Dear Teacher, Parent, School Administrator, Curriculum Coordinator, Guidance Counselor, Librarian, Local Historian, Group Program Coordinator, or Other Interested Party:

This page describes 17 programs you can use either to help students in grades K-12 meet selected Maine Learning Results social studies standards or on behalf of your home-schoolers, historical society members, library patrons, civic, business or other organization members. Each entry includes the following:

• A brief description of what your students or other program participants will do during the at-the-Fort and in your classroom/where-your-group-meets versions of the program.
• The enduring social studies issues/themes associated with the program.
• The Learning Results performance indicators supported by the program.
• Where the program takes place and at what times of the year.
• The fees and travel expenses associated with the program.

Two of the programs are new this year. “A Low Class of Population” is our first venture into topics based on the Fort’s post-Civil War residential history. Immigration, discrimination, and industrialization are important program themes associated with the key social studies enduring issue of unity and diversity. “Contrary to Reports” uses Native American and Euro-American fictional accounts of the 1759 Ranger attack on the Indian village of St. Francis to help students in grades 9 through 12 understand how history depends on the viewpoint of those who experienced or wrote it. Additionally, we have brought back the program “Treaty Conference on the Kennebec,” which can be used alone or with “The Pilgrims at Cushnoc” to provide students with a more complete understanding of Maine Indian history and culture during the Colonial and Revolutionary War eras.

Because so much of this programming involves students in the public schools, the brochure is organized by Maine Learning Results social studies disciplines, i.e., Civics, Economics, Geography and History and then by grade level and performance standard. Note: Old Fort Western does not offer programs that treat Geography as a separate field of study. Geography however is very much a part of House of Hewen Timber, Pilgrims and Indians at Cushnoc, Military History at Old Fort Western, and Going Shopping in Early New England. Look for a “G” next to these program names and descriptions.

The grade groupings, pre-K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-diploma reflect those found in the 2007 MLR social studies standards. The enduring social studies issues linked to the program are taken from THE SPEC and used by permission of John Newlin. Other similar lists of enduring themes may be found on the Maine Department of Education’s web site. Several of the programs have a strong reading component. To find them look for the “R” next to the program name. Personal finance is an important theme in the Going Shopping program.

Most programs are very hands-on. All programs (in “Dimensions of Learning” terminology) provide declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge, and opportunities for students to extend and refine knowledge. Some programs are better experienced at the Fort itself. All programs are designed to succeed in your classroom or where your group meets, thanks in part to virtual tours developed by 1daat Media Services with support from the Augusta Kiwanis Club. Funds from the Oak Grove School Foundation have helped to revise Fort programs in support of the revised Social Studies Maine Learning Results standards.

Just as you do, we, too, need to document post-program student learning outcomes in Maine Learning Results terms. When you arrive (or when we get to your school or meeting place), we will issue you a survey form we hope you will use to both quantify and explain how our programs were of value to you and your students or other learners, what may have stood out as particular program strengths, and how we might improve programs in the future. Thanks in advance for taking the time to complete and return the form.

Finally, please see page 19 in the brochure to learn how you can schedule a free presentation of “A Low Class of Population” or take advantage of new activity options designed to integrate the four Social Studies disciplines in the “A Day in the Life of the Howard Family” program.

Patricia Violette, Curator of Education