Walking Tour Preparation
To ensure that we have access to bus transportation, I plan all excursions at the start of the school year. In this regards, I schedule three 3 excursions in advance: the first to the New Haven Green and areas immediately surrounding the vicinity; the second, a trip to experience the interior of the Center Church, coupled with a walking tour to find culturally-specific images found within buildings, masonry, and ironwork structures, and last, a trip to New Haven Historical Society. For each excursion bring along paraphernalia with which students can record their findings; this is to include photographic equipment. (Note: Plan to have a picnic lunch on The Green. Have students bring bagged lunch, and tote an ample supply of garbage bags. [I too touch base with the nearby Elm Street Children's Library, notifying the managerial staff that we may drop by in the event of inclement weather and/or for lavatory usage.])
Before undertaking the first excursion, inform students that the initial trip will entail getting an up-close sense of the New Haven Green and surrounding areas during contemporary times. Although walking through the area during present-day times, notice that past moments in New Haven history are ever present. Traces of this reality will be evidenced as you stroll along major thoroughfares surrounding the area—along side streets, walkways, within and surrounding Yale University venues. Walking along throughout this downtown area also reveals "invisibly visible" clues reflective of diverse cultures. It takes a keen eye to identify them. Urge students to use audio-visual senses throughout the tour.
Comments: