Hands-On History Class
Visit the Jimmy Martyn Farm and discover what life was like for Texas pioneers around 1900. Explore the relationship between humans and the environment as you discover how farm communities would have satisfied their needs for food, clothing, and shelter. Participate in a variety of activities, such as cheese-making, spinning, rope-making, or woodworking. Take home a hand-made craft.
| Grades | This class is open to students of all ages, but is aimed at 3rd - 5th and 7th graders. |
| Time | 10:00am - 12:00 noon. |
| Class Limit | Maximum 50 participants |
| Fee | $7.00/participant (children and adults, with the exception of teachers, who are free of charge). A 10-to-1 ratio of students to adults is required. |
Please see the field trip planner for more information about scheduling a field trip. (Call 281-474-2551 x 13 for class dates and to enroll.)
The following objectives, vocabulary, and TEKs may be addressed during this field trip.
Objectives
Students will:
- Describe and demonstrate the steps in making a historic farm product, such as rope, cheese, butter, and/or wool clothing.
- List reasons for turn-of-the-century (1900) families to make their own rope, cheese, butter, and/or clothing.
- Describe some responsibilities of family members in a culture, specifically on an 1895-era farm.
- Compare and contrast food storage and preparation around 1900 with food storage and preparation today.
- Describe how the natural environment around a pioneer farm looked around 1900, and how it humans have changed it.
Vocabulary
- Natural resource – something found in nature that is valuable to humans
- Responsibility – a job or task that a certain person is expected to do
- Curd – the solid that separates from the whey; made of casein
- Whey – the liquid that separates from the curd; made of water and lactose (milk sugar)
- Casein – milk proteins that form most of the curd
- Acid – something that “sours” milk, such as citrus, vinegar, or rennet (an animal product)
- Preservation – keeping something the way it is so that it can be used later
- Wool – fur from a sheep; fleece
- Lanolin – natural oil that is on wool; keeps the sheep from getting too wet and cold when it rains
TEKS (Social Studies Chapter 113)
- 3.1A, 3.2A, 3.4B, 3.15B
- 4.4C, 4.8B, 4.9(A,B&C), 4.10B, 4.13A, 4.20(A&B)
- 5.4(B&F), 5.10A, 5.14A, 5.24(C&D)
- 7.1A, 7.10A, 7.20A.
Pre and Post Trip Materials (PDF Format)
- Hands-on History Checklist
- Hands-on History Pre-Trip Activity (Farm Pre-Trip Quiz)
- Hands-on History Post-Trip Activity (Farm Resources)
