Opportunities for Teachers

The Frazier History Museum education team is pleased to offer a regular rotation of engaging and interactive teacher professional development sessions and educator events throughout the year. New this year we will also be offering teacher retreats, available for arrangement with individual schools. Any questions may be directed to education@fraziermuseum.org.

Teacher Retreats:

Half Day Cost: $12 per person (3 hours)
Full Day Cost: $15 per person (4 to 6 hours)
Group Size: minimum of 15 / maximum of 45
Dates: Offered on an on-going basis by reservation

Set aside time to build knowledge and community with your staff! Individual schools are invited
to sign up for full-day or half-day sessions which include team-building activities, an overview of
Frazier Museum resources, a guided museum tour on the theme of your choice, and space and time
for discussion and planning.

Tour options (select one):

  • Cool Kentucky exhibition

  • The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall exhibition

  • Black History in Kentucky

  • Kentucky Women

  • Kentucky’s Hidden Histories

To inquire about available dates or ask questions please contact education@fraziermuseum.org

Professional Development

The education department is currently hard at work planning future professional development sessions. Please check back, or email us at education@fraziermuseum.org to request more information or e-news updates on upcoming opportunities.

Cost: FREE

past PD sessions:

How does water define a city?

June 7, 2024
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Cost: FREE for educators
Registration: This session is currently at capacity. To be added to the wait list please email
mschanie@fraziermuseum.org

The history of Louisville is fully intertwined with its water story. Join us as we collaborate with Louisville Water
Company to explore how water helps define our city. Why do cities often develop near water sources? How does the
Ohio River serve as both a divider and a connector? How is water both nurturing and destructive? How does our
water make us unique? Using an inquiry lens, we will consider these questions and more during an interactive
four-hour session. Educators will have the opportunity to workshop ideas with colleagues and will leave the session
with classroom resources.

Professional Development Credit: JCPS has approved PD credit hours for teachers completing this session. Educators who do not work for Jefferson County Public Schools should check with their individual school or district to request credit approval. A letter documenting attendance will be provided to all attendees.

Please note: The session will begin at the Frazier History Museum, moving to the Louisville Water Company site midway through. Teachers must provide their own transportation from the Frazier to the Louisville Water Tower. A light breakfast and pizza lunch will be provided.

Catch Me if You Can:
Poetry as an Access Point to KY’s Civil War History

Carte de visite of Private Jesse Hopson, Company F, 108th U.S. Colored Infantry, 1865. Gettysburg National Military Park Museum Collection.

November 4, 2023
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE for educators
Registration: Advance reservations are required.

The arts can serve as a powerful gateway for exploring and grappling with our nation’s history. During this powerful session
reflective pieces written in response to 19th century primary sources will help us investigate the time period.

Danville, KY native and Kentucky Poet Laureate, Frank X Walker, recently wrote a collection of poems titled “Load in Nine Times” inspired by African Americans in Kentucky before, during, and after the American Civil War.  Each poem is written in direct response to a historic photo or document – offering a unique lens for examining the source and bringing humanity to the stories they help tell.

In partnership with Reckoning, Inc. – the poetry and related artifacts hang at the Frazier History Museum within The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall exhibition.

Join us for a morning of discovery as we collaborate with Reckoning, Inc. to share background information and strategies for utilizing these unique resources in the classroom.

Participating educators will:

Frank X Walker discusses his poetry collection “Load in Nine Times” in the Frazier Museum’s The Commonwealth exhibition.

  • Hear an overview on utilizing The Reckoning’s resources to support inquiry-based learning, with several big and small curricular examples. 

  • Use standards-aligned inquiry materials, created using the project's resources, we will walk through their structure, review how they could be enacted in the classroom, as well as demonstrate ways teachers can adapt or build their own versions.

  • Explore examples of integrating poetry into inquiry processes, using work from Frank X Walker, demonstrating how creative arts can be a means, and end, of inquiry processes.

  • Enjoy a guided tour highlighting the poems and related documents within The Commonwealth exhibition.

  • View a new performance focused on Lucie and Thornton Blackburn, a young couple who escaped their enslavers in Louisville in 1831 and went on to have international impact.

Light refreshments will be provided, and participants will leave with resources, as well as be entered into a prize drawing.

To view Frank X Walker reading his poem, Catch Me If You Can, click here.

PRESENTERS:
Megan Schanie, Frazier Museum – Sr. Manager of Educational Programs
Brian West, Frazier Museum – Actor and Teaching Artist
Carly Muetterties, PhD, Founder of CommonGoodEd & education consultant for Reckoning, Inc.

