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History Time
A Newsletter for Kansas Educators
May 2023
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If your summer plans include revamping your curricula, updating classroom activities, or creating new lessons look no further for ideas than the Kansas Historical Society. We have award-winning lesson plans, video tours of the Kansas Museum of History and Kansas State Capitol, online primary source lessons, primary sources ready for student research, hands-on materials you can borrow, and much more. So enjoy your summer, but remember we’re here for you when you need us! | |
Kansas is well known for its amber waves of grain. For years, Kansas has been leading the country when it comes to wheat production. In 2020 alone, Kansas farmers harvested over 280 million bushels of wheat. This fun Wheatland Game can be a catalyst to learn more about the process of wheat and flour production in Kansas. How do grain products end up on our tables? Learn about agricultural history by comparing modern farming machinery to the manual tools used in the past. Study the environmental factors that impact farming such as rainfall and pests. What do farmers do to overcome these challenges? | |
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Bingo!
If you’re looking for a fun way to explore the Capitol try playing this new bingo game. As you explore the Capitol, check off the images and look on the back for more details about each. Print them out before your visit or use your phone or tablet to play. Can you get a bingo? Can you get a blackout?
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Did you know the Kansas Historical Society owns small museums across the state that help tell a variety of Kansas stories? Called state historic sites, they are located as far west as Studley near Hoxie, and as far east as the Kansas City area. These sites explore topics such as American Indian history, Bleeding Kansas and the Civil War, frontier forts, the Pony Express, and more. A visit to any of these sites could enhance your curriculum in many ways. And good news, the Kansas Historical Society just announced free admission to our 16 historic sites!
Consider visiting with your own families or groups this summer or booking a student field trip next fall. Please note some of these sites are only open seasonally. Find more information about our state historic sites by exploring our website: https://www.kshs.org/18658.
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To Touch or Not to Touch,
That is the Question!
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Museums are stewards of their collections. Artifacts are preserved so that their stories will be around for future generations. When this chair entered the museum’s collection its days as a place to sit and rest were over. From that point on it became a portal through which stories of Kansas’ past were told. It speaks to us of Samuel and Jane Harper’s daring escape to freedom on the underground railroad, of John Brown’s time in Kansas Territory, and of steadfast abolitionists like Charles Smith.
Special care is taken when handling pieces in museum collections because handling is where damage is most likely to occur, and there are many rules that become second nature to collections staff. Never pick up an artifact by a handle. Pick up chairs by the seat. Wear gloves because the same oil, salt, and dirt on human hands that smears up phone screens can damage artifacts.
But wait you say, my students got to handle a lot of artifacts when we toured the museum! Not really, they handled pieces from our education collection which is separate from the museum’s collection. The education collection contains quality reproductions or real objects that have no historical significance. Sometimes we pick them up at antique shops or rummage sales, and sometimes people donate artifacts specifically to be used in educational programming. Use of these pieces is supervised, and the items have a limited life expectancy.
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Join the Kansas Historical Society for a virtual career day event that's sure to excite and inspire! We're inviting classrooms in grades 2-12 throughout the state to participate in a series of presentations by guest speakers from a variety of fields, including history and preservation, education, aviation, law enforcement, GIS, and healthcare. Learn from experts about what it takes to succeed in these dynamic careers and get answers to all your questions. Passionate speakers will share their experiences and expertise, providing valuable insights into these fascinating industries. | | |
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Kansas Historical Society Educational Resources
Are you having difficulties locating resources to teach Kansas history in your classroom? Book a virtual session with Assistant Director of Education and Outreach, Trae Johnson, to learn the ins and outs of kshs.org, find award-winning lesson plans, and locate over 730,000 primary sources. Instructional coaches, curriculum specialists, and teachers can email Trae at trae.johnson@ks.gov to schedule a session.
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Project Archaeology Workshop: June 12 and 13, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at Historic Lake Scott Park, Scott County, Kansas
This workshop is designed for pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, museum personnel, park employees, Scout leaders, avocational archaeologists, and archaeologists. Instructors Virginia Wulfkuhle and Gail Lundeen will model national and Kansas-specific Project Archaeology materials that are multidisciplinary, inquiry-based, and designed for, but not limited to, grades 3-8. Project Archaeology uses archaeology to foster understanding of past and present cultures; improve social studies, science, and literacy education; and enhance citizenship education to help preserve our archaeological legacy. A wide variety of curriculum materials will be provided.
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Shop online at our Museum Store and discover a variety of Kansas made items and historical resources. Members receive a 10% discount in the museum store. | |
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