An update from Director Paul R. Tetreault on anti-racist work and the 2020-2021 season at Ford’s Theatre.
Grades: 5+ | Length: 60 Minutes | $50 - $100
As Detective McDevitt’s deputies, students will revisit sites and reexamine clues from April 14, 1865. In this interactive, theatrical program, participants will interact with historical characters portrayed by an actor, examine primary source images and hear witness statements. Time is included for questions.. *Regular Price: $100 per session. Public School Teacher Price: $50 per session.*
GRADES: 3+ | LENGTH: 40 MINUTES | FREE
Ford’s Theatre Education and The National Mall and Memorial Parks explore President Abraham Lincoln’s Washington, D.C., through places that mattered to Lincoln during his lifetime and places where he matters to us today. This session is 40 minutes.
GRADES: 2+ | LENGTH: 30 MINUTES | FREE
Are you looking for a virtual tour focused on a specific part of the Ford’s Theatre story? Do your students have a specific question for us at Ford’s? You take the lead and ask Ford’s Education staff your questions about President Lincoln, the assassination, Ford’s Theatre and Civil War Washington history.
Ford’s Education takes you on a virtual tour of Ford’s Theatre and Civil War Washington. Learn about what Washington, D.C., was like for President Lincoln and some of the people he met and knew here. Explore his assassination at Ford’s Theatre, and consider President Lincoln’s legacy. In this interactive program, participants will look closely at historical and contemporary images including maps, photographs and illustrations. This session is 40-minutes plus time for Q&A. Recommended for grades 3 and up.
Ford’s Theatre and The National Mall and Memorial Parks explore what Washington, D.C. was like for President Lincoln and how the city has grown and changed over time. Examine places that mattered to Lincoln during his lifetime and places where he matters to us today, including the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Ford’s Theatre. In this interactive program, participants will look closely at historic and contemporary images of Washington D.C. including maps, photographs and illustrations. This session is 45 minutes. Recommended for grades 3 and up.
How did people around the United States feel after the death of President Abraham Lincoln? What did they say? Ford’s Education examines primary sources to reveal how individuals reacted to a time of uncertainty following Lincoln’s assassination. In this interactive program, participants will look closely at historic documents and engage multiple perspectives. Recommended for grades 5 and up.
The Petersen House is known as the place where President Lincoln died. But have you ever wondered about the people who lived there? Ford’s Education introduces you to the people who lived in the Petersen Boarding House and their neighbors. Learn how the house became a national historic site and museum. Explore primary sources and first person perspectives as we go inside the Petersen House. This session is 30-minutes plus time for Q&A. Recommended for grades 3 and up.
After President Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865, an angry public threatened to burn the building to the ground. But Ford’s Theatre still stands over 150 years later. Ford’s Education explores what happened to the building after the assassination, who occupied it, and how it came to be a working theatre once more. In this interactive program, participants will look at historic images of Ford’s Theatre and the Petersen House from the 1860s through today. Recommended for history lovers of all ages and students grades 5 and up. 40 minutes.
Assist Detective James McDevitt as he investigates the assassination of President Lincoln. For this special presentation of our popular Virtual Investigation, students will connect simultaneously with other students from around the country. 60-minutes. Recommended for grades 5 and up.
Join us live as we stream interviews with historians, artists and leaders. You can watch the events on our website, Facebook Live, YouTube or Twitter.
Q: Is a virtual field trip interactive?
A: Yes! We use a combination of historical and contemporary images and live, human interaction. We encourage participants to ask questions and respond to what they see.
Q: How long is the virtual field trip?
A: Our virtual field trips tend to last 45 to 60 minutes and always include time for questions. The Ford’s Theatre Q&A / Custom Connection and private sessions can be shorter or longer, depending on the request.
Q: For what ages is the virtual field trip appropriate?
A: We include a grade-level recommendation with each program description. Our regular, live events with open registration are recommended for grades 3 and up. Private sessions can be easily adapted and customized to suit different age groups. We are pleased to serve students in second grade all the way up through life-long learners in retirement communities.
Q: Do you do virtual field trips for groups that are not students or teachers or other non-education groups?
A: Yes! We are happy to serve history-lovers and private groups. Individuals are welcome to register for any of our open-registration events. Groups may request a private session. We do encourage private groups to make a $100 donation to Ford’s Theatre Society to support these distance learning and education programs.
Q: What platform do you use?
A: We are flexible. Our open registration events are hosted on Zoom. For private sessions, we are happy to host your virtual field trip on Zoom, or you can invite us into your virtual classroom in whatever platform you use (Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, etc.).
Q: Is there a maximum number of participants in a virtual field trip?
A: Our maximum capacity is 300 active participants.
Q: What does a Virtual Field Trip Cost?
A: Investigating the Lincoln Assassination is $100 per session. Our other virtual field trips are FREE for students, teachers, and seniors. Other groups that book a private session are encouraged to make a donation to Ford’s Theatre Society to support these distance learning and education programs.
Q: Is there a minimum number of participants for a virtual field trip?
A: Individuals and learning pods of fewer than eight people are encouraged to join us for one of our open-registration sessions. You can always email us with specific questions at education@fords.org
