Wornall/Majors Field Trips Meet Educational Standards

A Civil War Field Hospital

The John Wornall House, built in 1858, was used as a field hospital during the Battle of Westport by both Confederate and Union soldiers. Students will learn about the Wornall family and how the Civil War shaped their lives, hear about the daily life of a Civil War soldier, and examine artifacts and learn to make inferences and draw conclusions. Whenever possible, costumed reenactors will be present (subject to availability).

Missouri Elementary Standards

    • MO3a.B Historical perspective / Thinking / Passage of time
      • Examine cultural interactions and conflicts among Native Americans, European immigrants and enslaved and free African Americans in Missouri.
      • Examine changing cultural interactions and conflicts among Missourians after the Civil War.
    • MO3.G Understanding the causes and consequences of the Civil War
      • Explain Missouri’s role in the Civil War, including the concept of a border state.
      • Describe the consequences of the Civil War in Missouri including on education, transportation, and communication.

Missouri Middle School Standards

History

      • MO4.B Evaluate the responses of North and South American leaders to the social, political, economic and religious challenges of the period.
      • MO5.A Analyze political compromises over slavery in the territories to explain intensifying sectional conflicts.

Economics

      • MO5.B Compare the economic strengths and weaknesses of the North and South before, during and immediately after the Civil War.

Missouri High School Standards

      • MO1.B Explain connections between historical context and peoples’ perspectives at the time in United States history.
      • MO1.A Using a United States’ historical lens, describe how peoples’ perspectives shaped the sources/artifacts they created.

Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • KS1.1 The student will recognize and evaluate dynamic relationships that impact lives in communities, states, and nations.
      • Middle School – Statehood and Civil War (1854—1865), March to War: 1850s—1861, Toward a More Perfect Union: 1861–1877

 

Nineteenth Century Life

Students will glimpse life on the frontier through the eyes of the people who lived on the Majors property. Hands-on activities such as frontier laundry or yarn dolls can bring up discussions of change over time, the growth of Kansas City, and how we learn about the past.

Missouri Elementary Standards

      • MO.3a.B Historical perspective / Thinking / Passage of time
        • Compare and contrast our community in the past and the
      • MO3.F Westward Expansion and settlement in the US
        • Discuss issues of Missouri

Missouri Middle School Standards

Government

      • MO5.A Compare responses of government systems in the North and South to major legislation, executive orders, and court decisions before, during and immediately after the Civil War.

History

      • MO1.B Explain connections between historical context and peoples’ perspectives at the time in American history.
      • MO4.A . Analyze the expansion of the United States in the early nineteenth century to trace U.S. growth and form hypotheses about future conflicts.

            Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • KS.41 The student will recognize and evaluate continuity and change over time.
      • First Grade: Compares and contrasts experiences and traditions.
      • Regionalism and Expansion: 1800s—1850s
      • Kansas: To the Stars through Difficulty (1865—1890s)

A Journey Westward

Much of the United States is defined by the nation’s expansion west. Alexander Majors saw this and used the westward trails to build a shipping empire. His story encompasses why and how people traveled west as well as how fortunes were lost on the frontier.

Missouri Elementary Standards

      • MO1.E Character traits and civic attitudes of significant individuals
        • Describe the character traits and civic attitudes of influential Missourians
      • MO3.F Westward Expansion and settlement in the US
        • Discuss issues of Missouri

Missouri Middle School Standards

History

      • MO1.1.D Using an inquiry lens, develop compelling questions about American history prior to c. 1870, to determine helpful resources and consider multiple points of views represented in the resources.
      • MO1.4.A . Analyze the expansion of the United States in the early nineteenth century to trace U.S. growth and form hypotheses about future conflicts.
      • MO1.5.A Analyze political compromises over slavery in the territories to explain intensifying sectional conflicts.

People, Groups, and Cultures

      • MO5.1.A Using an American history lens, describe how peoples’ perspectives shaped the sources/artifacts they created.
      • MO5.1.B Using an American history lens, examine the origins and impact of social structures and stratification on societies and relationships between peoples.

