summer ENRICHMENT &
HOMESCHOOL PROGRAMS
adventures in time
Adventures in Time, our Summer Enrichment Programs for Families at the North Andover Historical Society.
These popular programs will return for the Summer of 2025.
Age range: 7 and up. Cost: $20/Student per Session
Illumination & Energy:
An Overview of Human History with a Spotlight on Energy
Five-Day Course: Monday - Friday: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
$100 for Five-Day Course
In this exciting overview of human history we go from the discovery and use of fire 2 Million Years ago to the invention and use of solar panels today. The course blends history, sciences, philosophy, and engineering to tell the story of how we humans light up the night and continue innovating how we use energy. Hands on activities include - experiments in thermodynamics, making ceramic oil lamps, candle making, engineering with water & steam, understanding electricity, & constructing solar powered cars.
sheep to sweater:
The North Andover Textile Legacy
Three Day Course:
Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday: 1:30 - 3:30 PM
$60 for three Day Course
We continue the North Andover and Stevens Family legacy of textile production with this hands-on exploration of every part of textile manufacturing. Students will be able to card, spin, dye, and weave in a variety of different ways as we learn about our town's & New England's broader textile legacy.
Archaeology and Poetry:
What is archaeology,
how do scientists study the past,
and what’s poetry got to do with it?
Single Session: 1:30 - 3:30 PM
$20/Student
We learn archaeology 101 and see how different ways and different sources can be used to study the past. This includes a discussion on primary, secondary, and tertiary sources of information using local poet Anne Bradstreet as our case study. It features a walking tour and a hands-on activity in developing our own primary sources by writing slice of life poetry with ink quills.
Crafting Series:
Hands on, low stakes, relaxed lessons on a variety of crafts.
Topics and Dates Being Decided
To sign up, email the educator at least one week prior to the program(s) your family would like to attend. Please include student’s ages and how many student’s will be participating.
homeschool academy
During the School Year we offer programs for homeschooling families with students ages 7 and up. Cost is $15/Student, minimum of 6 students to begin a program.
Each program includes a lesson componant in our State-Of-The Art Worden Theater: a full sized movie theater utilizing surround sound for an immersive and engaging lecture experience.
Each program also includes a hands-on experiment or crafting component, from which students will frequently leave the lesson with something they can take home.
Current Programs
Illumination & Energy (6 Week Course): In this exciting overview of human history we go from the discovery and use of fire 2 Million Years ago to the invention and use of solar panels today. The course blends history, sciences, philosophy, and engineering to tell the story of how we humans light up the night and keep innovating how we use energy. Hands on activities include - experiments in thermodynamics, making ceramic oil lamps, candle making, engineering with water & steam, understanding electricity, & constructing solar powered cars
The History of Writing (4 week Course): Over the duration of this program we will discuss early writing and alphabets, cuneiform & hieroglyphics, lost languages, the materials we write on, the dyes and inks we use to write, and the invention and use of movable type and press printing. Hands on activities may include - clay tablet making, paper making, ink making, and stamp making
From Sheep To Sweater (4 Week Course): We uphold the textile rich legacy of North Andover as we go from shearing the sheep to making a sweater in this hands on exploration of wool cleaning, carding, dyeing, spinning, and weaving.
The Archaeology of Poetry (Single Session): By looking at the life and poetry of local hero and “America’s first poet,” Anne Bradstreet, we explore the ways that we understand events in the past and write history. We explain the differences in informational sources and learn the basics of how archaeologists study the past.
Child’s Play (Single Session): We explore deeper into the themes of our “Child’s Play” exhibit and look at the life of children before the mandate of attending school. We see how Indigenous and European children shared similar toys and games which prepared them for adulthood. Students will explore our exhibit, play old European and Indigneous games, and experience what children would be doing in the home when they weren’t outside playing.
If you would like a program not listed above, please email the museum educator and we can discuss the development of a program that fits your group and your schedule.
Past topics include: Indigenous history, rug braiding, exploring the First Burial Ground, the science of bridge building, and more.
The North Andover Historical Society is dedicated to fun and engaging programs that educate and inspire students of all ages, from 7 to 700.
Enrichment programs can be booked for homeschooling pods, scouting troups, clubs, and other groups. To discuss developing a program for your group, please email the museum educator.
We continue to preserve and promote textile history, following in the tradition of the American Textile History Museum.
However, The Stevens Center is now a Net Zero Energy Use building and we are happy to include STEM education in addition to our history education.
A trip to the North Andover Historical Society offers families an experience in which they can investigate the world they live in by exploring history, science, arts and culture.
Support the Educational Programs of The North Andover Society by making a donation. As a non-profit, we rely on programs like these and donations like yours to continue delivering top quality education to our community.
David Blauvelt
Museum Educator
educator@northandoverhistoricalsociety.org
David is an educator, historian, and archaeologist with a passion for synthesizing and sharing everything he has learned. He is a graduate of Boston University and earned an MSci. from the University of Edinburgh. His archaeology work has sent him excavating across the East Coast and in Ireland and the U.K. David has worked across academia, private and public archaeology, historic sites, museums, schools, and camps; always with an eye toward delivering engaging, accurate, and up to date interpretation. As the Secretary of the Northbridge Historical Commission, he will be extending his care for historic properties and imaginative approach to program development to The North Andover Historical Society. When David isn't teaching, writing, or reading he can be found cooking, needle felting, sculpting, or working with his multimedia analog art collective.