Over the past five years, pre-service through first-year teachers have enriched their teaching and content knowledge by completing this program. Its goal is to expose beginning and future teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels to strategies and programs which will help them be better civic educators. The institute content includes discussions and practical application of concepts dealing with local, Texas, and national government and the U.S. Constitution. In addition, each level has special programs designed for that grade level. All materials distributed are correlated with the TEKS standards and the TAKS test. Lessons also include gifted and talented/advanced placement extensions.

From a Densho email announcement:

"Oral histories offer a valuable way to preserve and document the memories of individuals. They are also useful for creating innovative educational materials. This workshop is for individuals who collect or want to collect oral history interviews for educational use. The 3-hour training will look at real world examples like videos, websites, classroom activities, books, and multimedia presentations. The session will examine important factors to consider in preparing oral histories so that effective educational materials can be created."

To register, contact info@densho.org.

From the Minnesota Historical Society website:

"The newest art standards call for highlighting contributions of Minnesota's American Indian communities. Whether you teach art or social studies, this workshop will provide you with new ideas and resources for creating student projects using different types of media. Sessions will focus on Dakota and Ojibwe artistry past and present, and will include conversations with American Indian artists and educators. Attendees will demo the Minnesota Historical Society's new Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Activity kit."

Educators can transition from school to summer with this two-day, traveling workshop. Both days will begin and end at the North West Company Fur Post. Educators will participate in an in-depth site experience at the Fur Post, venture out on the Snake River on a large Montreal-style canoe, and hike along portage trails used by the voyageurs. They will learn from fur trade experts, share ideas about their favorite lessons, and immerse themselves in Minnesota's fur trade history. Educators may sign up for one or both days.

From the Michigan Historical Museum website:

"Talking with historians, dressing up in period clothes, and reenacting the lives of historical figures are all part of the weeklong learning experience called The BIG History Lesson. Students and teacher use the Michigan Historical Museum as their classroom for an extended, in-depth study of Michigan history.

The BIG History Lesson began here at the Michigan Historical Museum and received a 2000 Certificate of Commendation from the American Association for State and Local History. The week's lessons are correlated with state standards, and assessment tools are used throughout the experience.

Activities during The BIG History Lesson week are teacher-led and student-centered and can include speakers, behind-the-scenes tours and students working cooperatively on research. Children participate in presentations, discussions, drama, writing, sketching and a variety of other interdisciplinary lessons while at the museum.

To prepare, teachers participate in a BIG History Lesson planning and professional development workshop, where they learn about the museum and its resources. (Cost for first-time BHL teachers, $50; returning BHL teachers, $15.) The workshop emphasizes object-based learning, thematic study and the use of community resources as teaching and learning tools. Teachers work with the program coordinator to develop a unit of study, including activities, resources and museum support needed for their BIG History Lesson week. "

In this institute, educators will join colleagues from across the country for a unique opportunity to collaborate with art experts and leading technology professionals. Through gallery talks, lectures, discussion groups, and hands-on activities, they will study the social context of American art. As part of an interdisciplinary team, they will share models for integrating art across the curriculum using technology, such as podcasting and blogs.

The institute is open to educator teams of two to three members, each representing a different subject area (i.e., language arts, social studies, science, math, etc.), from the same school or district. Each team member must be a full-time educator working in grades 4–12 in a public, private, or parochial school.

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.

From the Lyndon B. Johnson Museum and Library website:

"This workshop provides a varied program of lectures, demonstrations, analysis of documents, independent research, and group work that introduces teachers to the holdings and organization of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. Participants will learn how to do research in historical records, create classroom material from records, and present documents in ways that sharpen students' skills and enthusiasm for history, social studies, and the humanities. Each participant selects and prepares to research a specific topic, searches the topic in the records of the LBJ Library, and develops a teaching unit that can be presented in his or her own classroom."

In this institute, educators will join colleagues from across the country for a unique opportunity to collaborate with art experts and leading technology professionals. Through gallery talks, lectures, discussion groups, and hands-on activities, they will study the social context of American art. As part of an interdisciplinary team, they will share models for integrating art across the curriculum using technology, such as podcasting and blogs.

The institute is open to educator teams of two to three members, each representing a different subject area (i.e., language arts, social studies, science, math, etc.), from the same school or district. Each team member must be a full-time educator working in grades 4–12 in a public, private, or parochial school.

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.