The two hour workshop will provide teachers with in-depth background on the rich history of Germantown, as represented by five exceptional historic and cultural museums. It will provide resources (e.g., the Germantown Historical Society, museum educator-consultants, literature lists and websites) for teachers and students to explore this multicultural study of community history throughout the school year. The visits to the historic houses will enrich teachers’ and students’ on-site learning with a “do it, see it, feel it” approach.  Teachers will learn how to elicit good observation and writing skills using these experiences.  Workshop instruction in using the pre-and post-visit readings, related literature selections, cross curriculum activities and writing exercises – particularly the varied writing types and styles utilized in students’ “Youth Reporter” assignments- offers excellent preparation for the PSSA Testing later this school year. 

This course provides a program orientation, historical background, and an overview of program resources for teachers who wish to participate in the History Hunters Youth Reporter Program, a national-award winning literacy-based education program that takes students to five exceptional museums during the school year.  Participating students become “investigative reporters” writing about their experiences with the history, buildings and artifacts in their community.  The program is closely tied to state and District Standards and Core Curriculum for 4^th and 5^th grades, and is adaptable up to the 8^th grade.  This workshop is a must for teachers planning to participate in History Hunters this year!

The workshop instructors will provide teachers with an historical overview of the five History Hunters sites visited during the program: Stenton, located at 4601 N. 18^th Street, Cliveden of the National Trust, at 6401 Germantown Avenue, La Salle University Art Museum, 1900 W. Olney Avenue, The Johnson House, 6306 Germantown Avenue and Wyck, 6026 Germantown Avenue.  The workshop will also introduce teachers to the wide variety of enrichment resources available at the participating sites as well as the Germantown Historical Society, and provide instruction in effectively integrating the tours, news reporter “assignments,” and History Hunters workbook, --a resource rich in pre- and post-visit reading, writing, and mapping activities – into the core curriculum.