History on Tap

I know it’s a little too early to think about next summer, but the Fulbright Hays Seminars Abroad applications are up for summer 2011.  These are fully funded travel abroad opportunities for K-12 teachers.  This year the elementary seminar options are Argentina, India, and Turkey & Greece.  (The Turkey and Greece seminar will probably be six weeks, since it covers two countries.)  The secondary seminar options are China, Mexico, and Thailand & Vietnam.  (Again, most likely a 6 week program.)

The seminar description and application information are available online.  Eligibility information, seminar descriptions, and the link to the online applicaton are available there.  Applications are due by 4:30pm on October 6th, 2010.  Applications are rather lengthy (4 essays) but the program is worth it.  I traveled to Poland on a Fulbright grant in 2009, so if you have any questions about the program and what it entails, please email me.

We finally made it to the last day of the school year!  Now everyone gets a well deserved break. 

Lisa is traveling to Germany on a study tour for two weeks this summer.  She hopes to be able to blog regularly while she’s gone, so if you’re interested you can check out her blog at http://lisapennington.wordpress.com.  (She tends to be rather long winded though.) 

We hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing summer, and we’ll see you next year!

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum is offering three summer workshops (in August) for recertification points.  The workshop descriptions are included in the attached file.  They sound interesting, and each workshop description states the SOL’s that it is aligned to. 

HRNM Summer Workshops

NBC has launched a website chronicling 60 years of the Civil Rights Movement.  “Launching the Dream” is a free video series available for teachers, students, and parents.  The site currently has over 100 videos, grouped into ten thematic units, with plans to add additional video content.  This is a great resource to allow students to hear from those who were personally involved in the Civil Rights Movement.

There is also a summer workshop about the Civil Rights Movement, through the VA Historical Society.  Textbooks and reading materials are free, and meals and lodging will be provided for out to town participants.  Each participant will also receive a $250 stipend upon completion of the workshop.  Visit http://www.vahistorical.org/education/application2010.htm to apply. 

And finally, the Civil War Preservation Trust will have a teacher institute in July.  The workshop is free, and includes meals, although a $100 refundable deposit is required to hold your space.  The workshop will take place in Hagerstown, Maryland, and includes a day long tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield.  Visit the CWPT website for more information and to apply.

The National Council for Social Studies has organized several workshops this summer.  They’ll take place in a few different cities, with the closest ones to us taking place in Washington, D.C.  For more information and instructions on how to apply, visit http://members.socialstudies.org/Scripts/4Disapi.dll/4DCGI/events/ConferenceList.html?Action=Find_Events.

I’ve got information on a couple of seminars coming up, as well as a Civil War conference in the fall.

First, in April, there will be a 3 day residential seminar at Mt. Vernon.  It is a completely funded program, and will take place from April 9th thru the 11th.  (Please note that April 9th is the Friday of Spring Break.)  Participants will be housed on the estate.  I’ve included the announcement, application, and schedule.  For all other questions concerning the seminar, contact education@mountvernon.org. 

Weekend_with_GW_announcement[1]

Mt. Vernon Seminar Application

Mt. Vernon weekend schedule

This year’s Presidential Academy will be held from July 11-29 in Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Gettysburg.  The application for this seminar is due March 15th.  We had a teacher who attended this a few years ago who had a wonderful experience, learned a lot, and brought back many many materials.  To apply, visit http://presidentialacademy.org/.

And finally there will be a one day conference on the Civil War in September, at Norfolk State University.  This is a free conference and registration is open to the public, although seating is limited.  The conference is entitled “Race, Slavery, and the Civil War:  The Tough Stuff of American History and memory.”  It will take place on September 24th, 2010, which is a Friday.  You can find a list of topics that will be covered, as well as the historians who will take part in the conference at  http://www.virginiacivilwar.org/2010conference.php.  Registration information is also available on their homepage.   

We encourage you to apply for these opportunities!  They often give away lots of materials, and you walk away with new information to add to your lessons.  Good luck!

