On Thursday, fourth-grade students, staff, community members, and families celebrated the culmination of the Local Stories Project at Saccarappa with theatric performances and a mural unveiling.
The mural and performance are the final results of a two-month interdisciplinary project integrating history, writing, art, and theater on the theme of the Presumpscot River and the Wabanaki people.
Students researched the river through interviews with experts and field trips to the Dundee Dam, the site of the Gambo Mill, and the Conant Homestead to view the Chief Poulin memorial. During these experiences, the students wrote and drew in journals to document their learning.
During the two-week residency, the students used their journal entries to create a mural and performances to depict their learning. All of the fourth-grade students were involved in this process.
Thank you to all the experts and presenters who participated in this project. The students have had incredibly enriching experiences due to your contributions.
Thank you to the Warren Memorial Foundation and Unum’s Social Justice grant for funding this opportunity.
Thank you to Rachel Somerville for bringing the Local Stories Project to Saccarappa School.
Thank you to the fourth-grade teachers who thoroughly embraced this project and coordinated the experiences.
Thank you to Laurie Downey and Gretchen Berg for working with the teachers and students to make this a memorable learning opportunity for our kids. Thank you!
