Oak School Students Bring Civil War to Life

A professional Abraham Lincoln impersonator greeted parents of students attending a fifth grade family night on Tuesday that took place in the school gymnasium and Media Resource Center (MRC).

Each year, fifth grade teachers Lyn Leahy, Anne Rigazio and Beth Zuschlag conduct a cross-curricular Civil War project that combines social studies, language arts, writing and music. Since spring break, the three classes used bits and pieces of free time to work on the assignments as the 150th anniversary of the war's beginning approached. 

April 12 was the official anniversary.

The 66 students were each required to research a different figure from the time period, create a Civil War board game, dress up as a person from the Civil War and sing a series of Civil War songs.

The annual project got a twist this year when the students' research papers were recorded as podcasts that parents were able to view on laptops in the MRC.

“It’s one unique way to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War,” Rigazio said. “We’ve been doing this for several years, but this time we introduced a technology component to it ... It’s a great idea that adds another dimension to hands-on learning.”

Students presented their work in class earlier this week and then got the opportunity to show it off at Tuesday night's event.

“My solo is about Harriet Tubman and how she helped slaves in the Underground Railroad,” student Jane Cole said before the musical performance. “She was really brave because she would dress up like a man during the war.”

Michael Krebs was the Lincoln impersonator and he came to the Hinsdale school after participating in a 150th anniversary ceremony in Washington D.C. Both he and partner Debra Ann Miller, who portrayed Mary Todd Lincoln, said Oak School’s project is a rich blend of the arts and worthy of being emulated.

“I look at this school as one of the schools I have to have,” Krebs said of his business schedule. “They’re very well organized and seem to make good use of their classroom time. As long as they keep answering the phone, we’ll keep coming.”

The impersonators surely were not the only visitors. More than 100 parents attended the event and took pictures with the Lincolns.

Students Duncan Ferguson and Juliana Mejia created a three-dimensional board game called “Mountain of War,” in which three pizza boxes of various sizes were glued together to create different levels for players to advance to upon answering Civil War questions.

Mejia said she would have trouble keeping pace if the Civil War unit was solely based on lectures instead of the hands-on project.

“I’d probably remember half of it,” Mejia said. “This is all a lot to think about, but doing something cool makes it more interesting.”

MRC Director Mary Morgan Ryan said the project was a rigorous process for herself and the teachers, but it was well worth it and rewarding to see the students enjoy learning.

Most of the fifth graders said they enjoyed the Civil War project and that this year's fourth graders should look forward to doing it next year.

“I would encourage them to have fun with their projects and not look at it as boring,” Mejia said. “The teachers will let you do whatever you want so it’s easier and more fun to be creative.”