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia has two summer workshops this year.  The first is for teachers in grades 7-12.  It’s titled “Changing the Constitution:  Politics and Law in American Constitutional Development” and will take place from June 28-July 2.  The second workshop, “America’s Constitution and the World” is for teachers in grades K-12.  It will take place from July 26-30.  Each workshop has a stipend to help cover travel costs.  To apply visit http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Summer_Workshops.aspx.  Applications are due by March 2, 2010. 

Fulbright will have a study abroad seminar to Japan this summer.  It is a fully funded program, and up to 48 teachers will be selected to participate.  For more information and to apply, visit http://www.iie.org/Website/WPreview.cfm?WID=197.  It’s open to teachers in grades K-12.  The application deadline is January 27, 2010.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the National Endowment for the Humanities have posted their summer seminars for 2010. 

The Gilder Lehrman seminars are a week in length, and take place at various colleges across the US and the UK.  This is not a fully funded opportunity, though youwill receive a stipend to help offset costs.  Most meals and housing are provided.  Please note that meals take place in the cafeteria, and housing is most often on campus.  For further information and a list of seminar offerings, visit http://www.gilderlehrman.org/education/seminar_overview.php.  Applications are due in February 2010. 

The NEH offers several types of summer programs.  Their seminars and institutes  last 3-6 weeks.  For more information regarding each seminar, visit http://www.neh.gov/projects/si-university.html.  Again, this is not a  fully funded program, but you do receive a stipend. 

The NEH also offers week long Landmarks of American History and Culture workshops for teachers.  You will receive a stipend of $1200 upon completion of the workshop to offset travel costs and other expenses.  There are several interesting workshops offered for next summer, including one on Lexington and Concord.  To learn more, visit http://www.neh.gov/projects/landmarks-school.html. 

Applications for the NEH seminars/institutes and the Landmarks workshops are due in March.  Good luck!

I’ve got a lot of information coming out about summer institutes for 2010!  There are a lot of good seminars, I would definitely encourage you to apply. 

The application for the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute has been posted.  Visit http://www.history.org/history/teaching/tchsti_scholarship.cfm for more information.  They have one week during the summer where they offer scholarships for teachers to attend.  The link will take you to the scholarship info page.  This is a wonderful institute, I would highly recommend it.  I attended two years ago, and I’m still getting great information and ideas from Williamsburg. 

The Goethe Institute will also hold their two week study tours to Germany next summer.  Social Studies teachers in grades 1-12 are eligible to apply.  The application is due in February, and can be found at http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/lp/prj/top/txl/enindex.htm. 

And finally, the Institute of International Education and the Toyota International Teacher Program will have a two week seminar in Costa Rica in 2010.  Information and the application can be found at http://www.toyota4education.com/pmwiki.php?n=Main.WelcomeToTheToyotaInternationalTeacherProgramWiki?from=Main.HomePage.  The Institute of International Education was one of the partners for the trip to South Korea that I attended in 2008.  I would also highly recommend them. 

Please take a minute to glance over the information, they are great opportunities and if you decide to apply good luck!

Just a few things that may be interesting…there are several announcements, take a second to scroll through them all.

1.  Old Dominion University Center for Economic Education

 NEW REGISTRATION PROCEDURE:  REGISTER ONLINE at the Virginia Council on Economic Education’s workshop page http://www.vcee.org/workshop/home and search by SPONSORING CENTER (ODU) for more information and to register for the workshops.  *If you do not immediately receive a confirmation email then your registration did not go through. Try again, or email Ruth Cookson ASAP.

