Connecting ESSEX LINCs

First LINCs Summer Institute a Success!

During the week that spanned July 7th through the 11th, our cohort of Essex County educators attended the first Essex LINCs Summer Institute. Teachers took part in lecture/discussions led by Dr. Brad Austin and Dr. Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello of Salem State College. This institute focused on the broad subject of “Governing in New England and the United States” and included a wide variety of primary source materials from many local communities. Teachers enjoyed interacting with guest lecturers such as Dr. Emerson Baker, who shared his expertise on the early colonial period, and Dr Patricia Johnston (both of Salem State) who spoke of how art played a part in the shaping of the new nation.

Teachers with tri-corn hats & quill pens participated in a simulation of a town meeting after visiting Historic New England’s Rocky Hill Meetinghouse where many Amesbury town decisions were made. They examined pre- and post-revolutionary documents and then created “advertising campaigns” (including a catchy jingle and limerick!) for patriots or loyalists in Marblehead.

One participant stated, "(The day’s activities) made me truly think about the structure of my own town meeting. The readings helped me rethink my own ‘myths’ as to the creation of new villages & towns.”

“I have never attended a town meeting, so to actually go to the place where historic town meetings took place was amazing!”

Participants in the institute were supplied with classroom-ready lessons created by our museum educator, Rebecca Zimmerman.

At our partner institution, National Archives in Waltham, teachers played a game and created historically-based “seals”, in the manner of the Great Seal of the U.S., the Massachusetts Seal, and the local seals of their own cities and towns, and on Thursday, the teachers used the architecture of public buildings in Salem to see how Greek democracy was made “visible” in the new republic. After viewing many actual structures on a walking tour with Dr Emily Murphy of the National Park Service, teachers took part in a math lesson by counting geometric shapes and “playing with” Greek themed wooden blocks to create architectural facades.

“Our discussions about artwork and architecture as a window into history have sparked several ideas about how I can use material culture with my students.”

Finishing up the week with a trip to Boston and the African American Meetinghouse, educators created “tableaux” or living pictures, based on events from Essex County which related to the experiences of blacks and women in early 19thc New England.

“I’m always fascinated by art, because I seldom see what the historians expect us to. I would love to use this with my class. My kids will see soooo much! I loved the lesson with seals, too.”

Our Summer Institute completes the workshops for our first cohort of teachers. They will be producing multiple day lessons, due in early August, which are based on local source materials. In addition to that many of them are completing graduate course work, which is paid for by the grant. Look for the main lessons, primary source resources and teacher-created lessons to appear on this website in early August. Our next cohort will begin their workshops in October.

“Many thanks for your time and efforts -- I am impressed by the visible attention to detail paid by all instructors. As a teacher I really appreciate the quality, dedication, and passion of the professionals involved. This was time well spent! ”

Connecting ESSEX LINCs: Connecting Elementary Teachers, Sources, and Scholarship to Explore Local History in a National Context.

Beverly Public Schools (BPS) in partnership with Salem State College (SSC), the Essex National Heritage Commission (ENHC) and the National Archives and Records Administration—Northeast Region (NARA) presents Connecting ESSEX LINCs: Connecting Elementary Teachers, Sources, and Scholarship to Explore Local History in a National Context. This project increases elementary school teachers’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of events and topics in American history through an intensive professional development program. The project combines historian-led content sessions with training in how to use local prmary sources/resources.