This week the Peel Mansion Museum and Heritage Gardens are filming scenes for the popular educational program School Days. One of the most successful programs at the Peel Mansion, School Days offers fourth grade classes the opportunity to visit the Mansion and learn about Arkansas history and the daily life during the 19th century. Traditionally, the program offers stations throughout the grounds where students participate in hands-on activities such as load wagons, bob for apples, learn period dances as well as explore the Mansion and experience its history through theatrical vignettes. However, this year the School Days program will be a bit different…
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic School Days will not be offered to schools as an onsite field experience. However, because this elementary program is so popular with educators, the brilliant staff at the Mansion came up with the creative solution of sharing the program with schools virtually.
Representatives from each of the School Days stations will be filmed professionally to ensure that the program will continue for not only fourth grade classes, but any class wanting to incorporate Arkansas History into their curriculum during the 2020-2021 academic year. Arkansas Arts Academy high school theatre students have acted the parts of the Peel family in the historic home for the past six years. This year under the direction of Tyler Volz, lead actor playing Colonel Samuel Peel and owner of Spotlight Characters, high school students will be filmed in character for the virtual program. Filming wraps up this week and videos will be edited to create a completed program which will be available for classes online in September. Please be sure to visit the Peel Mansion’s website/ facebook page for more information.
