Written by Helena McSherry, Member, PR Committee, Board of Directors, The Bronxville School Foundation

Nov. 19, 2014: Last week, fourth-graders at The Bronxville School took a fun-filled voyage of discovery on Henry Hudson's ship, the Half Moon.

Through an in-school field trip offering hands-on activities and the examination of replica artifacts, a historian from the New Netherland Museum brought to life the experience of not only the sailors aboard the Half Moon, but the culture of the Algonquian Indians in the Hudson River Valley and the interaction between the Algonquians and the European settlers.

The program, which was funded by The Bronxville School Foundation, enhances the fourth grade's study of the Age of Exploration within the New York State Social Studies Curriculum and the Common Core State Standards.

The children were intrigued to learn about the rigors of daily life aboard the Half Moon. They tried on replicas of the traditional apparel worn by European sailors. Fourth-grader Jon Angoni stated, "It was fun to see all of the clothing, but even more fun to try it on."

Students also saw and smelled samples of the limited food choices aboard the Half Moon such as cheeses and dried fish. Fourth-grader Samantha Torres enjoyed learning about the different types of food but noted, "They did not look very appetizing!"

The historian also captivated students with stories of Algonquian life and shared replica artifacts of tools and wood carvings. The students reflected on how all of these items came from the resources of the land and how making them required a great deal of careful craftsmanship.

The historian also shared how the Algonquians hunted deer and bear for meat and used their fur to make clothing. Students were able to compare samples of replica fur skins worn by the Algonquians with the wool clothing worn by the European sailors.

The children then participated in an exercise called the trade game and broke into groups in which they played the roles of the Europeans and Algonquians and traded goods. Fourth-grader Verena Rasinski stated, "It is fun to learn about the European settlers and the Native Americans, but I really love the activities."

After the exercise, the children reflected on the strategies they used to negotiate in their roles and how they saw things play out as a result of their conflicting interests. In the end, the children realized that many of the difficulties they had encountered in trying to barter with each other were similar to what actually happened between the Europeans and the Algonquians. When the historian asked for any final questions following the trade game, fourth-grader Montgomery Daub asked, "Can we do it again?"

"It is wonderful to see the children so immersed in the curriculum," said fourth-grade teacher Mr. Justin Chao. "The multidimensionality of the learning reinforces the curriculum in such a meaningful way. I am so grateful to The Bronxville School Foundation," said Mr. Chao, "for affording this opportunity to our students in the fourth grade."

Pictured here: Carolyn Niehaus from the New Netherland Museum helps fourth-grader Lucie Curran try on slops, which were part of the traditional garb worn by sailors aboard Henry Hudson's ship, the Half Moon.

Photo courtesy Helena McSherry, Member, PR Committee, Board of Directors, The Bronxville School Foundation