Abstract:
These object descriptions and historical connections were completed as the first section of a packet to be published by the Ball State University Museum of Art. This packet is intended for use in the fifth-grade social studies curriculum and, with the addition of classroom activities at a later date, will be the third in a planned series of museum packets focusing on American studies. Page formats are designed to relate to the formatting of the museums' previous packets for teachers.Mirroring the American focus of the fifth-grade social studies curriculum, each object is linked to a specific event, person, or era in American history. To encourage local teachers to take advantage of the museum's resources, the packet enhances interdisciplinary learning. By using works in the museum's collection as teaching tools, art serves as a catalyst for learning about the political, economic, social, and cultural history of the United States.