Brian Sheehy, history department coordinator at North Andover High School and Gabriel Papa, senior at North Andover High School

In the spring of 2018, North Andover High School (North Andover, MA) created a History Learning Lab where students learn about history through hands-on experience with objects and archival material.

This presentation will cover the history and rationale for the lab and explore some of the ways we use objects in the lab to develop historical thinking skills, regardless of a student’s grade level and ability. The presentation will also describe ways in which teachers use these objects in their traditional history classrooms. In addition to History, the lab has been utilized by English, Foreign Language, and Music classes.