Friday on the SCMS DC Tour is always Smithsonian Day. We got a late start from the hotel, so that we could put our rooms in order and get packed up for the return to Tallahassee Friday evening.
We started our morning at the National Air and Space Museum. Air and Space covers all facets of manned flight, from the Wright Flyer to the most advanced experimental aircraft. Throughout Friday, the kids were allowed to tour the museums in small groups. After lunch at McDonald's in the museum, we headed out for our second stop.
Continuing something that I began two years ago, we allowed students to choose what their second museum would be. We had groups of about ten students at the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. The rest of the group toured the National Museum of Natural History.
For the last two hours of this year's trip, we all came back together to tour the National Museum of American History. As with all of the museums on the National Mall, there is way more than anyone can see in a couple of hours - or a couple of weeks for that matter. By the time 4:30 rolled around, everyone was just about worn-out.
After a quick dinner stop at the Golden Corral in Fredericksburg, VA, we settled in for a long bus ride back to Tallahassee.
Well, it's hard to believe that we were gone for a whole week. It just flew right by. I want to thank all of the parents that sacrificed to make this trip possible for their kids. I know that it can be difficult sending your seventh grader off for a full week in the care of someone else. As chaperones, we take that responsibility very seriously. Speaking of chaperones, I want to thank Ms. Lawhon, Ms. Smith, Mr. Montgomery, and Mr. Koenig for taking a week away from their own families and friends to help make this trip a reality. Finally, I thank the kids for having a great attitude during a long, tiring week. For taking advantage of this great opportunity to learn something new, I offer you my heartfelt appreciation.
Since beginning this trip four years ago, it has been my goal to show kids that learning can be fun and that an enjoyable vacation could include something other than Disney World. In this I hope we have been successful.
For the Day 4 picture collection click here.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Day Three: A Day in PA
A 5:30 am wake-up call! That's how we started the day. Why up so early? We had about a 2 hour ride to kick things off this morning. That's how long it would take us to get to Gettysburg, PA. We would spend all day in Pennsylvania, ending with a 2 1/2 hour run back to the hotel. We finally stepped off the bus at around 9:30 pm. That's a long day.
Long, but awesome. Like our nation's capital, Gettysburg is a place that every American should visit. In many ways we are still leaving with the results of the three day battle that took place in and around the small town in southern Pennsylvania. It has been almost 149 years since the Blue and the Gray squared off in what would be the single most important point in the war, perhaps the most important in U.S. history. As a history teacher, it warms my heart to see my students navigating the boulders of Little Round Top (see video below). One of the things that sets Gettysburg apart is that it is, perhaps, the best preserved battlefield in the world. Not much has changed about the place since 1863. In a nutshell, this is what learning about history should look like. It's why I believe so much in the power of quality field trips. Every student should learn about the Civil War by visiting places like Gettysburg.
After spending the first half of the day exploring Gettysburg, we hopped on the bus for a short ride to Lancaster County, PA. This is only the second year that we've visited Pennsylvania during our DC Tour, but I trust that our visit to Amish country will again be one of the most memorable experiences for our kids. Even though students know where they are going, they are usually still surprised by what they find - a vibrant community of people with a dramatically different life-style than our own. After getting a chance to interact with these people, I believe that our students are surprised that the Pennsylvania Dutch kids are in many ways just like them. They're not actors. They are students, members of families with chores to do, and kids that like to play and have a good time.
This is a day when diets go up in flames. From the Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop and its whoopie pies, to Eli's incredible soft pretzels and homemade root beer, to our Amish style dinner to round out the day, the day was one for eating. A lot of us did way too much!
Believe it or not, we will have our final day of touring tomorrow. We'll spend the day on the National Mall visiting some of the Smithsonian Museums. We'll hit the road back to Tallahassee in the early evening.
Until tomorrow . . .
For the Day 3 photo collection, click here.
Long, but awesome. Like our nation's capital, Gettysburg is a place that every American should visit. In many ways we are still leaving with the results of the three day battle that took place in and around the small town in southern Pennsylvania. It has been almost 149 years since the Blue and the Gray squared off in what would be the single most important point in the war, perhaps the most important in U.S. history. As a history teacher, it warms my heart to see my students navigating the boulders of Little Round Top (see video below). One of the things that sets Gettysburg apart is that it is, perhaps, the best preserved battlefield in the world. Not much has changed about the place since 1863. In a nutshell, this is what learning about history should look like. It's why I believe so much in the power of quality field trips. Every student should learn about the Civil War by visiting places like Gettysburg.
After spending the first half of the day exploring Gettysburg, we hopped on the bus for a short ride to Lancaster County, PA. This is only the second year that we've visited Pennsylvania during our DC Tour, but I trust that our visit to Amish country will again be one of the most memorable experiences for our kids. Even though students know where they are going, they are usually still surprised by what they find - a vibrant community of people with a dramatically different life-style than our own. After getting a chance to interact with these people, I believe that our students are surprised that the Pennsylvania Dutch kids are in many ways just like them. They're not actors. They are students, members of families with chores to do, and kids that like to play and have a good time.
