The Henry Ford Receives NEH Grant for Second Year of American History Teacher Workshop

DEARBORN, Mich.--Feb. 9, 2006--The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan has received a second National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks of American History Teacher Workshop grant, it was announced by the NEH. The Henry Ford's program, America's Industrial Revolution, drew 80 teachers from 30 states in 2005 and is expected to be equally popular in 2006.

"We were thrilled with the teacher response we received last year from our workshop and so we are delighted to receive support from NEH again this year," said William Pretzer, project manager of the workshop and curator of The Henry Ford. "We're looking for teachers who want to work with curators and scholars to develop exciting ways to use local museums and historic sites to improve student learning. These educational opportunities exist in every part of the country and The Henry Ford provides an excellent learning laboratory. The goal is to help teachers engage students more actively and authentically in examining America's Industrial Revolution."

The week-long workshop will be offered June 25-30 and July 16-21, 2006, at The Henry Ford. Classroom teachers from around the nation will receive stipends and travel funds to gather together with leading humanities scholars, innovative master teachers and museum staff to develop powerful lesson plans relating to industrialization.

Participants will attend lectures with visiting scholars and then, with museum curators, visit many of the 80 historic sites interpreted in Greenfield Village, including Thomas Edison's Menlo Park Laboratory, Hermitage Plantation Slave Quarters, 1880s Firestone Farm, a working railroad roundhouse, and a 19th century printing office. Each teacher will develop his or her own lesson plans using local resources.

The Landmarks of American History Teacher Workshops are a major part of the NEH We the People program aimed at improving public understanding of significant themes and events in American history. Workshops offered by NEH provide K-12 educators with the opportunity to engage in intensive study and discussion of important topics and issues in American history, while providing them with "hands on" experiences to develop enhanced teaching materials for their classrooms. The programs are designed for classroom teachers in public, private, parochial, and charter schools, as well as home schooling parents.

For more information, email industrialrevolution@thehenryford.org or visit http://www.thehenryford.org/historyfieldtrips/nehworkshop/default.asp. All applications must be postmarked by March 15, 2006.

The Henry Ford, located in Dearborn, Michigan was founded in 1929 by automotive pioneer Henry Ford. This history destination includes Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre, The Benson Ford Research Center and The Ford Rouge Factory Tour. The Henry Ford, America's Greatest History Attraction, is the history destination that brings the American Experience to life. For more information please visit our website www.thehenryford.org.