In order to introduce the Summer Scholars to Native American communities, the NEH Summer Institute “Native Americans of New England” organized various field trips in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Week 1:

• Plimoth Plantation: Darius Coombs, associate director of Plimoth Plantation's Wampanoag Indigenous Program, gave a special tour of the 17th century Wampanoag homesite reconstruction. In addition to exploring the site, scholars also learned how to integrate this wealth of information into Social Studies curricula.

• Mashpee Wampanoag: Jessie Little Doe Baird, creator and director of the   Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project, welcome the group of scholars in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Offices. She detailed her struggle to revive her ancestors’ language that had not been taught for generations. She gave a glimpse of Wampanoag language. The different linguistics concepts appeared particularly relevant to compare with language assimilation in younger students.

• Old Indian Meeting House: Jessie Little Doe Baird opened the doors of the very first and still standing Indian Meeting House in Mashpee. This visit allowed for the scholars to ask question about Native Christianity.

Week 2: