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Clermont’s School Programs

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“Days of the Steamboat” School Program:

The “Days of the Steamboat” school program is a combined unit of field trip and pre- and post-visit activities targeting fourth graders, though it is also suitable for children in grades three through five at the discretion of the teacher.  It was planned in conjunction with Clermont’s 2007 Steamboat Bicentennial Program.  The goal of the “Days of the Steamboat” program is to educate children about the process of creating the first practical steamboat and its importance to the young American nation. More details.

Fourth Grade Program:

A Day in the Life of the Livingston Family is designed to help students discover changes in social, economic and political life by using three time periods (1765, 1830 and 1918) in the history of one famous Hudson Valley family as a model. This program can be adapted for third – sixth grade use and includes a narrated three-part slide show, support materials, and scripts for a three act play. A museum outreach teacher, with costumes and props, leads students in their performance of the play they learn prior to this visit. Students and their teachers then visit the historic site to reinforce and add dimension to the story. Often, teacher led activities, which are encouraged and suggested by historic site staff, take place on the grounds as a follow-up activity.

Seventh & Eighth Grade Program:

The Livingstons: Colonists to Statesmen, 1674-1813. A three part narrated slide program that serves as an introduction to the site visit.

See Also: In Progress

All grades:

Clermont: A Colonial Revival Home and Landscape.
Designed as a multi-faceted educational tool to demonstrate the love of the colonial revival style in the early 20th century and the restoration of this time period at Clermont State Historic Site. Especially suited for large groups, students stop at four different stations including the historic house, the restored historic gardens, a craft activity station, and either a hike or a landscape art lesson. Lunch is rotated in as a station, as well.

Elementary School Grades:

Christmas Past: Holiday Traditions in the Hudson Valley
Students learn how different generations of Livingstons of Clermont lived through first person interpretation, a guided house tour, and a craft activity. Available in December.

All Grades:

Winter in the Hudson Valley, Livingston Style
Through documents written by the Livingstons of Clermont and their photographs, students learn about life in the Hudson Valley’s cold and snow before snow plows, electricity, and micro-fleece. Due to the multitude of documents and hands on nature of the program, this offering is easily adapted to all ages. This program involves an outreach visit to the classroom, a tour of the decorated Livingston mansion, and a follow up activity. Available in mid - November and December. Teachers may also take advantage of this program during January, February, and March without Christmas decorations.

In Progress

Columbia County History Kit for 7th & 8th grade
Five museums and historic sites of Columbia County work as a team to produce an educational history kit with a web based component grounded in the NYS Standards. This inter disciplinary program will be available in fall 2005.

Full Steam Ahead: Technology and Discovery in the 19th Century
The partnership of Robert Livingston and Robert Fulton led to the first practical steamboat in the world in 1807. As the steamboat became a reality, it brought all sorts of technological possibilities and the Industrial Revolution to America This program combines hands on activities, a crazy inventors experiment, a tour of the mansion highlighting technology, and original documents from the 19th century. Any combination of outreach, pre-visit materials, post-visit activities and suggestions for future study will be made available. This program will first be offered in 2006. A special exhibition on the Livingston/Fulton Steamboat, complete with an activity station, will be on display at Clermont in 2007.

Teacher Input
Clermont’s staff is always open to discussions with teachers in order to customize and develop programming that meets the needs of their students and can be easily used with the mandated curriculum.

The Clermont education staff is currently seeking teachers interested in working on an advisory committee to develop the Full Steam Ahead (Working Title) program and the Winter in the Hudson Valley program. Contact Kjirsten Gustavson for additional information. (518) 537-4240.

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Reservations for school group tours are accepted year-round on a daily basis between 9am and 4pm. In addition to the traditional school-class group, after school clubs, home school groups, artist in residency programs and teacher workshop groups are encouraged to visit Clermont.

Admission is just $1 per student. One teacher and one chaperone* per class is admitted free of charge. Clermont requires two adults per class as we need to divide a class to tour the historic mansion. Additional chaperones pay the group tour rate which is $4 per adult. An outreach program to your classroom is currently $20.00 per class.

* We at Clermont feel chaperones are an important part of school visits to the site and they are responsible for their group of students. A list of museum manners chaperones should be aware of is available by calling the telephone number listed above or through e-mail.

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