STODDERT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL & TUDOR PLACE HISTORIC HOUSE AND GARDEN COLLABORATE TO PRESENT CIVIL WAR STORIES
Press Contact:
Heather Bartlow, hbartlow@tudorplace.org
202.965.0400 ext. 104
Website: www.tudorplace.org
Tudor Place Historic House and Garden
1644 31st Street NW
Washington, DC 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2009
Washington, D.C. – May 4, 2009 — Stoddert Elementary School’s 5th grade class, in partnership with Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, will be performing Civil War Stories a series of Civil War themed plays written by the students and performed on the historic grounds of Tudor Place on Thursday, May 21 at 6:00 p.m. (Rain date: Wednesday, May 27)
Civil War Stories is the culmination of an innovative year-long school program entitled Hand in Hand: History, Writing, Math and Science at Tudor Place. Stoddert students participated in eight field trips and in-class presentations by museum educators or performing artists to gain a better understanding of Washington DC’s unique local history. The program concludes with student performances of Civil War Stories against the historic backdrop of Tudor Place’s Temple Portico on May 21.
Throughout the year, students took part in several activities to actually experience the life of in the 1860’s including dressing in period clothing, learning proper etiquette and manners, singing songs from the period and learning traditional dances. Students also became history detectives as they investigated artifacts, documents, paintings, and photographs to learn about the Civil War and its impact on the city of Washington. Students then used their newly acquired knowledge from primary sources in a series of play-writing workshops led by the Education Staff at Tudor Place, to develop short plays based on historical fact. “The writing process has been fantastic!” says Stoddert teacher Steve Dingledine.
The Hand in Hand program was piloted in September 2008 and was designed to build a close working relationship with Tudor Place and Stoddert Elementary School to enable students to utilize the wide variety of historic and natural resources available at Tudor Place.
