Farmingdale School Brings History to Life

The Farmingdale School District recently brought history to life at Albany Avenue Elementary School during its recent “History Alive” presentation. During two assemblies, Broadway theatre veteran Patrick Garner portrayed Thomas Alva Edison and Captain Meriwether Lewis of Lewis and Clark to teach students about American history and the evolution of technology.

During each assembly student-volunteers, dressed in neckerchiefs, blankets and hats, joined Garner onstage as Edison’s assistants and Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery. Working alongside “Thomas Edison,” students recreated some of Edison’s most famous experiments and learned the value of hard work, mistakes, turning liabilities into assets and enjoying one’s work. Playing as Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery, students encountered the scenic majesty of the wild American landscape and discovered natural science, character development and teamwork. The students have been studying the work of Thomas Edison and Lewis and Clark as part of their biography and history curriculum.

This program was organized through a partnership between the Farmingdale School District and Theatreworks USA to engage students in their history material. Theatreworks is is America's largest educational theatre for young and family audiences.

For more information about the Farmingdale School District and its exciting events throughout the year, visit the District’s website www.farmingdaleschools.org.

Photo 1: Broadway theatre veteran Patrick Garner teaches Farmingdale School District’s Albany Avenue Elementary School students the value of hard work and learning from mistakes. He was participating in a Farmingdale School District initiative to bring history to life and engage students in their curriculum in fun, interesting ways.