Millie-Christine McKoy
Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts
View Original Documents for Millie-Christine McKoy
View Original Documents for Chang-Eng Bunker
General Overview
Millie-Christine McKoy, conjoined twins, were born in Columbus County, NC in 1851. Born to enslaved parents, the twins shared one spinal column and were likely two girls with one nervous system. They referred to themselves as one person, however, and hyphenated their name to reflect this belief.
Click here to view the student page for Millie-Christine McKoy.
activity 1
Time Required |
45 minutes-1 class period (teacher’s discretion) |
Materials |
Short biography of her life |
Related Documents |
Gravestone Worksheet (pdf) |
State Standards |
Grade 6 Language Arts: Goals 1.02, 1.03, 2.01, 4 |
Preparation
Students should study the online collection and read the short biography of Millie-Christine.
Instructions
Using the information gathered, answer questions on the lives of the twins, prompted by questions from the instructor. Look at the worksheet that recreates Millie-Christine’s gravestones. Discuss what message these gravestones convey about the twins’ image of themselves.
The following questions should provoke discussion:
- Would Millie-Christine have wanted to be separated if that had been possible? Why or why not?
- What were the challenges faced by Millie-Christine?
- What were the challenges faced by Millie-Christine’s family?
- Why do you think that Millie-Christine thought of herself as one person?
- How did people view people who were different or who had handicaps in the 19th century?
- What facts do we learn from Millie-Christine from the tombstone?
- What message was Millie-Christine trying to convey with the design of the tombstone?
activity 2
Time Required |
45 minutes-1 class period (teacher’s discretion) |
Materials |
Short biography of Chang-Eng |
Related Documents |
|
State Standards |
Grade 6 Language Arts: Goals 1.02, 1.03, 2.01, 4 |
Preparation
Research NC’s other set of conjoined twins, Chang and Eng Bunker
Instructions
Using the research students attain from this site (and outside sources), compare and contrast the two sets of twins, prompted by questions from the instructor.
The following questions should provoke discussion:
- How were these twins different from Millie-Christine?
extension
- Research the conjoined twins phenomenon. How does this happen?
- Search the internet for additional information and photographs. TEACHER NOTE: Be advised that broad searches will pull up some graphic photographs—teacher may want to do the search and assign specific sites to students.
Last Updated July 31 2009
