Educational programs at the J. Gižas Ethnographic Homestead - Museum

Education is divided into two parts: theoretical and practical. During the theoretical session, you will learn about the Curonian Lagoon, Lithuania's largest freshwater body of water, once the most fishy. You will learn about the fish that live in the lagoon, the types of sailing boats, and the peculiarities of fishing throughout history. Understand how human activities affect the fish stocks in the lagoon. You will learn how fishing has been regulated in the past and present. You will learn the names of the fish used by the inhabitants of Shishoni.

In the practical part of the education, you will use a piece of modelling clay to make your own fish that live in the lagoon. While the pieces are drying in the oven, you will walk to the small ship harbour in Dreverna and admire the Curonian Lagoon and the dunes of the Curonian Spit from the observation tower. In the harbour, you will see a restored ancient Curonian lagoon ship - a cruise ship. Take back the fish you've made as a souvenir.

During the lesson you will learn about the history of weathervanes, their purpose, signs of settlements along the coast and other important features. In the practical part, you will construct and paint a weathervane from wooden parts and adapt it to your region, thus making sense of the historical knowledge you have acquired. While the weathervane is drying, you will visit Dreverna's small ship harbour, the Curonian Lagoon, climb the green tower and explore Dreverna's weathervane square. Take your own pinwheel with you as a keepsake.

"Time Travel to July 1944" puts the participants in the historical context of the time: the inhabitants of Klaipėda Region, as the northernmost border of the German Reich, were the first to feel the impending defeat of Germany in the Second World War, as the Red Army entered the territory of Lithuania and started to approach the border of the German Reich in July 1944. In view of this situation, the German government issued an evacuation order to the citizens of Klaipėda Region, ordering them to leave their homes immediately and to travel quickly to Kaliningrad. People had to decide quickly whether to emigrate to the west or stay at home and hope to survive the war.

Participants will dress up in the clothes of the time and get new identities of the people who actually lived there.  They will be immersed in the life of that time as they prepare for the cemetery festival and the long journey. Each participant will have to make a decision to go or stay. Back in the present, they will discover what fate really befell the members of the shipwright's family.

The people of Šiauliai say: "we took words from Samogitian, English and German and made them fit our puppet, and the sins were invented by a fisherman". At the homestead of shipwright J. Gižo, you will hear a short story about Lithuania Minor and why the locals spoke differently. In the museum's interactive exposition, you will watch a short documentary film in which the shipwright's daughter Eva Gižas speaks in the Shishionish (Lithuanian) dialect. Then, divided into two teams, you will play Jenga and pull large wooden blocks to try not to knock down the tower of blocks, and try to guess the word used by the Šišioniškės people written on the block you pull. The winning team with the most points is awarded. The youngest participants will be able to try on 19th-century chairs (skirts), shirshis (aprons) and waistcoats (waistcoats) and take a selfie. After learning to understand and communicate with the Shishonians, you will go to the ovingis (harbour) to look at the sheep (ships) and climb the Dreverna lookout tower.

During the class at the Shipwright's Museum, you will learn about the history of weathervanes, their purpose, the signs of seaside settlements and other important features. You will see an authentic sailing boat weathervane that has survived. You will learn that on 26 June 1844, the government decree "On the proper order in the fishing business" was published. Each village along the lagoon was given a contrasting coloured sign and a fishing area. The wind turbines regulated fishing in the lagoon and thus contributed to the ecological state of the lagoon.

In the practical part of the workshop you will decorate a canvas reusable bag with a weathervane. You will receive four colours for colouring: blue, red, white and black, which are the colours used to paint the weathervanes. To make the bag washable and the decoration durable, you will smooth it with a vintage charcoal iron.

The education can be delivered remotely via Zoom or similar. The lesson will include a talk about weathervanes, illustrated with slides. Canvas bags will be sent via postage 3-5 days before the education.

For: pupils in grades 1 - 5.

45 min.

45 minutes (45 minutes)

During the education we will talk about the life of a Lithuanian woman. We will talk about the joys and sorrows of being a Lithuanian. In the kitchen, where women used to work every day, you will see the most frequently used utensils and dishes. You will learn how the brick on which food was cooked worked. We will compare how women's lives differ today and in the past.

Later, we will make our own biscuits from the prepared dough. We will make moon, sun and goose shaped biscuits. While the treats are baking, the educator will tell you about the most popular drink, kafija, and what kind of grabaliots (cakes) Lithuanian women liked to bake. We will grind coffee beans with an ancient coffee grinder. And finally, we will taste our own baked biscuits with mint tia.

The education takes place from October to November. Suitable for St. It is an opportunity to celebrate St. Martin's Day in Klaipėda Region.

Cost of the lesson - 5 Eur

Address: Žvejų g. 13, Dreverna.

For: students in grades 8 - 12.

45 min.

Apprentices wanted

Job advertisement! Apprentices wanted! Jonas Gižas, the most famous shipwright in the Pomeranian region, is looking for apprentices to work in his workshop. We will train those with no experience. The selection process will take place at the ethnographic homestead of Jonas Gižas in the following stages:

- You will try on the apprentices' hats;

    You will learn about the peculiarities of building flat-bottomed boats in the Curonian Lagoon;
    You will learn how to saw with a double-edged saw and how to plane boards with a plane;

- Watch the documentary film about shipbuilding "Kurėnas";

- Fill in an apprentice application form with a questionnaire.

Selected candidates will be informed personally.

Class price - 2 Eur

Address: Žvejų g. 13, Dreverna.

For: pupils in grades 1 - 5.

45 min.

I'll build a sailboat

In the workshop of shipwright Jonas Gižo we will become apprentices.

Our working day will look like this:

- We will get acquainted with the flat-bottomed boats of the Curonian Lagoon, and learn about their types;

 - We will learn how to saw with a double-cutting saw and how to plane boards with a plane;

- We will learn how to build our own sailboat, which will float in the water, from plywood blanks;

 If the wind is favourable, we will organise a sailboat regatta (in the warm season). You will take home the sailboat you have built.

The cost of the activity is 5 Eur.

Address: Žvejų g. 13, Dreverna.

For: pupils in grades 1 - 5.

45 min.

45 min. - 45 min. - 45 min. - 45 min. - 45 min. - 45 min. - 45 min.

Learn about the Curonian Lagoon, Lithuania's largest freshwater body of water and once the most fishy. You will learn about the fish that live in the lagoon, the types of sailing boats and the peculiarities of fishing. Understand how human activities affect fish stocks in the lagoon. You will learn how fishing has been regulated in the past and present. You will learn the names of fish used by the inhabitants of the Shishoni and the superstitions used by fishermen when fishing. You will bob and guess the fish.

And then grab your phones, download the educational game and catch the fish. The best fisherman in the class will be rewarded!

The education is suitable for distance and field trips.

The cost of the class is 2 EUR.

Address: Žvejų g. 13, Dreverna.