The story of America is a story of immigration. From the first colonial settlers through the wave of 19th-century immigrants to the 20th-century refugees from war and famine to those still coming today, the desire to build a better life has motivated millions to U.S. shores. What does it mean to be an immigrant? What forces compel you to embark on an uncertain journey? What is life like in a new and strange country? To complement students' study of historic periods of immigration, this program invites students to hear the stories of 19th-century immigrants to St. Louis.

In this program, educators and their students will have the opportunity to learn about the wide variety of European immigrants that came to St Louis in the mid- and later part of the 19th century. Students will interact with archivists and historians as they share stories of immigrants and what their life was like as they crossed the ocean and settled in this new land. They will learn about Mullanphy Emigrant Home in St. Louis which, according to Sean Thomas, Executive Director of the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, functioned as a "lighthouse, a safe haven for immigrants getting their start" in St. Louis. Participants will find out about the services available at the Mullanphy House and how immigrants contributed to the vibrant growth of St. Louis in the 19th century.

The Minnesota Historical Society will help participants make their very own Discovery Boxes. Each educator will walk away with a teaching box, filled with props and primary sources related to Minnesota's fur trade. Participants will also brainstorm with fellow teachers and experience a hands-on fur trade lesson.

Minnesota celebrated its 150th birthday in 2008, but the impact of statehood on American Indian communities must not be underestimated. Participants in this workshop will explore how settlement has affected Indian people throughout Minnesota's statehood, and learn more about the cultural, social, and political impacts on Indian communities during the past 150 years. The workshop will focus on the Dakota.

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

The Florida Holocaust Museum hosts an evening for teachers, with special guest speakers, tours, and educational materials.

For Native people, identity—who you are, how you dress, what you think, and how you see yourself in the world—has been shaped by many factors. This workshop reveals Native people in the 21st century whose stories reflect the deliberate and often difficult choices made to save languages from extinction, preserve cultural integrity, and keep traditional arts.

This multi-date residential institute introduces teachers to the intertwined issues of genocide and human rights. In the late spring participants will be sent a series of extensive text, article, and resource readings. Participants will begin the residential sessions by defining the terms and learning about the philosophical and historical antecedents and common characteristics of genocides and human rights violations. The seminar will then turn toward exploring the historical, political, sociological/anthropological, and contemporary dimensions of genocide and human rights by focusing on the causes, courses, and consequences of the events. The case studies include: Armenia, the Holocaust, Ukrainian famine-genocide, Cambodian, Cyprus, El Salvador, Iraq, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Sudan genocidal episodes. Other examples that will be integrated and considered include the Irish famine, the indigenous peoples of the Americas, and the current status of human rights throughout the world.

The institute will also include a series of sessions on how to approach these subjects in the classroom, from the elementary to the high school level. Significant attention will be devoted to the complex methodological issues underlying the presentation of genocide in the classroom including the selection of teaching materials (secondary readings, primary sources, and documentary and entertainment films). Then participants will undertake the sharing of lesson plans developed as a part of the institute's program before concluding with a series of final sessions and considerations on the future prevention of genocide and an activist engagement with the subject.

As an ongoing part of the Institute and its mission, past participants and faculty will continue to function as a cohort after the institute is over by sharing completed lesson plans, developing additional curricular materials, and undertaking educational and public outreach programming.

Participants in this workshop will learn about the 1890s immigration experience on the Near West Side of Chicago through compelling historical fiction narratives and visits to Hull-House and the Taylor Street and Prairie Avenue neighborhoods. Based on the Museum's collection, these stories form the core of the Great Chicago Stories website, an award-winning educational resource.

Participants in this workshop will learn about the 1890s immigration experience on the Near West Side of Chicago through compelling historical fiction narratives. Based on the Museum's collection, these stories form the core of the Great Chicago Stories website, an award-winning educational resource.