The whole trip was so incredible.  I learned so much but I am having trouble processing the whole adventure now.  I need time to process.  It takes me longer to reflect then process.  The trip was like the wind.  One minute we were here, then the next we were over there and I was not sure what day it was. 

     I thoroughly enjoyed the time we were left to explore the optional sites.  I found a location of interest and explored like the Quaker meeting.  The meeting was perfect because I was frazzle and the meeting calmed my thoughts and me down.  The pirates’ exhibit was fantastic.  I only wish I could have taken pictures of the display.  I enjoyed the battlefields.  The lectures were very informative and actually being in the location made the trip a dream come true.

      I have already started to teach what I have acquired from the trip.  I went back to work on Monday and my students will benefit from the trip.  I have already talked about some of the location.  I get excited and the excitement becomes contagious.  My students are looking forward to the posters, books, and pictures from the trip.  I would like to thank Matt Harris, Jonathan Rees, and Scott Whited for this opportunity and of course my students also thank you.  

The highlight of the day was to listen to Gabor Boritt.  I found the man fascinating.  I loved sitting next to the pond, under a tree and listening to Mr. Boritt.  I felt like I was taken back in time.  He is such a knowledgeable man.  Mr. Boritt should write about his life.  He has survived many difficult experiences but he came out the winner.  He is such a great storyteller.

     Mr. Boritt wanted his book to be short and get to the point (only two hundred pages and another hundred pages of references), which he accomplished.  Mr. Boritt book was insightful of the situation Mr. Lincoln’s life as president when Mr. Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.  I did not realize the situation of the event.  An example is the lack of sleeping space.  This reminded me of the visits to my grandmother and all my relatives also visiting, and sleeping in the bed with many cousins.  I would not like to relive those moments.  I can sympathies with situation trying to find a place to sleep.  The information Mr. Boritt gave use, I will use in my lecture about the Gettysburg Address.  The human factor seems to hook the students because they learn Mr. Lincoln was great but also had faults.    

      The next stop was Gettysburg.  I had looked forward to this event.  I have friends who were extras in the filming of Gettysburg.  They showed me pictures of Gettysburg and of course all the actors.  I wish I could have been there.  I did not realize the detail of the battle.  I could not believe seven million bullets were fired; ten thousand people lost their lives in this battle.  Some of the monuments were grand while others were simple.  I now realize why this battle had the largest number of casualties and why this would be a turning point in the war from the guide.   

     I will use the information I learned, use in my lecture asking the following questions, and discuss the answers:

 If you were at the battle, would you stay and fight or would you flee?  Where would you go?  Why?

     The lecture from Cathy Matson on the consumer revolution was very revealing of the importance of consumers’ control of the economy.  I found the information about labor a very important part of the consumer revolution.  I did not realize how important this was until the lecture.  Labor determines the need to an area for instance the use of slaves in the South to grow the luxury items such as indigo, alcohol, tobacco, sugar, and the different types of grain.  The use of indenture labor was short lived because the servant blended in so well compare to the slave.  Dr. Matson made many good points about the formation of a society because of labor needs.  I will be able to use this information to demonstrate the importance of labor especially in the South.

     The Winterthur estate was breath taking.  The estate designed by Henry Francis du Pont and his father Henry Algemon du Pont.  The design was using the eighteenth and nineteenth century European country houses.  The estate has many antiques from furniture, china, etc.  The main house has hundred seventy-five rooms.  What an amazing design for only four people living in such a big estate.  The different types of plants are a haven for all kinds of creatures.  The best part of the tour was the Touch-It Room.  The main purpose of the room is to teach the future generations how the object is made and the amount of craftsman ship for each object.  I will have the students compare the difference of the objects of today to the objects of yesterday.  Which object will last the longest?  Why was the object made?  Which object did the student like and why?

     The lecture from David Waldstreicher was very informative and very useful for my lecture.  I will use the information to hook my students into the life of colonial life and what was acceptable at the time.  I will challenge the students to be bold enough to follow their hearts (legally) such as Benjamin Franklin.  I had no idea Benjamin Franklin had slaves.  Ben Franklin owned a husband (Peter) and wife (Jemima), Othello (who died young), King, and George because this was expected as a wealthy merchant.   Benjamin Franklin in 1787 decided to free his slaves and become the president of the Pennsylvania Abolitionist Society in the year 1787.  In 1789, the organization petition Congress to stop slave trade. 

