Educational
Programs
 Located in historic Smyrna, Tennessee,
the Sam Davis Home stands as a monument to the unselfish
courage of a young Confederate soldier. Faced with the choice
of freedom or death on the gallows, the twenty-one year old
Davis chose the latter. The Sam Davis Memorial
Association has been dedicated to educating the public,
especially children, about the plantation life of the Sam Davis family in Tennessee between
1850 and 1877. Your class can relive a day in the life of
a plantation family, with unique tour experiences and erichment activites designed for all ages and ability levels.
A visit to the state-of-the-art museum and viewing of “Sam Davis: His Life, Legend, and Legacy” video.
Tour of the 1850s historic home and original outbuildings (overseer’s office, kitchen, smokehouse, and privy).
A self guided tour of cemetery and slave quarters.
Basic Tour Length:
Basic Tour Length: 60-90 minutes
Minimum/ maximum: 10/100 students
Cost:
$3.00 per student for grades K-6
$5.00 per student for grades 7-12
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Add to your experience by including one of our supplementary programs to your itinerary. Groups with over 60 students will be required to add at least one activity to their tour. All activities meet state and local curriculum guidelines. Most programs come with supplemental pre & post activities to enhance the students’ experience.
Enrichment Program Cost:
$1.00 per activitiy per student
Add 30-40 minutes to tour length
K-3rd Grades
- Hogs, Hens & Hominy
Through hands-on exploration of kitchen artifacts, students will gain insights into how food products were grown, prepared and preserved in the nineteenth century.
Social Studies Standards: 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, & 6.0
[ Pre/Post Activities ]
- Grandmother’s Trunk
In this activity, your students will explore the objects found in an old trunk. You class will learn about travel and clothing in the mid-nineteenth century and experience a connection to the past through hands on exploration of artifacts.
Social Studies Standards: 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, & 6.0
[ Pre/Post Activities ]
 From Boll to Bolt:
The Story of Cotton
This activity gives students the opportunity to explore the history and impact of this vital crop. They pick the seeds out of the cotton, card it, see a demonstration of spinning and weaving.
Social Studies Standards: 1.0 2.0, 3.0, & 5.0
[ Pre/Post Activities ]
- Seasons on the Farm: A Scavenger Hunt
Armed with maps and clues, your class will learn teamwork, map reading, and organizational skills as they set out on their own discovery of the Davis farm. This is a unique way to see the outbuildings of the farm and learn about nineteenth century life.
Social Studies Standards: 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, & 6.0
4th-12th Grade
- Life Under the Gun
Did Civil War soldiers have toothbrushes? What did the soldiers do when they weren't fighting? Students will discover through common items carried by the soldiers on both sides what life was like in a Civil War camp. Uniforms and equipment from both armies are presented for examination in this hands on program.
- Petticoats in Peril
Through vignettes of women whose compassion and patriotism led to new roles in the Civil War, students will meet a character or two straight from the pages of history. Students will meet ladies who broke the rules of society to serve as spies, doctors, nurses, and soldiers.
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Perfect for large groups or during the winter months when it is difficult to take field trips, the Sam Davis Home’s outreach programs allow you the freedom of an on-site activity within the structure of your classroom environment. Most programs come with supplemental pre & post activities to enhance the students’ experience
Outreach Program Cost:
$4.00 per activity per student. Outreach programs are available in a 30 mile radius of Smyrna, TN (includes Rutherford, Willamson, Davidson, Wilson, and Cannon counties).
K-4th Grades
- Hogs, Hens & Hominy
See Enrichment Programs for details
Social Studies Standards: 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, & 6.0
- What? No Batteries?
See Enrichment Programs for details
Social Studies Standards: 1.0, 2.0, & 5.0
K-6th Grades
- Grandmother’s Trunk
See Enrichment Programs for details
Social Studies Standards: 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, & 6.0
- From Boll to Bolt: The Story of Cotton
See Enrichment Programs for details
Social Studies Standards: 1.0 2.0, 3.0, & 5.0
4th-12th Grade
-
 Life Under the Gun:
Soldiers and Civilians during the Civil War
See Enrichment Programs for details
Social Studies Standards: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 5.0, & 6.0
- The Hidden Soldier: Spies and Scouts in the Civil War
See Enrichment Programs for details. Hunt not included.
Social Studies Standards: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, & 5.0
- Life and Limb: Civil War Medicine
See Enrichment Programs for details
Social Studies Standards: 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, & 6.0
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- Decide
which program best fits the needs of your group.
- Call the Education Department
at 615-459-2341 or 1-888-750-9524 to schedule your program.
- Receive a confirmation packet with instructions and maps.
Please arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled time on the
day of your tour.
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- Buses should park at the Visitors Center parking lot. A staff member will meet you there. One teacher should go to the gift shop and check in.
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For Your Classroom:
The Sam Davis Memorial Association's mission
is to educate students on the life of a Confederate Hero as
well as farm life in the
South during the mid nineteenth century. With that goal in
mind we have created activities on the web which you the
teacher can use to enhance your students learning prior to and
after
the programs have been taught at the Sam Davis Home.
Below
you will find the headings for the Enrichment/Outreach programs.
Highlight the program your students will participate
in to find pre and post activities. We also welcome you to
browse the other program headings to find material that may meet
your
student's education needs.
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Photography may be used for promotions. |
Basic Tour
Enrichment Activities
Outreach Programs
Plan Your Visit
Teacher Guidelines
Pre/Post
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