Riverside Elementary students explored and experienced life in Colonial Georgia on Dec. 7. The culminating activity for students’ study on the American Colonies, Colonial Day provided hands-on activities to bring learning to life for the 4th graders. Parent volunteers helped the children make butter and johnnycakes (cornmeal “pancakes”), as well as candles and sachets. Students and their visitors ate food that would have been common during this time period, and played games with replicas of toys that would have been available. Teacher Melisa Jeffers started the activity several years ago. She says she gained a better understanding of 18th century life as a participant in The George Washington Teacher Institute at Mount Vernon, bringing back games and activities for her students. Each year, Ms. Jeffers adds period props to give the event a more authentic feel— from replica household items, like a chamber pot and a clothes iron, to raw cotton.
