Education

This lesson focuses on cultural and natural sounds. Participants should visit a culturally significant site within a park for these activities. Beginning with an historic overview of the location, the facilitator will segue into a group discussion of soundscapes present and past. Participants will be introduced to a brief history of the cultural site and learn how sounds influence culture and wellbeing. Requires a facilitator. culture and wellbeing. This lesson is b

The Legacy of Springfield Armory: How one Site Changed the Nation examines the history and legacy of Springfield Armory. This trunk includes lessons that explore the history of the Armory, a map maker activity examining primary sources, lessons on various technological developments including the Blanchard Lathe, noteworthy individuals at the Armory, a critical thinking writing prompt on identifying the significance of a historical site and more!

Learn about the people and jobs involved with operating steam locomotives.

In "Agriculture and Inventions," students research agricultural inventions and describe their impact on agriculture.

Explore how Lowell's many integrated systems, including waterwheels and turbines, transformed the potential energy of the Merrimack River into kinetic energy that ran the machines. Through a series of investigations led by one of our educators, students generate hypotheses and analyze data to determine the most efficient ways to distribute energy to all the mills' machines.

Learn how archeologists use geophysical techniques like magnetometry to learn more about ancient objects and people. Explore the scientific process behind magnetometry, including magnetic fields, and how archeologists interpret their results. Complete a simulated magnetometry analysis using data from Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site. Este plan de clase con actividades incluido también está disponible en español.

Follow the journey of a mill girl from her family farm in the New England countryside to her new job operating a loom in Lowell’s Boott Cotton Mills. Students will meet two mill girls during their virtual visit to the boardinghouse and weave room, learning about each girl's unique experience of life and work in a textile mill, and experience for themselves a bit of what it was like to work in the mills.

This lesson plan explores the Patent Office building, the site of President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural ball.

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is one scientific tool archeologists use to study the chemical composition of artifacts found on a site. This lesson plan illustrates the method behind XRF and describes how the resulting data can illustrate where and how ancient peoples obtained resources, whether through local sources or trade. Este plan de clase con actividades incluido también está disponible en español.