Vermont Historical Society announces website for teachers and students
Dateline: April 20, 2011
Barre, Vt.– Barre, Vt. – With the launch of the Vermont History Explorer website, the Vermont Historical Society is responding to the needs of many students and teachers in the state for information about Vermont history. The new site offers age-appropriate articles about Vermont history that can be used by students to research a topic for a report or class. Students can also click around to find answers to questions of interest. Teachers and home school educators can utilize the site for lesson plans and classroom activities.
The Vermont History Explorer site is based on the results of a 2009 survey of Vermont teachers, which indicated that most students learn Vermont history in grades three and four. Many of the teachers were excited about Vermont history but expressed a frustration about finding appropriate materials for their students. As one teacher explained, “I have taught fourth grade since 1995 and have found it difficult to get resources that connect to my grade level. Either the material is too challenging for fourth graders or just a bunch of isolated facts.”
The Vermont Historical Society partners with schools and communities in many ways. In the Vermont Historical Society’s library in Barre and history museum in Montpelier, students explore Vermont stories and learn how the past has shaped the world. Now the Vermont History Explorer website offers more resources online. “This site makes it easier for Vermont teachers and students to explore our state’s rich history, even when they are far away from the museum. We appreciate the contributions and suggestions of the many Vermont educators who guided the development of this resource,” says Victoria Hughes, Vermont Historical Society Education Programs Manager.
The Vermont Historical Society is grateful to the A.D. Henderson Foundation, the Flow of History, the Alma Gibbs Donchian Foundation, and the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation for their funding of this project. You can visit the site at www.vermonthistory.org/explorer.
