School Programs

A Home Away From Home — 1st grade

• 90 minute program
• Visit the kitchen and drawing room at Macculloch Hall
• Tour the restored garden
• Learn what Mr. Macculloch grew on his farm
• Make a decorated cardboard grandfather clock
• Hear about family traditions from Great Britain and the American holidays celebrated by the Macculloch family.

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.2.GeoHE.1, 6.1.2.GeoHE.2, 6.1.2.GeoHE.4, 6.1.2.GeoGI.1, 6.1.2.HistoryCC.1, 6.1.2.HistoryCC.3, 6.1.2.HistorySE.3

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Lessons from the Garden –2nd-3rd grade

• 2 hour program
• Visit the restored historic garden
• Discuss the plant cycle, including plant parts and their purposes
• Learn about repurposing and recycling in the 19th century
• Examine soil types while preparing soil for planting bean seeds to take home
• Learn about vermicomposting and handle earthworms to understand their purpose in creating rich soil
• Participate in a garden scavenger hunt
• Program runs rain or shine

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.2.GeoPP.1, 6.1.2.GeoHE.1, 6.1.2.GeoHE.2, 6.1.2.GeoGI.1, 6.1.2.EconET.2, 6.1.2.EconEM.3, 6.1.2.HistoryCC.3, 6.1.5.GeoPP.2, 6.1.5.EconET.3, 6.1.5.EconEM.5, 6.1.5.HistoryCC.9

Meet the Press: NY Civil War Weekly Newspapers–5th-11th grade

• 45-60 minute program
• Introductory PowerPoint about the role of illustrated newspapers in the 1850s.
• Students work on teams to design a front page for an 1862 newspaper selecting images and creating headlines to capture the interest of their audience.
• Learn more about the life of Thomas Nast (1840-1902) who Lincoln called his “best recruiting sergeant” for the Union.
• Students receive a complimentary ticket to visit Macculloch Hall.

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.5.GeoPP.1, 6.1.5.GeoSV.1, 6.1.5.EconGE.1, 6.1.5.HistoryCC.2, 6.1.5.HistoryUP.6, 6.1.5.HistorySE.2, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.b, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.c, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.g, 6.1.12.GeoSV.4.a, 6.1.12.HistoryCC.3.a, 6.1.12.EconNE.3.a

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Curbing the Copperheads: Nast and the 1864 Election–5th -11th  grade

• 45-60 minute program
• Introductory PowerPoint about the “firsts” of the 1864 Presidential election and what was at stake.
• Learn about the life of Thomas Nast (1840-1902) who is considered the “father of the American political cartoon”.
• Analyze the Nast cartoon “Compromise with the South” using document-based questions.
• Students work in pairs to identify the issues using Nast’s detailed images from “The Chicago Platform”.
• Students receive a complimentary ticket to visit Macculloch Hall.

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.5.CivicsPI.3, 6.1.5.CivicsPD.1, 6.1.5.CivicsPD.4, 6.1.5.CivicsDP.2, 6.1.5.CivicsCM.6, 6.1.5.HistoryCC.1, 6.1.5.HistoryUP.6, 6.1.8.CivicsPI.3.c, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.c, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.e, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.g, 6.1.12.Geo.PP.2.a, 6.1.12.HistoryUP.2.b, 6.1.12.HistoryUP.2.c, 6.1.12.CivicsDP.3.c, 6.1.12.EconNE.4.a, 6.1.12.HistoryCC.4.a

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Portraying Post-War Presidents:  Johnson and Grant–5th– 11th  grade

• 45-60 minute program
• Introductory PowerPoint covering the life and work of political cartoonist, Thomas Nast (1840-1902).
• Using Nast’s images of Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant students compare how Nast presented these presidents in the media.
• Examine Nast’s political cartoons in small groups and answer document-based questions.
• Discuss the value of primary sources in studying American history.
• Students receive a complimentary ticket to visit Macculloch Hall.

