History on Tap

Just a quick note-during our orientation today, our Fulbright Program Officer for the DOE mentioned the trips that are tentatively scheduled for next year.  They include:  Brazil, Hungary & Czech Republic, Mexico, China, Senegal, India & Nepal, Morroco & Spain, Indonesia, and the UAE, Kuwait, & Quatar.  I don’t know which trips will be geared towards elementary and secondary, but that’s what is tentatively being planned.

She also said the applications will be available in August, and there is a 45 day window to complete the application.  So if you’re interested, begin checking the Fulbright site in August.

Just in case anyone is interested!  From Suzanne Gallagher, Virginia Commonwealth University.

If you have developed a lesson or a project that does a really good job of teaching economics concepts , I hope you will consider submitting an entry to the Virginia Council on Economic Education Awards program.  There are cash prizes!  Winners are recognized at a lovely luncheon at the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank in the fall.  

This is not like applying for a National Science Foundation grant.  The entry must be brief.  There are actually page limits.  You have until August 1st to get your entry in.  

The application form and guidelines are on the VCEE website:  Go to this

link:  http://www.vcee.org/programs-awards/view/7

Remember, if you don’t enter, you can’t win!  Email Suzanne Gallagher, Director of Economic Education, School of Business, Virginia Commonwealth University, if you have questions.  sgallagh@vcu.edu

Sarah and I just wanted to thank everyone for all of the hard work you’ve put in this year, and to wish everyone a happy summer vacation!  We look forward to working with you again next year (although we are in no rush for next year to get here!)

If you’re doing any traveling over the summer, or attending any summer institutes or workshops, we’d love to hear about them.  If you have photos or a blog you’d like us to link, please send it to Lisa or leave it in the comments section and I’ll post it. 

I’ll be traveling in Poland for 4 weeks this summer on a Fulbright scholarship, and will once again maintain a blog.  I’ll be traveling throughout the country and there are some interesting places I’ll be visiting, including Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps.  I have decided to maintain a separate blog this year however, rather than post my adventures on the school blog.  (This allows me a little more freedom in what I can post.)  If you’re interested, that address is http://lisapennington.wordpress.com.  I hope to have frequent posts and pictures and please leave me comments!  It’s always nice to hear from people back home. I fly out to Warsaw on June 20th, and will return July 20th.

Again, enjoy your summer break, it’s almost here!  Thanks again for everything!

Awhile back I posted a link for TimeRime, which is a (very) easy to use site for creating timelines.  They have now created TimeRime Education, which has several perks (such as no advertising!) 

If you’d like to check it out and create your own TimeRime Education page, visit http://education.timerime.com/.  It really is very easy to use, students would have no problem figuring it out, and it makes creating timelines very simple.  Just an idea for next year!

The Virginian Pilot will have a three days series on Virginia’s Indians, running from June 7 through June 9th.  It includes information on different artifacts, which might be useful for those teaching VA Studies.  To check it out, visit http://hamptonroads.com/2009/06/interactive-preview-threepart-series-virginias-indians

Technology is putting on some wonderful workshops this summer during their TEACH Academy.  There are several this year geared towards Social Studies.  (Sarah has already signed up for the Webquest session.) 

TEACH Academy Flyer

TEACH Academy Overview

Registration is online.  Visit http://orms.pps.k12.va.us/gosignmeup/ to sign up. 

The James Madison University Content Academy will be held June 22-26.  For more information or to register, visit http://www.jmu.edu/contentacademy/.

We just wanted to wish everyone good luck tomorrow (or next week, for those of you testing on-line) and thank everyone for their hard work all year long!

VMFA / Rawls Museum 2009 Summer Institute for Educators themed “American Vision: Art and Culture, 1778-1950” at the Rawls Museum in Courtland. The Institute will be held June 25 and 26 and registration fee is $20.00. For more information or to register, contact VMFA/Rawls Museum Arts Summer Institute for Educators, Attn: Twyla Kitts, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23229 or tkitts@vmfa.state.va.usemail.  You may also contact leighanne@rawlsarts.com.

Thanks to Diana for bringing this to my attention.  If you’re looking for interesting information to add to your lessons, this might be a good workshop to check out. 

We would like to congratulate Ms. Bice and Mrs. Hawkins and the 4th grade team from Olive Branch Elementary!  They are our 2009 History Bowl winners!  All of the students and coaches worked hard, and everyone did a great job.  We’re proud of everyone who participated!

Brian McKee (TRT at John Tyler) sent me this link to a Suffolk SS blog.  There are activities for grades K-5.  (5th grade teaches USI in Suffolk, so 6th grade teachers check there.)  The blog also has a link to the author’s portaportal, which contains links for each grade level, by subject.  Hope you find something useful!