Living in a seaside town, it probably makes sense to know something about maritime communication. Many adults on Cape Ann may struggle identifying specific maritime flags.
But a number of kindergartners in Manchester-by-the-Sea and Essex now have a leg up on such knowledge.
Cathy Kelly, Cape Ann Museum’s education director, recently spent time with children at Essex Elementary School and Manchester Memorial Elementary School teaching kindergartners about the value of identifying maritime flags.
Kelly visited classrooms from Oct. 9 to 13 to teach about the importance of maritime communications through lessons that connected Cape Ann’s history, literacy and art.
During the instruction, schoolchildren identified letters associated with each symbol, deciphered messages from their shapes and symbols and learned about the time before cell phones and radio transmissions were a reality.
Armed with that knowledge, students eventually created messages and designed their own maritime flags.
“The students’ excitement was full of joy and wonder when Mrs. Kelly taught the class about the maritime flags,” said Claudette Yutkins, a district art teacher who collaborated with Kelly on the lessons.
“They couldn’t wait to make their own and share with the class what their flag represents,” she said. “One student said her flag means, ‘Come on over and play hide and seek’.”
The ManchesterEssex Regional School District’s efforts, along with the participation by Cape Ann Museum, are aimed at fostering awareness for schoolchildren about the range of resources found in the region.
For instance, Manchester Essex students recently created art on Plexiglas that provided views of their worlds. Their works were displayed as part of recent museum exhibition on the works of artists Edward Hopper and Jo Nivison Hopper.
Kelly said the classes are more than one-time encounters for her.
“I love seeing the children from last year and them saying hello,” she said. “I love building those relationships.”
Stephen Hagan can be reached at 978-675-2708 or at shagan@northofboston.com.