The board of Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies has released the following position statement regarding the Budget Repair Bill and the proposed Biennial Budget: click here to view statement
A message from Peter Vavak, NewzBrain, owner/developer
In honor of Black History Month 2012: "Black Women in American Culture and History," I am offering my Weekly Interactive Current Events Board Game classroom activity to your school for grades 4-12 ABSOLUTELY FREE. There are no strings attached! Enjoy!
HISTORY: National African American History Month originated as Negro History Week in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, is observed each February as a time to recognize the contributions of African Americans to American culture.
To login anytime in February go to http://www.newzbrain.com/Login using the following credentials:
Username: CARTERW
Passcode: 19261926
Note: A new game is uploaded to the site every Monday morning for your use.
http://www.newzbrain.com/Login. Play at your desk or with a class of students. Allow a couple minutes for the game to load, then display on your Interactive board/overhead. Fun for grades 4-12.
NewzBrain Mission Statement
"NewzBrain" assists in the preparation of all students to become successful life-long learners who contribute to a diverse global society.
Project Citizen State Portfolio and Hearing Showcase will be held on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the Pyle Center on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison. For more information contact Jack Jarmes at (262) 679-8919 or jackjarmes@yahoo.com.
21st-Century Japan: Global Issues, Classroom Applications. July 8-13, 2012
In spring 2011, all eyes focused on Japan as that nation was hit with a "triple tragedy"—a devastating earthquake and tsunami, as well as the dangers of nuclear contamination from power plants compromised by the natural disasters. The Japanese government's and people's responses to these challenges directed new and heightened interest toward this critically important nation. The global spotlight focused not only on Japan's responses to disaster, it also brought attention to broader issues, from social and economic policy and reform to Japan's roles in the global economy and global culture.
This institute offers resources and materials to bring teachers' instruction on Japan up to the present. Institute participants will explore contemporary Japan through current issues including Japan in the global economy, political reforms, social trends, and recovery and change in the wake of Japan's 2011 "triple tragedy." The institute also will explore the Japanese cultural scene, as expressed in popular art and literature, providing a rich picture of Japan today.
Complete information and application package are available at http://www.colorado.edu/cas/tea/programs/downloads/2012
JapanSummerInstAppfillable.pdf.
Questions? Contact lynn.parisi@colorado.edu.
Deadline. Friday, March 16, 2012. China: Environmental Issues and Challenges, June 25 – 29, 2012. The Program for Teaching East Asia will hold this institute at the University of Colorado. The institute will examine environmental issues within the context of China's economic development, social and political evolution, and global responsibility. Working with specialists who will share diverse perspectives, participants in the summer institute will have the opportunity to consider general issues and analyze several case studies appropriate for classroom use.
Deadline. Friday, March 16, 2012. NCTA National Summer Enrichment Program: Japan in the 21st Century, July 8 – 13, 2012. This institute will explore the Japan of today through examination of key domestic and international issues facing that country. The one-week program will offer teachers a unique opportunity to consider how and what to teach about contemporary Japan. Teachers' work will be informed by lectures and discussions with specialists in contemporary Japanese culture, society, public policy, and the arts. Among the topics to be addressed are 21st-century social trends and challenges, political reform, Japan in the global economy, Japan's triple tragedy and national recovery, and new directions in culture, literature, and the arts. For more information and the application form.
Deadline. Tuesday, January 31, 2012. 2012 Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This program, offered by the Institute of International Education, will provide up to 24 U.S. teachers and administrators with the opportunity to travel to a three-day conference in San Francisco and a two-week trip to Japan to learn about ESD efforts and strengthen ESD curricula in both countries. For more information, visit www.iie.org/esdteacher.
Deadline. Friday, February 3, 2012. Spring Fellowship in Korean Studies. This spring, The Korea Society will take 10 American educators to Korea for its eighth annual fellowship. This expense-paid program will include lectures, guided tours, and opportunities for on-site study in locales of historic and contemporary significance in Korea. This program is made possible through the generous financial support of the Freeman Foundation and the Academy of Korean Studies. For more information, visit www.koreasociety.org.
Deadline. Friday, February 17, 2012. Keizai Koho Center Teacher Fellowships. The Keizai Koho Center (Japan Institute for Social and Economic Affairs), in cooperation with the National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS), offers a 10-day fellowship to Japan in summer 2012 for educators from the U.S. and Canada. In its 32nd year, the fellowship allows teachers to learn first-hand about contemporary Japanese society and enhance their classroom teaching of global perspectives. For more information, email kkcfellowship@us-japan.org or visit www.us-japan.org/programs/kkc/k2012/2012brochure.pdf.
Deadline. Wednesday, February 29, 2012. 2012 China Trip. Ji-li Jiang, author of Red Scarf Girl, will lead a teacher tour to China in July 2012. A 17-day itinerary will take participants to places like Beijing, Dali, Shangri-La, and Lhasa. For more information, contact info@jilijiang.com.
Deadline. Thursday, March 1, 2012. U.S.-China Teachers Exchange Program.
