Teaching with Artifacts: Using Material Culture to

Teach about Native Americans

November 2, 2013Boston Children’s Museum

+Objectives

Consider new ways to effectively utilize artifacts and objects with students, particularly around Native Cultures.

Gain deeper understandings of how to incorporate Native Cultures into your curriculum.

Hands-on experience with museum collections and other digital resources to inform your teaching.

Connect Native Cultures and object-based learning to Common Core and interdisciplinary topics.

+Agenda

LOGISTICS: restroom, fridge

Global Stories

Integrating Native Cultures into the Curriculum

Applying What You’ve Learned: An Art Activity

Collections Tour

Resources

Common Core and Interdisciplinary Connections

+Warm-Up: Mystery Object!

1. Take one minute to silently observe the object on the table.

2. Pass the object around so that everyone can touch and examine it.

3. Brainstorm a list of every possible adjective to describe the object.

4. Now list every possible question you have about this object.

5. Create a narrative or persuasive writing prompt for students to answer based on this object. Record your prompts.

+

Global StoriesRachel Farkas, Boston Children’s Museum

+Integrating Native Cultures into your Curriculum

Loren Spears, Executive Director, The Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum

+Lunch

Return by 12:45

+Applying What You’ve Learned: An Art ActivityRachel Farkas, Boston Children’s Museum

+Breakouts

Collections TourRachelGroup 1

Using Artifacts in the Classroom & ResourcesAnn MarieGroup 2

+Common Core and Interdisciplinary Classroom Connections

Create a concept map of examples of Common Core or interdisciplinary connections you can make to teaching about Native Cultures or teaching with Artifacts.

+Common Core and Interdisciplinary Classroom Connections What are the most logical

connections?

What are the challenges to teaching native cultures or with artifacts? What are the opportunities?

+Wrap-Up

Reflections

Upcoming Events

Evaluation