 Focus: Understanding Economics in US History: Grades 6-12

Thursday, October 29, 2009 4:30pm – 7:30pm

Virginia Beach Higher Education Center

        Help your students to not just understand “what happened” but “why it happened” using active- learning lessons from the Council on Economic Education.  These 39 lessons, ranging from early Native Americans property rights to the economic problems faced in the 1970’s, use a unique mystery-solving approach to teach U.S. History to your high school and middle school students. Lessons are correlated to the Virginia Standards of Learning. Each participant will receive the curriculum guide Focus: Understanding Economics in US History – a $50.00 value – FREE.  Registration is limited to 25 teachers. This program made possible with support from the CEE with funding from the U.S. Dept of Education Office on Innovation and Improvement and the Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation.  USI.1, USI.5, USI.6, USI.7, USI.8, USII.1, USII. 4, USII.6, USII.9, VUS.1, VUS.2, VUS.3, VUS.6, VUS.8, VUS.9, VUS.10, VUS.15

 Economic Skills You Can’t Live Without! Decision-Making & Cost-Benefit Analysis: Grades 6-12 

Monday, December 7, 2009   4:30pm – 6:30pm

Virginia Beach Higher Education Center

        Teachers will leave this session understanding how economics really is a “life skill” rather than a dismal science! Kudos to the Virginia Board of Education for adding these essential skills to the revised 2008 History & Social Science SOL and the draft of the new Economics and Personal Finance course. This workshop will prepare teachers for these new skills by demonstrating various decision-making models as they apply to everyday life. Then teachers will practice those skills by applying them to specific SOLs using decision grids, cost/benefit analysis, and the economic way of thinking.  Teachers will receive all lessons.

 What Every Student Should Experience: Stock Market Game™ Grade Levels: 4-12

Coming in January 2010     FULL DAY WORKSHOP!
New and veteran SMG teachers are invited to attend this day-long workshop.  Ask questions from an investing expert from the business world who will share the technical and practical information you will need to play this game in your classroom. Correlated to the SOL in math, business/marketing, social studies, and technology, it has been proven time and time again that teachers can in fact fit the game into their already-packed teaching schedules. Teachers will have an opportunity to practice navigating the SMG website and will gain access to a wealth of online curriculum materials designed to make playing the game almost effortless. Contact Ruth Cookson  rcookson@odu.edu  if interested.

 Free  Online Stock Market Game workshops from the Virginia Council on Economic Education!!

Learn how to play the SMG from the comfort of your own home or classroom computer!   These free webinars only take an hour and will give you a good start on how the game is played and how to incorporate the SMG into your existing curriculum.    All you need is internet access and a separate phone line to participate.  It’s fun, free, easy, and convenient!    Go to http://www.vcee.org/SMG_Teacher_Workshops   to register.

 Introduction to the Stock Market Game Program

Thu,  Jan 14, 2010 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM repeating 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM 

 Tour the Stock Market Game Teacher Support Center

Thu,  Jan 21, 2010 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM  repeating 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM  

 Tour the Stock Market Game Team Portfolio 

Thu,  Jan 28, 2010 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM  repeating  7:00 PM – 8:00 PM  

2.   Copy of the Declaration of Independence coming to VA Beach!  For more info, check out http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/va-beach-showcase-declaration-independence.

3.  Supreme Court Summer Institute

Street Law, Inc. and the Supreme Court Historical Society will sponsor the annual Supreme Court Summer Institute, June 17-22, 2010. The institute is open to secondary level social studies teachers & supervisors, who will spend five stimulating days on Capitol Hill and inside the Supreme Court learning about the Court, its past and current cases, and how to teach about them from top Supreme Court litigators & educators. We will also be in the Court to hear the Justices announce the final decisions of the term and attend a private reception at the Court.  Interested educators can apply online (under the “Registration Info” tab), at http://www.streetlaw.org/en/CalendarEvent.31.aspx and the application deadline is March 15, 2010.

4.  From the Gilder Lehrman Institute, an on-line exhibit about John Brown.

150 years ago, on October 16, 1859, John Brown and a band of followers, black and white, attacked the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. The raid was part of a larger plan to destroy the slave system by freeing and arming slaves, and it was one of the sparks that ignited the Civil War.

To see highlights from John Brown: The Abolitionist and His Legacy, an exhibition of documents and artifacts from the Gilder Lehrman Collection on display at the New-York Historical Society from September 15, 2009 to March 25, 2010, click here:  http://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection/online/johnbrown/