Chesapeake Academy’s third grade class trekked to Historic Christ Church to explore the local connections to their Virginia history curriculum.

One obvious highlight of the visit was exploring the historic church building. Students learned about Georgian architecture creating detailed drawings of a section of the exterior.

The bricks for this historic church were made onsite, and students were especially interested to learn that the bricks were laid in a header- stretcher-header pattern and even discovered how glazing contributes to the appearance and durability of the structure.

Nothing beats going hands-on, and CA students had the opportunity to go up to their elbows in brickmaking themselves in the yard. Many were surprised by how challenging the process was, and gained a new appreciation for the craftsmanship involved in building structures centuries ago.

A visit to the museum highlighted the life and times of the structure’s benefactor Robert “King” Carter and explored a variety of historical artifacts. Students discussed how art can be used to communicate messages and illuminate stories from the past.

To round out the experience, colonial games and period costumes offered a taste of what life was like during the period. The day concluded with an archaeological dig, where students enthusiastically uncovered replica artifacts and worked together to guess their uses.

Photo: Chesapeake Academy