Fourth Graders See Seneca Nation History Up Close in Salamanca
ANGOLA, NY – Lake Shore Central School District fourth graders from A.J. Schmidt Elementary, Highland Elementary and J.T. Waugh Elementary recently took their annual field trip to the Onöhsagwë:de' Cultural Center / Seneca-Iroquois National Museum in Salamanca to discover how the Seneca Nation shaped, and continues to shape, the Western New York region.
Here's how the museum's interactive exhibits brought New York State's fourth-grade social studies curriculum to life.
Environment & Survival
Taking advantage of the great fall weather, students learned about traditional outdoor survival. Instead of just reading about natural resources, they examined real artifacts, traditional clothing and tools. They saw firsthand how the Seneca people masterfully used native timber and local waterways for transportation, including the museum's dugout canoe project.
Students step inside a traditional bark longhouse. 
Looking down the length of the longhouse. 
The forest exhibit. Government & Leadership
Through indoor exhibits like On the Mother's Side, fourth graders saw how the traditional family clan system worked. Seeing these ideas in person made it easy to understand how democracy began under the Great Law of Peace.
Students explore the museum's indoor exhibits. 
Gathering in one of the museum's galleries. 
Students settle in at the forest exhibit. Culture, Past & Present
By displaying historical Ögwa:wëh (everyday objects) alongside bold, modern Seneca artwork, the museum bridged the gap between yesterday and today.
Walking students through the art gallery. 
Talking with students under the headdress sculpture. 
In the Measuring Time exhibit, students learned how a turtle's shell tracks the moons of the year. The Biggest Surprise
Live Eastern Hellbenders, up close. Students were absolutely thrilled to look into the tank and see these rare, giant salamanders, native to the local Allegheny River basin, for the very first time.
After a beautiful fall field trip, our students and teachers returned home with a deeper understanding of the Seneca Nation's living culture and enduring presence in New York State.