(Editor’s note: Jay Peledge is a teacher at Hanscom Middle School.)
To the editor:
Thanks to the ongoing generous support from the Bedford Cultural Council and Lincoln Cultural Council (local agencies supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency), Hanscom Middle School students were again able to visit two local cultural icons. These place-based experiences are incredibly valuable to the learning experiences of our students who often move from base to base every two to three years, sometimes sooner than that. As such, the school works to engage students in what our local cultural institutions offer while our students are with us.
The Bedford Cultural Council and Lincoln Cultural Council have consistently supported our students in these endeavors over the years, and this year was no exception. With their ongoing support, it is not likely we could offer both experiences to our students.
Back in December, seventh-graders had the opportunity to visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History as well as the Semitic Museum on Harvard University’s campus. The museum visit included time in the exhibit halls, but also an hour plus program on how archaeologists and others chronicle artifacts reflecting the evolution of hominins. This hands-on experience encouraged students to use their own skills and content knowledge from our prehistory unit to determine the effective species of each sample used.
More recently, the class traveled to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston that hosts an incredible ancient civilizations collection. Having now studied much of the classical civilizations of the ancient past, docents were able to further students’ understanding of the worlds of ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and more as they navigated the students through their impressive galleries. Staff and students alike raved about their time at the MFA.
We look forward to returning to both museums in the years to come and hope that we continue to receive the generous support from the Bedford and Lincoln Cultural Councils that have so selflessly benefited us to date.
Sincerely,
Jay Peledge
Reading, Mass.
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