Museum Collaboration and Research

The Center for American Heritage Studies has established a working relationship with the Pennsylvania Military Museum (and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission). Beginning in the Spring of 2008, student teachers from Penn State's College of Education will be working with faculty from the Center to assemble "hands-on" teaching kits on selected topics for use in public schools.

Teachers who cover wars and military life of the 20th century can apply to receive teaching kits that include artifacts (real and facsimiles), activities, lesson plans, media and film guides, and more on the selected topics. All teaching kits shall include detailed teaching guides. After May 15, 2008 individual teaching kits will be available for the following subjects: World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War. Additional teaching kits for the American Colonial period shall also be available.

As a service to public schools (and other interested schools and teachers), the teaching kits shall be "hand delivered" without charge to teachers for a specific time period. The teaching kits can be used to introduce and/or supplement classroom instruction as well as to provide authoritative project ideas and lesson enhancements and extenders.

While the teaching kits are specifically designed to introduce and compliment the collections found at the Pennsylvania Military Museum (Boalsburg, PA), they can easily be used as stand-alone units. However, teachers planning to visit the museum with their classes or individually, will find the teaching kits an excellent means to not only foster optimum use of the museum's collection but also to create a more enjoyable and rewarding visit for students.

In the promoting American heritage, the Center is keenly interested in exploring exciting, engaging, and effective products and methods for teaching our Nation's heritage. As a research interest, the Center will track the viability of its projects and report its results to the public.