SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Fourth graders at Van Duyn are learning about American history in a way that may stick with them for years to come. Students in Ilene Layow's art classes have chosen a key figure or an historical event to do research and write about.

This week professional artist and photographer Brantley Carroll is helping the students pose as those figures and re-enact those historical events. The students are being photographed as characters ranging from Harriet Tubman to Frederick Douglass. In addition, they're even taking a few pictures themselves. The pictures will be fine-tuned by Carroll and then will be displayed in an exhibit at the school next month.

Carroll said this unconventional way of teaching helps bring history to life.

"It's bringing history alive. It really is. Rather than just the static exercise of reading it out of a book, they're getting a chance to read about it, and then I'm helping them, and the teachers here are helping them bring that character to life," Carroll said.

Layow said the students’ homeroom teachers and the school librarian have also done a lot of work to prepare the students for this.

The students’ photo exhibit called American Change will be displayed at the school on February 9.