National Museum of the American Indian: Educator's Open House

Description

From the National Museum of the American Indian website:

"This event provides educators the opportunity to learn about the rich experiences available at the NMAI. The day's activities include tours of exhibitions, the Haudenosaunee Discovery Room, and the Resource Center; there will also be hands-on activities. Educators who pre-register will receive a package of resources."

For more on the National Museum of the American Indian, refer to NHEC's Museums and Historic Sites entry. Please note that this event is at the museum's New York City branch.

Sponsoring Organization
National Museum of the American Indian
Phone number
212-514-3716
Target Audience
PreK-12
Start Date
Duration
Five hours

Websites and Technology in Social Studies

Description

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.

Sponsoring Organization
ESSDACK
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
$60 nonmembers; $30.00 members; $45.00 associate members
Duration
Seven hours

Using Primary Sources in the Social Studies Classroom

Description

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.

Sponsoring Organization
ESSDACK
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
$60 nonmembers; $30.00 members; $45.00 associate members
Duration
Seven hours

Reading and Writing in the Social Studies

Description

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.

Sponsoring Organization
ESSDACK
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
$60 nonmembers; $30.00 members; $45.00 associate members. $10 materials fee.
Duration
Seven hours

Problem-Based Learning in Social Studies

Description

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.

Sponsoring Organization
ESSDACK
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
$60 nonmembers; $30.00 members; $45.00 associate members
Duration
Seven hours

Problem-Based Learning in Social Studies

Description

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.

Sponsoring Organization
ESSDACK
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
$60 nonmembers; $30.00 members; $45.00 associate members
Duration
Seven hours

Seeing is Believing: Google Earth in Social Studies

Description

Google Earth lets users see the world around them in brand-new ways. Travel to the Great Pyramids, analyze live earthquake data, compare before and after images of deforestation, or integrate literature and social studies. But how can educators use it best to improve learning? Participants in this workshop will spend the day adapting existing Google Earth tours and creating a few of their own.

Sponsoring Organization
ESSDACK
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
$120 nonmember; $60 members; $90 associate members
Duration
Seven hours

Penn Museum Online Collections

Image
Annotation

Representing the collections of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, this archive features records for more than 660,000 artifacts, ranging from sources worldwide.

Visitors may browse objects by featured collection or theme (themes include California/Nevada baskets, animals, faces, feathers, hair and makeup, and more) or by collection highlights (featuring notable artifacts divided into sections by geography). Under "Highlights by Section," visitors may also choose "Physical Anthropology" to explore the museum's collection of human and primate remains. A downloadable PDF (30 pages) introduces this section. (Note: access to the searchable database for the physical anthropology collection was not available at the time of this review.)

Visitors may search the collections by keyword, object name/description, museum object number, period, place name, culture, maker, donor, and material/technique. Individual object records may include culture, country of origin, date created, media and techniques used, a two- to three-sentence description, and enlargeable images (if available).

Click "Add to My Finds" on an object's record page to add an object to a customizable list of bookmarked items, accessed by clicking the "My Finds" tab at the top right of the page. Collections of "finds" may be rearranged by dragging and dropping; click "Save/Share My Finds" to store a collection at a unique URL that may be revisited later and shared with others.

This is a useful site for exploring material culture. U.S. history teachers will find the Native American artifacts recovered on archaeological and ethnographic collecting expeditions particularly relevant. The lack of substantial annotations may make some artifacts difficult to contextualize. (Note that the museum specifically allows teachers to use images from the collection in their classrooms or on nonprofit educational websites.)