Last week, students in Mrs. Lancaster's class at Lincoln High School explored Indiana’s history and famous figures in a unit focused on the National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol.
In this collection, each state is represented by two statues, and since 2000, states have had the option to replace them.
As part of the unit, students considered a question: Should Indiana introduce a new figure to represent the state in Washington, D.C.?
They researched around 30 notable Hoosiers, learning about their contributions and significance to Indiana and the nation.
One interactive part of the unit was the “Hall of Hoosiers” gallery walk, held last week.
During the activity, students shared what they had learned about famous Hoosiers and participated in a question-and-answer session to teach each other about the figures they studied.
The unit will conclude with students writing letters to the Indiana State Legislature.
In their letters, they will argue either to keep the current statues of Lew Wallace and Oliver Morton or to propose a new Hoosier to represent the state in the Statuary Hall Collection.
The Hall of Hoosiers activity gave students a hands-on opportunity to engage with Indiana history while thinking critically about the figures who have shaped the state’s legacy.