This is a day when diets go up in flames. From the Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop and its whoopie pies, to Eli's incredible soft pretzels and homemade root beer, to our Amish style dinner to round out the day, the day was one for eating. A lot of us did way too much!
Believe it or not, we will have our final day of touring tomorrow. We'll spend the day on the National Mall visiting some of the Smithsonian Museums. We'll hit the road back to Tallahassee in the early evening.
Until tomorrow . . .
For the Day 3 photo collection, click here.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Day Two: Hanging with George and Martha . . .
. . . and afternoon at church.
Mount Vernon and Washington National Cathedral topped the list of stops on day two of our trip to DC. We kicked-off Wednesday morning by heading back up to Capitol Hill for our group photo. Each student will receive a large print of the annual group photo, taken in front of the U.S. Capitol Building. Who knew it would take so long to line-up 47 kids from tallest to shortest?
Our first big stop of the morning was Ford's Theatre, site of the 1865 assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. We enjoyed a special treat this year at Ford's, a one act play entitled One Destiny. The play recounts, through the eyes of the theatre owner and one of its actors, the events of that fateful day in April 1865. This is the first year that we've seen a performance at Ford's.
On a tight schedule today, we had lunch on the ride out to George and Martha's place. What a beautiful day to spend time out at Mount Vernon. Walking through the mansion and around the grounds, it's not hard to imagine what it would have been like in the late-1790s. The educational center, essentially a hands-on museum, could really occupy an entire day. I think that we able to give the kids a good overview of what they have to offer.
By 2:00, we were back on the bus for a ride all the way up to NW Washington and the Washington National Cathedral. The second largest cathedral in the U.S. and the sixth largest in the world, the National Cathedral always blows kids away with its size and beauty. After several visits there, I am still in awe of its Gothic architecture and amazing stained glass.
Our next stop was a photo op at the White House. Usually a fairly routine part of our tour, today's visit put us in Lafayette Square just as the President's motorcade was leaving the White House. This gave the students a glimpse of what moving the President entails, including completely shutting down rush hour traffic for over an hour.
Our final stop in the District was a visit to the National World War II Memorial. We missed this stop last year's, and I was determined to not let that happen again. It makes for a nice ending to a long day, with kids having a chance to sit along the enormous water features within the memorial. Hopefully seeing the some 400 stars, each representing 1000 American men and women killed in action, drove home the real price that our country has paid in the name of freedom.
We wrapped-up day two with dinner and shopping at the Potomac Mills Outlet Mall here in Woodbridge, VA. We'll have early start tomorrow as we load up at 6:30 for a trip to Gettysburg, PA. We'll spend the afternoon in Lancaster County, PA, experiencing Amish Country.
Until next time . . .
For today's picture collection, click here.
Mount Vernon and Washington National Cathedral topped the list of stops on day two of our trip to DC. We kicked-off Wednesday morning by heading back up to Capitol Hill for our group photo. Each student will receive a large print of the annual group photo, taken in front of the U.S. Capitol Building. Who knew it would take so long to line-up 47 kids from tallest to shortest?
Our first big stop of the morning was Ford's Theatre, site of the 1865 assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. We enjoyed a special treat this year at Ford's, a one act play entitled One Destiny. The play recounts, through the eyes of the theatre owner and one of its actors, the events of that fateful day in April 1865. This is the first year that we've seen a performance at Ford's.
On a tight schedule today, we had lunch on the ride out to George and Martha's place. What a beautiful day to spend time out at Mount Vernon. Walking through the mansion and around the grounds, it's not hard to imagine what it would have been like in the late-1790s. The educational center, essentially a hands-on museum, could really occupy an entire day. I think that we able to give the kids a good overview of what they have to offer.
By 2:00, we were back on the bus for a ride all the way up to NW Washington and the Washington National Cathedral. The second largest cathedral in the U.S. and the sixth largest in the world, the National Cathedral always blows kids away with its size and beauty. After several visits there, I am still in awe of its Gothic architecture and amazing stained glass.
Our next stop was a photo op at the White House. Usually a fairly routine part of our tour, today's visit put us in Lafayette Square just as the President's motorcade was leaving the White House. This gave the students a glimpse of what moving the President entails, including completely shutting down rush hour traffic for over an hour.
Our final stop in the District was a visit to the National World War II Memorial. We missed this stop last year's, and I was determined to not let that happen again. It makes for a nice ending to a long day, with kids having a chance to sit along the enormous water features within the memorial. Hopefully seeing the some 400 stars, each representing 1000 American men and women killed in action, drove home the real price that our country has paid in the name of freedom.
