For Teachers and Students

Local History in the Classroom

We encourage teachers in our local schools and homeschool parents to use the resources of the Heritage Center and other libraries and museums to teach students about the fascinating history in their own backyards.

Thanks to a grant from NC Humanities, we now have sample LESSON PLANS and TRAVELING EXHIBITS aligned with the North Carolina Social Studies curriculum for Grades 3 (on local communities), 4 and 8 (North Carolina). We also have lesson plans for high school students studying American History and World History.

 

Lesson Plans

 

Grade 3 

 

Grade 4 

 

Grade 8 

 

High School 

 

Traveling Exhibits - Companions to Lesson Plans

3rd grade - Johnston County Towns, Rural Communities, and How They Got Their Names 

4th grade - Historical Personalities from the Heritage Center's annual Ghost Walks, providing multiple perspectives of individuals in the 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries

8th grade - Individuals and groups who have influenced thought and practice in Johnston County

High School - Johnston County people and events with national and international significance

 

To schedule a traveling exhibit, please contact the Heritage Center via email at heritagecenter@johnstonnc.com, or call 919-934-2836.  

  

Local History in the Classroom is supported in part by North Carolina Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, www.nchumanities.org.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material do not necessarily represent those of North Carolina Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

 

Onsite Research

We welcome students doing research on genealogy or on specific topics related to local history. Our Reading Room staff on the Third Floor are always ready to assist individuals and small groups in exploring our rich history!

Field Trips

Downtown Smithfield is a fun and engaging field trip destination. Students can tour the Johnston County Museum and complete a scavenger hunt. They can take one of several guided Historical Walking Tours to learn about architectural styles, Civil War history, or Smithfield history. They can tour the Johnston County Courthouse and learn about the inner workings of county government. 

Speakers in the Classroom

The Heritage Center can help with referrals of individuals to go into classrooms.

Contact Heritage Center Director Todd Johnson at 919-938-4708 or via email at todd.johnson@johnstonnc.com to take advantage of these unique educational opportunities.  

 

 

The late Dr. Ossie Fields, a former member of the Johnston County Heritage Commission, is shown above with his historical "laptop" device educating students about one and two-room schools in Johnston County over a century ago. Also shown is the Heritage Center's elevator entrance (formerly a bank vault), which young visitors sometimes mistake as a time machine.