Melissa Elliott and Karen Groves
Colchester Elementary School
TEACHER'S SNAPSHOT
Historical Background
Students will explore how their community has changed over time. As the needs of a community changes, decisions are made to keep, remove, or repurpose buildings and other spaces. In this activity, students will determine what a community was like in the past and compare it to the present by observing what kinds of buildings have been part of their town over time. This lesson uses Colchester, CT as a model, but the same activity could be replicated in any town. Resources for locating historic photos of Connecticut towns are included below.
D1: Potential Compelling Question
D1: POTENTIAL SUPPORTING QUESTIONS
- What different buildings are in our community?
- What are they used for?
- Are all of the buildings and spaces in town the same as they always have been, or have they changed over time?
- Do we have skyscrapers, marinas, or large businesses in our community? Why or why not?
D2: TOOL KIT
Colchester District School #3 on Miller Road, 1890s. Courtesy Colchester Historical Society.
Jack Jackter Intermediate School, Colchester, CT, 2024. Photo by Karen Groves.
“Colchester, CT: Then and Now” photo collection for sorting activity (2 parts)
“Colchester, CT: Then and Now, Part 1, Then” photo collection for sorting activity. All images are cited in the document.
“Colchester, CT: Then and Now, Part 2, Now” photo collection for sorting activity. All images are cited in the document.
Town Center/Town Green Observations worksheet. Developed by Melissa Elliott and Karen Groves.
New Addition to Our Community worksheet. Developed by Melissa Elliott and Karen Groves.
Exit Ticket worksheet. Developed by Melissa Elliott and Karen Groves.
D3: INQUIRY ACTIVITY
1. Students will begin by describing a school. What is it, what is its purpose, what does it look like? Students will examine two photographs of schools from their town, one historic and one modern. Students will discuss what they see/notice about the two photographs. They will describe some ways that schools have changed over time. Students will discuss how technology and the community’s needs have changed over time.
2. Groups of students will be given a collection of historical photographs of buildings and landmarks from their community. Ask students to sort the photographs into categories however they choose. Groups share how they sorted the buildings/landmarks. Teacher will create a list of categories that students used to create groups. Place photographs in a pile, set aside.
3. Distribute photographs of current buildings and landmarks to groups. They will sort these photographs into categories, just as they previously did with the historical photographs. Teacher will create a list of categories that students used to create groups.
4. Have students discuss how the community needs have changed based upon their observations and sorting. Students may utilize the lists that were created for historical and contemporary photograph categories.
D4: COMMUNICATING CONCLUSIONS
- Students will take a walking/bus trip to the local community center that has many historical and modern buildings. Teacher will prepare pictures of historical buildings with a brief history of what the building was used for when it was first constructed. Chaperones/teachers will lead small groups around the area to learn about some of the buildings/landmarks in the area. Students will write down on a journal page what the building’s historical name is, what it was used for in the past, and what it is currently being used for now. Students will notice any changes made to the structure. Each group will learn about different buildings. When students return to the classroom, each group can share what they learned about each of the buildings/landmarks and how it has stayed the same, changed, relocated, or removed over time.
- Students will visit a local historical society to learn about their community. It is ideal to choose no more than two areas of focus, such as farming, industrial practices, or items manufactured in the community. Students will learn how the goods were produced and transported.
- Students will design a new business or resource for the community. They will choose a location for their new addition based upon the needs of the community. Students will illustrate and record how the new addition will have an impact on the community.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Places to GO
Local town green/town center, historical society, or historic site
Things To DO
Create your own walking tour with a pamphlet or audio guide.
Visit your community library, town hall, or a local business.
Websites to VISIT
The Colchester Historical Society
Find more about the history of Colchester, the Colchester History Museum, and preservation efforts.
UnHeardOf World
“Cinematic Audio Stories that make the world a better place.” Check out their Colchester project.
ConnecticutHistory.org
A treasure trove of articles and information about Connecticut history, towns, and more.
Connecticut Digital Archive
Find images from your own town by searching the town name and then filtering by item type in the left menu.
Library of Congress
Search the resources of the Library of Congress for items related to your own town. For images, select “Photos, Prints, Drawings” from the pull-down menu and search for your town’s name (be sure you have the right state!)
Articles to READ
“Colchester History.” Colchester Historical Society.
“Jewish Farming Communities in Connecticut in the 19th and 20th Centuries.” Nancy Finlay. ConnecticutHistory.org.
“Rubber Vulcanization and the Myth of Nathaniel Hayward.” Rick Finkelstein and Leslie Rovetti. ConnecticutHistory.org.