We wrapped-up day two with dinner and shopping at the Potomac Mills Outlet Mall here in Woodbridge, VA. We'll have early start tomorrow as we load up at 6:30 for a trip to Gettysburg, PA. We'll spend the afternoon in Lancaster County, PA, experiencing Amish Country.
Until next time . . .
For today's picture collection, click here.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Day One: How much can we pack into one day?
Perhaps the biggest challenge is that the kids don't get nearly as much sleep on the first night (last night) as they will during the rest of the trip. Some of them were paying a little extra today for that extra socializing last night. No worries. They'll make that adjustment tonight.
Other then a tour of the Capitol Building and a visit to the National Archives, today could be called memorial day. We kicked off this morning with a visit to the Jefferson Memorial. Standing under the towering 26 ft. figure of Thomas Jefferson provides students with a great initiation of the enormity of Washington, DC memorials and buildings. Its location on the tidal basin also offers wonderful views of DC landmarks like the White House and Washington Monument.
We then tool the short ride over to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. I think that kids are always surprised at how much they enjoy this stop. An expansive display that focuses on the highlights of FDR's presidency.
Working our way around the tidal basin, our next stop was the brand new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The designers of MLK have created a masterpiece. The memorial looks pretty small from across the water, but enormous when standing in the middle of it.
One of the most moving stops on our tour each year is Arlington National Cemetery. As a history teacher it is sometimes difficult to impress upon 12 and 13 year olds the importance of honoring the sacrifice made by our men and women in uniform. A visit to Arlington drives home that message perfectly. After experiencing the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, four of our kids led us in a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the Unknowns. I and the other chaperones were honored and proud to be part of that experience. Please take a minute to check out the video.
Next, we headed over for a quick stop at the National Archives to check out the Charters of Freedom exhibit, including originals of the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. It's one thing to work with these documents in class, it's something all together different to have the signatures just inches from your eyes. Sorry. They no longer allow photography in the Archives Rotunda.
After lunch and some shopping at Union Station, we hopped over to the U.S. Capitol Building for a guided tour. I love to watch my students walking through the Capitol rotunda and staring at its magnificent ceiling.
Next, we took the two mile drive to the opposite end of the National Mall for a tour of the Lincoln, Vietnam, and Korean War memorials. Like Arlington, the Vietnam "Wall" always has an impact on the kids. Walking by the 58,272 names of servicemen and servicewomen that died during that conflict drives home the cost of war and freedom for our kids.
A addition to this year's trip, dinner at Buca di Beppo was a nice way to round-out a hectic day. We wrapped up day one with a quick stop at the U.S. Marine Corp Memorial (Iwo Jima) and the Air Force Memorial. Whew!
I'm beat! We have another full day planned for tomorrow, so I'm hitting the sack . . .
For a collection of pics taken today, click here.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
It won't be long now!
Thanks to everyone for coming out to our DC Tour pre-trip meeting. By the time we were done, I believe that we had all 47 students represented.
In case you missed something that was covered, I am including the meeting slides at the end of this post. I hope you all are looking forward to a memorable trip. I know that I am. We have assembled a great group of chaperones that I am confident will work hard to provide the safety and security that our kids and parents deserve.
Remember, do not hesitate to contact me before, during, or after the trip with any questions, comments, and/or concerns. I have provided each of you with my cell phone number, so please feel free to use it. You can also reach me via email at velizhistory@gmail.com.
As I mentioned at the meeting, you are invited to follow along from home through my class Facebook page, on Twitter, or right here on this blog. I'll be tweeting throughout the day, each day on the road. I'll be posting regular updates on Facebook as we move from venue to venue. And I'll wrap-up each day with a post on this blog.
I look forward to seeing each of you Monday morning at 4:30. Don't be late!
In case you missed something that was covered, I am including the meeting slides at the end of this post. I hope you all are looking forward to a memorable trip. I know that I am. We have assembled a great group of chaperones that I am confident will work hard to provide the safety and security that our kids and parents deserve.
Remember, do not hesitate to contact me before, during, or after the trip with any questions, comments, and/or concerns. I have provided each of you with my cell phone number, so please feel free to use it. You can also reach me via email at velizhistory@gmail.com.
As I mentioned at the meeting, you are invited to follow along from home through my class Facebook page, on Twitter, or right here on this blog. I'll be tweeting throughout the day, each day on the road. I'll be posting regular updates on Facebook as we move from venue to venue. And I'll wrap-up each day with a post on this blog.
I look forward to seeing each of you Monday morning at 4:30. Don't be late!
View more presentations from Stephen Veliz.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Just One Month To Go
It won't be long now! Before you know it, we'll be on that long bus ride to DC.
Before we get on that bus, we to take care of a few things. We will have a MANDATORY pre-trip parent/student meeting. We'll meet on Wednesday, April 25 at 6:00pm. We'll meet in the SCMS Cafeteria.
I look forward to seeing you all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)