MIEEE Roots

1. Teaching with Artifacts:
Using Material Culture to Teach
about Native Americans
November 2, 2013
Boston Children’s Museum

2. +
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.

3. +
Agenda
 LOGISTICS: restroom, fridge
 Global Stories
 Integrating Native Cultures into the Curriculum
 Applying WhatYou’ve Learned: An Art Activity
 Collections Tour
 Resources
 Common Core and Interdisciplinary Connections

4. +
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.

5. +
Global Stories
Rachel Farkas, Boston Children’s Museum

6. +Integrating Native Cultures into
your Curriculum
Loren Spears,Executive Director,
The Tomaquag Indian Memorial
Museum

7. +
Lunch
 Return by 12:45

8. +Applying What You’ve
Learned: An Art Activity
Rachel Farkas, Boston Children’s Museum

9. +
Breakouts
Collections Tour
Rachel
Group 1
Using Artifacts in
the Classroom &
Resources
Ann Marie
Group 2

10. +
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.

11. +
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?

12. +
Wrap-Up
 Reflections
 Upcoming Events
 Evaluation