be a representative. Satisfied with my answer, he ventured out into the classroom to plan his campaign platform. Two other children are organizing a game that involves a mock government, using all three branches of government.