Civic learning flourishes with immersive, hands-on experiences. When given a chance to think, speak, and act for themselves, students of all ages can stretch and flex the civic muscles that help
our communities thrive.
Civics Education through Museum Enrichment (CEME) is a partnership of 12 independent organizations driven to help K-12 students acquire civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions. The unique and engaging programs available through this project include field trips and in-class programs. With 12 different partners, you’ll find a nearby organization no matter your location.CEME is made possible by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Sharing Your Voice (Gr. 1-5)
We can share our voices in our communities in different ways. One important way to make our voices heard is voting. When we vote, we can learn to listen to different opinions, discover
what causes matter to us, and decide what kind of leaders we want. Students will complete a
scavenger hunt to meet the candidates running in an election, design campaign posters, and cast a vote!
What Do People Do All Day? (Gr. K-2)
Illustrator Richard Scarry developed his books to be educational and fun for children. Scarry’s beloved Busytown was created while he lived in Westport and teaches children about how communities work: what people do, the transportation they use, and the places they go. The program invites students to draw connections between their personal experiences in their community and Scarry’s fictional Busytown. Students will use paper to design buildings and spaces that they’d like to see in their own communities.
What Makes a Community? (Gr. 2-3)
By considering connections between the land, the built environment, and the different people who have lived in what we now know as Fairfield, students will explore how people found ways to build community throughout history. This walking tour highlights three historic sites on the Museum’s campus: the Sun Tavern, which functioned as an important gathering space in the 1700s; the Old Academy, one of the town’s oldest surviving school buildings; and the Old Burying Ground, the oldest cemetery in Fairfield.
Exploring Local History (Gr. 3-12)
How might we begin exploring the stories of people and events from the past? Students will build their observation and critical thinking skills by handling and studying reproduction artifacts up close. Students will also study maps to explore how the area’s landscape has changed over time, serving different purposes for different communities. In particular, students will learn about the culture of the Native Americans who lived in the area and then create their own corn husk dolls to take home.
A Revolutionary Town (Gr. 5-12)
On the eve of the American Revolution, Fairfield was a prosperous and established town. By 1774, increasing hostilities with Britain over its attempts to exercise greater control over the American colonies forced many Fairfielders to act. Students will step into Sun Tavern to debate the question of independence or loyalty; discover the Burr homestead that hosted George Washington, John Hancock, the Marquis de Lafayette, and other revolutionary figures; and walk in the footsteps of the British forces who clashed with local militia during the Burning of Fairfield in 1779.
Community Flavors (Grades 6-8)
Sharing food is one way to bring communities together. Food can offer comfort, help us celebrate, and pass down stories and traditions. Students will explore Bridgeport/local history by learning about the communities who immigrated to and settled in the area, bringing new foods and traditions with them. Then, students will build their own mini 3D paper food trucks to celebrate foods from their families and communities.
The Great British Break-Up: Declaring Independence (Grades 6-12)
On July 4, 1776, the American colonies made the radical decision to separate from the British Crown. As part of the fight for independence, patriot leaders got creative with how they communicated with each other. Students will step into colonial Fairfield and learn what it was like to live here on the brink of the American Revolution. They will explore the Declaration of Independence, learn to write with a quill and ink and send a break-up letter to King George, and try their hand at making invisible ink to share messages with each other!
Interested in one of these programs? Book your field trip by sending an email to us at [email protected]!
Our partner institutions are:
- The American Museum of Tort Law
- Connecticut’s Old State House
- Connecticut Museum of Culture and History
- Institute for American Indian Studies Museum & Research Center
- Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center
- The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor
- Litchfield Historical Society
- The Mark Twain House
- Mystic Seaport Museum
- Stowe Center for Literary Activism