I am a third and fourth grade teacher at a small elementary school. I teach all academic subjects to an extremely diverse group of students, in terms of ethnic background, socioeconomic status, and special education needs.
This year, much of our social studies curriculum will focus on colonial New York. One project will be a study of the African Burial Ground, a colonial-era cemetery (and now a National Monument) that was excavated in the early 1990s. The burial ground provides a fascinating entry point to the study of life in colonial New York. There is only one children’s book about the burial ground: Breaking Ground, Breaking Silence by Joyce Hansen and Gary McGowan. It’s an excellent survey of the history of colonial New York, the discovery of the burial ground, the knowledge gained from studying what was found there, and the controversies that surrounded the excavation. I would like to provide each of my students with a copy of this book. They will use it as a resource as they collaborate to research and write an up-to-date book about the burial ground for children their own age. Breaking Ground, Breaking Silence was published in 1998 and therefore it does not include the most recent results of the studies of the burial ground.
In order to supplement it, I have already arranged for ten professionals involved in these studies (archaeologists, forensic anthropologists, and historians, as well as the two co-authors of this book) to be interviewed by my students. These interviews will be a wonderful resource for my students. Having individual copies of Breaking Ground, Breaking Silence to refer to as a resource and model for their own work will be absolutely vital as well.
Through our study of the African Burial Ground, my students will be exposed to many different aspects of the study of history: archaeological analysis of artifacts, use of primary documents, interviewing techniques, and forensic study of human remains. They will get to know experts in these fields and will learn in-depth about complex issues in history. I am really excited about involving these kids in original and important historical work. With the much-needed help of their own copies of Breaking Ground, Breaking Silence, my students will have the materials they need in order to research and write their own version of the history of the African Burial Ground.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Breaking Ground, Breaking Silence: The Story of New York's African Burial Ground Joyce Hansen, Gary McGowan, Gary McGowan (Illustrator)
• Barnes and Noble
$17.95
30
$538.50
Materials cost
$538.50
Vendor shipping charges
$53.85
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$13.46
Fulfillment labor & materials
$17.00
Total project cost
$623.00
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$136.76
Total project goal
$759.76
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$759.76
6 Donors
-$732.94
Donations toward project cost
-$623.00
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Sicherman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
