Students explore from classroom to castle

 

From The Knights of Pythias to the U.S. military, Pythian Castle holds a treasure trove of history that Explore summer learning students got to step into as part of the Steamworks program.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) students learned all about the long and storied history of the great stone building on the east side of town. First built in 1913, the students got a view of what life was like for the widows and orphans housed there by The Knights of Pythias fraternal organization. As the tours went underground to the lower levels of the castle, students learned about World War II’s impact on Springfield and the work of soldiers in the castle at that time. 

In addition to the historical significance of Pythian Castle, the more than 100-year-old building showed students how technology and culture changes a structure across decades. While the building is now outfitted with modern comforts, students were able to see and learn about how spaces like the kitchen and bedrooms changed over time. 

These kinds of hands-on, real world activities help history, math and science become real and tangible. While students often get to read about historical events and technological change, field trips to places like Pythian Castle show artifacts of how what they’ve read took place in their own community.