Inquiry at Fort Ticonderoga: Helping Students Develop Historical Thinking Skills
Across the United States, Social Studies educators are picking up a new tool for use in their classroom. A new set of standards published in 2013 is the C3 Framework for Social Studies. This Framework creation was coordinated by the National Council for Social Studies and over 3,000 teachers and educators provided input. The main goal […]
Fall Rose Care
By Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulturalist in Residence Do you have some roses that you would like to have survive the upcoming winter, if at all possible, and particularly if new plantings? Or, are you one of those who had roses going into last winter, only to have many die while those of your neighbor lived? […]
Museum Education, going beyond Common Core
For the last five years since their introduction, the discussion surrounding the Common Core State Standards has dominated the field of education. Much of the discussion about the Common Core in the news and around our dinner tables neglects the fact that the Common Core State Standards primarily cover English Language Arts and Math. While […]
The Lifecycle of an Exhibit, Part I: De-Installation
There is a certain magic about walking into a new exhibit. A sense of mystery, surprise, and discovery greet you as you turn each corner. Thousands of visitors come to the Fort Ticonderoga’s museum exhibits each year, and many are impressed when they see a space completely redesigned and reinterpreted in the short months between […]
British and Brunswick Fatigue Work at Ticonderoga in 1777
At the onset of the 1777 campaign, General John Burgoyne put a heavy reliance on the artillery and engineers of the army. These two factions employed parties of men to expedite the works such as, building and repairing fortifications and roads. During a formal siege fatigue work is most important, as it facilitates the artillery’s […]
Fort Ticonderoga Announces Shuttle Service for 2016 Season
(Ticonderoga, NY) Fort Ticonderoga announced that it will offer free shuttle service from the Ticonderoga Train Station to Fort Ticonderoga and Ticonderoga Best Western Plus Inn and Suites. Guests arriving aboard the AMTRAK Adirondack Line in July and August will be able to enjoy round trip shuttle service. Advance registration is required. For more […]
Fort Ticonderoga Welcomes Graduate Fellows
(Ticonderoga, NY) Four graduate students arrived at Fort Ticonderoga in mid-June to begin two-month internships as part of the Edward W. Pell Graduate Fellowship program. The fellowships run through August 12th and include internships in Education, Exhibitions, Horticulture, and Interpretation. “These fellowships for graduate students in museum studies, museum education, public history, history, public horticulture, […]
“Hands-on Minds-on!” Grants Support Fort Ticonderoga School Outreach
Thanks to generous support from several foundations, Fort Ticonderoga served over 800 students throughout the Adirondacks and in western Vermont during the current school year. The “Soldier’s Life at Fort Ticonderoga” program made up the majority of the programs. This program provides students with a tangible, hands-on, minds-on experience of history,” said Judy Contompasis, School […]
Developing Important Skills for the Next Generation
So, what does developing skills in history have to do with advancing the United States in the global economy? How does history hold its own in a world focused on science, technology, engineering, and math? Turns out, the skills cultivated through the study of history prove to be integral to developing the types of skills […]
My Clothes are Hand Stitched, But No One Will Talk to Me
3 Tips for Getting Conversation with Visitors Going For re-enactors, living historians, and the like, a lot of work goes into the details of bringing history to life for visitors you hope to inspire or educate. Maybe you’ve stayed up all night finishing off that new broadcloth coat or worsted gown. Maybe you’ve driven ten […]