Maine DOE Awarded Funding for Interdisciplinary Civic Inquiry Projects

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has received $99,149 from the Library of Congress' Teaching with Primary Sources program to support the "Celebrating Rural Maine: Civic Inquiry Place-Based" project. This initiative, in partnership with the National Council for History Education (NCHE), aims to empower rural teachers to explore Maine's history through an interdisciplinary approach.

The Celebrating Rural Maine project aims to engage rural teachers in a deep examination of Maine's history using an interdisciplinary lens by:

• Connecting teachers with the Library of Congress's rural collections to place local narratives within broader historical contexts,
• Assisting teachers in creating community-focused public projects that engage rural students and
• Offering no-cost professional development opportunities, including online and site-based sessions.

Who can attend?

• Eligibility: Any PreK-12 educator in Maine is welcome.
• Content Areas: All subjects are encouraged to participate.

Program Structure

This program is modeled after NCHE's successful Rural Experience in America project. Past projects include:

• STEM & History: Drone mapping of Century Farms
• Technology & History: Virtual tours, websites, and podcasts showcasing rural areas
• ELA & History: Research on Supreme Court case that led to a historical marker & National History Day project
• Click here for examples of past projects and podcasts that highlight the impact on students and educators.

For Year 1, the theme is "The Geography of Maine." The three-part professional development series will include:

Part A: Using Primary Sources & Questions

• Focus on primary sources and questioning techniques.
• Includes optional after-school virtual workshops.
• Format: Asynchronous Virtual.
• Contact Hours: 12.
• Timeline: December-February

Part B: Connecting Experts & Educators

• 3-part virtual synchronous series with experts and master teachers discussing Maine geography from various perspectives.
• Format: Synchronous Virtual
• Contact Hours: 15
• Timeline: March-May

Part C: Civic Place-Based Inquiry Projects

• A summer institute for teachers and community partners to design civic inquiry projects, with coaching for implementation in Fall 2025.
• Stipends available for time and materials
• Format: In-person & virtual coaching
• Contact Hours: 17
• Timeline: Summer & Fall 2025

About the Teaching with Primary Sources Program

Since 2006, the Library of Congress has funded Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) grants to enhance educational programming based on its digitized primary sources. The TPS Consortium fosters critical thinking and engagement among thousands of learners each year.

For more details about the Celebrating Rural Maine project or to register, please contact Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Specialist Jaime Beal at [email protected].

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