News Items
Jun 30 2008
Dozens of Distinctive Destinations
Vacation with living history outside the classroom. Each year since 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation selects a Dozen Distinctive Destinations across the country where visitors can have terrific vacations in communities committed to historic preservation and revitalization.
This years' distinctive dozen represent north, south, east, west and the heartland from Florida to New Hampshire, Minnesota, Colorado, Texas and Washington. The destinations selected in 2008 range from a French colonial village along the banks of the Mississippi River that captures the pioneer spirit of the early settlers, to a small Texas town that serves as a gateway to the unspoiled terrain of the 19th century western frontier, to a gorgeous Southern city with roots three centuries deep, and a coastal town renowned for its seafood and historic buildings.
To date, there are 108 Distinctive Destinations. They are located in 42 states where residents have taken forceful action to protect their town's character and sense of place.
Jun 23 2008
National History Day 2008: Conflict and Compromise
More than 500,000 students across the country in grades 6-12 participated in the 2008 National History Day competition, exploring the theme Conflict and Compromise.
Between June 15-18, winners of state competitions gathered at the University of Maryland, College Park, where hundreds of judges sifted through entries and spent time talking with students about their research process and interests. Winners in categories of exhibits, dramatic performances, multimedia documentaries, research papers, and web projects (a new category in 2008) received awards Thursday, June 18. The History Channel offers a webcast of the program.
Contest winners in each category as well as recipients of special medals and special recognition awards appear on the contest winners page.
Students are already gearing up for next year's topic: The Individual in History.
Jun 16 2008
Especially for New Teachers
According to the summary of a report from the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, after 3 years, 1/3 of new teachers leave the field; after 5 years, almost half of those new teachers are gone.
School systems, colleges and universities and other organizations in the business of education increasingly extend help to teachers entering the classroom for the first time. On the web, numerous publications and gateway projects offer a range of materials, advice, and ideas for the new educator.
The US Department of Education offers a Survival guide that includes a helpline, mentorship column, and articles on what to expect, planning guides, and resources and activities for the new teacher.
Help for your First Class: Resources, tools and Tips for New Teaches, a newsletter from scholastic.com with regularly updated articles including teaching ideas, planning guides,
Teachers Net includes articles on curriculum, professional development, administration, classroom activities, materials and personalities.
College and university schools of education frequently have support sites for new teachers. Visit these sites: New Jersey Consortium of Middle Schools, School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and New Teacher Center, University of California at Santa Cruz.
And more support for 6-8th grade teachers: The First Days of Middle School is a gateway on topics ranging from classroom management to activities and lesson supplements.
May 29 2008
EDSITEment Spotlights Materials on the Modern Presidency
EDSITEment, a website of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), is spotlighting classroom materials related to the Public Broadcasting Series (PBS) series, The Presidents.
Materials include lesson plans on Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John Kennedy and link these lesson plans to related segments of online video from the series. They highlight major policies and events during each presidency within the context of the era. One lesson plan on Harry Truman, for example, examines origins of the Cold War, then discusses major policies such as the Strategy of Containment.
These lesson plans are directed towards grades 9-12, but incorporate materials that may be useful for younger students.
May 27 2008
We're Listening to
Podcasts in the classroom can bring the voices, sound, and even the documents and material culture of history alive. For the educator, they can provide a new look at the presentation and interpretation of history. We offer some ideas here.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute, features podcasts from prominent historians including Jill Lepore, David Kennedy, Joseph Ellis, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Podcasts on the Monticello website cover topics ranging from the music of Monticello and a look at key documents and letters among the papers of Thomas Jefferson to discussion of the historic site, and material culture. Monticello podcasts range from 4 to 35 minutes.
The National Archives presents monthly broadcasts of clips from the Presidential Libraries. Hear President Lyndon Johnson speak with Martin Luther King. Listen to excerpts from the President Franklin Roosevelt's Day of Infamy speech asking Congress to declare a state of war between Japan and the United States.
The National Museum of American History (NMAH) presents hour-long programs of music drawn from Smithsonian collections. The podcasts emphasize how music is integral to everything from politics to play. Other NMAH podcasts include talks on the history of inventions and inventors, and a special section on How to Podcast with Your Students.
University of California Television (UCTV) offers a multitude of podcasts (and videos) under the topic Conversations with History. The searchable database of over 400 unedited interviews with prominent scholars and leaders includes discussions on history, politics, economics, foreign relations and law. Podcasts are available on iTunes; videos, through YouTube.
On this website, the searchable database of Online History Lectures leads to further resources.
May 27 2008
Journal of the Association for History and Computing
The current online issue of Journal of the Association for History and Computing (April 2008) highlights the use of digitized primary source documents in the classroom and in the archives.
The Historical Scene Investigation Project: Facilitating Historical Thinking wit Web-Based, Digital Primary Source Documents uses the case approach to explore the use of digital information in the context of a project for teaching history in the K-12 classroom.
The Importance of Context for Digitized Archival Collections talks about the consequences of selective digitization. How do we read a document when we don't know what came before or after it in a collection?
Editor Jeremy Boggs, highlights online exhibitions, and editor Lynn Westney takes a look at E-Journals.
May 15 2008
Preserve America Presidential Awards
First Lady Laura Bush presented the 2008 Preserve America Presidential Awards, the highest national award for historic preservation achievement, in a White House ceremony May 12.
The winners? African Burial Ground Project in New York City, the Corinth and Alcorn county Mississippi Heritage Tourism Initiative, Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York City, and Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program.
John Nau III, chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), pointed out, "This year's honorees each represent a significant period in our nation's history. Their preservation efforts ensure Americans gain a greater knowledge of our nation's past while impacting the economic vitality of their communities, states and the nation."
Learn more about the Preserve America initiative here and read about 2008 award winners here.
May 12 2008
A History Institute for Teachers
This year sees the publication of a wealth of important new literature on America in the 19th century. This abundance of excellent new contributions to the scholarship on these important years is an exciting opportunity to revisit what we all think we know about America in the 19th century, and to rethink what our students need to know.
On Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) will explore America in the Civil War Era, 1829-77: A History Institute for Teachers. Particularly intended or high school teachers, FPRI offers a simultaneous webcast of the conference available with online registration.
FPRI also offers a a far-ranging selection of audio and visual files, available online, of lectures, forums and other events including sessions from previous History institutes for Teachers.
May 12 2008
Public Broadcasting Reports on Education
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) stations recently aired a series of reports about The Business of Education during The Nightly Business Report. The series highlighted on the influence of the No Child Left Behind Act in the development of the educational products and services industries. Reports discuss standardized testing, tutoring services, charter schools, educational technology and the educational stock market. Each report includes post-broadcast transcripts, blog entries and related links.
And on National Public Radio (NPR), a series of reports on Innovative Trends in High School looks at new ideas from secondary educators across the country who are working to break patterns of failure. Listen to audio files and find transcripts of broadcasts.
May 12 2008
Highlights from the American Historical Association
The May issue of Perspectives from the American Historical Association examines technology in the classroom. Teaching History with YouTube (and other primary-source video sites on the internet) by Jonathon Rees and Podcasting and the Profession by Kreita Sigler explore using and creating audiovisuals.