Oregon Social Sciences Teacher Update #66
February 2, 2009
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History Teacher of the Year for Oregon
Oregon Council for Economic Education Free Globablization Workshop
Oregon Council for the Social Studies Spring Conference at Grand Ronde
Oregon International Council/COFLT Spanish Seminar in Puebla, Mexico
Greenfield Peace Essay Scholarship Contest
Oregon Council for the Humanities Summer Teacher Institute
Oregon Sesquicentennial Exhibit Open in Capitol
Honoring Our River Invites Literature and Artwork Submissions
Oregon Geographic Alliance Spring Conference
2009 Oregon Geographic Alliance Summer Institute
Hard Copies of the Student Atlas of Oregon Available
Oregon Sesquicentennial Heritage Activities
Teach the Middle East Conference for K-12 Educators
Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) Trips for Summer 2009
Ben Affleck Launches “Gimme Shelter”
Florida Humanities Council Workshop on Zora Neale Hurston
Transatlantic Outreach Program Travel to Germany
On-line Workshop Schedule
Census In Schools
Our Courts Website Renovated
Fulbright Center Educational Exchange—The Netherlands
National Geographic Launches Geotourism Project
“What’s Racism Got to Do With Me?” Lesson Plans
National Underground Railroad Essay Contest
Smithsonian’s History Explorer
World Forestry Center Professional Development Opportunities
Teaching American History Grant Application Available
National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminars and Institutes
Teaching with Google Earth
Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration Resources
ODE Resources (in every issue)
1. History Teacher of the Year for Oregon
The Gilder Lehrman Institute has announced that they are again sponsoring the History Teacher
of the Year competition. Each state will select a teacher as its state winner to compete for the national
award. Oregon’s 2008 winner was Ernie Sowards who teaches at William P. Lord High School at in
Woodburn. This year’s competition is limited to elementary teachers, grades K-6. State winners
receive a check for $1,000.00 and an archive of primary historical materials for their school.
Teachers should be nominated using the following criteria:
• At least three years of classroom experience in teaching American history in an elementary
school.
• A deep career commitment to teaching American history, which includes local and state history.
• Evidence of creativity and imagination in the classroom that address literacy and content beyond
state standards.
• Close attention to primary documents, artifacts, historic sites, and other primary materials of
history, including oral history.
• Evidence of thoughtful assessment of student achievement.
To nominate a teacher, please submit the following:
• A full letter of nomination that addresses the award criteria and includes quantitative measures of
student achievement. Nominations can be made by a department or division head, a school
director, social studies director, principal, or superintendent. Nominations from friends, family,
and students or parents will also be accepted.
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A letter of support from a colleague, immediate supervisor, or education professional familiar with
the nominee’s work
• The nominee’s resume.
In accordance with Oregon ethics laws, teachers can neither nominate themselves nor can they solicit
their nomination.
Please send completed nomination materials by February 15, 2009 to: Andrea Morgan,
Oregon Department of Education, 255 Capitol St. NE, Salem, OR 97310-0203;
andrea.morgan@state.or.us; FAX 503-378-5156. Please contact her if you have questions or concerns
at andrea.morgan@state.or.us or 503-947-5772.
2. Oregon Council for Economic Education Free Globablization Workshop
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Oregon Council on Economic Education is offering a free workshop for Social Studies teachers in
grades 9-12 who wish to incorporate Globalization into their classes. The workshop will be held in
Portland on Monday, February 23, 2009, from 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM at the Rice Professional Development
Academy, 6433 NE Tillamook. Reimbursement for substitute pay is being offered for the first 30
applicants.
Teachers that attend the workshop will:
• Be introduced to a new, interactive set of curriculum materials developed by the Council for
Economic Education with financial support from the U.S. Department of Education.
• Participate in a panel discussion with members of the business and education communities
on globalization.
• See how high school teachers utilize the curriculum and to practice with fellow teachers
lessons from the curriculum guide, Focus: Globalization
• Obtain a FREE copy of the Focus: Globalization curriculum guide.
• Begin to make a real difference in the way students look at globalization, its costs and its
benefits.
• Learn how to apply economic decision-making to an emotionally-filled topic.
• Obtain 7 units of professional development credit.
The workshop will include:
• Free luncheon with panel on Globalization
• Introduction to Curriculum Package
• Sample lessons from the Focus: Globalization Curriculum Guide
• Connection of curriculum materials with the Portland Public Schools and Oregon Social
Sciences Standards.
To register for this workshop, please contact Ted Scheinman, Director, Center for Economic
Education, Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham, OR 97030. Phone: 503-491-7104 or e-mail
ted.scheinman@mhcc.edu. Teachers from Portland Public Schools should register at the on-line campus
at: http://campus.serebra.net/portland/index.cfm
This workshop is supported with grant funds from U.S. Department of Education, The Council for
Economic Education, The Oregon Council on Economic Education, Portland Public Schools, and Mt.
Hood Community College.
The purpose of Focus: Globalization is to provide high school teachers with curriculum material and
lessons to introduce or incorporate the global perspective into existing classes. Specifically, Focus:
Globalization includes 12 lessons featuring student-centered instructional methods and providing
teachers with the conceptual framework and basic data and information sources they need to cover these
topics in an academically responsible and engaging way. All of the lessons can be used in a secondary
economics course, but many of them will also be used in history, geography, government/civics, or
contemporary issues courses. Focus: Globalization lessons include:
• Why is Globalization So Controversial?
• Why People Trade, Domestically and Internationally?
