History Time

A Newsletter for Kansas Educators

December 2023

Make and Take: Make Your Own Butter

Butter churning and consumption date back centuries. In Kansas, early settlers made butter using milk from cows on their farm. With this activity, students will learn how to make butter themselves. Use this activity to discuss how food processing methods have evolved over time. Compare the jar method used in the activity to the traditional butter churn that was used in the past. This is a great hands-on activity to include in lessons about the daily lives of early settlers.

Get Ready, Educators...Kansas Day is Just Around the Corner!

January 29, 2024, marks 163 years of Kansas statehood. Many educators use this date as an opportunity to teach students more about Kansas. As always, the Museum & Education division offers a collection of standards-aligned resources to enrich your classrooms at all grade levels. A variety of formats lend themselves to all types of learners.

From colorful Read Kansas! lessons, to Kansas Bingo games, to sing-alongs and video tours, it’s easy to engage your primary students. For intermediate students, we offer interactive Nearpod lessons on Kansas government, Dust Bowl and more, fun make-and-take activities, and interesting details on many notable Kansans. Take a look at an 1882 publication that marked the start of Kansas Day commemorations. Students can examine this primary source to learn about Kansas history, geography, poems, politics, firsts in Kansas, and much more! These materials live on our website for use year round.

Our staff will also offer special programs on January 29. It's our fourth year in partnering with the Wichita Public Schools to provide live and pre-recorded virtual programs on January 29 through their Kansas Day Edventure program. This year, our staff will present virtually live programs on the following topics. Check back for more details coming soon! This programming is available free across Kansas.

• Kansas Symbols
• Famous Kansans
• Kansas ABCs
• Kansas Nicknames

Museum Memories:

Wichita Grass Lodge &

Oregon Trail Tombstone

Are your students missing a visit to the Kansas Museum of History? Take a look back at a selection of objects that were displayed in our previous gallery. Stay tuned for more memories of the Kansas Museum of History!

In this video, students learn how the Wichita people constructed their homes by utilizing natural resources of the South-Central plains of Kansas. Grass lodges like these could last 10-15 years and house up to 20 people at a time.

This tombstone once marked the grave of a traveler on the Oregon-California Trail. S.M. Marshall was one of many who died from cholera while traveling west. His tombstone was found near Baldwin Creek in the township of Rock Creek.

Standards Based Activity:

Holidays in Kansas

HGSS Standard #3: Societies are shaped by the identities, beliefs, and practices of individuals and groups.

This lesson is designed to teach third grade students about eight holidays celebrated by different cultural groups in Kansas. Using information from our Read Kansas! cards, students practice sequencing instructions for a food recipe or craft item relating to that holiday. Making the craft and food item can be used as an extension activity. The lesson is organized seasonally so it can be used throughout the school year to teach each respective holiday.

Don't Forget!

Rural School Days programs are still offered at the Kansas Museum of History.

Read Kansas! are available free of charge for primary, intermediate, middle, and high school students while supplies last.

A variety of virtual tours, videos, and Nearpod lessons are available to use in your classroom. 

Traveling resource trunks are available to borrow. Reserve one now for the school year.

The Kansas Museum of History is closed for renovations. Although the museum is not available for field trips, our staff is here for you.

Zephyr, our newest publication, provides information on events, programs, updates on the museum renovation, and highlights a variety of state historic sites.

State Historic Sites now have free admission! Look for one in your area. Call ahead as some are only open seasonally.