Student Programs
Various Experiences
A heritage student experience could take the form of almost anything you could want: culture festivals, guest educators, field trips, research projects, and more
Works with Your Timeline
World heritage student programs could be exciting one-day events, or long-term, ongoing learning experiences.
Made to Fit
Our Resource Center has a vast catalog of educators and performers, field trips, classroom materials, media content, programs, and more.
Check out the sample events below or contact Global Philadelphia
to get ideas for your own event!
Single Day In-School Program
The 2nd Annual Philadelphia World Heritage Day celebration took place on May 25, 2017 at Tilden Middle School, a historically-designated public school with a diverse student body in Southwest Philadelphia. The school held an “International Open House,” in which students presented on their distinct cultural traditions and foods, and the celebration featured student performances and a video depicting international students reflecting on what they love about Philadelphia, followed by a Q&A with Mayor Jim Kenney and the students. Mayor Kenney and GPA Executive Director Zabeth Teelucksingh gave remarks, and Executive Director of the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of the Arts & Academic Enrichment Frank Machos and Philadelphia International Airport CEO Chellie Cameron announced the 61st Annual City-Wide Student Art Exhibition, “Celebrating World Cultures.”
Multi-Day In-School and Field Trip Program
During May 2016, in coordination with Global Philadelphia and other partners, teachers, staff, and students at Andrew Jackson Elementary School participated in a 3-day set of programs that involved professional development and student experiences covering world heritage education about underrepresented global regions augmented by museum field trips and in-school musical and dance performances.
In addition to GPA, staff from the University of Pennsylvania’s Museum, South Asia and Middle East Centers, and Philadelphia’s Department of Commerce conducted portions of each day’s events. The teachers’ professional development included training and direct implementation of lesson plans from the Philadelphia World Heritage Tool Kit. In addition to being exposed to the lesson plans in their classrooms, student activities focused on talking about heritage, visiting international exhibits at the Franklin Institute, Penn Museum and Philadelphia Museum of Art, and watching music and dance representing East Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Philadelphia’s jazz heritage at school.
Multi-Week After School Program
During January and February 2017, Global Philadelphia and staff at Norris Square Community Alliance’s Intensive Preventative Services Unit created a 5-week set of after-school, highly experiential and participatory programs for youth aged 10-18 covering several global regions which utilized Philadelphia-area presenters to develop world heritage knowledge.
Over 5 weeks (2 sessions per week, 2 hours per session), presenters engaged students in discovering South Asia through film and movement; the Middle East through mapping neighborhoods and regions, and experiencing food; hearing a Penn Museum staff person give an orientation to the Penn Museum, and going to the Penn Museum to see the ancient Egypt galleries; Africa through storytelling and drumming; Latin America through Brazilian martial arts and dance; and the Caribbean area through mural arts. The School District of Philadelphia’s Intensive Preventative Services unit paid $4,000 for this program. Staff divided students into middle and high school-aged groups for the presentations.
Teacher Programs
Professional Development
Our World Heritage workshops and presentations are typically free and offer ACT 48 credits. They feature the resources and programs available through Global Philadelphia and our partner organizations.
Travel Abroad
Global Philadelphia promotes study abroad opportunities for teachers to World Heritage sites and cities. See below for an example from the Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO).
Check out the sample events below or contact Global Philadelphia
to get ideas for your own event!
Professional Development Workshop
On September 16, 2017, the Penn Museum and Global Philadelphia conducted an interactive workshop to introduce educators to the Philadelphia World Heritage City Project, to the heritage education resources available at the Penn Museum and elsewhere in Philadelphia, and to the recent first international Philadelphia World Heritage Education trip. Participants worked in small groups to examine new global curricula across grade levels and disciplines, discovered object-based learning techniques using Penn Museum galleries, and heard Philadelphia teachers discuss how they implemented their visits to Indian and Nepalese World Heritage sites and cities into classroom action plans.
The workshop was three hours long and involved the participation of 25 teachers. Activities included an overview of the Philadelphia World Heritage City Project, Penn Museum and Heritage Education Resources, a presentation by teachers who traveled to India and Nepal, and breakout sessions for visiting the Museum’s Syria Gallery and discussion of curricular resources. Handouts included materials from the Penn Museum website.
Study Abroad
In 2017, a group of 15 Philadelphia teachers participated in a travel abroad program for K-12 teachers called “World Heritage Sites and Cities: Teacher Training in India and Nepal” organized by the South Asia Center at the University of Pennsylvania and the Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO).
The 18-day trip included visits to World Heritage cities like Agra and Amer in India and Kathmandu in Nepal, and World Heritage sites such as the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Jantar Mantar, Jama Masjid Mosque, Lumbini, and Chitwan National Park. The itinerary maximized learning through personal exploration, guided tours, and lectures on the subjects of history, culture, education, and the environment.
About Us
Global Philadelphia Association – A coalition of 200+ members. Become a partner and grow!
Contact Us
Global Philadelphia Association
100 N 18th St #530
Philadelphia, PA 19103
United States
(215) 563-2483