The New World

In the car on Tuesday, our almost six year old was asking a question. Not really sure how this one formed in her brain - "Who was the first Catholic person in the "new" world?" We had just passed the local Catholic church, so that kinda made sense, but we couldn't figure out what she meant by the "new" world. Do you mean America? Do you mean ever? "No," she says, "the first world is under the ground and the new world is on top. Although sometimes the new world is not under so far. Like in colonial days." Huh?!?

My husband and I give each other confusing looks - then it dawns on me. Jamestowne and St. Mary's City, MD! She is trying to make sense of history and archeology. The old world is back in colonial days and we dig it up and find things from their world. She didn't understand how the old world was connected to today. (We did our best to straighten that thinking out.) Funny thing about it is that I wasn't really confident that she gained anything from Jamestowne or St. Mary's City. It was one of those "along for the ride" kind of days with her. I love these glimpses into how kids process experiences. Her mind is trying to make sense of it and understand how it all works, even several weeks later. That to me is real learning, the content knowledge will come as long as the brain is working.

Filed under:

• archaeology
• history
• kindergarten