After-School and Collaborative Programs
Teen Thursdays
NYCDOE and Chancellor Farina have implemented Teen Thursdays, a new after school initiative that engages students in grades 7 and 8 from across New York City in a series of rich experimental learning opportunities available through cultural intuitions. BHS is partnering with local middle schools to provide a six week program at the Castle on Thursday afternoons in the fall and spring semesters. The sessions align with skills students are developing in the classroom and will utilize experimental approaches to teach American History through the study of art and artifacts. Teachers and school administrators are encourage to contact BHS if they are interested in a Teen Thursdays partnership.
Recommended Grades: 7 to 8Cultural After School Adventures (CASA) program
BHS’s CASA program is designed for middle school students and focuses on the history and development of Northeast Queens, from the Civil War through the Edwardian era. Fort Totten, a Civil War era fortification where BHS makes its home, serves as a backdrop for this culturally rich, place-based educational experience. Through guest speakers and site visits, including a Civil War soldier reenactment, students have an opportunity to immerse themselves in an in-depth look at life in Queens during the 19th century. Topics in this three-month long program include agriculture, food gathering, production, and preparation, Victorian fashions, pastimes, and traditional social roles. A visit to the NYC designated landmark Lawrence Cemetery also provides a glimpse into Victorian funerary traditions and superstitions as well as prompting discussion of historic preservation issues and concerns. The topic of genealogy and the construction of kinship charts, together with a hands-on workshop using professional archival material with the students’ own mementos encourage them to link the past with the present, so that they see themselves as an integral part of the community in which they live.
This program is funded by grants from New York City Council Members. Teachers and school administrators are encouraged to contact BHS during the summer months if they are interested in a CASA partnership.
Recommended Grades: 7 - 8