The Education Department of the Nebraska State Historical Society’s Nebraska History Museum will once again be making available a series of educational trunks to the Nebraska Educational Service Units and ESU #8 will have three of these trunks available through May for your classroom use.

The Fur Trade Trunk is recommended for sixth grade classrooms and beyond. The Fur Trade lasted over 200 years in Nebraska, beginning in the 1600s with early French voyageurs entering the state from the north, and continuing in the late 1800s. For most of this period the fur trade was the most important industry in the state. The area of fur trade activity included a vast territory. Nebraska trading posts and waterways played a vital role in the trade and transport of furs.

The objects selected for this trunk are representative samples of articles that were traded, or were treasured personal possessions of the men involved in the trade. Some of the objectives of the trunk as outlined in the lesson plans are: 1. To encourage students to experience the energy and excitement of the fur trade era through examination of reproduction Fur Trade objects, images, and documents. 2. To introduce students to the activities and operation of the fur trade in Nebraska and the surrounding region. 3. To understand that the fur traders brought the seeds of European culture that transformed the plains and drastically changed the Native American culture.

The Archeology Trunkis also recommended for classrooms beginning with the sixth grade. The Nebraska State Historical Society assembled this

educational trunk and accompanying materials to assist Nebraska educators with the teaching of Nebraska archeology, allowing students to see and touch material objects and provide positive learning experiences.

Themes covered in this unit include an explanation of archeology, cultural sequences of Nebraska, site location, roles of professionals and amateurs, excavation methods, and artifact interpretation. Daily teacher instructions include objectives, vocabulary words, a list of trunk objects and student materials to be used, suggested lesson content including classroom activities, and additional materials.

The Pastimes & Playthings Trunk is recommended for all ages. Games and toys in this trunk serve as valuable tools in exposing children to what life was like in Victorian times. They provide a way to educate and have fun at the same time. Introductory information provides a brief history of Victorian toys and games, a list of toys and games in the trunk and instructions on how to use them.

Contents of the trunk includes Cup and Ball games, Grace Hoops, a French and English (Tug of War) rope, tops, marbles, sacks for races, and optical toys including a Zoetrope, Thaumatropes, and flip books.

To reserve one of these trunks all you need to do is email us at media8@esu8.org or call us at (402) 887-4125. So while these trunks are here at ESU 8 schedule one of them for your classroom and our van driver will deliver it to your school.