A Five-Day Summer Seminar for Social Studies, History and English Teachers

held at three of Washington’s most historic Civil War era Sites

Monday, July 13 – Friday, July 17, 2009

Learn Performance and Museum Teaching Strategies to Bring Your Classroom Alive!
You are invited to participate in a five-day learning adventure that will immerse you in the history of Civil War Washington.
By preparing and performing historical speeches, interpreting letters, and “reading” artifacts, images and places, you will develop teaching
techniques that strengthen reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. Work with teachers from across the country to develop web
resources will support you and others in teaching the Civil War.
Over the course of five mornings, travel to three historic sites in some of Washington’s most historic neighborhoods. In the afternoons,
participate in interpretations of important speeches and letters, learning tools that lead to rigorous visual and experiential learning.

And during the school year, you get…

• Priority access to field trips at each o the three historic sites
• Updated online study guides and lesson plans from each of the three Civil War Consortium historic sites
• Access to additional free professional development, arts and cultural opportunities in and around D.C
• A network of supportive teachers and scholars to reinforce your learning
• The chance to become a paid Lincoln Teacher Fellow Consortium faculty fellow in future summers
In return, we ask you to…
• Develop and “field test” a lesson plan or unit for publication on our website during the school year
• Continue to be a part of the Teaching Fellows community – online or in person - during the school year

This program is designed for teachers in the D.C. Metropolitan area, and also welcomes teachers interested in Civil War Washington history
from around the country. (A separate seminar designed especially for D.C. Public School teachers is offered in June).

Essential Questions:
• How can I help my students connect in authentic ways to Civil War Washington?
• How can using images, performance, and field trips enhance reading comprehension in my classroom?
• How can speaking the words of great people like Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass help us to understand their point
of view, strategy, and impact upon history?
Learning Strategies:
• Experiential and Object-based learning (site visits with guiding questions)
• Dramatic interpretation followed by reflective discussion
• Close reading and interpretation of primary source texts
• Investigation of virtual resources
 Seminar Schedule
During this week-long program you will visit each of the partner sites to learn history as well as techniques for using field trips, primary sources and oratory in
the classroom to promote high quality history teaching.
Day One: Tudor Place Historic House and Garden
• Visit to Tudor Place Historic House and Garden
• Oral interpretation of Civil War letters from the Tudor Place collection
• Civil War Unit project introduction
Day Two: The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
• Visit to Frederick Douglass’s home, Cedar Hill
• Interpretive performance of Frederick Douglass’s What to to an American Slave is the Fourth of July?
• Visit to the Fort Circle Parks, Washington’s Civil War Defenses
Day Three: Ford’s Theatre
• Introduction to Ford’s Theatre, Civil War Washington and Lincoln’s presidency
• Tour of Ford’s Theatre, museum, and the house where Lincoln died
• Performance of One Destiny, by Richard Hellesen, followed by discussion with the actors
• Delving into Civil War Washington: A Ford’s Theatre History on Foot experience
• Oratory workshop based on Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address
Day Four: Integrating History and Public Speaking
• Guided development of Civil War Unit classroom and web projects
Day Five: Lesson/Unit Presentations, School-Year Planning and Funding Opportunities
• Civil War Unit sharing
• Reflect on the seminar and plan next steps

The Civil War Washington / Lincoln Teacher Fellows Consortium

Ford’s Theatre is operated in partnership by the Ford’s Theatre Society and the Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site. After an extensive
renovation, the Theatre reopened in February 2009 with a new lobby and upgraded theatrical capacity. In late spring, a redesigned
museum opens.
Cedar Hill, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, is the home where the great orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass lived at
the end of his life. It sits on the one of the highest points in Anacostia, and recently completed a three-year restoration. It overflows with
artifacts illustrating the life that Douglass lived there with his family.
Tudor Place Historic House and Garden in Georgetown was built by Martha Washington’s granddaughter, Martha Custis Peter, and her
husband, Thomas Peter, son of the first Mayor of Georgetown in 1816. The same family lived in the home until 1983, including the period
of the Civil War, when the home was opened as a boarding house for Union Officers by Britannia Peter Kennon, a Southern sympathizer.
The museum and archives holds an extensive collection of rare Civil War artifacts and documents.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

FORD’S THEATRE
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Please return this application by April 1 to: Jake Flack, jflack@fords.org or FAX to (202) 347-6269
For more information, call Jake Flack at Ford’s at (202) 638-2941 ext 567.
 2008 Civil War Washington Teacher Fellows Feedback

I was beginning to wonder if anyone understood what kind of support actual teachers needed. Please
convince other non-profits to follow your model.
-D.C. Public Schools Elementary Teacher

I really enjoyed the Institute and find myself reflecting on my experience quite often. I know I will keep
in contact with you throughout the year because of the many important resources you offer which will
help to increase the learning and teaching experiences across DCPS’s core subjects.
- Grade 5 teacher, D.C. Public Schools

This was a very worthwhile way to spend four days of my summer vacation. I am extremely grateful for
the effort the representatives of the three sites expended to make my experience memorable, enjoyable,
and educational. I am always looking for new and exciting ways to make my students look forward to
coming to my class each day and all of you have aided me in that endeavor. I look forward to many more
meetings with all of you.
-Grade 5 teacher, E.L. Haynes Public Charter School, D.C.

I have to tell you … that I went to another professional development workshop that sounded akin to the
CWW Fellows program and was sorely disappointed… There was no in-depth look at the content or
discussion about how to use alternative methods to encourage student understanding. I have been using
some of the strategies we talked about (and the insight gained from other teachers in D.C.) in my classes
regularly… The program has been beneficial in so many ways for me ... and we’re not even to the Civil
War yet! Thank you, thank you, a million times, thanks!
- Grade 8 Social Studies teacher, Washington Latin Public Charter School, D.C.

Please return this application by April 1 to: Jake Flack, jflack@fords.org or FAX to (202) 347-6269
For more information, call Jake Flack at Ford’s at (202) 638-2941 ext 567.
 LINCOLN TEACHER FELLOW REGISTRATION
Monday, July 13 – Friday, July 17, 2009 - Registration due May 1, 2009
Commuter registration fee of $300 includes workshops, materials, breakfasts and lunches, as well as dinner on Thursday evening.
Out of town registration fee of $600 includes that plus housing and air transportation.

Name:
Home Address:
City, State: Zip:
Home Phone: Email:
Emergency Contact:
Day Phone: Night Phone:
Please indicate dietary restrictions:
o Vegetarian o No Dairy o Vegan o Allergies:
SCHOOL INFORMATION
School Name:
School Address:
City, State: Zip:
School Phone: Fax:
Grades and Disciplines Taught:
Do you have access to a laptop?:
How did you hear about this program

I agree to participate in all elements of the Lincoln Teacher Fellows program, unless something outside of my control keeps me from doing so.

(Participant Signature)

A $100 deposit is required with your registration. The balance is due on June 30, 2009.

I support this teacher’s participation in the Lincoln Teacher Fellows Program, including all components described in its brochure.

(Principal’s Name) (Principal’s Signature)

Please provide brief answers to these questions when submitting your registration:
1. What is one thing you find most interesting about the Civil war?

2. What do you hope to gain from this program?

3. How will you integrate what you’ve learned in this program into your teaching?

Please return this application by April 1 to: Jake Flack, jflack@fords.org or FAX to (202) 347-6269
For more information, call Jake Flack at Ford’s at (202) 638-2941 ext 567.