Last Wednesday, my husband Will and I spent a magical day at Old Mill Pond School in Palmer, Massachusetts. Since spring, 2011, the school has been helping us develop our Magic Tree House Classroom Adventures Program. By using the books in the Magic Tree House series, teachers say they have enhanced and energized their entire curriculum.
When we arrived at the school, we first saw a display of wonderful handmade tree houses. We then visited with second-graders who had read Hour of the Olympics to learn about ancient Greece. All the kids in the class were wearing Greek-style tunics – and they’d all written notes to us using the Greek alphabet! We also visited with third graders who had read Revolutionary War on Wednesday in order to learn about American history. All the kids in that class were wearing hats like George Washington wore when he crossed the Delaware River. They sang a song and read poetry related to the Revolutionary War.
There’s nothing more wonderful than seeing kids pick up where Jack and Annie leave off, using their own imaginations to step into different worlds. That’s part of the magic of reading: By reading about other times and places, we not only come to appreciate history more, but we also come to appreciate our own lives more. The teachers and kids at Old Mill Pond School certainly made Will and me appreciate our lives on our Wonderful Visit on Wednesday.