After completing a scavenger hunt in the Syracuse area to find a place from a historic postcard, students had to compare their postcard to the current location.  Using a visual thinking strategy they tried to notice all the similarities and differences between the two time periods.  To share this information with classmates, we had multiple “museum” classes where students could rotate between presentations on their peer’s postcards. 

As we thought about all of these local places we discussed who was here before it was settled by Europeans. This led us to explore a map of New York state and discover the tribes that lived in this area.  As we zoomed in to look more closely at Onondaga County, we discussed and learned a little about the Haudenosaunee. To finish out our unit, students learned about the “three sisters” (corn, beans & squash) and how they were essential to the livelihood of many Native American Tribes.