Williams Elementary students demonstrate life during colonialism

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -One class of fifth graders put a month’s worth of work into a three-minute performance of life before the 1700s.

Williams Elementary School students performed “Williamsville” on Thursday morning. The program consists of 9 three-minute long skits depicting various formers of colonial life. Whether it was witch trials, jobs, or school life, Williams Elementary teacher Laura Maxwell says the performance helps her students get a hands-on approach to learning this portion of American history.

“What I keep hearing from former students is that when they are really immersed in American history studies in fifth grade then it really helps them out in middle school. So I get the joy of seeing them really grow, they are getting to practice speaking in front of visitors and working together and all at the same time, they are learning the American history that is so very vital,” said Maxwell.

The fifth graders performed for their peers in other grades along with parents in attendance, Mina Zimmerman was the judge in the witch trial. She says it took a couple of weeks to write and two more to rehearse each skit, but students did their best to keep each performance fun.

“Probably making the scripts because we do like adding some funny parts to it and not making it all serious,” said Zimmerman.

This was the first time Maxwell’s students got to perform “Williamsville” since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

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