By Callie Hawkins
President Lincoln’s Cottage is pleased to announce the launch of “I See the President”, its newest education program for students in grades 4 and 5.
Students learn about different viewpoints and writing fables in “I See the President.”
In this exciting, interactive program, students are split into four groups which represent the people who Lincoln passed on his daily commute from the Soldiers’ Home to the White House. Lincoln often stopped to talk to these people in an effort to learn more from those who were nearer to the reality of the War. Neckties, bandages, linen satchels, and kepis further immerse students in their roles, and as they “become” Walt Whitman, wounded soldiers, contrabands, and Lincoln’s cavalry guard, they tour the Cottage and one of the exhibit galleries to discover what life was like for President Lincoln and other Washington, D.C. residents during the Civil War. In the classroom, each group examines a “Commute Chronicle” of primary sources to further explore “their” interactions with President Lincoln, as well as “their” feelings about the War. From these first-hand accounts, students discover lessons that members of each group learned during the War and write fables (one of President Lincoln’s favorite storytelling techniques!) to teach the lessons of their group to the rest of their classmates.
If you’ve ever wondered what goes into creating a program like this, stay tuned for a behind the scenes look at the development of “I See the President”.
For more information about our school programs and teacher workshops, please visit our website: www.lincolncottage.org
Ms. Hawkins is the Curator of Education at President Lincoln’s Cottage.
Categories:Archive, Education, Teacher Resources
Tags:Civil War, Contrabands, Fifth Grade Curriculum, Fourth Grade Curriculum, Heritage Education, I See the President, President Lincoln's Cottage, School Groups, Walt Whitman
