This collection of resources is intended to support the OER Commons resource "Historic Games: 9 Men's Morris." In that resource, Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum's Director of Education Deb Rantanen teaches how to play one of the most popular board games from ancient times up to the United States' Colonial Era: Nine Men's Morris. Along the way she'll also share some of the history of where the gameboard has been found.

What did people do to occupy themselves before there were computers, phones, or even electricity? Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum's Director of Education Deb Rantanen teaches how to play one of the most popular board games from ancient times up to the United States' Colonial Era: Nine Men's Morris. Along the way she'll also share some of the history of where the gameboard has been found. Search OER Commons for "9 Men's Morris Resources" for some additional materials like a link to an online game and list of locations where the game has been found. Use to support Maryland Social Studies Frameworks for grades 2 or 7. For Grade 2, Content Topic "Geography," have students note, with a map, where they live then the continents where the game has been found. Finally have them write the total of times the game has been found on each continent and express where they believe the game was invented. See the "9 Men's Morris Resources" resource on OER Commons for more find locations. For Grade 7, Content Topic "Geography," have students do the same but at the country level before hypothesizing how the game spread such as through generic answers like migration or more specific answers like the Silk Road. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey here bit.ly/3ppwaXt

Imagine having to make every piece of clothing you wear. What tools would you use? How long would it take to make them? Where would you even start? Join Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum’s Curator Betty Seifert as she demonstrates the process of weaving with a combination of looms you can make at home up to larger vintage ones. Use to support Maryland standards for Math for Grade 4 or Maryland Social Studies frameworks for Grades 5 and 6. For Grade 4 Mathematics, Geometry, 4.G.A.3 have students plan their own simple weaving pattern with two colors and 4-10 warp/weft threads (so it can be planned on a grid from 4x4 up to 10x10). Before beginning their weave, student demonstrate whether their design is symmetrical using prior experience; students can weave in the classroom using a simple loom or with warp threads taped or velcroed at each end as seen in the video. For Grade 5 Social Studies Framework, Content Topic "Urbanization, Industrialization, and Immigration" have students weave using a simple loom or with threads taped/velcroed as seen in the video; allow them to experiment but have all students attempt to weave cotton duck fabric by passing two weft thread through the warp threads. Tightly woven fabric like this was a major product of Baltimore mills after the Civil War. Have students research housing and working in these mills. For Grade 6 Content Topic "Scarcity and Economic Decision-making" have students weave in the classroom with a simple loom or threads taped/velcored as seen in the video. Have students experiment with how long of time is needed to create a large enough cloth that might be useful then postulate how the development of different looms affected the scarcity of fabric and cloth and decreasing skill needed for weaving could have affected trading economies. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey here bit.ly/3IhrtYs