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Announcements Note: If you have non-commercial announcements that would be of value to GCSS members, please submit them to the webmaster.
Primary source, a non-profit resource center for K-12 teachers, is offering an online course on ancient China. The course offers a $500 stipend plus graduate or continuing education creditd. Participating educators become eligible for a Primary Sources study tour to to China.
Two more courses will be offered between January and May 2010. Deadline for the Jan. 20-Mar. 31 session is December 18, 2009. For more information on the online course, click here. For more information on Primary Sources, click here. Or contact Julie Newport, Director of Marketing & Communications at 617-923-9933 (ext. 18) or send an e-mail to julie@primarysource.org.
The Georgia Humanities Council will present a new special award at the 2010 GCSS Georgia Social Studies Fair. Entitled the "New Georgia Encyclopedia Award," the honor will recognize the Best Project on a Georgia Topic.
Projects eligible for the award will: (1) explore a question or concept with a clear relationship to the state of Georgia; and (2) make innovative use of the New Georgia Encyclopedia (NGE) as a secondary source.
The award is open to all class levels and disciplines in competition at the fair. Elibile projects will be judged by staff members of the NGE and/or Georgia Humanities Council. The winner will receive a $50 cash prize.
For more information, contact Sarah McKee at semckee@uga.edu.
New Revised GPS Guides Now on GCSS Web Site
Newly revised GPS guides aligned with the Social Studies Precision Review conducted by the Georgia Department of Education have been posted to the GCSS web site. To view these guides, click here.
Instant Grants for School Field Trips to Georgia Nature Center
World Environmental Organization is awarding Instant Grants up to $1,500 toward environmental-related field trips to the Georgia Nature Center, located at 3001 Salem Road, Watkinsville, Georgia, near Athens.
Most schools have reduced or eliminated budgets for field trips this year, or have limitations on how far buses can travel. Given the importance of hands-on environmental education, the Georgia Nature Center (GNC) has developed programs to address these challenges so students can still take engaging field trips. All GNC programs correlate to K-12 GPS Standards. :earn about school field trips to the GNC at: http://FieldTrips.NatureCenter.com.
INSTANT GRANTS - If your budget is limited, receive an instant grant up to $1,500 toward a school field trip. View details at http://Grants.NatureCenter.com.
DISCOUNT CHARTER BUSES - If your county limits how far school buses can travel, you can arrange an affordable Deluxe Charter Bus Package. Instant grants can even be applied toward the cost of charter packages. Details are at: http://Buses.NatureCenter.com.
SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES - If your school is unable to travel at all, GNC staff can bring the nature center to you! Learn about in-school programs here: http://Assembly.NatureCenter.com.
GIFTED STUDENTS - For schools lucky enough to have special funding for gifted students, GNC has one- and two-day EcoCamp programs available at: http://www.EcoCamp.Org.
FREE CARNIVOROUS PLANTS - Reserve a field trip or school assembly within the next 4 weeks, and receive $80 worth of free carnivorous plants.
So what happens during a visit to Georgia Nature Center? First, a GNC valet will meet you, and transport lunches and coolers from your buses to our covered picnic area. The tour begins with a demonstration of a hybrid car. From there, a GNC naturalist will lead students on a 20-minute walk through "Tornado Alley" -- the only nature trail in the Southeast where students can view firsthand the destructive force of a 900-foot wide tornado. Along this walk, students will learn how weather impacts the ecology of a hardwood forest. Next, students learn about, and even get to touch thousands of rare carnivorous pitcher plants, some as tall as 3-feet.
From here, students begin a presentation at the GNC solar-powered stage where they will learn about clean energy and wind power. Solar kits are passed around so students can see up close how these technologies work. Students are shown even more carnivorous plants including rare Sundews and Venus Flytraps. Several free plants are given away. Additionally, the Center has an educational shop where students can purchase live carnivorous plants during lunch for as little as $3 each.
