Children at Hebrew Academy of Nassau ink classroom compact

Fifth Graders in Mrs. Spitalnik’s Social Studies class at HANC’s Samuel & Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School, in West Hempstead, brought American History to life when they signed their very own “Classroom Compact”.

While learning about the Mayflower Compact, the students crafted and each signed a Classroom Compact, in front of their teacher, Mrs. Spitalnik, and their peers. As part of the compact the students promised “obedience in class” and that they would come up with rules for their classroom that were “just and equal.”

As part of the lesson the students discussed that while Americans today take for granted that everyone will be treated equally, the idea was a new concept when the Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact because in Europe, friends of the king were treated better than the average person. The students also discussed that even today people continue to come to America in search of a better life with greater opportunities and fair and equal treatment of all people.