Stories from the American Revolution have inspired countless movies since the earliest days of the film industry. None, though, are quite as creative as those produced by 70 fifth graders from Burnet Hill Elementary School in Livingston, NJ.
The “Revolution Through Our Eyes” video series is the result of a year-long project to help students make a personal connection to New Jersey’s Revolutionary-era history. Led by Social Studies teacher Courtney Ferraro, the project included a field trip to the Jockey Hollow unit of Morristown National Historical Park, plus visits from historians from Trenton’s Old Barracks and the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society.
Using what they learned about historical events and life during wartime, the students wrote scripts, built scenery, acted and produced three short videos. “The Christmas Comeback” tells the story of the 1776 Battle of Trenton, “A Tough Way to Freedom” relates one family’s struggles during the war, and “One Life to Lose” dramatizes the story of American spy Nathan Hale.
View all three videos on Crossroads’ YouTube channel!
The project was sponsored by the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area and Morristown National Historical Park, with funding from the National Park Service and the New Jersey Education Association.
