Since the beginning of the year, the Bruriah ninth grade has spent time focusing on the various ancient civilizations that serve as the foundation for history and its development. The trip to the American Museum of Natural History marked the culmination of their first semester of history class, and it afforded the students with an opportunity to explore those various civilizations more deeply.

At the museum, the students explored the various civilizations with guiding questions to consider as they visited each exhibit. These questions enabled them to center their exploration and make meaningful connections to the different topics discussed in class such as: What does a successful civilization need? What do successful civilizations have in common? Why do failed civilizations collapse?

“It was amazing to see our students walk around the museum and take pride in what they have learned.They were able to recognize different civilizations and distinguish the various criteria of a civilization,” reflected history teacher Baila Farkash. The students really enjoyed the opportunity to take their learning outside of the classroom and engage in hands-on, thought-provoking discourse around world-class exhibits.