McKibben Elementary 5th graders got to attend the fun and interactive Franklin's Colonial Assembly on Wednesday, February 19, at their school.
This two part assembly first included a museum on wheels that brought interactive lessons about the printing press.The guide taught students about colonial apprenticeships and discussed the history of books. He shared that one book often took years to transcribe but when the printing press came along book production accelerated. He gave examples just how rare owning a book was. Books were often only owned by the high-class and monks and owning five books was considered a large library.
Students also got to participate in using the printing press. A student was chosen to come up and be the guide's “apprentice” she helped him gather the metal type needed to spell her name. The guide then showed students how the printing press worked and how they would bind books.
The second part of the assembly included Mr. Ben Franklin himself. A guide dressed as Ben Franklin shared all about Franklin’s life and shared about the many inventions and discoveries that he made. He then demonstrated his status electric generator that was originally used to create a battery.
The assembly aims to share Ben Franklin’s story to help “ignite young minds with the wonders of science and invention.”