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A look at how classrooms, tools, and lessons have changed over the last hundred years.
Imagine walking into school and seeing no computers, no colorful posters, and only one room for the whole building! How would you learn if you didn't even have a piece of paper?
About years ago, many children went to a one-room schoolhouse. This means that kids who were years old and kids who were years old all learned in the same room with the same teacher! There were no big hallways or cafeterias. In the winter, the room stayed warm because of a big wood stove in the middle of the floor. Students sat in heavy wooden desks that were often bolted to the floor so they couldn't move.
Quick Check
How many rooms did many schools have years ago?
Answer
They had only one room for all the students.
Students in the past didn't have tablets or piles of paper. Paper was very expensive! Instead, younger children used a slate. A slate is a small, heavy chalkboard that fits on your lap. You wrote on it with a stone called a slate pencil. When you were done with your work, you used a rag to wipe it clean! Older students used a dip pen. They had to dip the tip of the pen into a small hole in their desk called an inkwell to get wet ink.
How to use a slate in steps: 1. Pick up your stone slate pencil. 2. Carefully scratch your letters onto the dark slate board. 3. Use a small cloth to erase the chalk so you can use the board again tomorrow.
Quick Check
What did students use instead of a tablet or paper to practice writing?
Answer
They used a slate (a small chalkboard).
Even though the tools were different, students still learned important things. They focused on the Three Rs: Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic (which is another word for math). Rules were very strict. Students had to sit perfectly still and keep their hands on their desks. If a student was naughty or didn't know an answer, they might have to wear a tall, pointy dunce cap and sit in the corner!
Compare what kids played with at recess: - Past: Hoops made of wood, jump ropes made of thick vine, or a simple ball made of rags. - Present: Plastic slides, metal jungle gyms, and colorful rubber basketballs.
Imagine your lunch today versus years ago: 1. Today, you might have a plastic lunchbox with a juice box. 2. In the past, you would carry a metal tin (like a soup can with a handle). 3. Inside the tin, you might find a simple piece of bread and a whole apple—no plastic wrap allowed!
What was used to keep the classroom warm in the winter?
What are the 'Three Rs'?
Students years ago used inkwells to fill their dip pens with ink.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to remember the name of the small chalkboard students used and one thing they played with at recess.
Practice Activity
Try this: Find a dark piece of paper and a light-colored crayon. Pretend the paper is a slate and the crayon is a slate pencil. Practice writing your name!