TEACHING AMERICAN HISTORY GRANTS

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) is pleased to partner with school districts applying for Teaching American History Grants. The Education Department partners with 5 to 8 school districts and educational institutions each year. Our staff will work in partnership with school districts and other education institutions to develop a specific program to be implemented upon acceptance of the grant application.

Please note: Because most grant recipients prefer to visit the ALPLM in the summer (especially July), dates fill in quickly. The ALPLM encourages grant applicants to plan visits to the facility in the fall or early Spring to maximize the number of TAH Grant recipients we can accommodate.


Information on Teaching American History Grants can be found at:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teachinghistory/index.html

Pricing Structure

A Day at the ALPLM ($1500-$3000)
ALPLM education coordinators will work with district personnel, other partners, and evaluators to assess needs and develop a one day workshop at the ALPLM. Typically the day will include a half-day teacher workshop conducted by ALPLM educators, lunch and tour of the museum for up to 30 teachers. The ALPLM will also provide instructional materials for teachers that include:

• Reproduction primary sources from the ALPL collections, including letters and diaries, maps, photographs, and other materials;
• Lesson plans on selected topics;
• Additional teacher resources including bibliographies, biographical sketches, historical essays, etc.

In-house historians are also available for lectures, panel discussions and workshops at a cost of $250 per hour.
Special guest speakers may be procured depending upon the nature of the grant at an additional cost of $250-$5000.

Sampling of Available Workshops

Meet Mary Todd Lincoln
Created in conjunction with the temporary exhibit Mary Todd Lincoln: First Lady of Controversy, this workshop will explore the fascinating life of Mary Lincoln from her childhood, her courtship with Lincoln, their marriage, family life and the joys and sorrows of life as the wife of a famous politician and president, during one of the most dramatic eras in our nation's history. Examine primary documents and artifacts, read her letters and step into her world. Classroom activities addressing Illinois Learning Standards will be presented.

Political Cartoons in the Classroom
This two-hour workshop will introduce educators to using political cartoons to teach across the curriculum. Upon completion of this workshop, teachers will have a basic understanding of the history of political cartoons; identify the elements of cartoons (exaggeration, symbolism, labeling, irony and analogy); identify methods and techniques used by cartoonists to convey messages, including line, shading and form; interpret political cartoons to understand the cartoonist's point of view; identify online and print resources for finding political cartoons and have a clear plan for utilizing political cartoons in the classroom.

"This Damned Old House," Abraham Lincoln in the White House
This two hour workshop will cover the adjustments the Lincoln's experienced in moving from Illinois to the White House and the impact of Washington's social scene on the family. The daily routine of President Lincoln will be examined from the burdens of the Civil War, to dealing with office seekers, his lack of privacy and the responsibilities of the presidency. Participants will also explore Mary Lincoln's renovations and how her endeavors were viewed by her contemporaries. Practical ideas and activities will be offered for incorporating the Lincoln's experience into the classroom curriculum.

Primary Sources and Artifacts: Tangible, Touchable, Teachable Tools
Using primary sources and artifacts in the classroom to explore stories from the past is an excellent way, not only to study history, but to improve oral language development which in turn can enhance students' reading and writing skills. In this hands-on session, participants will analyze reproduction artifacts, including objects, primary documents, images, political cartoons, and more, to learn methods and criteria for selecting teachable primary sources for their classroom. Participants will learn how to analyze these materials and activities to utilize them across the curriculum.

Research Colloquium
Are you eager to incorporate primary source material into your classroom, but struggling to find the materials and organize them in an effective way? Are you convinced there are fascinating resources in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library collections — stuff your students would LOVE — but you have no idea how to go about finding it? Have you always wanted to spend some time exploring the collections at the ALPL and finding great material to take back to school? Is there a topic you've always been interested in but never had the time to study it, much less develop it into a classroom activity? Then come spend two days with the Education Department exploring and researching the vast holdings of the ALPLM. Day one will familiarize educators with the holdings of the ALPL. Find out how to access digital resources from the Library collections, how to utilize the Library for research and how to obtain usable reproduction documents to take back to your classroom. On day two, work with our educators to create an effective lesson plan, based upon the primary resources you've gathered and tailored to your students and your needs. By workshop end you will have a workable lesson plan for YOUR classroom, complete with primary documents from the Library collections.

Slavery, Race and Riot: A Look at Mr. Lincoln's Illinois

Slavery: Viewpoints
Slavery played a prominent role in America's political, social, and economic history in the period leading up to the Civil War. The public discourse in the first half of the 19th century exposed the nation's conflicting ideas about slavery and race. Politicians were increasingly pressured to make their opinions known. Lincoln was no exception. In this workshop participants will explore the history of slavery and examine primary documents to analyze Lincoln's position on slavery. (Join us in the afternoon for the Race and Riot Portion of Mr. Lincoln's Illinois.)

Race and Riot
2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the Springfield Race Riot. In 1908, forty-five years after Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, the issue of race reared its ugly head in Lincoln's hometown of Springfield. In commemoration of the exhibit on the Springfield Race Riots at the AL Presidential Library, the afternoon portion of this workshop will examine the causes and review the outcome of the riots which led to the formation of the NAACP in 1910.

Packaging Presidents
With a presidential election just around the corner, this workshop will focus on how presidents are packaged according to the most winnable personality, prepared in minute detail for every public appearance, and promoted as viable candidates and chief executive. Educators will look at examples and methods of how presidential image has been portrayed in the public sphere from George W. to George W. The evolution of presidential campaigns will be examined by comparing and contrasting early, short, and inexpensively-run campaigns to the grueling more than year-long marathons and multi-million dollar campaigns of the present. Educators will also examine the art of campaign buttons, banners, and broadsides of the past to the fire-side chats of FDR, the television ads, sound bites, and Internet of today.

ALPLM Teacher Orientation
This workshop will introduce educators to the resources available at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Learn how to schedule a tour, how to prepare your class for their visit and methods for making the most of your school trip to the Museum. In addition, find out how to access digital resources from the Library collections, how to utilize the Library for research and other opportunities for professional development and classroom activities available through the ALPLM Education Department. The session will include a tour of the Museum.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates: What do they mean 150 years later?
With the 150th anniversary of the Lincoln Douglas Debates this year, it is important to review the debates for a Senate campaign in one state that reached national attention and gave Abraham Lincoln national recognition. This workshop will examine how debates between candidates have changed from thorough, thoughtful, and civilized debates to the negative, critical, and personal-attack debates of the present. Educators will focus on the art of the debate and how to present to their students a debate forum using the Lincoln-Douglas Debates as a guide for persuasion, information, and presentation.

For further information, please contact:

Erin I. Bishop, Ph.D.
Director of Education
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum
212 North Sixth Street
Springfield, IL 62701
Erin.Bishop@illinois.gov