Kindergarten students at Bell Elementary recently completed their history unit on early explorers with a creative celebration that brought their learning to life through hands-on activities. The young learners spent time crafting personalized ships complete with flags representing themselves, putting their artistic skills to work while reinforcing the historical concepts they had studied throughout the unit.

The culmination of their project was a special "voyage" where students sailed their handmade vessels through the cafeteria during the lunch period of 3rd-5th grade students. The older students enthusiastically cheered on their younger schoolmates, creating a supportive atmosphere that celebrated academic achievement across grade levels and provided the kindergarteners with an audience for sharing their learning.

Throughout their history unit, students explored various aspects of early exploration, learning about Christopher Columbus's westward journeys, the goals of his expeditions, and the lands he visited. Students examined maps, studied navigation tools of the era, and learned about life aboard sailing ships during the Age of Exploration.

The curriculum then advanced to cover the Separatists, also known as Pilgrims, and their significant voyages. This portion of the unit examined the reasons behind their journey, the challenges they faced during their Atlantic crossing, and how they established their settlement with assistance from local inhabitants. The ship-building activity helped reinforce these concepts by allowing students to experience, in a small way, the preparation and excitement of embarking on an important journey.