History Mystery Theater
For our year end school party, we had a History Mystery Theater party with two other families with whom we've studied early American History this year. We started with the Vikings and were supposed to end with the Civil War for the year. But we had so much fun, that we really only got to Lewis & Clark, so we'll keep going after a little summer break.
All of the children made snacks. Giles and Lydia made "Mary Todd Lincoln's Vanilla Almond Cake" (with cooked frosting which was a first for all of us to make), Crispus Attucks' Okra Salad (Grant), George Washington's Roast Beef (Grant) and Johnny Cake (Lydia, featuring fresh ground wheat - ground in the coffee grinder). We marveled at being able to use the Kitchen Aid, crock-pot and electric stove and "wheat" grinder. Poor Mary Todd's arms must have hurt after beating all those egg whites!
We all invited family members (Thanks Aunt Cindy and Uncle Rick) to the party. We had our theater, then a slide show and then all of the Dads blessed their children with speeches, praise and certificates (while all of the moms sniffled and shot video).
Any guesses on our characters?
Let's see if I remember highlights of their speeches ...
Giles: "My name is blankety-blank-blank and I was born in 1838 in Maryland. I was an actor. I had a plan to kidnap someone I hated but the plan was foiled. That made me mad, so I deciced to kill the man I hated, and when I did, I shouted "The south is avenged."
Lydia: "I am a Shoshone Indian and I was born in the Northern Rocky Mountains. When I was about 12, I was gathering food with my family when the Hidatsa Indians came and kidnapped me. I married a man named Toussaint and I had a baby boy named Jean Baptiste. I was one of the first Native Americans to see the Pacific Ocean. When I was 25, I caught a fever and died (while dying dramatically on the floor)."
Grant: "I was called the Father of our country. I was a major (?!) in the Revolutionary War. I never told a lie."
Great time.
Posted in: on Saturday, June 09, 2007 at at 2:28 PM
