Ancient China comes alive at Washingtonville Middle School 

On Wednesday, sixth graders from Jenna DeFalco and Christine Goodenough’s social studies classes at Washingtonville Middle School brought history to life with exhibits on Ancient China.

After exploring virtual museum tours online, the students were inspired to create their own interactive exhibits to showcase what they learned about Ancient China over the past several weeks.

One exhibit examined the turbulent Warring Period, highlighting the ruthless tactics and legalist philosophies defining this era from 475 to 221 BCE. Their exhibit included trivia questions and vibrant drawings of soldiers.

Another group explored the Silk Road through engaging trivia, calligraphy guessing games and informative comics. They noted merchants were viewed as lower-class citizens despite their essential role in trading.

Everyday life in Ancient China was illustrated by students who built detailed dioramas depicting stark contrasts between wealthy and impoverished households. They noted that lower-class households often housed three generations at a time.

An exhibit on The Great Wall discussed the monumental effort behind its construction, highlighting the tragic fact that over 400,000 lives were lost during its creation. Students crafted replicas of artifacts such as archers, bronze weapons and clay teapots using construction paper.

Another group delved into the Dynasties and the enduring importance of clay sculpting in Chinese culture, used in rituals, religious ceremonies, and daily life since the Neolithic era. They highlighted Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s burial with terracotta clay sculptures.

“Our sixth graders brought Ancient China to life with creativity, curiosity and confidence,” Ms. Goodenough said. “Each exhibit a shining example of their hard work and growing wisdom – a truly remarkable journey through history!”