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FORD’S THEATRE AND DISCOVERY EDUCATION PARTNER TO HONOR PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S LEGACY WITH LIVE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP

– Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of Lincoln’s Assassination, Exclusive Virtual Event Will Enrich Social Studies Instruction by Transporting Students Nationwide to Historic Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. –

February 26, 2015

Contact - Shawnee Cohn
Publicist
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SILVER SPRING, Md. [February 26, 2015] – Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, and Ford’s Theatrethe site of the April 14, 1865, assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, today announced they are partnering to host a live, interactive virtual field trip for students nationwide that will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. On March 26 at 1 P.M. ET, this unique learning experience will transport students to Ford’s Theatre as they explore the leadership and legacy of Abraham Lincoln, and learn about the President’s tragic assassination and how it has impacted American history. 

Hosted by Discovery Education’s Kyle Schutt, the virtual field trip will feature expert insight from two Ford’s Theatre teaching artists, Thembi Duncan and Stephen F. Schmidt. Students will learn directly from these experts about American history at the time of Lincoln’s assassination, the conspiracy surrounding the events and the lasting legacy of our 16th President. Participating classrooms will tour the working theatre and also get a behind-the-scenes look at The Petersen House, the house where Lincoln died which is now maintained as a historic house museum. This virtual event is being offered as part of the commemorative programming planned for Ford’s 150: Remembering the Lincoln Assassination, a series of events marking 150 years since the assassination of Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre. Classrooms across the country are invited to register and submit questions for experts from Ford’s Theatre to be answered LIVE during the virtual field trip by visiting http://www.discoveryeducation.com/Live/fordstheatre150.cfm.

“Rather than simply reading about Lincoln from the pages of a print textbook, this virtual field trip will serve as an invaluable instructional tool to bring history to life in my classroom and offer my students the opportunity to reflect on how the President forever changed our nation,” said Jessie Beth Miller, teacher at Doak Elementary in Tennessee’s Greene County Schools. “I’m looking forward to offering my students this memorable digital learning experience that will connect them with subject-matter experts and deepen their understanding of Lincoln’s legacy.”

To further support participating educators, Discovery Education and Ford’s Theatre are also offering a collection of classroom activities related to President Lincoln and his legacy, which educators can utilize to enhance the learning experience and help prepare students for the virtual field trip. In addition, teachers can access a set of interactive resources through the Ford’s Theatre website, www.fords.org, to help students explore the life, legacy and leadership values of Lincoln.

“We are thrilled to partner with Discovery Education to bring to life this historic site and the story it tells—one of the most important episodes in American history,” said Ford’s Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault. “With this virtual field trip, students around the country and around the world can access the experience had by our 650,000 annual visitors and connect with Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and legacy through digital resources.”

“It is an honor to support the incredible work of Ford’s Theatre in creating compelling, dynamic opportunities for students to explore historical artifacts and learn about the life, presidency and ideals of Abraham Lincoln,” said Bill Goodwyn, president and CEO at Discovery Education. “Through engaging and relevant learning experiences that are curriculum-aligned, this one-of-a-kind virtual field trip will enrich social studies instruction and help broaden students’ understanding of the President’s legacy in America."

 

About Discovery Education

Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content and professional development for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, assessment tools, and the largest professional learning community of its kind.  Available in over half of all U.S. schools and primary schools in England, community colleges and in 50 countries around the world, Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that accelerate academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

About Ford’s Theatre
One of the most visited sites in the nation’s capital, Ford’s Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford’s Theatre is the premier destination in the nation’s capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s ideals and leadership principles: courage, integrity, tolerance, equality and creative expression.

Ford’s Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford’s as a living, working theatre producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatregoing public have recognized Ford’s for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the nationally acclaimed Big River to the world premieres of Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Liberty Smith, Necessary Sacrifices and The Widow Lincoln, Ford’s Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. Under the leadership of Wayne R. Reynolds, Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus (Chairman 2007 to 2012), the mission of Ford’s Theatre Society expanded to include education as a central pillar. This expansion led to the creation and construction of the Center for Education and Leadership, which opened in February 2012. Currently, under the leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Eric A. Spiegel, Ford’s enters a second phase of strategic planning to ensure the organization’s place as a national destination for exploring Lincoln’s legacy and the American experience through the intersection of history, performance and education.

For more information on Ford’s Theatre and the Ford’s Theatre Society, please visit www.fords.org.