Thursday, June 4, 2009
Our group arrived at Midway airport in Chicago about 2:30, and we were transported by Obama’s 2007-2008 campaign bus and driver, to Springfield, Illinois. The drive was approximately 3 hours, and we watched Cinderella Man on the way, compliments of Paula. On the way to Springfield, we saw miles and miles of lush green vegetation, and fields filled with black, rich, dirt. What a contrast to Pueblo, Colorado. The landscaping reminded me of my native Missouri. We arrived at the Hilton in Springfield and headed to our individual rooms for the evening. I chose to spend my evening working out in the swimming pool. It was kind of lonely, as I am not use to not having family or someone around.
Friday, June 05, 2009
This morning I awoke eager to begin the day in Abraham Lincoln’s hometown. Our group began our morning at 8:00 a.m., at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. Erin Bishop, Director of Education Division, gave each of us a packet with lots of posters and websites that will be extremely useful for the classroom. I was very excited about being able to use the Lincoln’s Legacy CD with Lesson plans and teacher resources. I thought the Source Identification activity that we did in which, we had to identify what items were primary, secondary, and sometimes both sources was very useful. I will use that this fall when I explain to my students what primary sources are. The other activity that was really cool was the one where the teachers looked at a painting from the 1930’s, and then had to figure out what it was about, based on the picture, and take into account possible biases of the painter. That would be another good activity that will be extremely cool. Some of the Lincoln websites that we were introduced to were very informative and will make research easy. The Who Said It, worksheet will be useful when showing that over time, people like Abraham Lincoln evolve and change their minds regarding various issues, as they learn, and evolve.
Another activity that we did was to have students volunteer to go to the whiteboards with a question written on each. I totally agree or I totally disagree, with no middle ground. Approximately, five students (usually the talkers) will go up and move to which ever side of the room that they agreed with. This leaves the students who are not typically the talkers to answer the questions that the talkers typically answer. Questions like, did Lincoln believe blacks and whites were equal? Was Lincoln an abolitionist, a racist? Then those students who are sitting, had to explained why they agreed or disagreed.
Did Lincoln really free anybody with the Emancipation Proclamation? seems that some felt that the Proclamation didn’t apply to any slaves except in the rebellion states. The border states were not included and the north didn’t have slavery, so who did he free?
I loved the activity where we read the letters between Lincoln and his ½ brother John Johnston. I think that is quite a lesson that students could learn from where Lincoln is basically telling his brother to get off of his duff and WORK!!!!!
The Poetry lesson would be a great group activity for my students next year, in which, they look at a picture and come up with five different words to describe it, then each student lays those words down beside the picture and look to find the different words describing the picture.
The reading of the Gettysburg Address as students join in the words that they found most important was soooo cool. I will definitely have my classes do that this fall.
Lunch was at the Tealicious restaurant.
Later Bryan Andreasen, Research Historian, showed our class how he developed a historical panel about the Lincoln Douglas debates. This gave me information that will cause me to be more intested in the work that goes into the panels. It was interesting that Douglas spent $50,000 versus Lincoln’s $1,000.
Of course, that brings me to the Lincoln Museum which was sooo incredible. Walking into the library to find the Lincoln family greeting us in their bronze forms was pretty cool. Also, seeing young Abe at his log cabin, then reading by the fire with the dog snoring by his side and family members sleeping on the bed with the trundle bed underneath, was quaint. I thought the Ghost movie was fabulous. I couldn’t help but think of my own 19 year old son who is in the marines and has the same desire to serve his country that the soldier in this movie did, and how he did not come back home. I couldn’t help but compare these two young men. I’m sure his mother felt the sacrifice as I feel the same possible future for my own son, and pray with heartfelt attitude that I my son Jordan, will not be called to the same fate as this young soldier. At the same time I am filled with incredible gratitude and thanks that these soldiers feel a need to serve their country.
The next movie and the technology used is top notch and so moving.