• Finding a Comparative Advantage, Including Your Own
• Globalization and the U.S. Economy
• U.S. and World Trade: Past and Present
• The Impact of Globalization on Tradition and Culture
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Globalization and the Environment
Migration
Globalization and Standards of Living
Protecting the U.S. Sugar Industry from Foreign Outsourcing
Limiting Trade – Who Gains, Who Loses?
Trade, Investment, and the Balance of Payments
3. Oregon Council for the Social Studies Spring Conference at Grand Ronde
Oregon’s First People: A Workshop for Educators, Saturday, April 4, 2009
All K-12 educators are invited to attend the Spring Conference that will be held at the Grand
Ronde Tribal Facilities in Grand Ronde, Oregon; only about 30 minutes from Salem, and just five minutes
from the casino and close to the beach. Contact Lisa Iverson, liverson@cascade.k12.or.us or phone:
(503)428-8564 for any questions regarding the Spring Conference. Check the OCSS website for
registration and updates at http://www.oregonsocialstudies.org/.
Update your OCSS membership for only $20.00. Visit the OCSS website for the latest
information and membership forms
4. Oregon International Council/COFLT Spanish Seminar in Puebla, Mexico
Sharpen your Spanish in Mexico at the OIC Summer Seminar 2009. Spanish language
instruction plus teaching methods, cultural tours, and homestays. Location: Puebla, Mexico. 4 weeks,
June 26-July 24 or 2 weeks, June 26-July 13.
OVERVIEW
The OIC/COFLT Spanish Seminar in Puebla, Mexico plans its 15th year in 2009, offering
a unique learning opportunity for language teachers, and for all others interested in expanding
their linguistic and cultural horizons. Spanish language classes in small groups, instruction in
proficiency-oriented teaching methods by a Master Teacher from Oregon, living with Mexican
families, a variety of local field trips, and a three-day tour of Mexico City make this program a rich
experience for all.
Instruction takes place at the English/EspaZol Training Center (ETC), a private institution
with long-time Oregon connections. Puebla, Mexico's 4th largest city, two hours from Mexico City,
offers many examples of pre-Columbian culture as well as traditional and modern Mexico,
moderate climate, and clean air, off usual tourist routes. Accommodations are in Mexican homes.
Weekend trips to other areas in Mexico are optional extras.
The four-week program provides 80 hours of language instruction and 20+ hours of
teaching methodology, enhanced by living with Mexican families, while experiencing city life and
many local field trips and in-town activities. The two-week option involves the same classes and
activities for the first two weeks, totaling 40 hours of Spanish and 10+ in methodology.
Oral assessment interviews before and after the seminar have indicated significant
progress in communicative proficiency by most participants. This program has been approved for
five or ten professional development credits by Oregon State University.
FACULTY
Language instruction is provided by native speakers of Spanish trained in language
teaching methods, many with advanced degrees. Seminar Director Anne Mueller, who has led
the program since its inception in 1995, is an experienced teacher of Spanish at all levels,
elementary through college. She has taught language teaching methods in Oregon and in other
states, at national and regional conferences, and internationally.
COSTS
Basic fees: four weeks--$2,995; two weeks--$2,300: covering instruction, materials, preand post-seminar proficiency assessments; room and board (doule occupany), local field trips,
and a 3-day Mexico City weekend. The credit fees are: 10 quarter credits-- $600; 5 credits-$350; course designation--SPAN 808, these are professional development credits. Family
members may accompany as space permits, at costs adjusted to specific program needs.
Funding note: Participants have often been able to obtain financial assistance for this program
through school or district Continuing Education or other funds.
INFORMATION AND APPLICATION PACKET:
Contact Oregon International Council, PO Box 111, Salem Oregon 97308-0111; Phone:
503-584-7100, Fax 503-584-7102; email: oic@chemeketa.edu or visit the web site
www.oregonoic.org.
5. Greenfield Peace Essay Scholarship Contest
$8,000 in scholarships to be granted by April 2009
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) announces the Greenfield Peace
Essay Scholarship Contest. Oregon PSR strives to encourage and challenge young adults to
make our nation a more peaceful one.
Contestants should submit an original essay of a minimum of 500 words (not to exceed 600)
describing their thoughts on the following statement by Wendell Berry, “If we are serious about peace,
then we must work for it as ardently and bravely as we now prepare for war”. The purpose of this essay is
to stimulate students to think about their role in the causes and outcomes of war and necessary steps to
build a more peaceful world.
Deadline for essay submission is March 2, 2009. First place winner will receive a $2,000
scholarship; second place a $1,500 scholarship; and third place a $1,000 scholarship. The other seven
finalists will each receive $500. Scholarship money may be applied toward any education-related
expenses.
Contestants must be high school juniors and seniors attending school in Oregon and in good
academic standing. Essays must be sent to Rachel Larson at Rachel@oregonpsr.org or by U.S. mail to
Oregon PSR, 812 SW Washington Street, Suite 1050, Portland, OR 97205. Essays sent by email should
be included either as an attachment in Microsoft Word format or in the text of the email. Essays sent by
U.S. mail must be typewritten. Include a word count with the essay. All essays must be accompanied by
an entry form which is available on the Oregon PSR website, www.oregonpsr.org, on the Peace/Security
page. For more information visit www.oregonpsr.org
6. Oregon Council for the Humanities Summer Teacher Institute
OCH’s annual summer Teacher Institute will take place at Southern Oregon University in Ashland
on July 17-19, 2009. More information can be obtained from:
Sarah Van Winkle,Program Coordinator
Oregon Council for the Humanities
813 SW Alder Street, Suite 702
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 241-0543 ext. 112
(800) 735-0543
fax (503) 241-0024
www.oregonhum.org
7. Oregon Sesquicentennial Exhibit Open in Capitol
"Oregon: 150 Years of Statehood; 150 Million Years in the Making" is an exhibit that opened Jan.
