Why Bother? The Importance of Field Trips In The NHD Experience

The Benefits of Field Trips ★ Opportunity for hands on education ★ Opportunity to see professional historical exhibits ★ Expose students to alternative research possibilities ★ Expand students knowledge base ★ Opportunity to use research libraries ★ and special collections

Where Can You Go? ★ Historical Societies in Connecticut ★ Connecticut Museums ★ and Libraries ★ Virtual Classroom Visits ○National Archives ○Newseum

Setting Up a Field Trip or Museum Visit ★ Check the Museum’s website for educational programs available that are age appropriate and based on related curriculum. ★ Call the facility you are interested in visiting to inquire about availability. ★ Schedule transportation ★ District paperwork Connecticut in the Civil War What is the Civil War and why did it start? Did everyone in Connecticut agree about the war? How did it impact the people living in Connecticut? Students will learn more as they: meet a Union soldier and discover what life was like on the battlefield; help a Connecticut woman with the “homefront” effort while her husband and sons are away at war; and participate in the 1863 Connecticut election that pitted war governor William Buckingham against "Peace Democrat" Thomas Seymour.Modified for varied age groups. Grades: Time: 90 minutes Group size: Min. 10 students Max. 60 students

Preparing for Your Visit ★ Have students research individual topics of interest. ★ Explore the research libraries online catalog. ○Reserve materials in advance so they are available when you arrive. ★ Some museums have materials and activities to use to help you prepare for your visit. ★ Review expectations for conduct, dress code, ★ and museum/library rules

Things to Remember the Day of Your Visit ★ Be Courteous ○Remember You are in a Public Facility ○Observe the Rules of the Museum you are visiting ○Use an inside voice so you do not disturb other visitors ■If you are a student visiting on your own, make sure you have an adult with you ★ Dress Appropriately ○First impressions mean so much! ■Preferably no jeans or sneakers Keep your eyes and ears open to make the most of your visit. Be Flexible!!!!

NHD STUDENTS ARE YOUNG HISTORIANS ★ Look closely at the professional exhibits ○How many words do you see in an entire exhibit? ○What catches your eye first when you look at an exhibit for the first time? ○What color schemes are used? ○Was there a media presentation included in the display? ○Do you see any primary documents displayed? ■Diary or Journal entries? ■Newspapers or Magazines? ○What is the overall message you will remember from each exhibit? ○Were both sides of an issue presented? Or was the exhibit from one point of view? ○Do you think the exhibit accomplished it’s original intent?

What Ideas Can I Use For My Own Exhibit, or Project? ★ Make some notes after visiting exhibits. ★ What did the professionals use that caught your attention? ○What materials were used to construct the exhibits? ○How was color used? ○Were there more words? Or pictures used? ○How were sources cited within the exhibits? ○Media components? ○Was it interactive? ★ Do you think you can incorporate the same principals into an NHD project? How?

After your visit List all of the ideas you think are possible to use in your own project Follow up with additional research questions Students may consider a return visit on their own to conduct additional research on individual topics. Thank you notes are always appreciated.