Knights...err..Soldiers of Freedom activity

For knights this week we had been reading about Stonewall Jackson. I had no idea that he was such a powerful character, not only that but a very devout Christian. He only went to school a few months in his life, but was still able to graduate the top of his class at West Point. The entire story was amazing to me. And to think that it was friendly fire that eventually took his life. That was the turning point in the Civil War that let the Union eventually win.
I had the boys bring an item in a paper bag that reminded them of what they had learned in the book. It was so fun to see the different items that the boys picked up on. One boy brought scriptures, another boy brought sticks (from when he lived on the Mississippi and cut wood for the steamboats), another brought an old gun and one boy brought a big stuffed fish from when Tom would fish for the whole community. The boys made hardtack and johnnycakes, and I had a costume for the boys to dress up in like a civil war soldier boy to take their pictures in sepia, but we ran out of time to do this...bummer! I had also gathered stories of some of the children who were in the civil war, i had a big activity planned with this but we didn't have time for that either.
HOWEVER, we had the ROTC come and do military drills with the boys and the boys loved it! It was interesting to see the boys slouch and act like little boys when the Sgt. started, but by the end of the hour they were standing up tall, walking erect, and acting so organized and sharp! It was great!! I reminded me of something from Taming of the Shrew (I did learn something) that if you treat people a certain way, they will act a certain way.