7–8:00 a.m. Breakfast

8:10 a.m. Travel to Classroom Location

8:30–9:30 a.m. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments Examine the Emancipation Proclamation and determine why it was insufficient to end slavery. It continued the process of freedom and equality for all but did not “solve” the problem. The Emancipation Proclamation opened the door for later legislative and executive action.

9:30–10:30 a.m. Meet a Person of the Past: Jenny Joseph Meet Jenny, an enslaved woman freed by the Thirteenth Amendment. Discuss with her the hardships of life in the post-emancipation South during Reconstruction.

10:30–10:50 a.m. Break and Reflection Time

10:50 a.m. Donor Recognition

11–11:35 a.m. Teacher Collaboration Time You know your students best! Work with other teachers to identify ways to use the Institute materials, content, and strategies in your classroom.

11:35 a.m. Graduation

​12:00 p.m. Departure

​Peter H. Reynolds, creativity advocate and best-selling author and illustrator, and co-founder of FableVision Learning, has created a new animated short called The Testing Camera — a whimsical poke at high-stakes, standardized testing and a reminder that real assessment is as easy, and — at the same time — as challenging as getting to really know the gifts and talents of every child.

“We’ve gone through a very test-centric decade which, in my opinion, has consumed a lot of time, energy, and resources,” Reynolds shares. “Many teachers have had to adhere to new mandates and measures that require a ‘teach to the test’ approach. Public schools redirected funding for art, music, theater, libraries, field trips, and more. It’s a discouraging picture for those trying to reach all children in creative, engaging ways.”

Reynolds, who is known for his books encouraging creativity, The Dot, Ish, Sky Color and The North Star among many others, penned this whimsical and poignant story about a young girl named Daisy who, dismayed at her art class being canceled, nervously faces her turn with the “Testing Camera.” This huge apparatus snaps at her with a few blinding flashes of light. Weeks later, her father’s reaction to the test results surprises Daisy in a most wonderful way.

“This is my gift to educators to remind them to follow their instincts and remember why they got into teaching in the first place: to see the potential in every child, to nurture those emerging gifts and talents, and to change lives,” Reynolds shared.

The film was produced by FableVision, the transmedia studio in Boston founded by Peter and his twin brother, Paul Reynolds, author of Going Places and the Sydney & Simon series. The Testing Camera was directed by John Lechner with music by Tony Lechner, and animated by a team of young animators interning at FableVision for the summer. Broadway actor Chester Gregory lends his voice to the project.

It's easy to forget that there is more than a Revolution at Williamsburg, but after all, there has been some 250 years of history since then.  As the week winds down, the materials being presented do not slow down.  On this day, if this schedule remains accurate, we'll be focused, at least partially, on the American Civil War. Also scheduled on this day is an immersive experience where the events unfold around us.  That and many other applications will be especially useful if they can be recreated in a classroom or for another educational experience.

​7–8:00 a.m. Breakfast

8:00 a.m. Bus to Classroom Location

8:15–9:00 a.m. Resilience, Agency, and Resistance As the new nation grew and evolved, so did the institution of slavery. Discover how the changing economy and shifting political movements of the early nineteenth century caused massive changes to the slave labor system of the south, and how enslaved people persisted, resisted, and self-liberated.

9:00 a.m. Break and Travel

9:15–10:30 a.m. Meet a Person of the Past: Nat Turner “Something was about to happen that would terminate in fulfilling the great promise that had been made to me.” Learn from Nat Turner about his great promise.

10:30–11:00 a.m. Reflection and Master Teacher Session Your Master Teacher shares strategies for bringing history to life in the classroom using the experiences and materials gained from participating in the Teacher Institute.

11–11:45 a.m. The Civil War Through Primary Sources Chart major events of the Civil War and their connection to Williamsburg and Virginia through primary documents, images, and objects.

12:00 p.m. Resolved: An American Experiment A thought-provoking and playful museum theater experience unfolds around you as our troupe of diverse actors explore the events of the 5th Virginia Convention. Become a part of the story as a Member of Parliament, a Burgess, or maybe even Patrick Henry. Relive and examine the moment Virginia said yes to American Independence.

12:45–3:30 p.m. Lunch and Exploration Time

3:45–4:00 p.m. Reflection and Journaling Time

4–4:40 p.m. Teaching Controversial Issues An accurate depiction of our nation’s history requires including many sensitive issues, such as slavery, cultural conflict, and women’s roles, as part of the story. Colonial Williamsburg interpreters and staff are confronted with the challenge of addressing these subjects in an informative, non-confrontational, and sensitive manner. Share ideas with some of these individuals, learn about their techniques, and discuss how to transfer these lessons to the classroom.

4:40–4:50 p.m. Break

4:50–5:45 p.m. Application Session and Teacher Collaboration

​6:00 p.m. Dinner on Own