     The earlier life of Benjamin Franklin is a story worth informing the students.  Benjamin Franklin was just one man who made a big impact on society even from his early life.  The story of Benjamin Franklin leaving his bondage from his brother as a fugitive would be a powerful story.  I will be able to use the information David Waldstreicher gave us for my class.

     The next lecture by Robert Engls information will also be useful concerning the Civil War.  Dr. Engls point of the slaves denied access to write their account of their lives was inspiring.  Since slaves could not read or write, he made a great point to me.  I will also use Dr. Engls two myths of the Civil War.  1.  Mr. Lincoln did not free the slaves 2.  Emancipation Proclamation was a hoax because it had no legal stand and Mr. Lincoln could not enforce the proclamation.  What great information, I will use in my lecture.  The whole lecture was inspiring.  I will be able to change my lecture notes to add more information attained from Dr. Engls.  Thank you for having the lecturers.  I will be able to jazz up my lectures with the information learned from lectures.

The self guide was a great learning exercise.  Darlene and I went to the Quaker Meeting House.  A gentleman was answering questions concerning the House and Ben Franklin.  They had an instrument like an organ with glass bowls.  He explained the series of different size glass bowls are on a spindle.  The instrument is played by running wet fingers on the rim of the bowls. 

     The gentleman explained Ben Franklin helped fund the building of the church because Debra was a Quaker (Mr. Franklin was a Puritan).   Mr. Franklin would go to services with Debra and the children.  We went across the street to see Mr. Franklin’s grave.  At 7 pm., we went to a Quake service.  I found this very peaceful.  In all, this was a great experience.  I will incorporate what I learned today in my lesson plans (most of the information was relevant to what I teach).     

The American Philosophical Society (APS) was founded in 1743 as a discussion club of a wide variety of disciplines.  The society had become inactive until 1767 when the society had a revival. The society united with the American Society for Promoting Useful Knowledge and changed the name to American Philosophical Society Held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge and elected Benjamin Franklin as the first president of the organization and seventy five percent of Benjamin Franklin’s writing is found in the society.  Early membership included George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Paine, David Rittenhouse, Benjamin Rush, James Madison, Michael Hillegas, and John Marshall.  Other members who were after not U.S. citizens were the Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben. 

     Francis Hopkinson took over the society after the Revolutionary War.  He was able to receive land from the government of Pennsylvania as well as the land in Philadelphia where the Hall now stands.  The society continues to draw people to the organization from scientific to literature as well as world leaders.  You can apply for membership if a member from the society nominates you.  The membership is elusive. I found the original drawings interesting.  This would be the aspect I would use.  Using Lewis and Clarks account would be the key of the different drawing of animals.  

The Atwater Kent Museum (also known as the Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia) was founded in 1938 as Philadelphia’s city history museum and open to the public with a minimum amount.  I found the information informative.  I would probably talk about the shackles and ask what the objects are first then go into the lesson of slavery.  I would show the picture of John Brown and ask why he would be important in slavery.  What a wealth of information.               

The Mennonite’s foundation was Zurich, Switzerland.  Menno Simons was a Dutch priest who broke away from the Catholic Church because he refused to recognize a church or government who forced people into a particular religion.  The Amish broke away from the Mennonites.  In late 1600’s, Jakob Amman and John Rice believed the Mennonites were not strict enough in their religion.  Those who agreed with Jakob and John became known as Amish.  John Rice did go back being a Mennonite, later.  The Mennonites and the Amish are part of the Anabaptist (re-baptizers).  The Amish and the Mennonites suffered persecution during the Radical Reformation from the Protestant and Catholic because they refused to baptize infants and believed in separation of church and state.  In late 1720’s the Amish and Mennonites arrived in Pennsylvania.  William Penn’s colony welcomed all religions in his colony.   The Amish came to Lancaster County around 1760.  They came from Switzerland, Germany, and Alsace Loraine France. 

     The lifestyle of the Amish and Mennonites are different. 

The Amish:  Use horse drawn carriages and farm machinery; do not have telephones, radios, television, use gas appliances, batteries, generators; hold group worship services in home; complete formal education by the eighth grade;  wear uniformly plain style of clothing; do not take pictures; help those in need especially from their own community.

The Mennonites:  drive autos; take pictures; use commercial electricity; own telephones; radios; televisions; VCR’s, computers; worship in church buildings; are active in mission work; promote higher education; wear contemporary clothing; help those in need at home and aboard.    

