Douglas County Historical Society

THE WATKINS MUSEUM OF HISTORY WILL COMPLETE THE DEVELOPMENT AND INSTALLATION OF THE FINAL PHASE OF ITS CORE EXHIBIT AREAS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE RESEARCH, EXHIBIT CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, AND SCRIPT WRITING AND EDITING. THE MUSEUM WILL ENGAGE EXTERNAL CONTRACTORS TO PREPARED DETAILED DESIGNS, FABRICATE INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS, AND INSTALL THE EXHIBITS. THE EXHIBITS WILL EXPLORE HOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, AND ENTERTAINMENT IN LAWRENCE, KANSAS, FROM THE LATE 1800S TO THE EARLY 2000S HAVE SHAPED THE PRESENT DAY COMMUNITY. THE PROJECT WILL BE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT MULTIPLE LEARNING STYLES FOR RURAL AND URBAN RESIDENTS OF THE REGION, HERITAGE TOURISTS, AND STUDENTS FROM KINDERGARTEN TO UNIVERSITY LEVEL.

REINVENTING THE MUSEUM FOR A TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING

LED BY THE WATKINS MUSEUM OF HISTORY, FIVE HERITAGE SITES IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, KANSAS, WILL COLLABORATE TO DEVELOP A SERIES OF ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCES UNITING THE HISTORIES OF THE SITES UNDER THE THEME, "SEEKING A MORE PERFECT UNION: THE ENDURING STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM AND CIVIL RIGHTS.” BASED ON A NEWLY DEVELOPED FIELD TRIP PROGRAM AND A NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF K–12 TEACHERS, THIS SERIES OF LESSON PLANS, STUDENT WORKBOOKS, AND CLASSROOM RESOURCES WILL CONNECT STORIES THAT EMPHASIZE HOW ISSUES OF FREEDOM, RACE, JUSTICE, EQUALITY, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AFFECTED PEOPLE’S LIVES FROM THE MID-1800S TO THE PRESENT. THE PROJECT WILL ENSURE THAT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM THE ADVANTAGES OFFERED BY LEARNING IN A MUSEUM SETTING, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING A MORE ACCESSIBLE OPTION FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT TRAVEL TO THE SITES.

UNITED STORIES: REVITALIZING HERITAGE FIELD TRIPS IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, KANSAS [UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY/WATKINS MUSEUM OF HISTORY, THE SIX HISTORY MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC SITES OF DOUGLAS COUNTY, KS HAVE, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, COLLABORATED TO PRESENT PROGRAMS AND BUILD AUDIENCES. WITH THE PANDEMIC IN 2020, SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS, THE SITES? PRIMARY ENGAGEMENTS WITH LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WERE CANCELLED. IN 2021 ONSITE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES REMAIN CURTAILED. BUILDING ON PAST COLLABORATIVE SUCCESS, THIS PROJECT PROPOSES AN EFFORT TO RE-ESTABLISH FIELD TRIPS AT COUNTY HERITAGE SITES IN THE SPRING 2022 SEMESTER BY UNITING TOPICS UNDER ONE COMPELLING THEME, SEEKING A MORE PERFECT UNION: THE ENDURING STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM. PRESENTING FIELD TRIPS AS A CONNECTED STORY AND HIGHLIGHTING THEM AS SUCH THROUGH THE FREEDOM?S FRONTIER NATIONAL HERITAGE MAP APP, WILL ENCOURAGE EDUCATORS TO VISIT MULTIPLE HERITAGE SITES TO PROVIDE A MORE COMPLETE LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND MAY INCREASE STUDENT PARTICIPATION TO PRE-PANDEMIC OR EVEN GREATER LEVELS.] [PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A NEW K-12 EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIP PROGRAM ACROSS A CONSORTIUM OF LOCAL HISTORICAL SITES AND MUSEUMS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY/WATKINS MUSEUM OF HISTORY WOULD RETAIN THREE STAFF MEMBERS TO CREATE A NEW SCHOOL FIELD TRIP PROGRAM FOR MEMBER HERITAGE SITES, WHOSE ABILITY TO ENGAGE VISITORS WAS REDUCED BY THE PANDEMIC. ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE 1) DEVELOPING CONTENT AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON THE THEME ?SEEKING A MORE PERFECT UNION: THE ENDURING STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM?; 2) TRAINING OUTREACH VOLUNTEERS; 3) ENGAGING AND INFORMING EDUCATORS ABOUT THE PROGRAM; AND 4) SCHEDULING, FACILITATING, AND EVALUATING FIELD TRIPS FOR SPRING 2022. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE NEW PROGRAM WILL STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE SIX HERITAGE SITES AND ENHANCE THEIR COLLECTIVE EDUCATIONAL IMPACT, REVITALIZING ENGAGEMENT WITH SCHOOL GROUPS IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC. ADDING THE PROGRAM?S FIELD TRIP TOURS TO THE MAP-BASED FREEDOM?S FRONTIER APP WILL EXTEND THEIR REACH. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: LOCAL K-12 TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO EXPLORE THE SITES THROUGH THE APP, WILL GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF AMERICAN HISTORY BY EXPLORING THE AREA?S ROLE IN CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLES FROM THE MID-1800S TO TODAY. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.]

THE WATKINS MUSEUM OF HISTORY IN LAWRENCE, KANSAS, WILL EXPAND DIGITAL ACCESS TO ITS COLLECTIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE AMOUNT AND VARIETY OF COLLECTION MATERIALS AVAILABLE ONLINE, INTRODUCE NEW WAYS TO PRESENT DIGITAL CONTENT, AND EXPAND THE VARIETY OF MUSEUM PLATFORMS THAT MAKE DIGITAL RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THIS WORK WILL FOCUS ON PRODUCING AT LEAST 10 NEW OFFERINGS. POTENTIAL EXAMPLES INCLUDE A DIGITAL FINDING AID SO THAT RESEARCHERS CAN BETTER ACCESS CONTENT IN THE LIBERTY PRESS KANSAS LGBTQ MAGAZINE, AN ONLINE EXHIBIT TO MAKE PHOTOS FROM THE HISTORIC 1903 KANSAS RIVER FLOOD ACCESSIBLE IN TIME FOR ITS 120TH ANNIVERSARY, AND A DISTANCE LEARNING LESSON TO INCORPORATE WORLD WAR I PROPAGANDA POSTERS AND LETTERS INTO HISTORY OR LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULA. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE COMMUNITY NEED FOR MORE DIGITAL ACCESS TO THE COLLECTIONS THAT WAS EXACERBATED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.