Presenting Abenaki Culture in the Classroom

• Class Schedule:
  • September 22 (In-Person Class): 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • September 29–December 15 (Virtual Classes): 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
    There is no class on October 13, November 30, and December 8
• Locations:
  • September 22 (In-Person Class): Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
  • September 29–December 15 (Virtual Classes): Zoom
• Instructors:
  • Vera Longtoe Sheehan, Executive Director, Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and Abenaki Arts & Education Center

Through a combination of music, history and archaeology, weaving, social justice issues, and heirloom plants, Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and Abenaki Arts & Education Center scholars, historians, and culture bearers will present this vibrant regional culture that reaches back nearly 13,000 years and continues today.

The eighth annual Presenting Abenaki Culture in the Classroom course will provide teachers and homeschool educators with a deeper understanding of this Native American culture that continues into the 21st century. Sessions will include history and stereotypes; new resources being developed for use in classrooms and online; age-appropriate activities; and how teachers can better support Abenaki and other Native students while presenting American history and other academic content areas.

This rich learning experience will provide educators in all settings with new resources and techniques to help students learn about Abenaki culture, and a forum to receive feedback on lesson plans. The course includes an in-person orientation day with activities and exploration of a special exhibition and highlights of the permanent collection at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.

Presented through a partnership between the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, Abenaki Arts & Education Center, and Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.

There is a required group reading and reflection that prepares participants for the first virtual meeting.