12 at the Oregon State Capitol.
Produced by the Oregon Historical Society, the exhibit shows how geological processes have
been building Oregon for more than 150 million years. It shows how geology has crafted Oregon's
landscape and natural resources, and continues to shape the land and the lives of its citizen. Many iconic
landscapes such as Crater Lake, Multnomah Falls and the Painted Hills display the geologic splendor.
The exhibit also discusses the people who learned how to read that landscape.
Collaborating with OHS on the exhibit are the Oregon State University Department of
Geosciences, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Oregon Paleo Lands Institute, OSU
Hatfield Marine Science Center, Portland State University, and the Oregon Department of Energy. The
exhibit is sponsored by the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, the Samuel S. Johnson
Foundation, and the Ford Family Foundation.
8. Honoring Our River Invites Literature and Artwork Submissions
Honoring Our River is a student anthology designed to engage the creative and reflective
intellectual capacities of basin residents, particularly its youth, to promote and nurture respect for the
Willamette River. Entries may be previously created work, so long as they are river-related. Please visit
http://www.honoringourriver.org/ for more information and an entry form. Teachers can request a free
Watershed Toolkit. Deadline: February 28, 2009.
9. Oregon Geographic Alliance Spring Conference
The OGA 2009 Spring Conference will be held on Saturday, March 7th, 2009 at Western Oregon
University, Monmouth, Oregon. The conference theme is “Geography Focus on Oregon and Canada” and
the keynote speaker is Dr. Tom Harvey of Portland State University who will speak on “The Canadian
Difference”. Lynn Songer and Bill Hamlin will present sessions on integrating technology into geography
and, as we continue to celebrate 150 years of statehood, there will be lessons from the new Student Atlas
of Oregon. Teacher’s Curriculum Institute (TCI) will present sessions on Social Studies Alive! for the
elementary level and Geography Alive! for the middle and high school level. Workshops will include a
grant writing workshop, how to conduct a ‘Family Geography Night’, and Geography Action! The
Americas and Europe sponsored by the National Geographic Society (NGS). Registration forms can
found at the OGA website http://geog.pdx.edu/oga/. The deadline for early registration ($20.00) is
February 15. Onsite registration is $35.00.
10. 2009 Oregon Geographic Alliance Summer Institute
The 2009 OGA Summer Institute will be held at Portland State University from July 6-17, 2009.
The theme is the Geography of Oregon in keeping with the ‘Oregon 150’ commemoration and the
launching of the Student Atlas of Oregon. If you teach social studies, science, or language arts, lessons
can be enhanced by making connections with local Oregon examples. There will be content lectures,
fieldwork, including a visit to the pristine Bull Run Watershed, a focus on technology integration,
participation in standards-based lessons, and exposure to key geographic resources. This institute will be
especially helpful to those who teach social studies or science at the elementary and middle level.
Participants will receive materials, lesson plans, model lessons, atlases, and maps. Five graduate credits
in Geography or Education, will be available and a stipend will help defray the cost of tuition or any other
expenses. Application forms are available on the OGA website http://geog.pdx.edu/oga/. Priority will be
given to complete applications received before March 1, 2009.
11. Hard Copies of the Student Atlas of Oregon Available
A hard copy edition of the Student Atlas of Oregon can now be purchased from the Oregon
Geographic Alliance and order forms are available on the OGA website http://geog.pdx.edu/oga/. The
atlas costs $5:00 (which also covers shipping and handling to any address in Oregon). The project,
funded with support from the John D. and Elizabeth N. Gray Endowment Fund of the Oregon Community
Foundation, National Geographic Education Foundation, and Portland State University, is OGA’s birthday
present to the state and will be presented to the Governor on February 14, 2009, the day that Oregon
commemorates 150 years of statehood. The atlas is designed primarily for upper elementary and middle
level social studies and science classrooms but many of the maps are appropriate for high school level.
The atlas is currently on-line and free www.studentatlasoforegon.pdx.edu. Efforts are underway to secure
funding to make classroom sets available for ‘high need’ schools. Lesson plans based on the atlas map
will soon be available on-line on the OGA website.
12. Oregon Sesquicentennial Heritage Activities
Oregon's 150th birthday is only two weeks away. Here's a sampling of the heritage activities that
will be taking place that weekend in Bend, Champoeg, Eugene, Monmouth, Rickreal, Salem and Tualatin.
• BEND: The High Desert Museum will mark Feb. 14 with cake, an Oregon author appearance,
and the announcement of the winners of a fourth-grade writing contest. Students wrote stories
about an image from among the "Faces of the High Desert Heartland" sesquicentennial exhibit of
photography from daily life in rural Oregon from 1895 through 1955. At 1:30 p.m., author Diane
Hammond will talk about writing fiction in Oregon. From 10 a.m.-3 p.m., there will be crafts of the
Native American culture of the High Desert. The High Desert Museum is located five minutes
south of Bend on Highway 97. Phone (541) 382-4754 or visit www.highdesertmuseum.org for
more information.
