This past Saturday, April 18, the halls of the Frontenac Museum were filled with creativity, collaboration, and a deep connection to the ancient world, as Union Springs Middle School sixth graders unveiled their Mesopotamia museum exhibits.

The event marked the culmination of an engaging Project-Based Learning (PBL) unit led by sixth grade social studies teacher Janet Murphy—an experience that challenged students to think beyond traditional classroom boundaries and explore a compelling essential question: Does where you live matter?

Murphy, who participates in a yearlong PBL cohort through BOCES, designed the unit using a “Gold Standard PBL” approach. Rather than learning content first and completing a project at the end, students began with a real-world question and built their knowledge through research, exploration, and critical thinking.

“The kids gained an understanding of the shaping influences on their lives simply by virtue of when and where they were born,” Murphy explained. “We used that lens as we studied ancient civilization—how place and time shaped culture and people.”

To deepen that understanding, students connected local history to ancient Mesopotamia. They heard from the Aurora/Ledyard Historian about influential figures in their own community and visited both the Cayuga Museum and the Frontenac Museum. These experiences helped students draw parallels between their own lives and those of people living thousands of years ago.

From there, the entire sixth grade—working in small groups of two to three—developed museum-style exhibits centered around 16 critical inventions from Mesopotamia and their lasting impact on modern life.

Throughout the process, students built essential skills that extended far beyond social studies content.

“They learned how to work together effectively, how to research with a guiding question, and what makes a successful museum exhibit,” Murphy said. “Most importantly, they learned how to tell a story and bring it to life for an audience.”

The project also encouraged students to take greater ownership of their learning.

“This was a fun, challenging, and thought-provoking experience,” Murphy added. “It’s a departure from the traditional classroom, but the students were incredibly motivated and developed a strong sense of purpose.”

That sense of purpose was on full display Saturday, as students proudly showcased their work to families, staff, and community members.

“I am very proud,” Murphy said. “It’s exciting for the community to see the creative and innovative ways we’re approaching teaching and learning at Union Springs.”

The success of the Mesopotamia project is just the beginning. Murphy is already looking ahead to her next interdisciplinary collaboration with the ELA department, where students will explore the mythology, religion, and history of Ancient Greece alongside their reading of The Lightning Thief.

If Saturday’s exhibits were any indication, the future of learning at Union Springs is both dynamic and inspiring!