Special thanks to the Louisville Metro Office of Equity for supporting free admission for educators.

Please contact education@fraziermuseum.org with any questions.

They Fought for Freedom: Black Kentuckians
and the Civil War

February 8, 2023
4:45–7:45 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Registration: Advanced reservations are required

By the end of the American Civil War, Black soldiers made up ten percent of the Union Army, including over 23,000 in Kentucky. Why is it difficult to uncover their stories? How did Black soldiers impact the war? Join us for an evening of discovery as we partner with Reckoning, Inc. to share stories and resources from their KY U.S. Colored Troops Project.

The session begins with an overview on utilizing The Reckoning’s resources to support inquiry-based learning. Using standards-aligned inquiry materials, created using the project’s resources, we will walk through their structure, explore how they could be enacted in the classroom, and demonstrate ways teacher can adapt or build their own versions.

Two inquiry-based units of focus will include: What hidden stories do primary sources tell? and How did Black soldiers bring freedom?

Afterwards, teachers will join the public for a discussion titled “Help Me Find My People: How Archival Documents can Connect African Americans with Enslaved Ancestors.” Reckoning, Inc. will share the challenges of moving past the 1870 “brick wall” when researching African American ancestry—as well as a recent breakthrough that is unlocking a wealth of information and resources for educators and families exploring their genealogy alike.

PRESENTERS

Intro Session focused on The Reckoning, Inc. Educator Resources:
Megan Schanie, Manager of School and Teacher Programs, Frazier History Museum
Carly Muetterties, PhD, Managing Editor, C3 Teachers and Education Consultant, Reckoning, Inc.

Public Program Moderator:
Rachel Platt, Director of Community Engagement, Frazier History Museum

Public Program Guests:
Dan Gediman, Executive Director, Reckoning, Inc.
Abby Posey, Research Director, Reckoning, Inc.
Jackie Burrell, Volunteer Genealogical Researcher, Reckoning, Inc.
Charles Lemons, Military Historian

Special thanks to LG&E and KU Foundation for supporting this program.

Professional Development Credit: JCPS has approved 3 hours of PD credit for teacher completing this session. Educators who do not work for Jefferson County Public Schools should check with their individual school or district to request credit approval. A letter documenting attendance will be provided to all attendees.

Participating teachers do not need to sign up for the public program separately. Making reservations to the PD will hold your spot at the program.

Please contact education@fraziermuseum.org with any questions.

Teaching Kentucky’s Native Story

November 15, 2022
4:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Registration: Advance reservations are required

What do we know about Kentucky’s Native History, and how far it dates back? Native Peoples first arrived in the land we now call Kentucky more than 12-thousand years ago and there is much to discover. Join us for an evening with a range of experts to deepen your understanding of Kentucky’s story, learn to distinguish facts from myth regarding Kentucky’s Indigenous People, and discover resources for broadening your knowledge-base to support your work with students.

The beginning of the evening will be guided by A. Gwynn Henderson, Education Director at Kentucky Archaeological Survey and LaDonna Brown, Director of Research and Cultural Interpretation, The Chickasaw Nation and consultant to the Frazier History Museum for The Commonwealth:Divided We Fall exhibition. Afterwards, educators will join the public for an engaging presentation in the museum’s Brown-Forman Theatre to consider questions such as: What tribes were here? How did they live and what happened to them?  And what about current day in Kentucky and beyond, and the stories still unfolding? 

To enjoy a brief video introduction to the Native American section of The Commonwealth exhibition with Frazier History Museum Curator, Amanda Briede, click here.

Professional Development Credit: JCPS has approved 3 hours of PD credit for teachers completing this session. Educators who do not work with Jefferson County Public Schools should check with their individual school or district to see if credit is available for the training.

Special thanks to an anonymous donor for supporting free admission for local educators.

Participating teachers do not need to sign up for the public program separately. Please contacts education@fraziermuseum.org with any questions.

 

The Journey:
exploring Local connections to the UNderground railroad through inquiry

September 13, 2022
4:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Registration: SOLD OUT - please email
mschanie@fraziermuseum.org to be added to the waiting list for this session

How should we remember the Underground Railroad? Educators will explore this question and receive training on a focused-inquiry highlighting local connections to slavery and the Underground Railroad. Led by Summer Amro, M.A.Ed., teachers will utilize the Inquiry Design Model Framework to consider a series of supporting questions, tasks, and sources that ultimately lead students to meaningful action.

