Historic Beverly offers educational programs for students from grades 3 to 12.
Historic Beverly is proud to offer several school programs that offer exciting and engaging educational opportunities for students. All programs can be adapted for older or younger students and can be brought into the classroom or done at the Cabot House. Our programs incorporate the updated Massachusetts Curriculum Framework standards and we are happy to work with teachers to create custom programs or add unique elements to classroom presentations.
Fees: In class programs are available for $125/class. If three or more in class programs are booked for the same day the cost is $100/class.
Tours are available at all three of our historic properties (seasonally at the Balch House); in some cases, classes may need to divide into multiple groups. Tours between September 1 – May 15 are $75 for up to 25 students. Tours between May 15 – June 30 are $125 for up to 25 students. Additional students are $5/student. Note that 1 teacher/chaperone for every 10 students is required; there is no charge for teachers/chaperones.
Book Your ProgramTo Sign or Not to Sign
Students consider the arguments made by members of the Second Continental Congress regarding whether or not to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Students will read and analyze the Declaration of Independence and then use critical thinking to answer questions that encourage them to explore the process of writing the document, the objections to the document and to determine if they would have signed. Pre-visit materials will be provided prior to class visit for introduction to the content of the program.
MA Frameworks connections: 5.T2.4; 5.T2.6; 5.T2.7; 5.RI. 1-10; 5.W.1-2; 5.SL.1-3
Skills: analysis, evaluation, decision making
Historical era: Revolution and the New Nation
Length of program 1.5 hours
Oh, Freedom!
Our museum educator will come to the classroom or lead a virtual program to discuss slavery in Beverly. Students will use primary source documents to understand this history. Students will learn about enslaved person, Juno Larcom and her lawsuit against her enslaver for her freedom.
Students will examine bills of sale and freedom documents, and explore additional primary and secondary sources. Students will analyze the documents and then construct historical narratives to tell the story of these enslaved people based on the primary sources. Pre-visit materials will be provided prior to class visit for introduction to the content of the program.
MA Frameworks connections: 5.T1.7; 5.T5.1; 5.T5.3; 5.T5.6; 5.RI.1-10; 5.W.1-3
NOTE: This program can be adapted to other grade levels
Skills: analysis, evaluation, decision making, organizing information and data from multiple primary and secondary sources, distinguish opinion from fact, evaluate the credibility, accuracy, and relevance of each source, argue or explain conclusions, using valid reasoning and evidence
Historical era: Early colonization and growth of colonies
Length of program 1.5 hours
The Growth of the Republic
The Massachusetts maritime trade in the 18th and 19th centuries was a worldwide enterprise. Beverly, Salem and other coastal communities sent vessels laden with salt cod, lumber, rum and other products to the West Indian, European, Asian, and African ports, returning with goods for the domestic market. Students will use copies of primary documents like bill-of-good, letters and newspapers and a trading game to understand this fascinating period. They will also learn about the role that some Massachusetts merchants had in the African slave trade.
MA Frameworks Connections: 5.T4.3;5.T4.4; 5.T1.6; 5.RI.1-10
Available Spring 2023
Digging Up the Past
Our museum educator will visit your classroom to talk about early European settlement on the North Shore, focusing on the history of the 17th century Balch House and an archaeological dig done at the site. Archaeological terms and procedures are explained. Small groups of students are given a “pit” in order to perform their own “dig”. They will be encouraged to use the scientific method while they extract actual historic artifacts. These artifacts will be examined, identified from resource material and dated. The students then present their findings to the class.
MA Frameworks Connections: 3.T1.1; 3.T1.2; 3.T2.1; 3.T2.2; 3.T5.1; 3.T5.1; 3.T5.3
Historic House Tours
Students of all ages can get a feel for life in the past by visiting one of our historic houses. Fee: $75 per house per class (up to 25). Please allow 45 minutes per house; note that groups of more than 15 will need to be divided at Balch and Hale, which will increase the time.
At the Balch House, built about 1680, students will learn about life in the colonial period, including home life, education, farming and trade.
Hale Farm was once the home of Beverly’s first minister, John Hale. He built this house in 1694, not long after the witchcraft crises of 1692. Hale was involved in the trials and it was here that he wrote his book “A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft.” This was also an early summer home during the “Gold Coast” years, when the wealthy folks of the cities summered here.
Cabot House was built by wealthy merchant John Cabot in 1781. At the Cabot House (home to Historic Beverly) students will see objects illustrating maritime trade, Beverly’s role in the American Revolution and the early days of the Republic.