THORNTON – Students in Thornton got a unique lesson on the Civil War Thursday.
Four hundred eighth grade students from three middle schools in the Adams 12 Five Star School District reenacted a battle from the war.
Over the past few weeks, Century Middle School eighth grader Allie Brich has been in front of a computer taking the online standardized test. But, on a sunny, spring day she got to do something much different.
"Testing is very stressful for us sometimes," Allie said. "So, it's just nice to get outside instead of being inside all day."
She is one of 400 eighth grade students from Century Middle School, Westgate Community School, and the Stargate School who participated in the reenactment of the Battle of Antietam.
"We're learning how much these soldiers had to work to fight in the hot sun and how bloody the actual battle was," Allie said. "It's just better to get a hands-on experience than reading a textbook."
Century Middle School student Parker Licknowsky played an officer in the Union Army. He says this type of lesson cannot be done through a textbook or in a classroom.
"You could learn maybe what they went through, but this helps us to actually simulate and feel the kind of thing that they felt," Parker said.
Violence and death were part of the lesson. Century Middle School American history teacher Jason Sharrow says students learn to respect guns, and the fact that battles come at great cost.
"This is a part of real history, and that's why we do this," Sharrow said. "This was the bloodiest battle in American military history."
The schools worked with You Can Live History, a non-profit. The organization helps schools put on these productions around the state.
"I think it's something they'll remember for a very long time," Sharrow said.
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