Our third grade students learn about the legend of the Trojan War. They are introduced to the ancient Greek storyteller, Homer, who lived around the 7th century B.C. and students learn about his epic poem, “The Iliad” which tells of an event between the early Greeks and the people of Troy around 1250 B.C.
In 2005, Mrs. Hass had an idea to bring this history lesson to life and she created the first prototype Trojan Horse. For the past 20 years, the basic “horse” has remained unchanged as 3rd grade students have worked together to construct the frame from lightweight PVC pipes, assemble Styrofoam around the sides, and paint it to resemble a horse. The final product is large enough for several students to fit inside and carry the frame to make the horse mobile.
Anticipation builds as the horse marches into 4th, 5th, and 6th grade classrooms. When the battle cry is heard, 3rd grade soldiers pour out of the horse while the rest of the grade, posing as Greek warriors and armed with plastic weapons, flood into the classrooms that serve as the City of Troy. The older students fully understand their role in this reenactment. They retaliate with paper balls until the call for the battle’s end is heard when they dramatically succumb to their imagined injuries as the triumphant 3rd graders leave the city shouting “Long live the Greeks!”
Every September, the hallways are filled with noisy enthusiasm as students immerse themselves in this famous chapter of ancient history. The memories they create by engaging the past through poetry and history could never be matched by a lecture or textbook.
