Introduction to the Cemetery Quest Project

      Over the course of six weeks in the spring of 2001, students, teachers, volunteers, and Valley Quest staff worked together to create the "Beal Cemetery Quest." At the same time, Lyme, New Hampshire teacher Steven Dayno, Carola Lea of the Lyme Historians, Don Cooke of Geographic Data Technologies, Inc. and VQ staff worked collaboratively to create a unit, The Cemetery Quest, with the hope that it might prove adaptable to other village cemeteries in our region.

      With this sequence of field-tested lessons, fourth through eighth grade classes can modify and revisit this process again and again in order to use Questing and the small cemeteries of their community as a jumping off point for learning about their town's history.

      Each step of the Cemetery Quest project contains objectives, procedures, materials needed, informal assessments, and extension activities. The process described here took place over 6 weeks-though 8 weeks allows for more time and deeper inquiry. The 6 field trips took place on a once-a-week basis. Each half-day field trip began at 12:30 pm and ended with the students back at school by the end of the school day. In addition, during some weeks (especially towards the end of the project) an addition period or two of in-class work time were required.

      Given the interest of students, the character of the cemetery itself, and the community partners, each Quest-no matter how similar in theme-is different. The lesson plans, therefore, are meant to be guiding principals rather than prescriptive. However, they do provide the skeletal structure required to produce a Quest that fulfills the overall intent: to foster in the students an awareness of and appreciation for the richness and cultural heritage of their community.

What are students learning through the Cemetery Quest?

Each lesson in The Cemetery Project is tied to the Vermont and New Hampshire State standards, and overall, the entire project nests under:

Vermont Standards

Civic / Social Responsibility Standards

Understanding Place

Students demonstrate understanding of the relationship between their local environment and community heritage and how each shapes their lives.

New Hampshire Standards

Standard 11: Social Studies

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions.

Service Learning

       In addition to complying with state standards, the Cemetery Quest may also fulfill a Service Learning requirement for your school or classroom. For more information regarding Service Learning contact: Vermont Community Works, VCW 374 School Road, Guilford, VT 05301. www.vermontcommunityworks.org/cwresources/cwtools/s-ltools.html

Click here to view a sample lesson from The Cemetery Quest

For our rates or to find out more about curriculum development contact steve@vitalcommunities.org

“ I can’t wait to do this with my students.”
- Valley Quest Workshop Participant