During this two-week institute teachers and scholars will reconsider iconic American writer John Steinbeck, author of more than 30 books, winner of the Pulitzer Prize (in 1940, for The Grapes of Wrath), the Nobel Prize for Literature (1962), and the United States Medal of Freedom (1964). Days will be filled with study, exploration of the area, discussion, and reflection. During the two weeks, participants will have ample opportunity to appreciate "Steinbeck Country" through exploration of the land and Steinbeck's literature.
Optional continuing education units (CEUs are not equivalent to college course credit, however) can be earned for 1-6 units at the nominal fee of $25 per unit. These units have been arranged at one of the host institutions, CSU Channel Islands, in Camarillo, California. Additional work beyond attendance and full participation at the institute is not required to earn this credit.
This institute will provide educators the opportunity to engage in serious study and seminar-style discussion of basic issues of political theory and the values and principles of American constitutional democracy.
At this workshop participants will engage in dynamic, in-depth, interdisciplinary study of the Alamo and associated major themes of American history, literature, and popular culture. They will study in intimate seminar settings with major scholars, interact with their colleagues in lively conversations, and develop classroom teaching activities based on individual interdisciplinary research conducted in the Alamo Library Archives, the Institute of Texans Cultures, the American History Center and other Texas archives while working in seminars with five nationally recognized Texas scholars.
From the North Carolina Museum of History website:
"What was life like for North Carolinians before the Civil War? Explore this question through in-depth articles, artifacts, and visual aids designed to enhance your knowledge of the political, social, and economic developments in antebellum North Carolina."
$40; $35 for North Carolina Museum of History Associates
Course Credit
"Participants who complete the institute will receive a certificate for thirty (30) contact hours. Please check with your school district to verify eligibility."
This hands-on, interactive program puts teachers and their students in touch with local Cobb County historic resources while they learn about the cultural and folk traditions of their community. The "classroom" includes East Cobb's 1840s Hyde Farm and Power Cabin, Acworth's Rosenwald School and Bethel A.M.E. Church, Marietta's Root House Museum, and the Marietta Museum of History. The program brings the classroom to the streets of Marietta, with walking tours of the Church Street-Cherokee Street Historic District and the Marietta City Cemetery. In a more traditional classroom setting, the teachers attend sessions on oral history and architectural history.
This year's five-day institute will explore the Civil War from the perspectives of ordinary people—soldiers, slaves, and women—fighting, living, and dying in a nation embroiled in war. By examining the war through the eyes of those who lived it, participants will develop a greater understanding of the American Civil War's impact and complexity. Participants will join the staff of the Museum of the Confederacy and guest lecturers for special sessions, tours, and discussions, designed to aid teachers of all grade levels.
What do an English historian, an Italian wine merchant, an anti-slavery advocate, and the Father of the Constitution have in common? Each of these individuals—Catherine Sawbridge Macaulay Graham, Philip Mazzei, Francis Asbury, and James Madison—paid one or more visits during the years 17831789 to the retired leader of the American Revolutionary forces, George Washington, at his Virginia waterfront plantation, Mount Vernon. Perhaps these guests marveled at the brilliant colors of the mansion's main dining room. They might have strolled around the grounds and seen the slaves performing the multitude of tasks necessary to make the plantation flourish. It's likely that the visitors sat on the east-facing piazza and watched the ships sail up and down the Potomac River. Finally, and most significantly, these visitors—and others like them—participated in dialogues and discussions at Mount Vernon which resulted in the creation of the American constitutional system. The Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop, "Shaping the Constitution: A View from Mount Vernon 178389," funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities We the People initiative, is an opportunity for educators (and ultimately their students) to gain a better understanding of Mount Vernon as a crossroads for the discussion of ideas that led to the Constitution. In brief, the workshop offers academic content about Mount Vernon, George Washington, and the Constitution; the opportunity to engage in scholarly discourse with leading academics; a stipend to help cover housing and meal costs; a transportation allowance; networking with other social studies teachers from around the nation; and ongoing professional development opportunities and the opportunity to earn graduate credit.
Bill of Rights Institute; George Washington's Mount Vernon
Phone number
703-894-1776
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free; $750 stipend
Course Credit
At the conclusion of the seminar, participants will be provided with certificates verifying their attendance at all required sessions. There will be approximately 35 hours of actual instruction within the workshop. Participants should determine in advance to what degree their state or local school districts will accept participation in the workshop for continuing education units. However, the Bill of Rights Institute and Mount Vernon will work with participants to provide sufficient documentation for their school districts. This year, the workshop is able to provide an academic credit option for those interested. Ashland Unversity in Ohio will grant two semester hours of Education graduate credit to participants who submit a teaching activity and pay a total tuition charge of $400. Registration will be handled on the first day of the program and participants must bring either a check or credit card information if they would like to earn these credits.
"You will explore the history, human influences, science and stewardship of the Mississippi River during a narrated Mississippi River cruise on the Harriet Bishop river boat. You will experience pioneer life at the Oliver H. Kelley farm, a living history site set in the mid 1800's, and you will be exposed to modern farming practices, techniques, and equipment. You will visit the MN Commemorative Air Force Wing (dedicated to the preservation of WWII treasures). You will learn about the history and significance of railroading in MN from the 1930's through the 1950's on guided tours of the Jackson Street Roundhouse. We will explore the MN Landscape Arboretum and the Richardson Nature Center in Bloomington with a naturalist and discover how to utilize this experience in the classroom."