In almost all the letters of Mr. Potts, he makes mention of the weather and the health of his family. In 19th Century Arkansas, people were very closely tied to the land and the natural environment.
Contrast that with today's culture in which we spend most of our time indoors. It has been suggested by Richard Louv in his book: The Last Child in the Woods, that our students are lacking connections with their environment. He describes what he calls a "Nature-Deficit Disorder" among today's children. Here are several links on the subject of "Nature-Deficit Disorder" and the disconnect between people and their environment.
Whether you believe that your students are suffering from this "disorder," it makes sense to get them out of doors into the sunshine! Here are some activities and games incorporating Potts Inn and history themes:
Research 19th Century games and go outside and play them!
Here's one: Marbles was a popular game with children in the 1850's.
Here's another one: Chuck Farthing
You will need: buttons or coins, cup or hole in the ground
Players take turns pitching the coins or buttons into the cup or hole from a certain distance away. The one with the most in wins!
Others:
Blind-man's Bluff
Hide-and-seek
Checkers
Have students make up their own games using only what they have, such as sticks, rocks, buttons, coins, marbles.
Remember Ranger Rick? The magazine dedicated to nature, filled with beautiful photos and fun activities? It's still around! check it out!
The National Wildlife Federation has a whole page dedicated to getting kids outside! Check it out! There are lots of games and activities for classes and families.
One of the pages encourages schools to create Schoolyard Habitats, and there are grants available to help with a project like this. Here's the how-to guide. Now, let's get kids out of doors!
