The 18 fifth-grade students in the Program Challenge at Flat Shoals Elementary in Conyers aren’t just learning about history through textbooks. To develop a more critical view of the Civil War, for instance, they’re staging a play that puts them in the shoes of several characters who influenced the course of events.
And while they’re digging into personalities from the past, they’re also raising money to preserve Atlanta’s connection to the war. While staging their play Wednesday, Dec. 14 for the public, they’re also accepting donations that will toward the upkeep of Civil War exhibits at the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead.
“I like to work purpose into the projects,” said teacher Stephanie Tyler. “We ask, ‘How can we benefit others?’ When we were talking to the director of membership at the History Center, he told us how money is usually earmarked for special projects. The students themselves asked if they could collect donations just for the Civil War exhibits.”
In fact, Tyler’s started a bit of a trend with the fundraising play. Last year, the same project raised about $200 that also went to the History Center.
“We even had a couple of people from the center who came to watch it, and they were blown away by how much the students can get done in a short amount of time.”
As participants in the county’s gifted program, students are shuttled to Flat Shoals just once a week for three-hour sessions. In that time since August, they developed research questions, reviewed different plays about the Civil War, auditioned for roles from actors to stage hands, organized publicity, created sets and figured out how to put on a production with limited resources and finances.
“We also had to find plays that weren’t too long and that we could produce with the few class periods I’ve had them for,” said Tyler. “They read the choices and picked the one they found most interesting: ‘Spies and Rebels’ is historically based on the time period before Lincoln becomes president, when he’s traveling through Baltimore to D.C. and making speeches. I think the part the students liked was how it involves the Pinkerton Detective Agency that’s heard rumors there are plots to kill Lincoln before he gets there.”
Many of Tyler’s students have not been involved in a play, no less a project that brings history to life.
“The great thing about this program is students get to choose classes in their areas of strength and interest,” she said. “And since it’s project based, we write out our own projects. That gets them immersed in real-world activities: collaboration, inquiry, questioning developing ideas – all 21st century skills they’ll need in the outside world.”
Student Ryan Rakestraw is making her debut as the play’s stage manager, making sure sets, props and characters are in place throughout the show.
“I was excited to do it,” she said. “I thought it would be fun, but now I’m really nervous, I don’t want to have anything missing or close the curtain too late. But I’ve also learned a lot about the 1800s – what they usually wore and that they didn’t have shampoo.”
For its part, the History Center is delighted to support the students’ efforts and their fundraising ambitions.
“When Stephanie Tyler asked if I would be willing to help her students with their own museum theater performance, I jumped at the chance,” said Cameron Argotsinger, the center’s membership director. “I met with her class over Skype, giving tips on performance and how to research their characters and the Civil War. Last year, they absolutely knocked it out of the park. I was extremely impressed with their knowledge and acting. They are a wonderful group of students, and I am looking forward to seeing their performance of this year’s play.”
If you go
“Spies and Rebels” will be performed at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Flat Shoals Elementary, 1455 Flat Shoals Road, Conyers. Admission is free; donations welcome.
Information: 770-483-5136, fse.rockdaleschools.org.
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