The Seeds of Settlement
SPRING, 2005-2006
As settlers from the New England states began moving into western New York, they discovered what the Seneca had already known for hundreds of years: that this region was perfectly suited for agriculture. Soon the woodlands were giving way to farmland and settlements began to draw new citizens from as far away as Europe based on the promise of good soil and a chance to start a new life. Communities began to grow, compete, and collaborate.
During this expedition, 2nd graders used case studies to examine different settlements and looked at how settlers used tools (simple machines) to meet their basic needs. They learned about the agriculture of the time through field studies and by planting their own "Genesee Homestead Garden," which helped them learn about the kinds of crops they might find growing on a settler's farm. The expedition culminated in a "Country Fair," an exhibition that showcased the history of settlements in the area, the tools that helped the community grow and the farming that drew people here in the first place.
