These songs are also integrated into the Dances, which are also integrated into the unit. At the end of our study, the students present a pageant for their families and the community in which they share all the information that they have gathered in their two month study of Elkton. Elkton Heritage Day is celebrated every year on the last Friday in March. Heritage Day is the ultimate closing activity for this unit that focuses on the history of the Elkton, Virginia. The elementary school gym is turned into a wonderland of creativity and knowledge.
Students are able to see a variety of items being created, just as it was originally done.
They see candles being dipped in real beeswax, chairs being caned, baskets being woven, lace being created, quilts constructed, comforters being knotted, wool being spun, and silver being engraved. There are displays located throughout the school that focus on the Civil War, the Early Frontier Era, local information about Merck and other area businesses, as well as the History of Rockingham County Schools. Everyone involved with this unit agrees that it is one of the highlights of our school year. We all anxiously await the time for the unit to begin and it is remembered for a lifetime. We feel this unit is a wonderful gift to our third graders.