Information from a source that helps us test a claim.
source
A document, object, image, or account we can examine.
inference
An explanation based on clues; it still needs checking.
migration
Moving from one place to another to live.
immigrant
A person who moves to another country to live.
estimate
An approximate amount, based on available information.
oral history
A recorded interview about someone’s memories and experiences.
community
People connected by a place, relationships, or shared activities.
ancestry
Family origins across generations.
primary source
Evidence created by someone who experienced a time or event.
Choose · notice · investigate
Work, industry & invention
How do people use knowledge, tools, and resources to make a living?
Showing 12 of 16 resources
Championship banners overhead inside TD Garden, home of The Sports Museum; arena context.TD Garden; photographer not identified on source page. Image source ↗
Sports and community
The Sports Museum
Boston
Sports objects and stories explore New England teams, athletes, and traditions. The museum also uses sports to discuss respect, teamwork, and choices beyond the playing field.
A question to investigate
What can good teamwork look like when a team loses?
An Azorean whaleboat under sail, featured by New Bedford’s Azorean Maritime Heritage Society; maritime heritage context, not identified as a Massachusetts location.Azorean Maritime Heritage Society; photographer or artist credit not identified in the image tag. Image source ↗
Portuguese and maritime heritage
Azorean Maritime Heritage Society
New Bedford
Historic Azorean whaleboats and rowing traditions connect New Bedford with the Azores. A nonprofit community group cares for boats and shares maritime skills.
A question to investigate
What knowledge is needed to preserve a boat as well as use it?
A painting featured by the National Center of Afro-American Artists; the source image does not identify its title or artist.National Center of Afro-American Artists; photographer not identified on source page. Image source ↗
Black arts and culture
National Center of Afro-American Artists
Roxbury, Boston
Visual and performing arts celebrate African American and African diasporan cultures. The center’s work connects creative expression with community life and public memory. Check the center’s site for current programs and access; its museum is open only for special events.
A question to investigate
How can the arts help a community tell its own stories?
Participants at a 2008 Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project immersion camp.Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project; photographer or artist credit not identified in the image tag. Image source ↗
Native language and living culture
Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project
Mashpee and Wampanoag communities
Wampanoag communities work together to reclaim their ancestral language. Community-led teaching connects language with family, identity, and cultural knowledge.
A question to investigate
Why can reclaiming a language matter to a community’s future?
The entrance sign for the Cape Cod Center for the Arts, home of the Cape Playhouse in Dennis.Cape Playhouse; photographer not identified on source page. Image source ↗
Theater and entertainment
Cape Playhouse
Dennis
A historic summer theater connects Cape Cod with live performance. Explore the teamwork behind acting, sets, costumes, music, and backstage work.
A question to investigate
Which jobs must work together before the curtain rises?
The UMass Cranberry Station building and sign in Wareham.UMass Cranberry Station; photographer or artist credit not identified in the image tag. Image source ↗
Industry: agriculture
UMass Cranberry Station
East Wareham
Researchers study cranberries, water, pests, and growing conditions to support Massachusetts agriculture. Follow the link for a working research station’s resources, not a drop-in attraction.
A question to investigate
How can scientists help farmers grow food while protecting water and habitats?
Children displaying their work during a New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center activity.New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center; photographer not identified on source page. Image source ↗
Industry: fishing
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
New Bedford
Community stories, exhibits, and educational activities explore commercial fishing and the people behind a working waterfront. Follow a catch from boat to shore.
A question to investigate
How many different jobs help bring fish from the ocean to a meal?
Students and an instructor learning to weave at the Tsongas Industrial History Center in Lowell.Tsongas Industrial History Center; photographer or artist credit not identified in the image tag. Image source ↗
Industry: textiles
Tsongas Industrial History Center
Lowell
UMass Lowell and Lowell National Historical Park connect hands-on learning with mill history. Explore water power, textile production, immigration, and workers’ experiences.
A question to investigate
How did textile mills connect local workers with materials from far away?
Learners working at a laboratory bench in a BioBuilder program.BioBuilder Educational Foundation; photographer or artist credit not identified in the image tag. Image source ↗
Industry: biotechnology
BioBuilder Educational Foundation
Massachusetts roots and programs
An education organization connects biology with engineering through design challenges. Its resources offer a starting point for learning how biotechnology teams investigate useful ideas.
A question to investigate
How is designing with living systems different from building with blocks?
A participant using mission-simulation equipment at Framingham State’s Christa McAuliffe Center.Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center; photographer not identified on source page. Image source ↗
Space and STEM
Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center
Framingham
At Framingham State University, planetarium and simulation-based learning connect space exploration with science and teamwork. Investigate how a mission depends on many roles.
A question to investigate
How would a space-mission team share information when a problem appears?
A snow-covered barn featured as a Massachusetts filming location by the Massachusetts Film Office; location context, not the office itself.Massachusetts Film Office; photographer or artist credit not identified in the image tag. Image source ↗
Industry: film and television
Massachusetts Film Office
Statewide
The state film office connects productions with Massachusetts locations, workers, and services. Its resources show that filmmaking involves places and jobs across the Commonwealth.
A question to investigate
What makes a real place useful for an imaginary movie setting?
Official statewide sample of designated shellfish growing areas; this preview is not a current closure advisory.MassGIS / Commonwealth of Massachusetts Image source ↗
economy
Designated shellfish growing areas
statewide · 2000s
Find coastal areas mapped for shellfish habitat and management.
A question to investigate
Why do shellfish maps follow water boundaries?
Dig deeper · grades 6–8
Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.
Sources checked September 23, 2026. Open the source for current programs, hours, access, and map updates. Historical maps may contain outdated language or incomplete representations of Native homelands.
Lowell: water, mills, and workers
New Bedford: aboard Ernestina-Morrissey