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CHAMPOEG: Champoeg State Heritage Area will commemorate statehood from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Feb. 14 with events sponsored by Friends of Historic Champoeg, Daughters of the American
Revolution in cooperation with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The days activities will
include a grand opening of new exhibits at 10:30 a.m., junior ranger activities at 10:30 a.m., a
historical presentation by interpretive ranger Mike Niss at 1 p.m., and Janice Marschner, author of
"Oregon 1859: A Snapshot in Time" Champoeg State Heritage Area Visitor Center is located at
8239 Champoeg Road NE, St. Paul. Additional information is available from 503-678-1251 x 221
or at http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/pdf/events/Champ_Feb14.pdf
EUGENE: The Lane County Historical Society and Museum will opening a new exhibit
"Changing Demographics: The People of Lane County" from noon-4 p.m. Feb. 14. The exhibit
portrays the diversity of the state over time and includes stories of the peoples, groups and
individuals who have made Oregon their hoe during the past 150 years. Music and ethnic food
will be provided. The Lane County Historical Society and Museum is located at the Lane County
Fairgrounds, 740 W. 13th Ave. Call 541-682-4242 or visit www.lanecountyhistoricalsociety.org
MONMOUTH: Western Oregon University will have more than a half dozen activities
commemorating statehood. At 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12, Kevin Helppie of the WOU music department
will perform music made in Oregon in Smith Hall 121. At 9 a.m in the Hamersly Library, a daylong
interdisciplinary symposium will feature WOU faculty members analyzing Oregon's history and
culture with implications for the next 150 years and beyond. The speakers will include history
professor Max Geier talking about "Big History and Lost Selves: Militarized Identities in Oregon"
at 9:15 a.m., anthropology professor Doug Smith speaking on "Border Economies and Border
Policy: Implications for Oregon" at 10:45 a.m., geography professor Shaun Huston screening
and discussing the film "24-Hour Comic Day at Cosmic Monkey" at noon, history professor Kim
Jensen speaking on "Citizens and Activists: Oregon Women Beyond Suffrage" at 1:15 p.m., and
science professors Bryan Dutton and Steve Taylor talking about invasive plant species in
Oregon's past present and future at 2:45 p.m. For more information, contact 503 838 8318.
RICKREAL: The Polk County Historical Society will host a program about Oregon
Century Farms in Polk County at 1 p.m. Feb. 14 at its museum on the Polk
County Fairgrounds. For more information, visit
www.polkcountyhistoricalsociety.com or phone 503-623-6251.
SALEM: Oregon's capital city will mark the day with more than 12 hours of activity at a half
dozen venues, including a family day at the Capitol. Other sites with sesquicentennial activity
include Mission Mill Museum, Bush House Museum, and A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village. The
Oregon National Guard Association will stage the Oregon Ball in the evening, while the
Department of State Lands employees will be involved in their Leave a Legacy Project, and the
Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program inducts its newest sesquicentennial farms. A complete
list of the activities and events is available at http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/HPOR150.shtml
TUALATIN: A theater production “The Road to Statehood-the Tualatin Connection” will take
place at 2 p.m. Feb. 15 in Tualatin’s Heritage Center. The play focuses on two Tualatin residents,
Nathaniel Robbins and Levi Anderson, who participated in the 1857 constitutional convention. It
includes a fiddle and guitar player performing 1850s fiddle tunes and a sing-along of the state
song “Oregon, My Oregon.” For more information, contact the Heritage Center at 503-885-1926.
13. Teach the Middle East Conference for K-12 Educators
SAVE THE DATE for the “Teach the Middle East Conference for K-12 Educators” that will take
place on April 18th, 2009 at Portland State University. It will be presented by The World Affairs Council of
Oregon www.worldoregon.org and PSU’s Middle East Studies Center www.mesc.pdx.edu . This daylong
conference for K-12 Educators from all disciplines, will consist of a keynote address, curriculum and
breakout sessions and an action fair, all of which will explore this strategic and controversial part of the
world. With a special regional emphasis on Arabia, Iran, Israel/Palestine and Turkey, participants will visit
topics such as art, culture, daily life, history, religion and politics. Relations between the U.S. and the
Middle East directly affect the lives of people the world over. Understanding this region and its people is
an essential part of the skills and knowledge needed to live and work in an increasingly interdependent
world.
The cost for teachers and the general public will be $25. Full-time students will pay $15.
Please contact Karen Ettinger, World Affairs Council K-12 Education Director, at karen@worldoregon.org
if you would like to be notifed about registration, which will begin in late February. “Teach the Middle
East” is the second in the Council’s “Teach the World Educator Conference and Youth Forum Series”.
14. Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) Trips for Summer 2009
Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that
helps and encourages educators to travel abroad. In the summer of 2009 GEEO will be running trips to
Tunisia, Tanzania, Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, and India with hopes of making America more outwardlooking by helping teachers travel and then giving them an effective way to share these experiences in
their classrooms. Trips are designed for teachers and include activities like school visits and homestays.
Detailed information about each trip, including itineraries, costs, travel dates, and more can be found at
www.geeo.org under "Our Travel Programs."
While trips are not offered for free, GEEO helps teachers find funding to subsidize the cost of the
trips, which are already deeply discounted so as to be affordable to teachers. Teachers are welcome to
bring up to two adult companions, such as a spouse or friend, who will also receive the special teacher
pricing. Additionally, depending on the state in which you teach, you may also earn professional
development credit/graduate credit during these educational journeys.
If you are interested in traveling with GEEO in the summer of 2009, please contact 1-877-6000105 between 9AM-10PM EST. You can also join the listserv by sending an email to listserv@geeo.org
with the subject line "subscribe." Please go to the website, www.geeo.org, for even more information
about GEEO.
