Middle School Resources
Tours for middle school students give them a chance to be investigators!
Students split into teams to investigate different aspects of the building such as the role of the capitol, how technology changed over time and how decorative elements also served a function. Each team will repot back its findings. These activities provide a deeper knowledge of the history and the humanity of the building.
Here are some activities you can use with students before and after your tour:
Design your own tessellated pattern
Create a pattern like the stained glass featured around the museum. Justify your design by explaining your choices.
Compare and Contrast: Our Nation's Treasures
Write an essay comparing the Louisiana’s Old State Capitol with another United States’ Capitol building of your choice.
Make an online timeline of your life. Choose events that highlight the 'history of YOU!' For an extra challenge, incorporate world events.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 - Lesson Plan
Discuss the 1965 Voting Rights Act with more background knowledge and insight, including details of how the democratic process is used to pass legislative acts, details of U.S. Congress and differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate, and details of the role key individuals played leading up to as well as during the passage of the Voting Rights Act through individual character cards.
This program is funded under a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
