EXTRA! - Learning the old school way

Oklahoma Historical Society sent this bulletin at 08/09/2023 05:00 AM CDT

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Four boys, walking down a dirt road with fishing poles over their shoulders, 1935

History Center Research Museums & Sites Preservation Publications

August 9, 2023

A photograph of the desks and Ben Franklin stove in the Gant one-room schoolhouse in Kingfisher. The word "Learn." appears in the right lower corner

Bring Oklahoma history to your classroom!

We love seeing school groups come through our doors, but if a visit to the Oklahoma History Center or one of our sites across the state isn’t in the cards, remember that the Oklahoma Historical Society website is a treasure trove of resources for any educator, student, or parent. It contains a variety of publications, photographs, newspapers, museum collections, online exhibits, and many other tools to help you learn more about the state’s rich history. Simply visit the “Learn” tab on the OHS website’s menu bar to explore all of the possibilities available to teachers, including resources correlating to Oklahoma History Academic Standards for Social Studies, traveling exhibits, and traveling trunks that can be easily explored in the classroom.

Whether you are preparing for a visit, wish to research historical subjects, or need ready-made educational materials, the Oklahoma History Center Learning and Engagement Department is ready to meet your needs. Bookmark our page below to use OHS resources, programs, and online exhibits throughout the school year.

Learn with the Oklahoma Historical Society

A photograph of small toy rockets, a globe and other contents of a space educational trunk at the Oklahoma History Center

STEAM Night at the Museum

On Thursday, August 31, from 4 to 6 p.m., the Oklahoma History Center will host a “STEAM Night” for students of all ages and their families to explore the wonders of learning about Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.

The event will focus on the history of STEAM in Oklahoma, the STEAM industry today, and how to get involved with more hands-on learning activities to boost the educational experiences of young learners! Visitors are encouraged to explore the Oklahoma History Center’s exhibit galleries open until 5 p.m. that evening. The event is free, but registration is required.

Register for STEAM Night

A photograph of the Rose Hill School with white clapboards and a bell tower

Spend a Day at Rose Hill School

On the grounds of the Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry stands Rose Hill School, a one-room country school built northeast of Perry in 1895. In the past, in schools like this, students received their education from the first through the eighth grade. Rose Hill School was moved to the Cherokee Strip Museum in 1971. The school contains most of its original furnishings, including a cast-iron stove and wooden two-seater desks. In 1988 the school building took on a new role when it became the site of the living history program titled A Day at Rose Hill School. More information is available in A Day at Rose Hill Teacher’s Guide.

A pen and ink set and a piece of chalk and slate from the Turkey Creek School at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid

Learning the Turkey Creek School way

It is the time of year for buying new school supplies, and the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) museum store has some special mementos for sale that are unique souvenirs of the Turkey Creek School, located in CSRHC’s Humphrey Heritage Village. It is the original one-room schoolhouse that was built in 1896, 10 miles southwest of Enid. As with all four historic Village buildings, it can be viewed during CSRHC’s open hours. Before being moved to the museum grounds, the structure served as a school for children of farmers and pioneers from the 1st through the 8th grades.

Visitors can sometimes encounter a schoolmarm in period dress, writing lessons on the chalkboard during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip events at CSRHC. They are held on the first and third Saturdays of the month. Whether sitting at an old-fashioned desk or working arithmetic lessons on a slate chalkboard, guests can come away with an appreciation for the educational experiences that date back over 120 years in the state.

Field trips to Turkey Creek School offer an in-depth day of learning designed to replicate a 1910 one-room schoolhouse experience with a curriculum that meets Oklahoma State Standards for 3rd- and 4th-grade students. Trips to the once-rural school make for a special day of learning in which students are encouraged to dress as pioneers and practice penmanship with quill pens dipped in ink. For more information about visiting or scheduling a field trip to the Turkey Creek School, call the museum’s education department at 580-237-1907.

A graphic with photographs of Shannon Cowell and Asleigh Tompson amidst a graphic of Native American pottery shards. "Save your History"

“How to Protect Native American Archaeological Sites and History” Lunch and Learn webinar

The State Historic Preservation Office will host a “Lunch and Learn” webinar on Wednesday, August 16, at noon. It will focus on protecting Native American archaeological sites and history. The featured presenters are Shannon Cowell, preservation archaeologist with Archaeology Southwest, and Ashleigh Thompson, director of tribal collaboration in research and education with Archaeology Southwest.

The presentation will discuss the Archaeological Resources Protection Act. The speakers will also share information on SaveHistory.org, a group that leads a regional effort to end archaeological resource crime on tribal lands. Registration is required.

For more information, contact Kristina Wyckoff, SHPO’s Section 106 coordinator and historical archaeologist, at 405-521-6381 or kristina.wyckoff@history.ok.gov.