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Welcome to our American Village School Programs 2008-2009 A
Catalog of Education Offerings.
We hope this guide will be a useful overview of how you can participate in one of
the many exciting and engaging school programs offered by The Citizenship Trust
at its American Village education campus. Chartered by legislative act in 1995, and
operating as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt educational foundation, the Trust opened the
doors of American Village for school and public visitors in late 1999. Since then
American Village has welcomed school groups from nine Southeastern states, and
general visitors from throughout the United States and from other countries.
We believe American Village is a national treasure, serving as an innovative
American history and civics educational center, located in Montevallo, AL, about a
half hour south of Birmingham. The mission of American Village Citizenship Trust
is to strengthen and renew the foundations of American liberty and self-government
through citizenship education.
We consider it a great privilege to welcome school groups. Our talented staff enjoys
educating and inspiring young people to explore the remarkable foundations of
our country, and to consider the obligations of being a good citizen.
Please contact our staff toll-free at 1-877-811-1776 (or 205-665-3535 in the Birmingham
calling area). We stand ready to make your visit to American Village a
revolutionary educational experience!
Tom Walker
Executive Director
SECURING THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY
K - 12 SCHOOL PROGRAM SCHEDULE, 2008-2009
Over a quarter of a million students have made history at American Village,
experiencing the past with a visit to this unique interactive colonial classroom.
Students from every grade level participate in experiential learning every day.
American Village is unique in its mission to strengthen and renew the foundations of
American liberty and self-government through citizenship education. More than a field
trip, American Village educational programs are tied directly to objectives in the state
course of study and graduation standards. Lesson plans can be downloaded
from our website.
Introduce your students to a powerful way of learning American history, civics, and
government. At the Village, participants actually step into scenes of history to meet
men and women, famous and unknown, who made a difference in our country.
Register now to request the time you prefer to visit -- many days are already fully
booked. Call immediately for available dates. Reservations are taken in the order they
are received and are confirmed upon receipt of deposit.
The $8 fee for each student and adult in the group includes
complimentary soft drink per person, including teachers
REMEMBER: Give yourself plenty of time to travel back to the 18th century and
other historical eras. Please arrive no later than 9:00 a.m. for the 9:30 program start
time. (Please arrive at 11:00 a.m. for the B Block of Living America’s Story, which begins
promptly at 11:30.) Lunch for Liberty! is now at the end of all programming. Students
will go through five vignette rotations and then eat lunch at approximately 12:30 p.m.
KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 3
LIVING AMERICA’S STORY
For the young student, American Village recommends its popular and exciting early
childhood program. Students might travel with Miles Standish on the Mayflower for
Thanksgiving, celebrate a Colonial Christmas, meet George Washington and King George
III for Presidents’ Days, or learn about Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride in the Patriots
program. The historical adventures change with each presentation.
Best suited for grades K-3, this program offers these students the chance to participate
in meaningful seasonal programs. (Colonial Christmas best for Grades 2-
3, Presidents is best for Grades 1-3.)
Program Time: (A) 9:30 - 11:00 (B) 11:30 - 1:00
Program Dates: September 22 - 26 (Patriots); November 10 - 25 (Thanksgiving) December 15 - 18 (Christmas); February 17 - 25 (Presidents);
March 30 - April 3 (Patriots).
Fee: $8 for students and chaperones who sign up by the registration date; free for
teachers and school administrators (1 free teacher ticket for every 20 students).
INTERMEDIATE GRADES 4-5
For intermediate grades, Liberty! is the best choice of programming. This program
correlates to the Alabama Course of Study for the 5th grade.
LIBERTY! is the premiere program of American Village. Visitors are active participants
in the Stamp Act Rally, unrest in the streets of Boston in 1775, the Virginia
Convention, the siege of Yorktown, the Constitutional Convention, and
Washington’s Presidency. Appealing to all learning styles, Liberty! employs reading,
listening, seeing, speaking, and physical engagement as it connects students in the
immediacy of great moments of history.
Program Time: 9:30 - 1:00 (Time for lunch included.)
Program Dates: September 8 - 12, 18 - 19, 29 - 30; October 1 - 23; November 5 - 7;
December 1 - 4, 8 - 12; February 2 - 13, 26 - 27; March 2 - 27; April 6 - 9, 13 - 30; May
4 - 22.
Fee: $8 for students and chaperones who sign up by the registration date; free for
teachers and school administrators (1 free teacher ticket for every 20 students).
MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES 6-9
For middle school students,
we recommend Liberty! which
correlates to the Alabama
Course of Study for 7th grade
or Stand Up for the Right to
Vote, which is also appropriate
for middle school students
and especially suited to 6th
and 7th grades.
LIBERTY! is the premiere
program of American Village. Visitors are active participants in the Stamp Act Rally,
unrest in the streets of Boston in 1775, the Virginia Convention, the siege of Yorktown,
the Constitutional Convention, and Washington’s Presidency. Appealing to all learning
styles, Liberty! employs reading, listening, seeing, speaking, and physical engagement as
it connects students in the immediacy of great moments of history.
Program Time: 9:30 - 1:00 (Time for lunch included.)
Program Dates: September 8 - 12, 18 - 19, 29 - 30; October 1 - 23; November 5 -
7; December 1 - 4, 8 - 12; February 2 - 13, 26 - 27; March 2 - 27; April 6 - 9, 13 -
30; May 4 - 22.
Fee: $8 for students and chaperones who sign up by the registration date; free for
teachers and school administrators (1 free teacher ticket for every 20 students).
STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE
Get ready for the National Student Mock Election by engaging students in this challenging
American Government experience. Students retrace the history of the right to vote
in our nation, from a colonial election to the Women’s Suffrage movement and the
1960s Voting Rights Movement. The program also features the unique Alabama Power
Voting Experience.
Program Time: 9:30 - 1:00 (time for lunch included)
Program Dates: October 27 - 31; November 3 - 4.
Fee: $8 for students and chaperones who sign up by the registration date; free for
teachers and school administrators (1 free teacher ticket for every 20 students).
HIGH SCHOOL
For high school students, we recommend Liberty! or Stand Up for the Right to
Vote, which is also appropriate for high school students and especially suited to
11th and 12th grades.
LIBERTY! is the premiere program of American Village. Visitors are active
participants in the Stamp Act Rally, unrest in the streets of Boston in 1775, the
Virginia Convention, the siege of Yorktown, the Constitutional Convention,
and Washington’s Presidency. Appealing to all learning styles, Liberty! employs
reading, listening, seeing, speaking, and physical engagement as it connects students
in the immediacy of great moments of history.
Program Time: 9:30 - 1:00 (Time for lunch included.)
Program Dates: September 8 - 12, 18 - 19, 29 - 30; October 1 - 23; November 5 - 7;
December 1 - 4, 8 - 12; February 2 - 13, 26 - 27; March 2 - 27; April 6 - 9, 13 - 30; May
4 - 22.
Fee: $8 for students and chaperones who sign up by the registration date; free for
teachers and school administrators (1 free teacher ticket for every 20 students).
STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE
Get ready for the National Student
Mock Election by engaging
students in this challenging
American Government experience.
Students retrace the history
of the right to vote in our nation,
from a colonial election to the
Women’s Suffrage movement
and the 1960s Voting Rights
Movement. The program also
features the unique Alabama Power Voting Experience.
Program Time: 9:30 - 1:00 (Time for lunch included.)
Program Dates: October 27 - 31; November 3 - 4.
Fee: $8 for students and chaperones who sign up by the registration date; free for
teachers and school administrators (1 free teacher ticket for every 20 students).
MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
THE CITIZENSHIP CHALLENGE
A special program is now available for schools and youth groups with significant numbers
of "At-Risk*" students (*At-Risk = Groups where students are enrolled in Title 1 schools
or schools/groups with a significant percentage of students receiving reduced/free lunches).
Theme: Standing on the shoulders of others who went before, I, too, can make a difference!
WINTER PROGRAM DATES: January 8 - 30 (Except for January 19, Martin Luther King
Day). Program Time: 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (Time for lunch included.)
SUMMER PROGRAM DATES: Select dates in June and July. Call for more information.
Program Time: Two sessions; 9:00 - 12:00/1:00 - 4:00.
PROGRAM FEE: Free to "At-Risk" school groups.
LUNCH: Free to "At-Risk" school groups.
TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE: $1 per student.
APPROPRIATE GRADE RANGE: 4th - 8th grades.
TO REGISTER: Call 205-665-3535 or 1-877-811-1776.
The Village inspires
students to take the
Citizenship Challenge.
With encounters from
people of the past, this
program encourages
children to see that
they have worth, that
they count, and that
they can do what they
set their minds to do.
Participants learn character
and civic education in following the lead of the historical characters they encounter
and, thus, discover that they can make a difference in the world.
This program was supported by Award No. 2006-JL-FX-0179 awarded by the Office of Juvenile
Justice & Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs.
AMERICAN VILLAGE YOUTH PROGRAMS
18th Century Alive!
Junior Interpreter Program
Only 25 students in middle and high school (grades 6 through 12) are chosen
each year for this program available to students interested in fine arts performance
and history. During the summer, the Village is host to thousands of visitors.
Junior interpreters assist our professional educational interpreters to help
immerse visitors in customs and times of the 18th Century by participating in
puppet shows, colonial games, and various historical vignettes.
Program Dates: Training is set by the Coordinator and is usually the last
of May and the first week or two in June, for which attendance is mandatory.
Participants must commit to a minimum of two days per week over
the summer.
Fee: No fee; purchase of 18th Century costume required.
American Village Liberty Bells
The American Village Liberty Bells is a service organization whose purpose
is to give Shelby County high school junior girls experience in assuming civic
responsibilities. The Liberty Bells will serve through their Junior year as
hostesses and guides at several American Village functions. Through their
volunteer efforts they will gain knowledge about the community as well as
the rewards of voluntarism. A limited number of girls from each public and
private Shelby County high school will be honored by being chosen for this
select organization.
Fee: $200 presentation fee plus purchase of 18th Century costume required.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
TEACHER CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS
American Village is committed to partnering with schools and school systems to
design professional development programs in history and social studies, tailored
to individual needs and requirements. For instance American Village partners
with Jefferson County Schools, Alabama, to provide professional development
for their teachers as part of a Teaching American History grant, sponsored by the
United States Department of Education. An intensive two-day program has
been developed to teach experiential learning, primary sources in the classroom,
methodology, and more. Village staff members have created curriculum
and other educational materials to accompany this conference.
Program opportunities include:
- Summer Teacher Workshops
on several topics.
- Customized Professional Development
Workshops.
- Partnering with school systems
on a U.S. Department of Education
Teaching American History
grant.
Contact Rebecca Beaty, Director of School Services and Educational Curriculum
(rbeaty@americanvillage.org or 205-665-3535, ext. 23) to partner
with your school or school system for a grant or to explore professional
development opportunities.
THE AMERICAN VILLAGE'S REPORT CARD
American Village's educational programs seek to overcome what national leaders
call "large and disturbing gaps" in student knowledge of history and civics.
A major educational
assessment conducted in
collaboration with the
University of Montevallo
College of Education
found American
Village's school program
to be a winner. This
evaluation examined the
educational effectiveness
of the program,
using pre-and post-tests,
including written narratives.
Students from rural, suburban, and urban systems were part of the study. The
report cited "highly significant gains on post-test scores." (The summary noted the
probability of these gains being due to chance range from less than 1 in 100 to less
than 1 in 10,000.)
TIPS FOR YOUR TRIP
Wear appropriate clothing for the weather; some vignettes are outside, rain or shine.
FOR RAIN: Ponchos are preferred over umbrellas for movement.
FOR COLD DAYS: Please don’t forget the jackets or coats!
FOR SUNNY DAYS: Wear plenty of sunscreen.
ALL DAYS: Wear comfortable shoes; you will be walking much of your visit.
HELP PRESERVE THE VILLAGE: We ask that you do not eat, drink, smoke, or
chew gum inside the buildings; place trash in wooden barrels. Picnic tables may be used
at any time for your eating enjoyment.
NECESSARIES OR REST ROOMS: These are located in small buildings on either
end of Constitution Green, beside the Courthouse and behind Washington Hall.
STILL PHOTOGRAPHS ONLY, PLEASE: Once our vignettes begin, we ask that
absolutely no videotaping or audio recording take place. Electronic devices (radios,
Walkmans, iPods, etc.) are not allowed at American Village. Please turn off pagers and
cell phones. You are welcome to take still photos at any time.
How To Request a Tentative School Reservation:
» Register online here.
How To Confirm Your Reservation: Phone reservations will be released after 30
days if not made tentative by receipt of a school group reservation request form. Upon
scheduling of your tentative reservation, you will be mailed a Confirmation Invoice.
Your reservation will then be confirmed upon our receipt of a $1.00 non-refundable
deposit for each paying attendee. To accurately fill our daily enrollment capacity, it is
important that you make your reservation numbers as exact as possible. Reservations
that are not confirmed with a deposit 45 days prior to the scheduled date may be
released for use by other school groups.
Note: American Village hopes that your educational experience will be both enjoyable
and informative. To assure a safe and pleasant learning environment, we
require at least two teachers or adults to accompany each class group and to be
responsible for the orderly conduct of the members of that group.
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