ABBE MUSEUM
DATE: Monday March 15, 2010
TIME: 8:30-4:00 (teachers will receive 7 contact hours)
LOCATION: Abbe Museum downtown Bar Harbor
The Abbe Museum, in Bar Harbor Maine, will host a free teacher workshop dedicated to giving all Maine teachers basic information needed to meet their PEI’s and LD 291.
The day will focus on two topics:
· Contemporary issues facing Wabanaki people and the unique status of sovereignty in Maine as opposed to the rest of the country
· A survey of resources and materials available for a variety of grade levels in teaching about the Wabanaki.
In the morning, participants with take a tour of the newly opened exhibit Headline News: Wabanaki Sovereignty in the 21st Century. The Abbe Museum staff conducted extensive interviews with leaders from the four tribes of Maine about the unique status of sovereignty in the state. As sovereigns, the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot tribes have been able to form partnerships, make business decisions, and take a leadership role on environmental protection, but this sovereignty is not absolute. Through the voices of Wabanaki people we will explore eight issues consistently in the headlines in Maine today and gain greater understanding of the strengths and limitations faced by the tribes in Maine as they maintain their sovereignty and unique identity. This information will be placed in the broader context of federal Indian policy. Raney Bench, curator for the show, will lead the tour and discussion after, including ideas for application in the classroom.
In the afternoon, museum educators Anne Stocking and Raney Bench will lead a survey of materials available for use in the classroom or as background information for teaching about the Wabanaki in Maine. The survey will include materials for all ages, ideas for classroom application, and a presentation on the social studies MLR that address Native Americans, with ideas for how to incorporate these into existing lesson plans. Participants will be encouraged to share lesson plans already in use. The class offers the tools to evaluate new material and the opportunity to work together with teachers from similar grade spans to create new ideas for classroom application.
Limited space is available and reservations are required. For more information, or to reserve a space, contact: Raney Bench at 288-3519 ex. 16 or e-mail to educator@abbemuseum.org.