A key source includes The Journey - an audio experience created by the Frazier History Museum education team that highlights significant local landmarks connected to slavery and the Underground Railroad and shares the story of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn who fled Louisville to avoid sale and separation in 1831.

 Educators will then join the public for a Bridging the Divide program commemorating Underground Railroad Month through stories, music, art, and the special reading of names unearthed through the (Un)Known Project.

Featured presenters at the public program include: glass artist Ché Rhodes, Hannah Drake of IDEASxLab, violinist James Racine accompanied by keyboardist Omega Latham, the Frazier History Museum education team, visual artist and educator Dr. Jabani Bennett, and Jermaine Fowler of The Humanity Archive.

Professional Development Credit: JCPS has approved 3 hours of PD credit for teachers completing this session. Educators who do not work with Jefferson County Public Schools should check with their individual school or district to see if credit is available for the training.

Participating teachers do not need to sign up for the public program separately.

Please contact education@fraziermuseum.org with any questions.

 

Summer Amro, M.A.Ed, is a secondary social studies teacher in Kentucky. She has taught Civics, World History, and Psychology. She attended the MIC Program at the University of Kentucky where she was trained in the Inquiry Design Model Framework and developed her passion for Civic Education.

Light refreshments will be served and the first 25 teachers to register and attend will receive a personal copy of the book “I’ve Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad” by Karolyn Smardz Frost.

This program has been made possible by funding from the Kentucky Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the American Rescue Plan of 2021. Any views, funding, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or Kentucky Humanities.


Refresh at the Frazier: Teacher Appreciation Day

June 18, 2022
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: FREE to local educators and one guest

The Frazier History Museum has the utmost respect for our local educators and we want to show our appreciation for all they do, seen and unseen, for our students, families, and community.

During our inaugural Refresh at the Frazier: Teacher Appreciation Day we will offer a relaxing day full of fun and self-care with opportunities to join museum tours, view screenings of KentuckyShow!, enter prize drawings for museum memberships and bourbon tastings, enjoy light refreshments including West Lou Coffee and a Quench Bar provided by Louisville Water Company, sign up for a chair massage (1:00 - 3:00), and participate in engaging and restorative music sessions offered by local music therapist, Allison Cross.

Cost: FREE for local educators, along with one guest of their choice.
Reservations are not required. Please bring a school ID or other documentation that you are a local educator.

Please note: This program was created for personal enjoyment and relaxation and is not being offered for professional development credit hours.
Special thanks to Louisville Metro Government for its support through an External Agency Grant and an anonymous donor for making this program possible.


Focal Points: Utilizing Inquiry to Connect Local History to Larger Themes

June 11, 2022
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Cost: FREE

Local stories have the power to help students connect with national and international topics in meaningful ways. During this interactive professional development for educators, we will consider ways to utilize questions, tasks, and sources for creating inquiries that tie your local history to broader themes you plan to address in the classroom.

Using the West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, and Reconciliation exhibition as a sample focal point, we will explore the history of West Louisville, as well as the question, “How does where you live affect how you live?”

Educators will:

·         Enjoy a brief introduction to teaching through inquiry and consider unique places for finding sources

·         Experience a guided tour of the West of Ninth exhibition

·         Discover the work and findings of the local firm Corn Island Archaeology during their investigation at the Beecher Terrace Housing Complex in West Louisville

·         Be familiarized with The Beecher Terrace Story documentary created by local film maker Lavel D. White of Blu Boi Entertainment

·        View a live performance titled “Give us the Ballot” written in remembrance of Louisville Alderman Russell P. Lee and his fight for civil rights

·         Be introduced to Inquiry Design Models created by JCPS teachers focused on the history of the Russell neighborhood community

 Professional Development Credit: JCPS has approved 3 hours of PD credit for teachers completing this session. Educators who do not work with Jefferson County Public Schools should check with their individual school or district to see if credit is available for the training.

Special thanks to Louisville Metro Housing Authority for their support of this program.


Cool Kentucky Teacher Series: Trailblazing KY Women 

April 16, 2022
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Cost: Free - special thanks to an anonymous donor for their support

For this engaging session we are thrilled to partner with Carly Muetterties, Director of Learning Design at Newsela and co-author of the book Bluegrass Bold: Stories of Kentucky Women. Carly will share how teachers can incorporate the stories of Bluegrass Bold into their classrooms based upon state standards. We will discuss ways educators can enrich their social studies and literacy instruction or have a springboard for student civic engagement projects.

Participating educators will be entered into a drawing for a chance to receive a classroom copy of the book. In addition, teachers will enjoy a guided tour focusing on trailblazing women in the Cool Kentucky exhibition and hear from our friends at Kentucky to the World regarding the terrific educational resources they provide.

