By Kim Hilsenbeck

In what’s now become an annual tradition, fifth graders at Carpenter Hill Elementary celebrate history by turning their hallway into a living museum. A darkened hallway adorned with old timey decor invited participants into Colonial Williamsburg. Teacher Dianne Turner (right) started Colonial Days in her classroom at Elm Grove in the mid-2000s. When she came to Carpenter Hill a few years ago, she brought the idea – and a trunk full of costumes – with her. Since then, it’s grown to become a perennial favorite of fifth graders who dress the part, make typical Colonial foods  to share and engage in traditional activities such as candle making, sewing, writing with quill pens and playing games such as checkers and Jacob’s Ladder.

Traditional candlemaking was on display at the Colonial Days (left). Other activities included soap making and creating corn husk dolls. Fifth graders look forward to this annual event as they come dressed in period clothing and bring a Colonial dish to share.

Parent volunteers and teachers spent hours on Thursday decorating the fifth grade hallway with hay bales, quilts, antique furniture and more. 

Each room had a handmade sign on the top of the door indicating the activity inside. Turner has collected games, clothing and relics from the Colonial period (even if some are just replicas) for the past several years.