New-York Historical Society and Saint David's Signature Unit

Now in its third year, the second session of our signature unit partnership with the N-YHS in the 2nd Grade began today. Archivists from the Society together with Saint David's teachers have been working together for several years designing and refining this exciting primary source unit in the second grade's history curriculum.

Each of the photos below captures several of the stages of the the boy's 12-step session today with the N-YHS. They created a Dutch still life water color painting using original artifacts from New Amsterdam.

Some of the artifacts presented, examined and then painted included a leather bucket, a tin lantern, a candle and candle holder, a candle mold and a hornbook.

This still life exercise was inspired by a Willem Kalf painting, which is part of the museum’s collection.

Our partnership with the N-YHS fulfills one of the school's major curriculum initiative goals: to bring the boys' study of the past into a tangible present.

We believe that helping the boys connect with material/artifacts from the past in real and tangible ways helps them construct meaning, and is more enjoyable. Boys learn by doing.

This 2nd grade partnership with the N-YHS around early New York joins similar signature units of study: in the 5th grade and our partnership with Cold Spring Harbor around science, the 6th grade and our partnership with Gilder Lehrman around US history at the Republic's founding, and the 8th grade and our partnership with The Met around Renaissance Art.

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