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.5.CivicsPI.3, 6.1.5.CivicsPD.1, 6.1.5.CivicsPD.4, 6.1.5.CivicsCM.6, 6.1.5.HistoryUP.5, 6.1.8.CivicsPI.3.c, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.e, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.f, 6.1.12.CivicsDP.4.a, 6.1.12.HistoryCC.4.a

A Call to Arms–5th-11th grade

• 45-60 minute program
• Introductory PowerPoint about Lincoln’s Call to Arms and Lindley Miller’s (1834-1864) actions during the Civil War. This includes an examination of Thomas Nast’s painting “The Departure of the Seventh Regiment to the War”.
• Students use primary source “Witness to History” cards to discover differing viewpoints (Northerners, Southerners, and residents of Washington, D.C.) in the dawning days of the Civil War
• Students receive a complimentary ticket to visit Macculloch Hall.

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.5.HistoryCC.2, 6.1.5.HistoryUP.5, 6.1.5.HistoryUP.6, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.a, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.b, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.g, 6.1.12.CivicsPR.4.a, 6.1.12.HistoryUP.4.b

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Capturing the Slave Ship Erie–5th-11th  grade

• 45-60 minute program
• Introductory PowerPoint about the United States’ African Squadron and the patrol of the west coast of Africa.
• Learn about the events of August 8, 1860 when Henry Miller on board S.S. Mohican assisted in freeing nearly 900 would-be slaves in route to America.
• Examine primary sources to learn about the trial of the Erie’s Captain Nathaniel Gordon.
• Students receive a complimentary ticket to visit Macculloch Hall.

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.5.CivicsHR.3, 6.1.5.GeoPP.6, 6.1.5.GeoSV.1, 6.1.5.GeoSV.2, 6.1.5.GeoGI.1, 6.1.5.HistoryCC.7, 6.1.5.HistoryUP.6, 6.1.8.CivicsHR.3.b, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.4.b, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.4.a, 6.1.12.HistoryUP.3.b, 6.1.12.CivicsPR.4.a

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The Blockade Begins–5th-11th grade

• 45-60 minute program
• Introductory PowerPoint covering the Anaconda Plan and the steps taken to begin the blockade of Southern ports.
• Learn about Henry Miller (1836-1904) and his role in the Battle of Port Royal in November 1861.
• Students discuss the balance between the military’s safety and the newspapers’ job of reporting the news. In October and November 1861, as ships were gathered before the battle, there was an emphasis was on secrecy.
• Students receive a complimentary ticket to visit Macculloch Hall.

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.5.GeoSV.1, 6.1.5.GeoSV.2, 6.1.5.EconEM.5, 6.1.5.HistoryCC.2, 6.1.5.HistoryUP.6, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.a, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.b, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.c, 6.1.8.HistoryCC.5.d, 6.1.12.GeoSV.4.a, 6.1.12.EconET.4.a

Meeting Mr. Macculloch–2nd– 4th grade

• 45-60 minute program
• Introductory PowerPoint about the Macculloch family, Macculloch Hall and the use of primary sources
• Discuss the contents of a letter Mr. Macculloch wrote to his son and what we can learn about life in New Jersey in the early 1800s.
• Try using a dipping pen and washable ink to copy a letter written by Mr. Macculloch.
• Examine objects from the 1800s.
• Students receive a complimentary ticket to visit Macculloch Hall with their family.

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.2.CivicsCM.1, 6.1.2.GeoHE.1, 6.1.2.GeoHE.2, 6.1.2.HistoryCC.2, 6.1.2.HistoryCC.3, 6.1.5.CivicsCM.5, 6.1.5.GeoPP.2, 6.1.5,GeoHE.2, 6.1.5.HistoryCC.9, 6.1.5.HistoryUP.6

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Building the Morris Canal–4th– 5th grade

• 45-60 minute program
• Introductory PowerPoint about George Macculloch, the “father of the Morris Canal” and why New Jersey needed a canal
• Discuss how primary sources can provide information
• Use 19th century photos to learn about the Morris Canal and what life was like living on the canal
• Build a floor map-model that follows the route of the Morris Canal
• Examine objects from the 1800s
• Students receive a complimentary ticket to visit Macculloch Hall with their family.

Meets the following New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

6.1.5.CivicsCM.1, 6.1.5.CivicsCM.3, 6.1.5.CivicsCM.5, 6.1.5.GeoPP.2, 6.1.5.GeoSV.2, 6.1.5.GeoHE.2, 6.1.5.GeoGI.2, 6.1.5.EconET.1, 6.1.5.EconEM.4, 6.1.5.EconNM.3, 6.1.5.EconNM.4, 6.1.5.HistoryCC.1, 6.1.5.HistoryCC.9