Student Archivists
Don’t just READ history; CREATE history with us!
Turn your students into “student archivists.” Have them transcribe real historic letters and diaries as part of their classwork. The Society partners with middle and high school teachers to bring quick historical transcription projects into the classroom related to the historical era being taught.
Student Archivist Lesson Plans: A series of five lessons introduce students to 19th century handwriting, the importance of primary sources, how to transcribe historic documents, and how to interpret them to gain a greater understanding of American history through a local lens.
Student Archivist Lesson Plans
A series of five lessons introduce students to 18th-19th century handwriting, the importance of primary sources, how to transcribe historic documents, and how to interpret them to gain a greater understanding of American history through a local lens.
Lesson PlansBackground Info
In 2015, the NH Citizen Archivist Initiative was established thanks to a grant from the National Historical Publications & Records Commission– The National Archives. Today, it remains a unique and important collaboration between the Historical Society of Cheshire County, Keene State College, the NH State Archives, the NH State Library, regional schools, and the general public.
Lessons Created by: Kelly Budd and Elizabeth Watson, Keene High School, Keene, NH, 2015.
Advisory team: Jeremy Robinson of Monadnock Regional High School in Swanzey, NH; Margaret Orelup, Rodney Obien, and John Lund of Keene State College in Keene, NH; Eric Stinbring of Keene Middle School in Keene, NH; Jennifer Carroll of Historical Society of Cheshire County in Keene, NH.