Atwood House Museum announces Summer 2009 Children's Programs

Eight maritime and local history summer hands-on activities offered

The Atwood House Museum will sponsor eight Monday morning children's workshops. Each workshop will combine Cape Cod Maritime and local history with "hands on" activities ranging from model paper house construction to comb and tong whale feeding experiments. Museum artifacts will be incorporated into each lesson. Classes will be taught inside the museum's historic Mural Barn and on the lawn outside. Students will need to have basic reading and writing skills and be able to work in small cooperative groups. Preferred age range is from 6 to 12 years old.

The fee is $7 each for children of members, $10 for children of non-members. Class sizes are limited to 15 children. Classes will run from 10am to 12 noon. Please provide a snack for your child if needed.

Questions on workshop curriculum and methods may be addressed to the instructor, Richard Curcio, at 508-945-3080.

Monday, July 6, 2009
Lincoln and Chatham, Part I, The Early Years

Focus: Lincoln's log cabin, growing up, family chores and activities.

Activities: Viewing an interactive film on, and building a pretzel log cabin.

Instructors: Richard Curcio, Chatham Historical Society Education Coordinator, Stephanie Hamilton, and Volunteer Assistants

July 13, 2009
Lincoln and Chatham, Part II The Presidential Years

Focus: Lincoln letters, Civil War and Chatham’s reaction.

Activities: Making a Lincoln Penny Pendant, Grace Bedell’s letter and Lincoln’s beard.

Instructors: Richard Curcio, Chatham Historical Society Education Coordinator, Stephanie Hamilton, and Volunteer Assistants.

July 20, 2009
Introduction to Whales, The Endangered Species

Focus: Differences between whales and fish and between baleen and toothed whales.

Activities: Driveway drawing and labeling of a Right Whale, blubber cold water experiment.

Instructors: Richard Curcio, Chatham Historical Society Education Coordinator, Stephanie Hamilton, and Volunteer Assistants

July 27, 2009
Shore Whaling

Focus: Colonial whalers, beached whales and their value.

Activities: Dressing as a colonial shore whaler, whale threat worksheet.

Instructors: Richard Curcio, Chatham Historical Society Education Coordinator, Stephanie Hamilton, and Volunteer Assistants

August 3, 2009
Silas Atwood’s Whaling Voyage

Focus: A local boy’s whaling Adventures.

Activities: Designing a sailor’s tattoo, meeting whaler Mary Chipman.

Instructors: Richard Curcio, Chatham Historical Society Education Coordinator, Stephanie Hamilton, and Volunteer Assistants

August 10, 2009
U.S. Life Saving Service and the Wadena Tragedy

Focus: Protecting ships and lives, and coping with tragedies.

Activities: beach patrol reporting exercise, clamshell flag jewelry.

Instructors: Richard Curcio, Chatham Historical Society Education Coordinator, Stephanie Hamilton, and Volunteer Assistants

August 17, 2009
Classic Cape Cod House

Focus: Enduring qualities of the Atwood House and special Attic exhibit.

Activities: Cape Cod House Bingo Game, making a millstone step.

Instructor: Richard Curcio, Chatham Historical Society Education Coordinator, Stephanie Hamilton, and Volunteer Assistants

August 24, 2009
Chatham’s Sea Captains

Focus: The legacy and spirit of Chatham Sea Captains.

Activities: To Tell the Truth with James Freeman Clark, making a whale puppet.

Instructors: Richard Curcio, Chatham Historical Society Education Coordinator, Stephanie Hamilton, and Volunteer Assistants

Reservations may be made by calling the Historical Society at 508-945-2493 between 9
am and 1 pm Monday through Friday. Ask for Margaret Martin. You may also email for reservations or additional information to mmartin@chathamhistorical.org.  The Atwood House Museum is located at 347 Stage Harbor Road, Chatham.