     I would probably not use this information in my teaching.  I have so little time to cover within the semester to get everything required.  I can just mention this on religious freedom and separation of church and state.  I will not go further because it is a religion and many of my students will object because I will not cover their beliefs such as the Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc.       

     The time we spent in the museum was an overload of information and selecting one part to write about is a challenge.  Off in a room there were three tiny figurines that caught my attention.  The figurines were a caricature of the time period.  This will be the hook for the students.  I will explain that a caricature is a look-a like picture of a person and usually a famous person is portrait.   I will discuss all the different forms of media used to be used in this type of caricature such as newspaper, paintings, sculpture, etc.    I will have the students consider how and why caricatures are constructed and the purpose.  The student will study the pictures and try to guess the similarities and difference.    

     The students will answer the following question (written or orally)

What makes an event important?

 Do you think the image is effective?  Why or why not?

 What makes a person important?
 What is a hero?
 Who decides who or what deserves to be commemorated?
 What is the function of a public memorial?
 Who does it serve? What effect does location have on who will see a public    memorial?
 Is history the truth, or an interpretation?
 Can there be multiple versions of a single historical event?

     I will lecture on political cartoons and how this form is a powerful idea often in a humorous, enlightening manner, by incorporating the events of the period into an easily understandable format most people could relate to even with limited reading abilities. I will have the student research early political cartoons using caricatures.  Their assignment is to draw a caricature of an event or person of the Revolutionary War, write why they choose the person or event, and what they have learned from this form.

     The hook for this lesson would be the picture of General Washington crossing the Delaware.  I will display the picture and ask the following questions:

What do you think the title should be?

What is the point of the painting?

If you are from another country, what would you think the artist wanted to portray about this event?

What is the focal point of this painting?

How does the artist represent the emotional and important aspects of the American Revolution from this painting?

How did the artist create drama and crowded space?

As the viewer, where would you be in relation to the boat?

How does the artist take us back into time?

Is there movement in the painting? 

What is the weather like?  Do you feel the cold breeze?  Why or why not?

What time is the crossing taking place?

Is the flag waving?

     I would discuss, the effect of George Washington standing.  We would discuss if standing was actually or just dramatize for the effect of the viewer.  We would look at the light, the silhouette view, and where their eyes will focus.  The oars and flag help us to focus on General Washington standing.  The impression of General Washington standing as strong and solid forceful commander, illustrates to the viewer that General Washington was calm, comfortable and in command of the operation.  Their assignment is to write an entry in a diary as if the student was in the boat.  The second part of the assignment would be a reaction paper of the impossibility of the painting being realistic.

     The highlight of the Franklin Institute was actually touching, with gloves, the artifacts that Benjamin Franklin touched and own.  I will show the following pictures to the students and ask what they believe each object’s function and the importance to the colonial people.  I will also talk to the Science teacher and try to do some collaboration.

Why did Benjamin Franklin come up with the invention?  I will explain the importance of each of the artifacts.  I will have the students discuss the contributions Benjamin Franklin made during the eighteenth century.  How the inventions are affecting us today.  

     The next section of the lesson will be Benjamin Franklin’s contribution to the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, etc.  I will read certain sections from the book, Fart Proudly, Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School.  Their assignment will be to write about the human Benjamin Franklin.  The last assignment will be to write a paper entitled, “Benjamin Franklin, a Man of all Seasons.” or “Benjamin Franklin a Man Before His Time.”

     I teach the male population of my facility.  Once a year, I get the opportunity to teach the female population at the facility.   I have tried many different approaches to get the females interested in history especially colonial times and have found this difficult to approach.  After listening to Carol Berkins, I have found hope in finding information that maybe the students would be interested.  I will present a picture of Carol Berkins and ask who she is.  Then I would present information from both her books:  Revolutionary Mothers and Inventing the Constitution.  I will ask the females why women have been unequal in our society according to Carol Berkins: 

1)  God

2)  Culture told women the rules of society

3)  Science-women’s brains are smaller and weak so therefore can not hold rational           

      thought 

     I will write their list on the board.  I will save the list and compare their thoughts to the thoughts of their reaction paper.  Then, I will precede and have a debate.  On one side the students will find information for the 3 statements while the other side will find information against.  After the debate, I will have each student write their reaction to the statements and if the student agrees or disagree and why.