Explore new ways to engage students with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights at our annual public, two-day professional development program for educators of all grade levels June 24 and 25, 2015.

Date and Time

Location

The Fred W. Smith National Library

This FREE two-day George Washington Teacher Institute program will dive deep into the Constitution and the Bill of Rights with Constitutional scholar Dr. Carol Berkin and George Washington expert Dr. Denver Brunsman. Additional sessions with historic interpreters, musicians, and media specialists will present diverse ways to engage students of all grade levels with these key founding documents over the two day program.

Grade-specific sessions, facilitated by experts in interpreting primary sources, will address the needs of Pre-K, Elementary School, Middle School, and High School teachers and the varied challenges they encounter when teaching these documents to students. Education specialists from the Smithsonian, Gunston Hall, Carlyle House, and ConSource will join Mount Vernon educators to lead these sessions.

June 24: The Constitution

8:30     Coffee & Check-in
9:00     Opening remarks and Introduction
            Allison Wickens
9:15     The Constitution
            Dr. Carol Berkin
10:15   Break
10:30   George Washington’s Role in Shaping the Constitution
            Dr. Denver Brunsman
11:30   Discussion with Historic Interpreters
12:15   Lunch and History Teacher of the Year award
12:30   Digital Resources on the Constitution
1:15     Small Group Discussion and Development:
           Lead by Educators from Mount Vernon, ConSource, Smithsonian, Carlyle House, and Gunston Hall
2:30     Music and the Constitution
            David and Ginger Hildebrand
3:30     Closing and Evaluation
            Explore Estate on your own

June 25: The Bill of Rights

8:30     Coffee Check-in
9:00     Opening remarks and Introduction
            Allison Wickens
9:15     The Bill of Rights
            Dr. Carol Berkin
10:15   Break
10:30   George Washington and the Bill of Rights during the first Presidency
            Dr. Denver Brunsman
11:30   Discussion with Historic Interpreters
12:15   Lunch
12:30   Digital Resources on the Bill of Rights
1:15     Small Group Discussion and Development:
           Lead by Educators from Mount Vernon, ConSource, Smithsonian and Gunston Hall
2:30     The Bill of Rights and the Executive Branch
            Julie Silverbrook, The Constitutional Sources Project (ConSource)
3:30     Closing and Evaluation
            Explore Estate on your own

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