Using ESSEX History is pleased to welcome back Dr. Cynthia Lyerly (Boston College) to lead a discussion of the culture of Jim Crow. This seminar will provide nuance for discussions of segregation by taking educators out of the courtrooms and voting booths to examine how the Jim Crow system affected everyday life and how depictions of race in popular culture complemented and supported both legal and de facto segregation. Readings for this seminar will focus on the turn of the 20th century and will bring together a diverse amount of scholarship including: Dr. Lyerly's own work on The Clansman author Thomas Dixon, Jr.'s studies on the segregation of consumption and public spaces, and investigations into popular cultural icons such as Shirley Temple and Scarlett O'Hara. This seminar will take place at the NARA facilities in Waltham and will include screenings of portions of several films including Gone With the Wind, The Littlest Rebel, and Within Our Gates, as well as investigations into NARA's archives.The primary sources for the day reveal surprising ways in which the culture of segregation affected life here in New England.

This learning opportunity will focus on Marzano's research on the nine instructional strategies that have demonstrated increases in student achievement and will be an opportunity to add new instructional "tools" to educators' teaching "toolboxes." Additional topics will include the use and communication of essential learning targets to students, assessment for learning, determining and describing proficiency, goal setting, and success criteria for learning in the classroom, and other topics as determined by the needs of the group.

This learning opportunity will focus on Marzano's research on the nine instructional strategies that have demonstrated increases in student achievement and will be an opportunity to add new instructional "tools" to educators' teaching "toolboxes." Additional topics will include the use and communication of essential learning targets to students, assessment for learning, determining and describing proficiency, goal setting, and success criteria for learning in the classroom, and other topics as determined by the needs of the group.

This learning opportunity will focus on Marzano's research on the nine instructional strategies that have demonstrated increases in student achievement and will be an opportunity to add new instructional "tools" to educators' teaching "toolboxes." Additional topics will include the use and communication of essential learning targets to students, assessment for learning, determining and describing proficiency, goal setting, and success criteria for learning in the classroom, and other topics as determined by the needs of the group.

In the Games That Teach series of classes, one or more of the Colorado State Standards K-12 are addressed through more than 120 activities (in each class—a total of more than 300 activities) in the following categories: Active, Basic Skills, Problem-Solving, Strings, and Pencil and Paper. Specific skills taught through the games include: listening, problem-solving, creative thinking, team building, following directions, fine and gross motor skills, math, reading, history, language, and geography. The format of the manuals provided to each participant stresses not only the steps for each activity but the skills that are being taught. Within each category are games that address many specific skill areas such as language, mathematics, history, and geography. It is the philosophy of this workshop that students learn best and retain information longest when they are actively involved and enjoying what they are doing. This philosophy is maintained because the participants are actively involved in this class. Teachers experience the activities just as their students would. This allows teachers to understand the frustration or difficulties that might be encountered by their students. As the participants are experiencing something new in the activity they can also understand, from the teachers' point of view, the skills that are being taught or reinforced. The activities are designed to provide participants with a variety of methods and techniques for reaching students in a different style. The style of each activity is varied so that all learning styles are addressed as well as all of the intelligences according to Gardner. As the class progresses through the activities, time is devoted to discussion as to how the activities fit into the daily routine, how they can be adapted to various curriculum topics and ages, and teachers are encouraged to analyze and apply which standards, learning styles, etc. are addressed.

The African Studies Association (ASA) will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its first annual meeting in historic Chicago, IL. As part of the larger program, the event will feature scholars, artists, and community activists from the Chicago area who will facilitate panels, workshops, and discussions tailored especially to educators.

Participants in this workshop will cover content and instructional-based themes introduced during the previous summer institute. Other teachers from the regions will be invited to attend this workshop and learn about content, resource, and instructional themes covered during the year. Core participants will also share their lesson plans, work products, and best practice strategies with the other teachers.