Next, students go on another nature walk to a geothermal earth tubes exhibit, and then walk along Greenbrier Creek to visit an organic farm. From here, students pass by an animal rescue area and the solar-powered Next Generation Home, the only home of its kind in the world. This usually wraps up the 1- to 3-hour educational program customized to GPS standards; the length of the program is based upon how much time your school has to visit.
Students then proceed to the Nature Center's picnic area, where they enjoy a bag lunch before heading back to the buses and returning to school.
If this sounds like a fun educational experience, don't miss your chance to receive a grant up to $1,500 to attend this program. If you have any questions, please call GNC founder Jeff Gold at 1-800-800-2SUN or check the GNC website.
Facing History and Ourselves' Fall Online Seminars
Apply to Facing History and Ourselves' Fall online seminars (www.facinghistory.org/OnlineSeminar):
* Holocaust and Human Behavior: October 15 - December 16, 2009: The twentieth century - one of the most murderous centuries in history - will forever be marked by the Nazis' attempt to murder the Jews of Europe. In no other history are the steps that resulted in genocide so carefully documented, not only by the victims, but also by perpetrators and bystanders. The events that led to the Holocaust raise profound moral questions about the consequences of our actions and our beliefs, and how we make distinctions between right and wrong, good and evil. While the Holocaust was unique, the questions remain universal. This online seminar includes a live conference call with a Holocaust survivor.
* Educators in a Jewish Setting: Holocaust and Human Behavior online seminar: October 15 - December 16, 2009: This online seminar takes Facing History's core case study on the rise of the Nazis and the Holocaust, and weaves in Jewish texts and stories on relevant themes and topics, such as bystander behavior, obedience, rescuers and resisters, and civic participation. Designed specifically for educators who teach in Jewish Day Schools, Hebrew Schools, or other Jewish settings, this online seminar includes a live conference call with a Holocaust survivor. All participants will receive a full scholarship, though there will be a $50 administrative fee.
Information and the application for all online seminars are available at: www.facinghistory.org/OnlineSeminar. Renew your commitment to growing and learning; bring content, methodology, and a powerful approach to examining historical case studies in your classroom that will engage and transform your students; enjoy the flexible professional development opportunity of online learning; and earn optional graduate credits.
Take an online seminar with Facing History and Ourselves and gain full access to our in-depth professional development services, curricular resources, and ongoing support to educators in the areas of History, Social Studies, and English language arts.
Learn key strategies, such as how to:
For more information, contact Tanya Lubicz-Nawrocka at tanya_lubicz-nawrocka@facing.org.
International Society for the Social Studies 2010 Annual Conference
The International Society for the Social Studies 2010 Annual Conference will be held February 25-26, 2010, in Orlando, Florida at the Fairwinds Alumni Center at University of Central Florida. The theme for the 2010 conference will be "Social Studies in the 21st Century."
The ISSS seeks to appeal to all professionals involved in social studies education. College and university faculty, K-12 teachers and administrators, curriculum designers and specialists, social studies supervisors, undergraduate and graduate students, and others in the various disciplines that constitute the social studies are encouraged to attend in the 2010 ISSS Annual Conference. New "Presidents and The Constitution" Curriculum Launched by the Bill of Rights Institute
The Bill of Rights Institute has released its latest curriculum, Presidents and The Constitution, Vol. I, to help students understand the powers delegated to the executive branch by the Constitution. Spanning over 200 years, Vol. I helps students explore how various presidents understood and exercised their constitutional powers.
Each of the 15 lessons is tied to national civics, history, and social studies standards, containing content-rich background essays and research-based teaching strategies. Presidents and The Constitution, Volume I includes a complete answer key, critical thinking questions for students, thematic essays that introduce each unit, and additional educational resources.
