Life as a Rhode Island Slave Role Play
When the students first arrived at this station, they were greeted by a woman speaking Swedish which almost none of the students understood. This was the case when slaves first came to Rhode Island, they didn't know the languages people were speaking. Ms. Berry, theater artist, asked the students in Swedish to complete different jobs from the 1700's. Students were asked to draw and carry water, sew by hand, wash clothes, grind corn, and stack wood. Even the student teacher, Ms. Mulvey, spoke to the students in French. Students had to infer what the adults were saying. Many students became frustrated. All wanted to be successful so students watched the hands of the adults along with their facial expressions. Life as a slave must have been very, very difficult.
-Alyssa, Kylie, Crisanny, and Chrismayri
When the students first arrived at this station, they were greeted by a woman speaking Swedish which almost none of the students understood. This was the case when slaves first came to Rhode Island, they didn't know the languages people were speaking. Ms. Berry, theater artist, asked the students in Swedish to complete different jobs from the 1700's. Students were asked to draw and carry water, sew by hand, wash clothes, grind corn, and stack wood. Even the student teacher, Ms. Mulvey, spoke to the students in French. Students had to infer what the adults were saying. Many students became frustrated. All wanted to be successful so students watched the hands of the adults along with their facial expressions. Life as a slave must have been very, very difficult.
-Alyssa, Kylie, Crisanny, and Chrismayri
This exceptional field trip was made possible by generous funding from
Target Field Trip Grants and the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities
Target Field Trip Grants and the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities