PBS Hosts "Field Trips" to Colonial America

  • 01/01/97

PBS plans to host two Electronic Field Trips in Spring 1997 that explore life in colonial America. The "trips" combine live telecasts with online forums before, during and after the event. Students are linked via fax to experts in the field, and must perform activities that reinforce learning.

Scheduled for Feb. 28, "Of Kith and Kin" follows Paris, an 18th-century slave, who uses oral history and flashbacks to convey details of African-American family live. Paris discusses everything from a traditional "jumping the broom" wedding ceremony to the dilemma of married couples separated by their master.

Another field trip, "Backdraft: The Fire Engine in the Colonial Community" (March 20) focuses on the colonial fire engine as an emblem of communal cooperation. Historical interpreters will answer studentsí questions as they examine the trades that created the fire engine and the scientific principles that allowed Williamsburgís engine to be the most advanced for its time.

Schools enjoy recording rights for one full year from the date of the original broadcast. The spring events are part of the "American Democracy: Common Faces, Public Voices" series, produced by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. PBS Teacher Resource Service, Alexandria, VA, (703) 739-8118, www.pbs.org.

Featured

  • horizontal stack of U.S. dollar bills breaking in half

    ED Abruptly Cancels ESSER Funding Extensions

    The Department of Education has moved to close the door on COVID relief funding for schools, declaring that "extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion."

  • illustration of a human head with a glowing neural network in the brain, connected to tech icons on a cool blue-gray background

    Meta Introduces Stand-Alone AI App

    Meta Platforms has launched a stand-alone artificial intelligence app built on its proprietary Llama 4 model, intensifying the competitive race in generative AI alongside OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and xAI.

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • robot waving

    Copilot Updates Aim to Personalize AI

    Microsoft has introduced a range of updates to its Copilot platform, marking a new phase in its effort to deliver what it calls a "true AI companion" that adapts to individual users' needs, preferences and routines.