Lansing Middle School 8th graders recently took part in an academic field trip designed to support their learning in both literature and social studies. As part of their ongoing study of the Civil War era, students visited several local sites with historical significance.
The trip included a visit to the Frontier Army Museum, where students viewed exhibits connected to the Civil War and military history. They also toured the Lincoln Special Collection at the University of Saint Mary (USM). The collection includes more than 10,000 items related to Abraham Lincoln, including a lock of his hair taken at the time of his death and one of only 14 known original copies of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
While on USM’s campus, students took a brief tour and had the opportunity to see a college dorm room, giving them a look at campus life.
The group also stopped at the Abraham Lincoln statue in downtown Leavenworth, which marks the location where Lincoln gave speeches in December 1859.
Lunch was held at Riverfront Park, located near the former Great Western Stove Manufacturing building (now the Stove Lofts) and the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum. These buildings were referenced earlier in the year during social studies lessons about the Industrial Revolution and Leavenworth’s role during that time.
This trip gave students a chance to connect what they’ve been learning in class to real-world locations and historical artifacts in the local area.