By JIM FARIS
St. Joseph Museums has been awarded a $15,000 grant by the Missouri Humanities Council, to support the project a Saint Joseph history curriculum, to bring local history to the classroom.
The curriculum aims to teach local children Saint Joseph's past, including civil rights, settlement and early development of the city, industry and economics of the city, and early Native American cultures of the region.
Lesson plans emphasize critical thinking, place-based learning, and using authentic historical material like newspapers, diaries, photographs, maps, and letters. Teachers and students alike will have access to artifacts, including replicas created from museum collections.
The funding will specifically be put towards the purchase of a 3D printer to produce replicas, and developing a curriculum website and videos, to ensure broad accessibility for educators.
Development will start in August, to prepare for the 2027-28 school year.
For more information, you can email sjm@stjosephmuseum.org.