Students building a Boat and Using Digital Media

Maine's First Ship is a non-profit looking to preserve a short but important chapter of Maine's history in 1607. The goal is to combine the reconstruction of the first ship build by English colonists in Maine and North America with an existing laptop computer project involving over 70,000 Maine students and teachers.



A pilot of this concept was completed this summer. A smaller historic boat from that era (called a shallop), was built by students and community volunteers. Under the leadership of a teacher, a shipwright and a digital media specialist, students were helped to succeed in multiple areas. Not only did they work as a team to create a wooden boat, half models and oars, but they also explained the project to visitors. Students were required to document and share their experiences using laptop-based media software and update the project's blog. This model and subject matter will be used to meet the goals of this expanded statewide project.