Wearing Many Different Hats

A few summers ago I went to Colonial Williamsburg for their week long teacher institute and saw firsthand how a hat or an outfit can transform a person into another character. Those historians and actors are really good at their jobs.  I thought I was in the presence of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.  They knew their stuff and made history come alive.  

After that I started adding in some different hats and outfits to my lessons and playing different roles.  The kids totally get into it. Here are the many personas I try to capture during the year...

Mrs. Granger from Frindle.  She is a very sour teacher that absolutely loves the dictionary. This is the first character that my students meet - usually the 3rd week of school as we are wrapping up the novel.  She leads our lesson for the day, gives the students dictionary drills... and somehow always has a British accent... I don't know how that happens.  :)  In a normal year, she usually appears right after recess or PE - when there is time to change clothes and throw on the wig. This year it was kind of weird with the virtual classroom.  I just had to turn on my camera to get the reactions.  

It always gets me how every year there are students that really believe Mrs. Granger was in the classroom... like truly believe it still in May when we are reflecting over our year. :) 

Miss Liberty makes her appearance on Election Day. She leads the students in the Great Cookie Election.  In a normal year the students taste test Chips Ahoy vs. Oreo and we vote.  We do put a spin on it, as we are fifth graders learning about our states... Each student becomes a representative for a specific state (they have to find it on the map), and their vote counts for that state's electoral votes. They see how the system works and where those numbers come from.  It's very simplistic, but it gives a general overview.  And since it's a competition there is buy in.  This year with virtual we still did it, but I was the one holding the cookies. It’s amazing how many of them loved pulling out cookies to join me online at 9am. :) 

In January (this year December) we host a Colonial Day where the teachers dress up in colonial garb and the kids experience different trades and learn about life back then.  I have a list of 18th century phrases that I use all day.  Usually my room has kids practicing script, using foil to be a silversmith, folding a shoe pattern to be a cobbler, and practicing tin smithing using a push pin and cardstock (on the floor). This year with virtual we focused more on things that they all had at home. I highly recommend the Teacher Resource Library over at the Colonial Williamsburg website.  They have so many short videos that really show how life was back then.  

This is where I'm currently at in the American Revolution.  I'm either King George or I switch to a tricorn hat and become a Patriot.  Queen Emily playing the part of King George III. It's fun and the kids get so into it, even though I wear it a lot during SS.  This was taken on a day that we played the Tax Game...My class, aka the colonists, were not happy they were going into debt. 

I do have other hats and wigs as well - just no pictures. I have a chef hat that I use for Book Tastings, and a hamburger hat that I use for details. Then there is my electric blue wig that I use for crazy hair days.  Do you dress up to? I can't be the only one being silly.  Hope you have a great day!