15. Ben Affleck Launches “Gimme Shelter”
With intense fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and 250,000 Congolese
people forced from their homes because of the violence, actor-director Ben Affleck and musician Mick
Jagger have released a short film to help raise $23 million for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in 2009.
The campaign will help pay for clean water and emergency humanitarian assistance kits in the region.
"We made this film in order to focus attention on the humanitarian crisis in
the DRC at a time when too much of the world is indifferent or looking the other way," said Affleck, who
launched the film at a special briefing with UNHCR at the United Nations in New York on Dec. 17. "The
suffering and loss we've all seen first-hand is staggering - it is beyond belief."
Affleck traveled this fall to the strife-torn North Kivu region of the DRC, where thousands have
fled their homes since August. The film is set to the Rolling Stones' song 'Gimme Shelter', which Jagger
and the group donated to the campaign. 'Gimme Shelter' captures the unseen suffering of Congolese
families who fled the fighting with next to nothing and are now forced to find refuge in makeshift huts with
little to live on. Some 30,000 others have fled to neighboring Uganda and are receiving help from
UNHCR.
There are currently 1.3 million displaced people in the DRC, many of them earlier victims caught
up in an ongoing cycle of violence. The effects of the conflict have claimed as many as 5.4 million lives in
the last 10 years, with an estimated 1,000 people still dying every day. In some areas, two out of three
women have been raped. Abductions persist in all brutal forms and children are forcefully recruited to
fight. Outbreaks of cholera and other diseaseshave increased as the humanitarian situation deteriorates.
Click here to join in supporting the 'Gimme Shelter' campaign and view the 4-minute film.
Useful Resources: Visit UNHCR's resource page for the latest news, photos, videos and maps
of the DRC. To receive the Teachers' Corner E-alert, learn more about projects for the classroom and
download free lesson plans, please visit Teachers' Corner.
16. Florida Humanities Council Workshop on Zora Neale Hurston
The Florida Humanities Council invites K-12 educators from across the U.S. to explore the impact
of Eatonville, Florida on the life and work of Zora Neale Hurston, author of Their Eyes Were Watching
God. Writer, folklorist, anthropologist, and arguably the most significant collector and interpreter of
Southern African-American culture, Hurston spent her childhood in Eatonville, the oldest incorporated
black municipality in America. This week-long workshop will be led by distinguished historians, folklorists,
and literature scholars. Participants will stay at Rollins College, located in Winter Park near Eatonville and
Orlando. Stipends will be paid to help cover travel and living expenses.
Who: K-12 teachers (public & private), administrators, and other school personnel
When: Two week-long workshops: June 14–20 or June 21–27, 2009
Where: Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
How: Visit our website at: www.flahum.org/Zora or call (727) 873-2010
Application deadline: March 16, 2009.
This Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop is presented by the Florida
Humanities Council and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
17. Transatlantic Outreach Program Travel to Germany
Travel to Germany for two weeks this summer, all-expenses-paid! Educators may select from the
following 2009 study tour dates:
• June 12-June 27
• June 26-July 11
• July 10-July 25
• July 24-August 8
Who may apply?
From the United States and Canada: K-12 Social Studies educators, Social Studies university
methods professors, Social Studies curriculum coordinators, applicable authors, and applicable State
Departments of Education employees.
What costs are involved?
A refundable deposit is required upon acceptance. The deposit amount is currently $250.00 USD.
Otherwise, the study tours are all expenses paid!
When is the application deadline?
February 12, 2009
What is the catch?
We ask that all participants come willing to participate, ask questions, and absorb a lot of information
during a fun, yet physically and mentally intense two weeks in Germany. Upon returning from
Germany, each participant must 1) Write a unit of learning AND 2) Conduct a minimum of two
"Germany" workshops at the local, district, state, regional, OR national level within a specified time
period.
Is knowledge of the German language a requirement?
No, although experience speaking the German language is always appreciated and only serves to
enhance the experience for participants.
Is graduate credit available to participants?
Yes, visit the TOP web site for more details at www.goethe.de/top.
How to apply?
Please read the complete study tour FAQ at the web site at www.goethe.de/top or send an e-mail to
top@washington.geothe.org. Select “Application and FAQ” under the “Study Tours” main menu
option.
The Transatlantic Outreach Program is a public/private partnership between the Federal Foreign
Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Goethe-Institut, Deutsche Bank, and the Robert Bosch
Stiftung. The program is operated from the Goethe-Institut in Washington, D.C. and in dedicated to
providing Social Studies educators with global understanding from an international perspective using
modern Germany as the basis for comparison and contrast.
18. On-line Workshop Schedule
Online Resource Workshops for High School Teachers of U.S. History and American Literature Spring
2009
• Want to learn more about teaching primary documents in U.S. history classes?
• Want to explore thematic connections between American literature and U.S. history?
• Want to bring art into your history or literature lessons?
COMMUNITY IN AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE: 1917-1968
How was African American community constructed during this period? Under what
circumstances was it created? How did evolving concepts of community affect and reflect notions
of African American identity?
Leader: Stephanie Shaw National Humanities Center Fellow Professor of History, Ohio State
University
Date and Time: February 12, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)
Registration Deadline: January 16, 2009 » Register online or » Register by mail
WHAT IT MEANT TO BE ENSLAVED
What did it mean to be enslaved in the United States? How did the enslaved respond to
bondage? How did labor shape their daily lives? In what ways did the enslaved resist bondage?
How did the enslaved maintain their identities?
