Learning gets personal for sixth graders
RUSSELLVILLE – Tharptown sixth graders got to put a personal touch to their classroom lessons recently when they traveled to Tupelo, Mississippi to visit Veterans Park and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and Elvis Presley’s birthplace.
TES teacher Angie Garrison said each student received a name that appears on the memorial wall. As part of their homework, the students researched their veteran’s hometown, rank, the start date of the soldier’s tour of Vietnam, the casualty date, and a record of the soldier’s medals and honors. Each student then presented his or her findings to the class.
“Students discovered that not one of the veterans they researched lived longer than a year in Vietnam, and almost all of them were 18 or 19 years old at their death,” said Garrison. “There are only eight women’s names on the wall.”
While they were at Veterans Park, the students got to see an Air Force jet up close, something Garrison said was a popular part of the day.
She said seeing Elvis Presley’s birthplace helped make the Great Depression real for the students as they experienced the singer’s small two-bedroom house and the church where he sang as a child.
“The docent told students that, like many families of the time, Elvis’ family was poor,” Garrison said, noting students took interest in the lack of indoor plumbing and how tiny the house was.
They also learned about the importance of the church as a social gathering place during that time, and how the church played a role in Presley’s singing career.
Part of the trip is always a visit to a restaurant, where teachers talk to students about manners, trying new things and how to behave in public.
“Field trips also provide opportunities for students to work on social skills when they interact with their peers and other adults in new settings,” Garrison said.
The drive also presents an opportunity for the students to learn that even numbered interstates run east and west, and odd numbered ones run north and south.
After returning from the trip, students wrote about their experiences.
These special field trips take place at Tharptown Elementary each year. Sixth grade Garrison and fellow sixth-grade teachers Kristy Smith and Sherry Isbell guide the students on the annual adventures.
Social studies for sixth graders focus on American history, and the annual field trips are used to help engage the students in a more active way. Previous years have taken students to Chattanooga and Nashville, Tennessee, and Birmingham.
“Students are engaged in their learning in an active way on field trips, and this leads to more retention of information,” Garrison said. “We always look forward to sharing this experience with them and helping them have fun while learning along the way.”