Carly Muetterties, PhD, is Director of Learning Design for Newsela. She is a former high school social studies teacher with a passion for serving Kentucky's students. Amongst her many service activities, she is chair of the Kentucky Civic Education Coalition, an advocacy group from the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies. Bluegrass Bold is her first children's book.

 

PD CREDIT: JCPS has approved 3 hours of professional development credit for JCPS teachers completing the session. Educators who do not work within Jefferson County Public Schools should check with their individual school or district to see if credit is available for the training. Letters documenting attendance will be provided for all participants.

Please direct any questions to education@fraziermuseum.org

Interested in learning more about the Frazier History Museum’s Virtual Field Trip focused on the role of KY women in the suffrage movement? Click here to learn more about our “What is a Vote Worth? Suffrage Then and Now” program (free for Title 1 schools as funds allow).


Cool Kentucky Teacher Series: KY Music

October 9, 2021
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Cost: Free - special thanks to an anonymous donor for their support

Kentucky has a rich musical history that continues to thrive today and holds lessons that connect to a range of content areas. Discover the stories of trailblazing Kentucky musicians including Sara Martin, Sylvester Weaver, Lily May Ledford and more. Experience a screening of an excerpt from The Way Forth -  a folk opera and film created by local pianist, composer, and arranger Rachel Grimes that honors the legacy of the silenced by giving voice to women throughout Kentucky history. And enjoy a presentation from Kiana Del, Engagement Manager for Music Education with Louisville Public Media to learn about 90.5 WUOL’s “Local Legends” Video Series and how to utilize it in your classroom.

90.5 WUOL’s Local Legends Video Series: “Local Legends,” adaptable for all ages, will be a look into the lives and styles of musicians living, working, and composing right here in your community. This series will include short interviews with these musicians as they discuss what impact music has had on their lives, and how it influences their work. The series will demonstrate the practical application of music theory, explore real-world musical careers, and give an inside look on the music business. The videos are available for in-classroom use, or each episode can be adapted to be a lesson plan for presentation in person or through Zoom. 
National Arts Standards:
MU:Cr1.1.2 Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific purpose.
MU:Re8.1.PK With substantial guidance, explore music’s expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo).
VA:Cr1.1.1a Engage collaboratively in exploration and imaginative play with materials.

Kiana Del headshot
 

Presenters:
Mick Sullivan: Frazier History Museum Curator of Guest Experience, as well as writer, musician, and creator of The Past and The Curious, a history podcast for kids and families.
Kiana Del: Engagement Manager for Music Education | Louisville Public Media

Interested in learning more about our “Celebrating the Sounds of KY” Virtual Field Trip (free to Title 1 schools)? To learn more or book a program click here.


Cool Kentucky Teacher Series:
exploring the history of mammoth cave through literacy and inquiry

January 15, 2022
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Cost: Free - special thanks to an anonymous donor for their support

How can you have authority, but not power? We are excited to partner with University of Louisville professor, Caroline Sheffield, PhD as she shares an inquiry and literacy based lesson exploring this question through a focus on Mammoth Cave and the stories of its guides.

Dr. Caroline Sheffield is an Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at the University of Louisville, will be presenting a literacy-based inquiry lesson focusing on the enslaved guides of Mammoth Cave. The professional development will explore an inquiry learning experience that answers the question, “How can you have authority, but not power?” Materials used in this professional development include primary source materials from Mammoth Cave’s archives; Lift Your Light a Little Higher, a picture book by Heather Henson and Bryan Collier; and an interview with Jerry Bransford, a descendant of an enslaved guide and a Mammoth Cave park ranger. In addition, educators will enjoy a guided tour of the Frazier History Museum related to the theme and view a live performance of Free Frank McWorter.

Participants will receive a completed Inquiry Design Model Blueprint with the materials needed to teach an inquiry lesson on the enslaved guides of Mammoth Cave. All participating teachers will also be entered into a drawing to win a classroom copy of the picture book Lift Your Light a Little Higher.

PD CREDIT: JCPS has approved 3 hours of professional development credit for JCPS teachers completing the session. Educators who do not work within Jefferson County Public Schools should check with their individual school or district to see if credit is available for the training. Letters documenting attendance will be provided for all participants.

Caroline Sheffield Cool Kentucky Teacher

Dr. Caroline Sheffield, Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at the University of Louisville

 

Special thanks to the anonymous donor for making this session possible.

To be added to the wait-list or ask questions please email education@fraziermuseum.org.