The Immortal 600: New Civil War Educational Package Announced The Archaeology Unit of the Georgia Department of Transportation and representatives of other agencies and organizations have teamed up to produce an educational package that examines a group of 600 Confederate POWs that were left on the battlefield and exposed to cannon fire from both Confederate and Union forces. Entitled "The Immortal 600," the package contains historical information, a downloadable curriculum, teacher's guide, and access to a video. Georgia Public Broadcasting has added a link to the material on its "Georgia Stories" website at www.gpb.org/georgiastories/story/immortal_six_hundred. For more information, call Eric Duff, Archaeology Unit Manager, Georgia Department of Transportation at 404-699-4406 or e-mail to eduff@dot.ga.gov. National History Club The National History Club is an initiative in partnership with The History Channel to encourage high school students across America to become involved in history-related programs through creation of school-based history clubs. Much more information can be found on the NHC's online newsletter (click here to view the Fall 2008 issue). A link to the NHC website has been added to the Useful Social Studies Web Links page. Bill of Rights Institute Announces New Teaching Material on Property Rights The Bill of Rights Institute announces the release of Property Rights in America: Yours, Mine, or Ours?, a new resource that provides teachers with a week of lesson plans to educate students about the foundations and on-going importance of property rights. The 40-page book will help students understand some of the rights that serve as the foundation of so many other rights enjoyed by Americans. Property Rights in America provides teachers with fresh, exciting materials that connect the Constitution to students' lives. Lesson content focuses on economic philosophy, the Founding documents, Supreme Court cases, intellectual property, and ways technologies like the Internet can challenge property rights. Students analyze various primary sources, including the Magna Carta, Second Treatise of Civil Government, by John Locke, Property, by James Madison, The Rights of the Colonists, by Samuel Adams, and numerous Supreme Court Cases. These lessons develop the skills necessary for future study and research on the history of America. The creation of Property Rights in America was made possible through generous grants from the Philip M. McKenna Foundation and the Aequus Institute. For more information, contact Rachel Bezanson (703) 894-1776 (extension 25) or e-mail to RBezanson@BillofRightsInstitute.org. Art and Essay Contest Announced The Istanbul Center, the cultural organization of the Turkish Community in Metro Atlanta, is sponsoring an art and essay contest for middle and high school students throughout the state of Georgia. This is an annual contest conducted with the cooperation of the Georgia Humanities Council, Georgia Department of Education, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Department, GSU College of Education, KSU College of the Arts, and Georgia Art Educators Association. The theme of this year's contest is “Alliance of Civilizations,” which is the United Nations’ concept of interaction and coordination among nations and cultures globally. Its purpose is to establish relations and facilitate cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue, understanding, reconciliation and cooperation. For more information on the contest, check the Center's website at www.istanbulcenter.org/contest. Georgia Commission on the Holocaust Announcement The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust is soliciting nominations for its 2009 Georgia Distinguished Educator of the Year Awards. The awards are presented to one full-time Georgia teacher from the elementary level (K-5), middle school level (6-8) and high school level (9-12) who demonstrate excellence and creativity in the development and presentation of lessons in the Holocaust, Character Education or Diversity. Eligible teachers are from public, private, charter, or parochial schools. Among the recognitions that go with the award is a $1,000 cash award to each teacher. Additionally, in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Education, the Commission is conducting a statewide art and writing contest for middle and high school students. Sponsored by Novartis Pharamacutical Company, the contest encourages students to learn the lessons of the Holocaust and the nature and repercussions of unchecked hate and prejudice taken to their ultimate extremes. Winning students and their teachers will be recognized in ceremonies at the Georgia state capitol. For more information on the teacher awards and student contest, go to www.holocaust.georgia.gov. Key Ingredients: America by Food The Smithsonian Institution announces a new traveling exhibition that explores the connections between Americans and the foods they produce, prepare, and present at the table. The Georgia tour of Key Ingredients is a project of the Georgia Humanities Council. The tour stops at 12 locations. For a map of the Georgia locations, click http://www.gafoodtour.org/tour/tour.html. New American History Resource for Elementary Educators The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has just announced the release of American History: Elementary School Edition, a multimedia resource kit providing teachers