Economics

      • MO4.5.B Compare the economic strengths and weaknesses of the North and South before, during and immediately after the Civil War.

   Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • KS1.1 The student will recognize and evaluate significant choices and consequences that have impacted our lives and futures.
      • First grade: pioneers
      • Second grade: early settlers
      • Kansas: To the Stars through Difficulty (1865—1890s)

 

Enslavement in Missouri

Enslavement can be a difficult topic to address in a classroom. Wornall/Majors staff is trained to discuss enslavement in Missouri in a sensitive way.  From the basics of what it means to be an enslaved person to the realities of the Border War Conflict, we are ready to help cover this hard history.

Missouri Elementary Standards

      • MO3a.A Understand the movement of people from many regions of the world to North America
        • Describe the reasons African peoples were enslaved and brought to Missouri.
      • MO3a.E Political developments and reform movements in the U.S.
        • Discuss the causes and consequences of the Dred Scott decision on Missouri and the

Missouri Middle School Standards

Government

      • MO2.5.A Compare responses of government systems in the North and South to major legislation, executive orders, and court decisions before, during and immediately after the Civil War.

History

      • MO1.5.A Analyze political compromises over slavery in the territories to explain intensifying sectional conflicts.
      • MO1.5.B Trace the events as well as political, cultural, economic and social conditions leading to conflict between Northern and Southern states.

Economics

      • MO4.4.A Analyze the origins and characteristics of coercive labor systems, including slavery, and their impact on economic and political expansion.

           Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • KS2.1 The student will recognize and evaluate the rights and responsibilities of people living in societies.

Sustainability on the Frontier

When farmers arrived on the frontier, they made a significant impact on the local ecosystem. In addition to taking a social studies-focused tour of the Museum, students will explore the grounds of the former farmstead through STEM-based activities focused on native and invasive plants and the watershed. A unique merging of social studies and science, this field trip is a multi-disciplinary experience showing the interconnections of people and their environment.

            Missouri Social Studies Standards

      • MO3a.B Historical perspective/thinking/passage of time
      • MO5.B Understanding the concept of location to make predictions and solve problems
      • MO5.D Relationships within places/human-environment interactions

Missouri Science Expectations

      • MOESS2.A Earth materials and systems
      • MOESS2.C The role of water in Earth’s surface processes
      • MOESS3.C Human impacts on Earth’s systems

            Kansas History Standards

      • KS1.3 The student will investigate examples of causes and consequences of particular choices and connect those choices with contemporary issues.
      • KS4.1 The student will recognize and evaluate continuity and change over time and its impact on individuals, institutions, communities, states, and nations.
      • KS4.3 The student will investigate an example of continuity and/or change and connect that continuity and/or change to a contemporary issue.

Kansas Science Standards

      • 5-ESS2-1 Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
      • 5-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

Victorian Customs

During the Victorian Era, the British Empire controlled 25 percent of the world’s population. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert set trends that are still present in modern society. On this field trip, students learn about the social rules of the Victorian Era and then compare them to their own experiences. They get a glimpse of how demographic data such as income and gender shape a person’s life.

            Missouri Elementary Standards

      • 3a.B Historical perspective / Thinking / Passage of time
        • Compare and contrast our community in the past and the

            Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • KS4.1 The student will recognize and evaluate continuity and change over time.
      • First Grade: Compares and contrasts experiences and traditions.

Kansas City History

Tracing the history of Kansas City is the perfect way for students to learn about change over time. From Native land to frontier farms to a stockyard town, there have been many iterations of Kansas City. Potential activities include a Kansas City passport, landmark activity, and even a jazz recorder lesson.

            Missouri Elementary Standards

      • MO3a.B Historical perspective / Thinking / Passage of time
        • Compare and contrast our community in the past and the present.
      • MO3a.C Knowledge of the contributions of significant persons in U.S. history.
        • Describe the contributions of inventors or pioneers in their field who influenced progress in our nation.

            Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • KS4.1 The student will recognize and evaluate continuity and change over time.
      • Second grade: local landmarks
      • Third grade: hometown

Gold Rush

Thomas Wornall left his prosperous family farm to try to strike it rich in the California Gold Rush. Sadly for his family, Thomas never made it to California. On this trip, students learn about the diverse group of people who traveled from around the world to try to strike it rich in California. Through a game of chance, they gain an understanding of just how dangerous these individuals’ journeys were. Then by panning for gold and looking at advertisements they learn about how precious life was for those who did make it to mine.

            Missouri Elementary Standards

      • MO3.A Understand the movement of people from many regions of the world to North America
        • Outline the territorial expansion of the United
        • Describe the impact of migration on immigrants and the United States c. 1800-2000.
      • MO3.F Westward Expansion and settlement in the US
        • Investigate the causes and consequences of westward expansion c. 1800-2000.
      • MO4.A Knowledge of basic economic concepts
        • Explain the relationship between profit and loss in economic

            Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • The student will recognize and evaluate significant choices and consequences that have impacted our lives and futures.

Behind the Scenes at a Museum 

Give your students a glimpse behind the curtain of a museum. For two hours we treat students as junior staff members. They learn about how history museums teach from the ground up. After a brief introduction, students get to see all the nooks and crannies of the house off limits to the public. A simulated archeology dig serves as a baseline for how we learn from objects. The trip ends with students creating their own exhibit based on artifacts in the house.

            Missouri Elementary Standards

      • MO7.A Identify, select, analyze, and evaluate resources to create a product of social science inquiry
        • Label and analyze different social studies’ sources with guidance and support from an adult.
        • Use artifacts to share information on social studies’ topics.
      • MO7.C Conducting and presenting research with appropriate resources
        • Share findings about a social studies’ topic.

            Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • KS4.3 The student will investigate and connect continuity and change to a contemporary issue.

Bleeding Kansas/Border War

How people influence their government is on full display in the Kansas/Missouri Border War. The John Wornall House was the site of several stops by both Missouri Bushwhackers and Kansas Jayhawkers. With the original property line situated on the boundary between Kansas and Missouri, it is the perfect place to talk about popular sovereignty in the American West.

            Missouri Elementary Standards

      • MO2.A Purposes and roles of government
        • Explain how the purpose and roles of government have been debated across historical time periods to current times.
      • MO3.F Westward Expansion and settlement in the US
        • Discuss issues of Missouri
      • MO3.G Understanding the causes and consequences of the Civil War
        • Explain Missouri’s role in the Civil War, including the concept of a border state.
        • Describe the consequences of the Civil War in Missouri including on education, transportation, and communication.

Missouri Middle School Standards

Government

      • MO2.5.B Analyze federalism and popular sovereignty to explain peoples’ expectations of the role of government and their place in governance.

History

      • MO1.1.E Analyze the causes and consequences of a specific problem in American history prior to c. 1870 as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address the problem.
      • MO1.4.A . Analyze the expansion of the United States in the early nineteenth century to trace U.S. growth and form hypotheses about future conflicts.
      • MO1.5.A Analyze political compromises over slavery in the territories to explain intensifying sectional conflicts.

         Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • KS3.1 The student will recognize and evaluate how societies are shaped by the identities, beliefs, and practices of individuals and groups.
      • Middle School – Statehood and Civil War (1854-1865)
      • Middle School – March to War (1800-1850)

Pony Express

Far from any Wild Wild West fantasies, the Pony Express was all about communication and technology. Students step back in time by standing in the office of Pony Express co-founder Alexander Majors. They learn about how the rapid expansion of the western United States made a quick mail service like the Pony Express essential. Then they learn how the essential service became redundant within 18 months of its launch due to railroads and the transcontinental telegraph.

            Missouri Elementary Standards

      • MO3a.C Knowledge of the contributions of significant persons in U.S. history.
        • Describe the contributions of inventors or pioneers in their field who influenced progress in our
      • MO5.E Understanding relationships between and among places
        • Describe different types of communication and transportation and identify their advantages and disadvantages.

            Kansas Benchmarks and suggested topics

      • KS4.1 The student will recognize and evaluate continuity and change over time.
      • Second grade: transportation, communication, inventions
      • Middle School – Regionalism and Expansion: 1800s—1850s

 

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