From the Alabama History Education Initiative flyer:

"In the first year, [the Alabama Department of Archives and History] will assemble a committee of twenty master teachers from around the state to develop new curriculum packages. The committee members will receive travel and per diem at the rate set for reimbursement by the state of Alabama for its employees. Also, the committee members will receive a laptop computer upon completion of the project. The committee will meet June 22-26, 2009 at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery beginning with a day of immersive classes in Alabama history taught by leading scholars in the field. With data and cooperation from the State Department of Education, a university faculty consultant will lead a review of the State Course of Study, state testing requirements, and existing test performance data to identify the areas of greatest need. Key data sets will include scores from the 2008 administration of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam and student assessments developed as part of several Teaching American History (TAH) grants that are currently underway in the state.

The committee will then begin a collaborative process of designing approximately fifty curricular units based on primary sources identified by ADAH education and archival staff. Units will include reproductions of primary
sources, suggested instructional strategies, correlations to the Alabama Course of Study: Social Studies and National Standards for History, student-oriented learning activities, and assessment tools. Two university faculty
reviewers will evaluate the units, verify their correct alignment to standards, and make suggestions for improvement. Committee members will conduct trial implementations of the units in their own classrooms, noting
areas that merit revision during the second year of development.

The second year of the project will replicate the first, with a new class of twenty teachers receiving orientation and developing another fifty curriculum units. In addition, the first year’s committee members will begin providing multiple professional development sessions in each of the state’s in-service centers, a process that will put the committee-developed resources in the hands of as many as one thousand classroom teachers across the state. The university consultant, reviewers, and ADAH education staff will make site visits to classrooms in order to observe the use of the curricular materials and evaluate their effectiveness. University faculty will also begin incorporating the curricular materials in pre-teacher training. ADAH will post the curricular resources on its Web site and distribute them upon request on compact disc, making it possible for every history teacher in the state to reproduce the materials and implement them in the classroom."

From the beginning to the expert teacher, using technology as part of social studies instruction in the 21st century is essential. K–12 students use cell phones, the internet, video games, and many other forms of technology. To maintain relevance in the lives of those students, classroom instruction needs to include not only social studies content but 21st-century tools and skills. This workshop will showcase content-specific websites and technology examples that educators can use right away.

The use of primary sources as an instructional tool in the social studies classroom engages students, encourages high levels of learning, and raises test scores. But with so much to do and so little time, how can teachers know what strategies and resources work best? In this workshop, teachers will join other social studies teachers to find the answer to that question. Participants will be introduced to both online and print materials and provided specific examples of how to use those resources with their students.

Students often struggle to understand the increasingly complex content and vocabulary presented in social studies. Frustrated teachers often feel that it is easier to just cover the information presented instead of working to help students make meaningful connections. Effective strategies increase students learning and build scores on standardized social studies reading and writing tests. This workshop will share successful strategies that target the unique features and constructions of social studies texts as well as other forms of nonfiction and fiction. Handouts and materials provided can be used immediately to modify social studies instruction.

How can social studies teachers engage their students at deep levels so true learning occurs? Brain researchers and educational leaders such James Zull and Robert Marzano suggest developing instructional units around the mysteries of history. Participants in this workshop will use resources from the Buck Institute and others to focus on both the theory and implementation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Who killed the Iceman? What really happened at the Battle of the Little Big Horn? What became of the lost colony of Roanoke? Who was the Man in the Iron Mask? How did Cortez conquer the Aztecs? Teachers can use these and mysteries like them to focus student attention and meet state standards. During this workshop, educators will be presented with resources, examples, and time to begin constructing their own history mystery unit.

How can social studies teachers engage their students at deep levels so true learning occurs? Brain researchers and educational leaders such James Zull and Robert Marzano suggest developing instructional units around the mysteries of history. Participants in this workshop will use resources from the Buck Institute and others to focus on both the theory and implementation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Who killed the Iceman? What really happened at the Battle of the Little Big Horn? What became of the lost colony of Roanoke? Who was the Man in the Iron Mask? How did Cortez conquer the Aztecs? Teachers can use these and mysteries like them to focus student attention and meet state standards. During this workshop, educators will be presented with resources, examples, and time to begin constructing their own history mystery unit.

This professional development opportunity will bring Texas teachers together with leading scholars to explore important constitutional issues in our nation's history. The program offers teachers the opportunity to work with leading scholars of U.S. history, political science, and law and share strategies for teaching with primary sources.