The Herons began a new theme last week. The year is 800 and they have been asked by Charlemagne to travel to Seres, the land of silk, and discover the secrets of silk making. Each member of the group has a specialty and will contribute to the success of the group as they attempt the 5,200 mile journey. Along the way, they will meet people of different cultures and countries. They will trade in villages and learn about technologies not yet known in Europe. They will face the perils of deserts, mountains and bandits. They will hear new stories and music and try new food and folk crafts.
They will also learn: How goods are transferred through trade. How trade was/is a driver for cultural and technological
exchange. How cultural difference affects human interactions. Impact of geo/political barriers on economic and cultural
exchange. How perceptions of an event are formed by a person’s
cultural position.
In preparation, they began their training. On Monday, they learned about the person they will be portraying in the role play. As a teacher, I have not found a better way than role play for students to really understand historical events and human interactions. Inhabiting a person and trying to view the world through his or her eyes, forces a student to struggle with the issues and ideas at hand. It makes the learning at hand crucial and authentic because it's personal. It's also a lot more fun.
On Tuesday, the group was asked to engage in a cultural experiment. Half portrayed the people of "Hokie" (a made up country) and the other half were "Heelots" (equally fictitious.)
Download Heelot:Hokia Culture Both groups had very specific laws about interactions and had a cultural preference for certain kinds of interactions. Through observation, the groups tried to determine the rules of the other group and interact with members of the other country successfully.
It was very hard. Students talked about feeling "awkward" and "weird." Some mentioned "feeling like I understood things and then getting it all wrong." Others were "confused" and "frustrated." And many agreed it was difficult "to keep all the rules in your head."
As they move along the Silk Road (the as yet unmentioned name of this theme) they will meet cultures very different from the one they live in (both 800 Rome and 2012 Minnesota). Being open to observing and learning from others will ensure their success (both in 800 and 2012)
Interested in getting a lot more involved in this theme? I'm looking for villagers to interact with us in the markets of the town the caravan stops in along the way. Crafting, story telling, sharing religion, showing off artifacts — I have some ideas and resources and welcome yours. Contact me for more information.
The Rookery 
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