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Join Education staff and K-12 teachers from across the DMV to explore the many connections between STEAM and the history of George Washington’s Mount Vernon through historical interpretations of the 18th century practices involved in surveying. 

Teachers who register must be planning to teach in a formal K-12 school environment in the greater Washington D.C. area for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year.

REGISTER

Program Date & Time

Cost

Free

Location

Historic Area

Integrate History & Steam Concepts

Join William Balderson, living history interpreter, in a hands on workshop examining early American exploration through the use of primary sources and reproduction 18th century surveying tools. During the workshop, we will also take a closer look at the Mount Vernon's Estate and discuss the STEAM-work that went into development of the landscape at Mount Vernon. 

Gain confidence in integrating history and STEAM concepts in an interdisciplinary context to support student learning while building a network of local peers. Attend with a teaching partner or collaborative team to design learning experiences to take back to your classroom, department, grade level, and/or school.

Registration Details

  • Teachers must be planning to teacher in a K-12 formal school setting in the greater Washington, D.C. area for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year. 
  • Priority will be given to teachers and/or coordinators working in Title 1 schools.
  • We highly recommend attending with a teaching partner or collaborative team.
  • Each workshop is limited to 40 teachers.
  • A waitlist will be made available after registration meets full capacity.

Questions? Please contact gwti@mountvernon.org.

William Balderson

Willie Balderson is the Director of Living History and Historic Trades for the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation and is responsible for the development and co-ordination of the public programming on the 22.5 acres of Jamestown Island owned by Preservation Virginia. Prior to this, he worked for Colonial Williamsburg for 19 years. In his last position there he had oversight over all programming for “Historic Area.” 

A native of Virginia’s Northern Neck, his interest in “living history began with a summer job in 1976 at the National Park Service’s Richmond National Battlefield Park, and later became a full-time profession in 1986 as a co-founder of Living History Associates, a living history resource company.  For the past forty-eight years he has researched and brought to life numerous historical personas. His keen interest in early American exploration, surveying and settlement has resulted in the development of numerous fascinating and historically relevant characters such as Robert Lucas, the surveyor of York County, Virginia in 1774.

 

Sample Schedule

Workshop made possible through the generous support of Battelle