Education


GUIDED SCHOOL TOURS

We are currently taking reservations for both adult and children’s groups. Please call  212-304-9422 or email info@dyckmanfarmhouse.org for scheduling. Group visits are on Tuesday – Thursdays from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. You can also book through Explorable Places.

PLEASE be aware that because of the fragile nature of the farmhouse, we CANNOT accommodate school groups of more than 25 people.

In the meantime, the books below are also excellent resources.  We also have maps, images and household charts on our history pages.

 

RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS & STUDENTS

Visit our Resources Page for maps, floorplans, timelines and activities.

Suggested Picture Books:

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. A country house gets swallowed up by the city being built around it.

The Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall. The changing of the seasons on an early 19th-century farm.

Little Girl in a Red Dress with Cat and Dog by Cynthia Von Buhler. A 19th century girl gets her portrait painted.

John, Paul, George and Ben by Lane Smith. A hilarious look at our nation’s founders.

For older readers:

Chains by Lorie Halse Anderson. During the Revolutionary War 13 year old Isabel must fight for her freedom after she is sold into slavery.

 

TOURS AVAILABLE ON- SITE AND MODIFIED FOR IN SCHOOL INSTRUCTION

Farm to City: The Evolution of New York City
Through the story of the Dyckman family and farm, the museum explores life in rural Manhattan starting in the 17th century leading up to the early 20th century. Content will focus on the daily life of the Dutch settlers and slaves who once occupied the farmhouse. Students will establish a comprehensive understanding of family life and various roles associated with each member of the household. The tour will encourage students to discuss topics relative to economic exchange and colonial trade as well as the historical and current conservation efforts used to preserve the history of the Dyckman family and farmhouse.


Hessians and the Revolutionary War
This tour is designed to guide students through the history of colonialism and the American Revolution as experienced by the Dyckman family and the soldiers who occupied military huts, such as the one which has been reconstructed on the grounds. Students will discuss England as a colonial power and will examine major historical events that led up to the Revolutionary War. Exploring the military hut will reveal the history of the German mercenary soldiers who lived and fought in New York and daily life as a soldier during the American Revolution. Students will learn about the history of the original Dyckman farmhouse, which was destroyed during the war and the construction of the current farmhouse after the war ended.


Colonial and Revolutionary Medicine
Students will learn about 18th and 19th century medical theories and treatments, by making connections between domestic healthcare and early medical training through the lens of the farmhouse and the life of physician, scientist and former Health Commissioner of New York, Dr. Jacob Dyckman. This tour will also touch on illnesses brought to New York by colonists and their effects on Native Americans and slaves. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the enlightenment and scientific method while understanding the evolution of the medical profession and the roles of women within the field. The military hut will reveal the history of illness and injury during the revolutionary war soldiers and the medical treatments.


Native Americans in Upper Manhattan
This tour is designed for students to envision Upper Manhattan prior to it’s colonial history and to focus on the Native peoples within the region. By exploring the Dyckman farmhouse, students will learn about the history of the landscape and Native agricultural practices. Artifacts found on site will bring to light the differences between European and Native American tools and the history of trade and economic exchange along waterways and routes, which we still use today.