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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.
The 2009 Atlanta NCSS Annual Conference is only a few months away. Many volunteers are needed to work in various capacities so that the thousands of social studies teachers who descend on Atlanta will have a wonderful experience. Thanks to Dr. Cathy Geis ( geis.cathy@fcboe.org ) of Fayette County and Dr. Pat Guillory ( guillory@fultonschools.org ) of Fulton County for chairing the Local Arrangements Committee. You can volunteer for a couple of hours or longer. People who
volunteer are eligible for a reduced fee for registration. More information
for this will be available later. You
can help with the Hospitality, Registration, Atlanta Tours, Social Events,
Students Doing Social Studies, Facilitators, or Conference Tote Bag
Preparation committees. Each committee will need people to work at
different times and at different locations during the conference. Contact information to volunteer for
any of those subcommittees is below. Hospitality Committee Chair: JoAnn Wood, Cobb County School District ( joann.wood@cobbk12.org ) Task: Greeting people, providing directions to meeting rooms, putting up and taking down signs, working with tour committee, assisting in conference registration area When: Thursday through Sunday as needed Registration Committee Chair: Becky Ryckeley, Henry County Schools ( Rebecca.ryckeley@henry.k12.ga.us ) Task: Assisting NCSS staff with on-site registration, giving out conference tote bags in main registration area in World Congress Center and at Omni Hotel When: Thursday through Sunday as needed Atlanta Tours Committee Chair: Cliff Tyree, DeKalb County Schools ( buckeyeosu@aol.com ) Task: Monitoring tour departure from hotel, collecting tickets, going on tour as a tour guide/facilitator When: Throughout conference as needed Social Events Chair: Andrea Pritchett, Rockdale County Schools ( apritchett@rockdale.k12.ga.us ) Task: Assist attendees in locating events, collecting tickets at the door When: Throughout conference as needed Students Doing Social Studies Chair: Nadine Wright, Elbert County Schools ( nwright@elbert.k12.ga.us ) and Phil Parker, Wheeler County Schools ( parkerphil@bellsouth.net ) Task: Assist with student arrival and departure, facilitate student performances When: Friday through Sunday Facilitators Chair: Debbie Daniell ( Debbie_daniell@gwinnett.k12.ga.us ) Task: Monitor meeting rooms, communicate with presenters, contact conference venue staff when necessary, collect evaluation forms, count attendees in sessions When: Thursday through Sunday Conference Tote Bag Preparation Chair: Cathy Geis ( geis.cathy@fcboe.org ) and Pat Guillory ( guillory@fultonschools.org ) Task: Stuff the conference tote bags with all information about the conference. When: Wednesday noon 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. Free Workshop for Political Science/Government Teachers Preparing to Take the Aug. 22 GACE On July 30, 2009, the State Bar of Georgia will offer a free workshop for
teachers preparing to take the August 22 Georgia Assessments for the Certifcation of Eductors (GACE)in Political Science and Government. This workshop
will be presented by an experienced attorney and will address the following
GACE in Political Science test objectives: Date: Thursday,
July 30, 2009 For more informatiion, conact: Deborah C. Craytor, Esquire $30 Hotel Rebate for 2009 NCSS Conference in Atlanta Now is the time to start making your lodging arrangements for the 2009 NCSS Annual Conference to be held Nov. 13-15 in Atlanta! This year's conference will be held in the World Congress Center. Four nearby hotels–the Atlanta Marriott Downtown, the Hyatt Regency, the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, and the Westin Peachtree Plaza--are serving as the official conference hotels and are offering a special $30 rebate for all attendees who stay at least two nights. NCSS also is conducting a contest to win a free night at the Omni and Westin. To make a reservation or enter the contest, go to www.socialstudies.org/conference/hotels. The 2009 conference will include • More than 400 sessions, workshops, and poster presentations covering the latest in social studies education; • Such notable speakers as best-selling author Greg Mortenson, Lincoln scholar Eric Foner, and peace educator and sister of President Obama, Maya Soetoro-Ng; • Panels with leading experts on teaching about the economic crisis, the Civic Mission of Schools, and international social studies education; • Clinics at the King Center, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, and Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; and • Tours of the African-American history and urban geography of Atlanta. Keep checking on www.socialstudies.org/conference for more details. Conference registration opens June 1, 2009. Make plans now to attend the nation's largest and most comprehensive social studies professional development conference. Remember, GCSS will not hold an annual conference this year in order to encourage its members to attend NCSS's national conference in our home state. This will be the first time in over 30 years that NCSS has held its national conference in Georgia, so we need to show our support for social studies by attending. Bill of Rights Institute to Sponsor 2009 National History Day Prize The Bill of Rights Institute will be collaborating with National History
Day (NHD) in 2009 to sponsor the Constitutional Rights in History prize. The
award will be given to an outstanding entry in any category from both the
senior and junior divisions that documents and analyzes how individuals have
exercised their constitutional rights throughout American history. Awards for Using Original Georgia Historical Records Are your students or educational programs creating projects using original
historical records? Show them the value of their work! Summer Program in Russia for Social Studies Teachers The American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS has
announced a new 5-week summer program for K-12 social studies and language
arts teachers to study in Russia. The Contemporary Russia program offers
teachers an opportunity to explore in depth the major domestic and
international issues currently affecting Russia. It will provide classes in
Russian economics, Russian politics, and Russian culture. All area studies
courses are conducted in English by faculty of the Moscow Higher School of Economics,
one of Russia's most prestigious centers for the study of social sciences. In
addition, program participants receive six hours per week of language
instruction geared toward their proficiency levels (including elementary
courses for students with no prior training in Russian). A working group will
meet once per week in Moscow to examine such topics as teaching
methodologies; new resources for courses on history, culture, language and
current events; and ways of incorporating information gleaned from the
program into U.S. classrooms. More information is available online at www.acrussiaabroad.org, or contact ACTR/ACCELS Information and Outreach Officer Brita Ericson (202-572-9102). 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 Each month, schools are bringing thousands of students from There are only a few dates still available through the end of Do you know any students who would like an even more in-depth 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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