Day two in Washington, D.C. was equally exciting and fun!
Although it was a cloudy day, I was excited to get to go to the top of the Washington Monument. Notice the circle of flags around the base of the obelisk. How many flags do you think surround the monument? What is an obelisk?
Park Rangers monitor the government monuments. They help tourists and answer questions.
As you enter the base of the monument, there is a statue of our Founding Father.
Tourists wait in line for their turn in the elevator to the top.
Up at 500 feet, visitors exit the elevator and observe Washington, D.C. Here are the four views!
North
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South
East
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West
The World War II Memorial was spectacular from 500 feet!
The beautiful Potomac River was interesting to observe.
What do you notice in this photo?
The windows at the top face north, south, east, and west. The compass rose was the perfect decoration inside the elevator!
Next stop, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
No photography was allowed inside, but photos were permitted in the lobby.
Giant posters of bills were placed along the walls for viewing!
Color was introduced in 2004.
Click on the photos to enlarge.
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Click to enlarge.
Sheets of two dollar bills on display in the lobby. What is the value of this sheet?
What is the value of this sheet of fives?
How tall am I in stacks of hundreds?
What is that value?
Around noon, I stopped by National Geographic.
What is this strange animal behind me?
In the afternoon, I visited the National Archives. There I saw the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights! No pictures were allowed, but I did capture this great sculpture outside the building.
After the National Archives, I dashed over to the Museum of Natural History. There is an elephant in the lobby!
Upstair, a real gem of exhibit...the Hope Diamond!
In the evening, I was fortunate enough to get a tour of the White House. My former student, Ella, lined up this special tour!
Thank you Ella!
What are some questions you have for me about my day?
Which photos did you like the best?
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteI don't know how anyone could choose one favorite photo! There are so many spectacular ones! I remember seeing the Bureau of Engraving and Printing when I was ten. I couldn't believe money came in huge pallets.
I think my favorite photo is the one you couldn't take. That's the one where you were looking at our founding documents - the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Seeing them in person and knowing what our ancestors did to create our nation is something I will never forget.
What's next Mrs. Yollis?
From,
Mrs. Hembree
@ Mrs. Hembree,
DeleteI have now returned from the BAMMY Awards and am recovering! It was a whirlwind trip full of history and fun!
I still have two days worth of photos to post and will get to them soon! One of my favorite places was the Library of Congress. I know you will love it when you see it!
Thanks for commenting! :-)
Warmly,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteMy favorite photos that you took were the ones you took from the top of the Washington Monument. I liked how you took photos looking east, west, north and south. I liked south the best because I think I saw the Jefferson Memorial. Have fun tonight at the Bammy Awards! I hope you win, but you are already a winner in my eyes.
Your Student,
Nicholas
@ Nicholas,
DeleteThank you so much for your warm wishes!
It was quite a view from the Washington Monument. I liked the south view too, for the same reason as you. The Jefferson Memorial is a real beauty!
My favorite monument of all was the Lincoln Memorial. It was especially beautiful at night during the Moonlight Memorial tour.
Have you ever been to Washington, D.C.?
Your proud teacher,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing all of the pictures that you posted. I didn't know that the student that got you tours had the same name as me. I think that it is amazing you got to see the Constitution and the Hope Diamond. Hope you had a nice trip and I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back.
Your Student,
Ella
@ Ella,
DeleteYes, my former student shared your name! That Ella is now all grown up and living in San Fransisco. She was able to secure me a special tour of the White House and the Capitol! I felt very fortunate!
Have you ever visited Washington?
Your proud teacher,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteI found out the answers to your questions. On the sheet of twos, I counted by twos. The answer is $32. On the sheet of fives, I counted by fives, and the answer is $160. The mammal behind you is a dinosaur.
My favorite photo is the one of the Hope Diamond. It is my favorite because it is really shiny.
I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip.
Sincerely,
Sam
@ Sam,
DeleteYou are correct! What a math wiz you are! It was so interesting seeing them make all the bills. They were making five dollar bills the day I was there.
You are correct, that was a dinosaur behind me at National Geographic. However, do you know what kind of a dinosaur?
Your proud teacher,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteThese are great photos. My favorite photo is the one where you can see the World War II Memorial. My great-grandfather fought in World War II and before he died he got to fly on an airplane on a special trip to go see the memorial. It was very special to him to see it.
I had no idea that park rangers also work at monuments in Washington, D.C.
We weren't able to watch the link to the awards because my mom said it wasn't working and it was also my brother's birthday celebration last night. It is so cool that you were one of the top five qualifiers.
See you tomorrow,
Troy
@ Troy,
DeleteThanks for your great comment!
I was so glad to hear that your great-grandfather was able to see the WW II Memorial. There were many veterans all over Washington. Many of them were wearing special hats or t-shirts identifying themselves as veterans. People were thanking them for their service quite often. I bet that made them feel very good.
Yes, park rangers work all the monuments. They were there to take tickets, give tours, or just answer questions.
I felt very honored to be one of the national finalists. Your mom was correct, there was a problem with the wifi so it was not broadcast live.
Thanks for a great comment!
Warmly,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Hello Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing photos, I suspected you could travel to the top because I saw what looked like windows for viewing but this is the first time I have seen photos taken from the top. This would be a must see part of travelling to Washington D.C..
Can you imagine what you might see if you were able to view the past while at the top? The great gatherings of people near the Lincoln Memorial... to be able to see and hear the famous "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King would be just one great moment.
Our lives are like a book. On each page we write our experiences and, hopefully, share them with others along the way. Mrs. Yollis has added another exciting page to her book and we have been able to share her experiences through blogging.
Ross Mannell
Teacher (retired), N.S.W., Australia
@ Mr. Mannell,
DeleteThanks for a fabulous comment!
Yes, there is an elevator to the 500' viewing area of the Washington Monument. There are windows that allow some pretty spectacular views. The outside is gorgeous as well. It was a highlight!
I also walked to the Lincoln Memorial. There was a step that marked the spot where Martin Luther King gave his famous speech. It was quite moving to be there. Nearby, there is a MLK, Jr. Monument. I'll have photos of that up soon!
My trip to Washington, D.C. was a memorable one!
Your friend,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Dear mrs Yollis,
ReplyDeleteThe picture of the diamond was cool,
but I think the picture of the world war II was amazing
@ Gavin,
DeleteThank you for your comment! Yes, the Hope Diamond was pretty spectacular! It was actually a blue diamond.
The World War II Memorial was amazing. It honors all the men and women who gave their lives fighting WWII.
Have you ever been to Washington, D.C.?
Your friend,
Mrs. Y♥llis
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteIn our first grade class we have been studying important U.S. symbols. We really enjoyed seeing all of your Washington D.C. pictures. Thank you so much for sharing them. Some of our favorite pictures were from the Arlington Cemetery. We are very interested in learning more about the soldiers that guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Were you able to see the Changing of the Guards? Mrs. Giboney saw that ceremony when she visited Washington D.C. in high school. It was spectacular. Thanks again for sharing.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Giboney's Class