Students make 250th anniversary quilt and learn American history

MOSES LAKE — Mount Rushmore, Uncle Sam, the White House and the Statue of Liberty are among the American icons immortalized in thread by the students at AIM School in Moses Lake.

Students at the school made a star-spangled patchwork quilt with American historical scenes and symbols embroidered on it.

“One of our subjects is history so this year, because of the 250th celebration, we’ve been doing the top 10 events in history from the time,” said School Director Kortni Nelson. “We’ve covered 10 major events from signing the Declaration of Independence to national landmarks.”

The students also learned about the Constitutional Convention, the Civil War, both world wars, women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement, Nelson said.

The class that made the quilt meets four hours on Tuesdays; it’s made up of home-schooled students 5-12 years old who come for enrichment classes, Nelson said. Besides history, they come to AIM for PE, music, art and Spanish.

Besides studying the landmarks of American history, the students memorized the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem and the Preamble to the Constitution, Nelson said.

“We have 5-year-olds that recite (the Preamble) every day,” Nelson said.

World War II was 11-year-old Rory Garcia’s favorite thing to learn about, she said.

“(We learned about) rationing, where (people) could only have a certain amount of things,” she said. “And we were the first country to make … an atomic bomb.”

The students also did a reader’s theater presentation on George Washington versus George III, Nelson said.

“The first day that we started (the lessons), we had a big birthday party for the country and we talked about how old the country was,” Nelson said. “The kids got into it that way.”

Students also took their lessons out into the community, finding flags around Moses Lake and having their photo taken in front of them with Eli the stuffed eagle.

The quilt is a multidisciplinary project; as the students learn about America’s history, they’re also honing their sewing skills on an art project. The students divided into groups and older ones helped their younger classmates with the needlework.

“I did the one with the soldier in front of the flag,” said 7-year-old Ruby Signorelli. “That was my favorite one, because my uncles are in the Army.”

Rory helped with that one, she said.

“I did the Abraham Lincoln Memorial,” said 10-year-old Elijah Peltier. “He sits in a chair and he’s really big.”

“I did the flag,” said Jackson Helvy, 8. “I had to finish most of the flag (myself).”

The quilt will be entered in the Grant County Fair in August, Nelson said. Last year the students made a similar quilt depicting Washington state history, with panels devoted to Lewis and Clark, the state flag and even Sasquatch.

AIM School has about 130 students from 2 years old through eighth grade, including both homeschooled students and students enrolled in online programs through the public school. The teaching is done by parents, some of whom are certified teachers, Nelson said.

“I tried to make engaging subject matter to keep them engaged,” Nelson said. “But they’re really knowledgeable. They’re like sponges; they pick up everything.”

    The AIM School history quilt shows American icons like Paul Revere, the Statue of Liberty and the Declaration of Independence.
  

    Five-year-old Revie Allen stands in front of a collage AIM School students made of photos taken in front of American flags with their stuffed companion Eli the Eagle.