LESSON PLAN SUMMARY
Albany Institute & Schuyler Mansion Trips

Destination
Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site
Albany Institute of History & Art
County Albany
Subject Social Studies
Grade 7th Grade
Author Stephen Linehan, Albany City Schools, & Erika Sanger, Albany Institute of History & Art

Visits to two different sites familiarize students with the life and culture of those who lived in Albany at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th. Activities specific to each site are completed during the visit.

Teachers and museum educators are increasingly challenged in their efforts to engage middle school students in the study of Albany's past. Strategies that worked for prior generations falter when students saturated with rapid image feeds and technology centered learning.

When we can answer the question, "Is that the real one?" with "Yes," the level of engagement rapidly rises and learning begins. Learning from authentic objects in a museum setting can easily compete with reproductions, re-enactments, and digital recreations. This program engages students, promotes learning, and increases awareness of and visits to historic sites.