Towards the end of the year we started a unit to learn about Syracuse’s past. We started with learning about how the development of the Erie Canal in the 1800’s impacted our city, bringing economic prosperity and immigrants to our region. In class discussions and games helped us learn about the people who both were responsible for building the canal and the immigrants who came here. We learned about the materials needed to build Clinton’s Ditch” and how much it cost to build, and how long this engineering feat took to build. We read The Amazing Impossible Erie Canal and ended with a group debate, where students put themselves in the shoes of an historical figure. We then traveled back in time to learn about the discovery of salt, and how this also impacted the growth of Syracuse. Students watched an interactive powerpoint to learn about how salt was extracted from brine and its many uses. A visit to the Salt Museum on Onondaga Lake concluded our study. Finally we traveled even further back in time to learn about the formation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Next year we will continue with this study of six nations.