Leader: Daina Berry National Humanities Center Fellow Professor of History, Michigan State
University
Date and Time: February 19, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)
Registration Deadline: January 23, 2009 » Register online or » Register by mail
TEACHING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY WITH WPA SLAVE NARRATIVES
What do recollections of formerly enslaved people, gathered by the Works Progress
Administration in the 1930s, tell us about slavery in America? What interpretative challenges do
the WPA slave narratives pose? How can the WPA slave narratives be used with students?
Leader: Marianne Wason, Assistant Director, Education Programs National Humanities Center
Date and Time: February 26, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)
Registration Deadline: February 6, 2009 » Register online or » Register by mail
CIVIL WAR HOME FRONTS
How did the total mobilizations of the Civil War affect the northern and southern home fronts?
What was life like for women on the northern and southern home fronts? What was life like for
African Americans on the northern and southern home fronts?
Leader: W. Fitzhugh Brundage, National Humanities Center Fellow Umstead Professor of
History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Date and Time: March 12, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)
Registration Deadline: February 20, 2009 » Register online or » Register by mail
LIFE ON AN ANTEBELLUM PLANTATION
How did the self-contained environment of a plantation--its layout, buildings, isolation, and use of
the land--influence the lives and self-image of the enslaved? What made a plantation "home?"
What made a plantation "hell"? How did a slave reconcile "home" and "hell"?What can plantation
photographs tell us about plantation life?
Leader: John Michael Vlach, Professor of American Studies, George Washington University
Date and Time: March 26, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)
Registration Deadline: March 6, 2009 » Register online or » Register by mail
NATIVE AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN POWER RIVALRIES IN NORTH AMERICA: 1690-1763
By 1690 what factors and issues dominated European-Native American relationships throughout
North America? How had these relationships changed by the end of the British imperial wars in
1763? How did these changes influence British America on the eve of the Revolution? How did
these changes influence Native American culture and politics?
Leader: Alan Taylor, National Humanities Center Fellow, Professor of History, University of
California, Davis
Date and Time: April 7, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)
Registration Deadline: March 20, 2009 » Register online or » Register by mail
ART AND AMERICAN IDENTITY: 1690-1789
In 1690, to what extent were the arts and material culture of the British Atlantic colonies
"American"? To what extent were they "American" by 1789? What major factors defined the
evolution in American arts and material culture in this period? To what extent did this evolution
reflect the changing self-image of Americans?
Leader: Maurie McInnis, Professor of Art History, University of Virginia
Date and Time: April 23, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)
Registration Deadline: April 3, 2009 » Register online or » Register by mail
19. Census In Schools
Information about Census in Schools can be found at the Web site:
http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/teachers.html.
The Census Bureau has written a handbook just for high school teachers. TheCensus Bureau
recognizes that users of ACS data have varied backgrounds, education, and experiences who need
different explanations and guidance to understand ACS data products. To address these diverse needs,
the Census Bureau worked closely with a group of experts to develop a series of handbooks, each of
which is designed to instruct and provide guidance to a specific audience. The handbook series is called
A Compass for Understanding and Using American Community Survey Data. The handbook for high
school teachers, What High School Teachers Need to Know, summarizes the types of information and
geographic areas covered by the ACS and explains how to understand and use ACS data. Specific
examples are provided to illustrate how data can be incorporated into lesson plans and activities to
address a variety of social studies, geography, and mathematics standards. The handbook series
complements a series of PowerPoint presentations and an e-learning tutorial designed for novice to
expert data users. Check out this free, downloadable product at
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/UseData/Compass/handbook_def.html#teachers.
20. Our Courts Website Renovated
Our Courts renovated site http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001uzwvgHI7MNbfjD0dXbST1exZrrJgI5LNqYO9o_NCaVHaYbdnQoxFT6eCu5TwHNTXJH45IiHJJHkixmxh19G4FEbA7mflUbZLyO6k0ZlFU= launched at
the end of December, with several new features including an archive of lesson plans for teachers and
educational videos for students. The site will be expanded in February to include the following
components:
• Talk to the Justice is a message board for students to discuss a topic of interest with retired
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
• Curriculum Builder is a search engine for teachers to find civics lesson plans vetted and endorsed
by the Our Courts team. Curriculum advisors and teachers can filter results by topic or state and
grade, and all materials meet or exceed state social studies standards.
• Civics in Action provides opportunities for schools and students to submit projects which
demonstrate their commitment to being active, engaged citizens in their community.
Each month, the Our Courts staff will select one project to be featured on the website. Interactive
Civics Games will launch this summer. A recent study from the Pew Research Center found that 97% of
kids age 12-17 are playing games, and Our Courts believes students can be reached through this digital
medium. One interactive game will focus on student rights and the other will examine a fictional First
Amendment case involving a middle school student that makes it all the way to the Supreme Court. All
games and curriculum materials will be free and available at www.ourcourts.org.
21. Fulbright Center Educational Exchange—The Netherlands
The Fulbright Center in the Netherlands is looking for American high school teachers for Educational
Exchange. The Fulbright Center in The Netherlands announces a great opportunity for high school
teachers in the USA who want to set up a high school educational exchange with a Dutch high school. In
The Netherlands there is a lot of interest in cooperation with an American high school, but most teachers
find it difficult to find a partner school. The Fulbright Center wants to mediate in these contacts. The
Fulbright Center created an online community that helps you to find a Dutch partnerschool.
How does it work?
