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WELCOME TO our new EDUCATION NEWSLETTER
Each issue brings you the latest about about field trips, teacher workshops, History Day, museum exhibits, classroom ideas and more. Serving Minnesota's educators is important to us.
Your interests are our inspiration. Is there a topic you'd like to see in this newsletter? Do you have a fantastic classroom idea? Let us know!
PRESIDENCY EXHIBIT now OPEN
As the nation experiences the election, we at the Minnesota Historical Society are getting presidential, too. The History Center in St. Paul plays host to the traveling Smithsonian exhibit, "The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden."
National treasures are on display. See the inkwell Abraham Lincoln used to sign the Emancipation Proclamation and the CBS radio microphone FDR used for fireside chats.
Turn the election into an teaching opportunity. We've created engaging progams that go hand in hand with history, civics, and government classes. Bring your class to see the exhibit, experience "Making History with the President," or both.
funding your nEXT field trip
In today's tough economic times, schools are finding proactive ways to arrange field trips. Here are some tried-and-true ideas.
- Start a field trip fund. Ask parents to donate to an ongoing fund. This can serve lower-income students or help pay for transportation.
- Consult your parent-teacher group. Parent groups are great resources. In addition to raising funds, they often serve as enthusiastic advocates.
- Form a network of homeschool educators. For those who teach at home, finding a network can be invaluable. Many field trips are effective for one family, but others are more appropriate for larger groups. Even a few families can add up to the size of a small class.
- Write a grant proposal. This may be easier than you think. Businesses, banks, and community organizations partner with schools in need. Here's a sample letter.
Dear {Community Partner},
I'm a teacher at {school}, and I am seeking community help for my classroom this fall. To give my students a comprehensive learning experience, I provide hands-on learning whenever possible. I'm seeking a grant to bring my students on a field trip to {describe trip}.
This trip would cost my school {$X}, and I'd like to know if your company would be willing to sponsor the trip. The trip would help my class meet the new graduation standards recently established by the legislature.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Concerned Teacher Extraordinaire
PRESIDENTIAL FIELD TRIP Ideas
This is the year to teach students about the American presidency. Students of all ages are interested in this timely topic, which connects to lessons in a variety of subjects.
- Do you teach U.S. History? Explore the conflict between national security and freedom of speech. Bring your students to the History Center's lively theater show depicting how John Adams wrestled with this conflict. Grades 5-12.
- Do you teach civics? Show the importance of active participation in government. Bring your class to the Minnesota State Capitol for interactions with state legislators (available during the upcoming legislative session). Grades 7-12.
- Do you teach Minnesota History? Presidents don't just visit Minnesota during campaigns. Imagine what Anna Ramsey thought when she learned President Hayes would be coming for dinner (in 1878). Show students how servants handled this unexpected visit to the Alexander Ramsey House. Grades K-12.
TO ARRANGE FIELD TRIPS, please contact the site you'd like to visit.
nORThern lights curriculum
I could use Investigation 12 to spark discussion about Indian cultures. First, my 7th-grade students would do a short version of the activity, which explores blueprints of Summit Avenue homes. Then, in small groups, I'd have them draw a "map" of a Dakota tipi or an Ojibwe wigwam. These drawings would allow students to compare lifestyles of different eras and communities.
--2004 Teacher Workshop Participant
Northern Lights (2nd ed.) is our Minnesota history curriculum for grades 5 - 8. Investigation 12 leads students through an architectural study of homes on Summit Avenue in the Victorian Age. It can be found on p. 186 of the Student Edition.
Do you have a classroom idea you'd like to share with other educators? Please contact us with your idea. If your idea is chosen, we'll send you a free book from the Minnesota Historical Society Press.
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