What can we do on a field trip to the Memorial?

A complete field trip to the Acadian Memorial begins with a pre-activity, continues at three activity stations during your visit, and concludes with a post-activity. Most activities are designed for grades 4 and up.

You can choose to do all of the components or you choose the ones you would like. You can also make prior arrangements to do your own activity or simply visit without activities. Whichever option you choose, a guide will be on duty to greet you and assist with activities, but please note that we do not offer guided tours.

I. The pre-activity uses images from the Deportation Series paintings by Claude Picard. It is designed to engage your students’ imagination while introducing them to Acadian history. The questions posed engage complex thinking skills and emotional intelligence. The activity can be modified for K-3. We can loan you the materials you will need for the pre-activity through your parish media center or through other arrangements.

II. During your visit, there are three stations, each with an activity sheet that aids learning. We provide an answer key for teachers and clipboards, activity sheets and pencils for students.

• At the Museum of the Acadian Memorial, key points from Acadian history and culture are presented through colorful images and objects, interactive exhibits and ethnographic art (namely the Picard Deportation Series prints and the Acadian Odyssey quilt). Students use a treasure-hunt strategy to complete a crossword puzzle that reveals who the Acadians were and why the came to Louisiana.
• Downstairs at the Memorial, students see and touch the Wall of Names and are prompted by the activity sheet to compare certain names with those found in Louisiana today. The sheet also works with our impressive life-size mural to show how Spain welcomed Acadians to Louisiana. The questions posed engage complex thinking skills and emotional intelligence.
• Upstairs at the Memorial, students discover the story of an actual Acadian settler in Louisiana. A selection of hands-on objects, images, and primary source documents related to each individual are the clues needed to fill in the blanks.

Please note :

• Each station can accommodate about 15 students.
• These activites work for students grades 4 through 12, and sometimes for grade 3.
• These activities are available in French or in English, or, in certain cases, in English with French vocabulary for beginners or second language learners.
• We invite students to help each other and ask for help with the activity sheets, unless you specify otherwise.
• For the 01-02 school year, your Memorial entry fee covers admission to the African-American Museum. You may also ask us for the activity sheet for that site. Students use a treasure-hunt strategy to fill in the blanks and complete a set of rhymes, revealing key points in South Louisiana’s African-American history and culture. If you prefer a guided tour there instead, call (337) 394-2250 to make arrangements.
• The 9-minute audio tour downstairs at the Memorial targets adult visitors, but teachers have found that it works well for high school or advanced students. You may request the audio tour in English or French as part of your visit when you make your reservation.
• The 9-minute video at the Museum of the Acadian Memorial targets adult visitors. You may or may not have time to view the full video, depending on your rotation schedule.

III. The post-activity consists of a review of the sheets in your class, according to your needs. For example, you could ask students to create skits based on the stories of Acadian individuals, to write a page in a journal or a newspaper article (from their point of view or from the point of view of Acadians or people living at the time), or to compare the history of the Acadians with the plight of other groups exiled in the past or present.

A few rules :

Teachers and chaperones:

You are responsible for discipline during the visit, although our staff may step in if needed to assure everyone’s safety and comfort.

We ask that you or a staff member guide your students through the activity if they have difficulty working without help from adults.

Before the visit, explain to students what kind of behavior is expected at the Memorial (see below).

Students :

When a guide or a teacher is speaking to your group, raise your hand if you have a question or comment. Otherwise, we ask that you do not talk so that everyone can hear.

For your security, no students are allowed in the Eternal Flame garden, on the balcony or in the stairwell or elevator, without adult supervision.

For your security, no running on the stairs or in the building or standing on benches.

Touch the Wall of Names and objects used in the activity upstairs!

Do not touch the mural or other art works. This is because the natural oil in our skin damages objects over time. Do not touch the Eternal Flame.

We look forward to seeing you at the Memorial!

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