1. Go to http://highschoolpartnerprogram.ning.com/ and become a member (free of
charge)
2. Read the information that is available there on setting up a partnership and how the
Dutch educational system works. You will also find that information on:
http://www.fulbright.nl/? menutree=5|114|200
3. Post a Message in which you explain where you teach, in what field and grade.
Describe your school and what kind of exchange you are looking for. (Because of visa
restrictions long term teacher exchange is not possible, most Dutch teachers are
interested in group student exchange, online projects or short term visits for curriculum
development)
4. Sit back and wait until a Dutch teacher has responded to your message and who
knows a wonderful partnership may start.
In 2006 and 2007 the Fulbright Center established more than ten partnerships between Dutch
and US high schools through its extensive network. Through these contacts more than 100 students
traveled to the US in 2008 and about 60 students visited Europe. You will find a list of partnerships on:
http://highschoolpartnerprogram.ning.com/. Please send an e-mail to Marlies Eijsink, Program
Coordinator of the High School Partnership Program m.eijsink@fulbright.nl if you want more information
or if you have any questions. You can also call: +31-2-5315934
22. National Geographic Launches Geotourism Project
National Geographic, in partnership with Washington and Oregon, have launched the Central
Cascades Geotourism Initiative. The public will be invited to participate in the development of a
geotourism ”MapGuide” for the Central Cascades region, stretching from Mount Rainier National Park to
Crater Lake National Park.
The pilot project seeks to contribute to the economic health of communities by promoting
geotourism: tourism that sustains and enhances the geographical character of a place, its environment,
culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents. A community-based nomination process
will be opened where local residents and visitors may nominate unique landmarks, attractions, activities,
events, and businesses that define the region*s character and distinctive appeal. A website at
www.thecentralcascades.com, details the project.
Public forums and presentations were conducted in communities throughout the Central
Cascades to encourage nominations and community involvement. Forums were held Jan. 15 in Oakridge,
Jan. 20 in Maupin, Jan. 21 in Bend, Jan. 22 in LaPine, Jan. 26 in Sisters, and Jan. 27 in Warm Springs.
Additional details and forums can be found at the project's website.
Coordinating this geotourism initiative in Washington and Oregon are the Central Cascades
Project Advisory Committee, a coalition of Travel Oregon, Washington State Tourism, Sustainable Travel
International, Rural Development Initiatives, Sustainable Northwest, the U.S. Forest Service and the
Bureau of Land Management. Significant funding and regional leadership are being provided by Travel
Oregon, Washington State Tourism, USDA Forest Service/National Forest Scenic Byways Transportation
and Tourism Planning, the Bureau of Land Management, Oregon Cultural Trust, Clackamas County
Tourism Development Council, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Oregon Visitors
Association, Convention and Visitors Association of Lane County Oregon, Portland Metro and the
Columbia River Gorge Visitors Association
23. “What’s Racism Got to Do With Me?” Lesson Plans
Help students understand that beliefs and behaviors have roots. Only by knowing our roots can
we change the present. Most people agree that individual acts of racism and discrimination are wrong but
often grow defensive when issues of systemic or institutional racism arise. No one wants to see him or
herself as a racist, and we all fear being blamed for the unequal conditions in our country. Instead of
facing the issues, we too often resort to defensiveness when faced with the “other” who has been
oppressed: whites when facing African-Americans; men when facing women; the rich facing the poor.
Instead of facing our national and personal histories, we often find excuses for the way things are. We’ve
all heard the justifications:
• “I’m not a racist, but . . . ”
“Slavery happened a long time ago.”
• “My grandparents were immigrants; they pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps. These
people just want to complain?”
This lesson plan helps students understand how history influences the present, whether that’s the
state of race relations today or their own attitudes towards another group of people.
There are three brief activities in this lesson plan that teachers can use separately to introduce the topic
or together to reinforce the message that we must know our history if we seek NOT to repeat it. Go to
www.racebridgesforschools.com to download a free copy of What’s Racism Got to do with Me? How Our
History and Context Shape Us and Others. Help your students understand race, class, and gender in
context. Use this lesson to supplement a lesson that requires that students understand the importance of
our past and our context.
24. National Underground Railroad Essay Contest
Essay Guidelines: This contest invites students to write an essay of not more than 2,000 words
(supplemented with a bibliography) conveying what lessons they believe emerge from the history of the
underground railroad and the movement that resulted in the abolishment of slavery in the United States
that can help guide the abolition of contemporary forms of slavery that exist in today's world. These
essays could develop lessons that emerge in areas including the following:
• Economic underpinnings of slavery and howν understanding/modifying them can be used to
abolish slavery
• The roleν of laws and legislation
• The role of media, print publications and,ν today, modern forms of media
• The role of grassrootsν organizations
• The role of individual leadership, including elementsν of character, e.g. courage, persistence.
• The role of passive andν active resistance
Entries may be submitted in one or more of the following forms: 1) Microsoft Word document or 2) PDF
document. All entries must be received by March 15, 2009 and can be emailed to Bob Nasson at
rnasson@nationalhistoryclub.org (please type "NURFC" in the subject line).
Potential Resources:
• http://freedomcenter.org/
• http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
• http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/
• http://www.antislavery.org/
• http://www.freetheslaves.net/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=183&srcid=-2
• http://www.hrlawgroup.org/
• http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abolitionism
• http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761570452/abolitionist_movement
Prizes:
• 1st prize: $1,000
• Three runner-up prizes: $500
• 10 Honorable Mentions: book provided by The Freedom Center
25. Smithsonian’s History Explorer
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, along with the Verizon Foundation, has
developed a website that offers standards-based online resources for teaching and learning American
history. The homepage features an item from the Museum's Artifacts. The "Read More" tab provides full
detail of the artifact, as well as any related artifacts. Clicking on the "Museum Artifacts" tab at the top of
the page takes the viewer to the search engine for the 65 museum artifacts on the site. The
"Lessons/Activities" tab provides lessons and activities by grade level or historical eras/national
standards. The "Interactives/Media" tab links to thirty-six audio, video, and interactive resources that can
be used by students without the aid of a parent or teacher. Smithsonian's History Explorer can be found
on the following link: http://historyexplorer.americanhistory.si.edu/.
