me arts ed

Opportunities for teachers and students

Turtle from exhibit

The Director of Exhibitions and Programs at the University of Southern Maine, Gorham campus, Carolyn Eyler, announced the free educational opportunities for teachers and students. You can learn about Wabanaki birchbark and contemporary Native American issues in their fall exhibit entitled “Turtle/Television Island”. The show has the potential for curriculum connections in Art, Language Arts, and Social Studies.

The experience or field work will introduce or reinforce an understanding of historical and contemporary lifestyles of the four Native Nations of Maine. Educators can attend programming that has been designed for after school hours to provide opportunities to expand knowledge of Wabanaki and CEU’s are available.

The exhibit will have strong ties to stories by Penobscot author, Ssipsis, and the Native-crafted birch bark wigwam should be a hit with students. Literacy, history, and cultural issues, as well as art, are all addressed in this exhibit, which should help schools fulfill elements of the legislated requirement of Wabanaki Studies, formerly LD-291, requiring the teaching of Wabanaki history and culture in all Maine school systems, K-12.

Teachers can make arrangements to have the gallery outside of public hours to accommodate schedules and provide guided tours if requested in advance. In early August, resources will be provided on the exhibit, including several links to short videos. You can find the resources on the USM website by clicking here.

For more information about Wabanaki please go to the MDOE website by clicking here. You an also contact Joseph E. Charnley at charnj@portlandschools.org. Joseph serves as the Wabanaki Studies co-Facilitator, Portland School District, Native Studies Committee Facilitator. Wabanaki Connections information can be found by clicking here.

For more information after August 2nd, please contact Carolyn Eyler at 780-5008, or email Carolyn @ ceyler@maine.edu.