in grades three through eight with a variety of innovative tools that students can use to explore America’s past. American History: Elementary School Edition is the fourth volume of the Institute’s History in a Box series of multimedia resource kits. The American History Box includes ten color-coded units, each featuring an overview of the unit topic, primary source documents with questions, discussion cards featuring individuals both ordinary and famous, classroom activities, and a poster. The box also includes the DVD, An American Sampler: Poems and Songs that Celebrate our Nation’s Past, and a CD-ROM with printable versions of the box contents. The box is available on the Institute’s website at www.gilderlehrmanstore.org. For more information, contact: Sarah Bowman Stone Mountain Historical Field Trips Stone Mountain Park is more than a place to go to watch a fabulous laser show. The park also offers many historical field trips to choose from. There is also a large Civil War collection and museum, and an antebellum plantation with 18 original buildings from around the state built between 1783 and 1875. Students can tour through 100 years of Georgia history and experience live, interactive demonstrations that depict the daily activities of pioneer life. The park features an Indian Festival and Pow Wow in the fall, Frontier Days in the spring, and several on-going field trips through the school year, including the very popular Hands On History Program led by Peter Bonner. For more information, contact Maureen Slawitschka, Stone Mountain Park Specialty Markets Coordinator. E-mail: mslawitschka@stonemountainpark.com Georgia Historical Society Online Educational Resources for Teachers The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) has a new online resource for Georgia teachers and researchers. From Tomochichi to Juliette Gordon Low to Charles Herty, the new online resources highlight past GHS's Georgia Days honorees and feature brief biographical sketches and suggestions for further reading and research. Each entry also provides references to corresponding materials from the collection of the GHS. To view the online educational resources, access www.georgiahistory.com and follow the Georgia Days link. Preventing Genocide, Promoting Peace: A Podcast Conversation with Arn Chorn Pond Facing History and Ourselves, in partnership with Taking It Global and the Genocide Intervention Network's student division, STAND, presents a free podcast event, Preventing Genocide, Promoting Peace: A Podcast Conversation with Arn Chorn Pond. Tune in with your students this week and hear a special conversation between Cambodian Genocide survivor, Arn Chorn Pond, and Facing History and Ourselves students. Taped on April 11, the podcast features students asking Arn about how his personal history affects the choices he has made. Arn also offer advice on what kids can do to help raise awareness about the current genocide in Darfur. The audio podcast is available now on Facing History's interactive website, Be the Change: Upstanders for Human Rights (www.facinghistory.org/BeTheChange). The podcast makes for a great homework assignment, extra-credit opportunity, or activity in the classroom. After-school clubs will want to listen and discuss, too. Background materials on Arn, and suggested activities, are available on the website. And, you and your students can share your reactions and thoughts in an online discussion. For more information, contact: Beth Healey Field Trips to Solar Energy Exhibition The Georgia Nature Center is the largest outdoor educational complex of its kind in the Southeast. Guided tours across 100-acres of exhibits and trails include the Clean Energy Exhibition featuring solar & wind power, an organic farm, the Next Generation home, and a greenhouse with hundreds of rare carnivorous plants.
Each month, schools are bringing thousands of students from all parts of Georgia for this hands-on experience. There are tours for all levels from kindergarten through high school. Programs meet GPS standards for all K-12 grades. Facilities have been expanded to accommodate groups of up to 300 students at once. The entire center is "interactive" meaning kids get to not only see -- they also get o touch -- carnivorous plants, solar toys, organic plants and more.
There are only a few dates still available through the end of this school year, so please call 1-800-800-2SUN now to plan a school field trip. This is also a good time to reserve tours for the summer or fall. Georgia Nature Center sold out all dates last fall; reserve early to avoid missing the opportunity to bring your students.
Do you know any students who would like an even more in-deptheducational experience? Please tell them about the Georgia Nature Center's EcoCamp Summer Day Camp Program where they can build their own solar toys to bring home, plant their own carnivorous plants, fly a huge solar balloon, and hike some 5-miles of untouched nature trails. Custom 1 and 2-day EcoCamps can also be created for school groups throughout the year; these have been particularly popular among gifted student programs.
Visit these web pages for more information... SCHOOL FIELD TRIP INFORMATION: http://www.NatureCenter.com/groups ECOCAMP SUMMER DAY CAMP INFORMATION: NATURE CENTER HOME PAGE: =====================================================
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Enduring Legacy of Ancient China