26. World Forestry Center Professional Development Opportunities
The World Forestry Center (WFC), based in Portland, Oregon, http://www.worldforestry.org/
offers professional development for educators and natural resource professionals. These are partial
fellowship awards and some self-funding is required. The International Educators Institute (IEI) is a forest
study tour that combines content and hands-on experiences in the field to advance effective teaching and
learning about social, economic, and environmental challenges facing the world's forests. The course is
scheduled July 12-17, 2009, in Portland, Oregon, and the application deadline is February 28, 2009.
For more information visit: http://www.worldforestry.org/wfi/dm_institute.php. Contact: Angie DiSalvo,
International Fellowship Program Manager, World Forest Institute, a program of the World Forestry
Center, 4033 SW Canyon Road, Portland, Oregon 97221; 503.488.2137; http://wfi.worldforestry.org/.
27. Teaching American History Grant Application Available
The 2009 application for the Teaching American History Grant is now posed at
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teachinghistory/index.html. The CFDA Number is 84/215X.
Grant awards will assist LEAs, in partnership with entities that have content expertise, to develop,
document, evaluate, and disseminate innovative and cohesive models of professional development.
Grants are used to improve the quality of history instruction by supporting professional development for
teachers of American history. In order to receive a grant, a local educational agency must agree to carry
out the proposed activities in partnership with one or more of the following: institutions of higher
education, nonprofit history or humanities organizations, libraries, or museums.
28. National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminars and Institutes
Each summer the National Endowment for the Humanities supports national seminars, institutes,
and workshops for American teachers. Program participants receive stipends to help defray travel and
living expenses. Seminars and Institutes are 2-6 week projects which take place in the United States and
abroad. The projects are intended to deepen the participants' understanding of important subjects in the
humanities. For a complete list of the 31 projects offered in the summer of 2009, along with eligibility
requirements, applications and contact information for the directors, go to the NEH website at:
http://www.neh.gov/projects/si-school.html. Applications are due on March 2.
29. Teaching with Google Earth
Sarah Bednarz at Texas A&M University shared the following information about a new resource.
A module on Teaching with Google Earth http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/google_earth/index.html has
been released, with detailed instructions and ideas for bringing imagery and interactive information into
the classroom. This website includes a user guide, a tip sheet for students, references, and instructions
for working with KML, Google Earth API, and Google Maps. There are over 25 different examples of
activities using Google Earth http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/google_earth/activities.html. This module
is authored by Glenn Richard of Stony Brook University.
30. Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration Resources
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•
•
Looking for Lincoln: In February 2009, the United States will launch a national celebration of the
200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. A centerpiece of the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial will
be the national primetime premiere of Looking for Lincoln, a new two-hour PBS series, endorsed
by the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, and featuring historians Doris Kearns
Goodwin and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The series will provide an exploration of how Abraham
Lincoln the man was transformed into Abraham Lincoln the legend. Looking for Lincoln will be
broadcast nationally on PBS February 11, 2009.
Gilder Lehrman Institute Lincoln Resources: The Gilder Lehrman Institute will celebrate the 200th
anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth throughout 2009 with podcasts, featured documents,
online exhibitions, and more. Click on the link below to see what's available on the Gilder
Lehrman Lincoln page: http://www.gilderlehrman.org/institute/lincoln.html.
The Library of America has created five "Lincoln in American Memory" paperback readers
featuring excerpts of essays, speeches, poems, plays, fiction, and nonfiction about Abraham
Lincoln. For more information and to order free copies, visit: http://www.loa.org/
31. ODE Resources (in every issue)
Past editions of Social Sciences Teacher Update: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?=1707
Social Sciences Announcements: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=24
Social Sciences Performance Standards:
Standards: http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/real/documents/ss.pdf
FAQ: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1808
Grade-Level Mapping: This is an optional model for Social Science curriculum K-HS (CIM). This can provide an
effective tool for curriculum alignment! Available in K-CIM and in individual grade formats at
http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?=1810
Social Science Analysis Scoring Guide: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?=32
State Adopted Instructional Materials for Social Sciences:
To see the list of adopted materials, go to http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/instructionalmaterials/91-99ss.aspx
For publisher representative information, go to
http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/instructionalmaterials/pubrepsocsci.pdf
For a list of materials viewing sites, go to http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1823
ODE Social Sciences web pages:
Social Science “landing” page: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=24
Curriculum: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1738
Assessment: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=241
Resources for Educational Achievement and Leadership (REAL): http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/real/
Oregon Diploma: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=368
Civics and Financial Literacy Task Force: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?=1836
ELL Resources: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=106
Contact the State Specialists:
Andrea Morgan, Curriculum, andrea.morgan@state.or.us, 503.947.5772
Leslie Phillips, Assessment, leslie.phillips@state.or.us, 503.947.5835
****Disclaimer--The materials contained in the Oregon Social Sciences Teacher Update produced by
Oregon Department of Education are drawn from both internal and external sources and inclusion of
external materials does not necessarily indicate Oregon Department of Education endorsement.****