Parents, teachers, Board members, and Seniors (5th- and 6th-grade students) gathered on September 27 for the Middle Schoolers’ presentations about Who Really Discovered America. The Seniors did a wonderful job listening, taking notes, and, after contemplation and discussion, deciding that the true discoverers of America are the Siberians or Paleo-Indians, who walked into the continent perhaps as early as 30,000 years ago, according to new evidence. Claims by students representing the Japanese, Polynesians, Chinese, and West Africans also garnered some votes from our audience. Presenters and audience both grappled with the definition of “discover,” with many coming away feeling that America has been discovered multiple times by multiple groups, and that some discoveries get more attention than others. After presenting, Middle Schoolers reflected that they now understand how dynamic history is, as new evidence can challenge long-standing theories. Congratulations to the Middle Schoolers for an excellent and eye-opening presentation!
Many thanks to Coe Sweet Photography for capturing the presentations.