Established in 1996 with funding from the Freeman Foundation, the U.S.-China Teachers Exchange Program sends American K-12 teachers to China and brings Chinese secondary school teachers to the United States to teach in public schools. Since the program began, approximately 300 Chinese teachers have taught in American elementary, middle, and high schools and more than 100 American teachers have taught in Chinese secondary schools. For more information, visit www.ncuscr.org/programs/tep.
Deadline. Friday, March 2, 2012. Intensive Summer Language Institutes (ISLI). Study language in China via Intensive Summer Language Institutes provided by the American Councils for International Education (ACIE). ACIE provides fellowships for U.S. classroom teachers to spend six weeks overseas studying intermediate and advanced-level Chinese in Changchun, China. Current K-12 teachers, community college instructors of Mandarin Chinese, and students enrolled in education programs who intend to teach this language can apply. For more information, visit www.americancouncils.org/isli or email isli@americancouncils.org.
Deadline. Monday, March 5, 2012. National NCTA Teaching East Asian Literature in the High School Workshop. This workshop will take place July 8 – 13, 2012 at Indiana University. The summer workshop is for high school English and world literature teachers who are interested in incorporating Chinese, Japanese, and Korean literature into their curriculum. For more information, visit http://www.iu.edu/~easc/outreach/educators/literature/index.shtml.
Deadline. Thursday, March 15, 2012. 2012 Educators Study Tour to Japan. The Japan Society in New York will select middle and high school educators to participate in this three-week tour to Japan in July 2012. Highlights of the tour include visits to local schools, home stays with Japanese families, and a wide range of site visits including Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Aichi, and Wakayama, as well as a part of the Tohoku region. Open to educators nationwide. For more information, visit www.japansociety.org/event/2012-educators-study-tour-to-japan.
Summer 2012. Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO). GEEO is offering 16 different travel programs for the summer of 2012 including countries such as India/Nepal and China. GEEO provides teachers educational materials and the structure to help them bring their experiences into the classroom. The trips are open to K-12 and university educators and administrators, as well as retired educators, from all nations. For more information, visit www.geeo.org or contact GEEO at 1-877-600-0105.
Call for nominations 2012 WCSS Global Citizen
This award is intended to recognize a Wisconsin citizen or group who demonstrates exemplary citizenship. This individual/group exemplifies the core principles of social studies by promoting the common good, protecting individual liberty, honoring diversity, and improving the quality of life for others, thereby enriching the community, state, nation, and/or world. The individual/group demonstrates uncommon compassion, moral fortitude, and integrity.
Global Citizen Award Qualifications:
Since any award having to do with exemplary citizenship is by its very nature broad in scope, the following ideals have been included to illuminate the spirit of the award. The recipient(s) should embody one or more of the following qualities:
* Exhibits responsibility and community activism,
* Demonstrates uncommon courage or valor,
* Promotes justice and peace,
* Aids the oppressed,
* Protects the environment,
* Builds a grassroots initiative and/or effectively navigates the political system to promote positive change.
Submissions:
Send to Melissa Collum – (WCSS2009@gmail.com) no later than January 23, 2012!
Nominations should include the following:
1. Nominee(s) Name(s) and contact information, Foundation/Organization (if applicable)
2. Nominator Name, contact information and school district
3. A written description, of no more than 200 words, expressing why you feel the nominee(s) illustrate the qualifications to be the 2012 WCSS Global Citizen(s).
*Do not include web pages, urls, electronic attachments, or photographs, etc – submissions with additional media will not be accepted.
It only takes four minutes to watch and it will changes student's (and educators) perspective on girls and women in the developing world. youtubelink
Holocaust Teacher Network Newsletter
3rd Annual First Amendment Cartoon Contest
The contest is open to high school, middle school, and elementary school students nationwide.
Celebrate Bill of Rights Day with the 3rd Annual First Amendment Cartoon Contest.
The theme of this year's contest is Free Expression through the "rights of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." These rights are particularly significant in this an era of protest both in the United States and around the world.
Encourage students to exercise their creativity by entering the First Amendment Cartoon Contest.
Six winners will each receive a $50 prize*. In addition, up to five entries will receive honorable mentions. Winners and honorable mentions will be announced on Law Day, May 1, 2012, and posted at www.courtsed.org.
Deadline for submissions is March 16, 2012.
For contest rules and entry form: www.courtsed.org.
Eligibility
Applications are welcomed from anyone qualified under one/or more of the following eligibility criteria:
1) Administrators of instructional resources in a state department of education
2) K-12 educators that have enrolled in two or more of the in-service educational programs offered by The Korea Society
3) Alumni/ae of The Korea Society’s Summer Fellowship in Korean Studies program, provided that they have not visited Korea under the auspices of an organized study tour for at least the last three years.
Preference will be given to applicants whose statement of purpose best matches the eligibility criteria for the category for which they are applying. For details, please refer to the application form.
Application
Applicants are requested to submit three copies of the application packet, including the application form and supporting documentation, by February 3, 2012 (postmarked) to:
Yong Jin Choi
Korean Studies Program
The Korea Society
950 Third Avenue, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10022
THE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR TEACHING ABOUT ASIA (NCTA)
Winter-Spring 2012 Wisconsin NCTA Seminar on East Asia
A Blended Course with Classroom and Online Sessions for Secondary Social Studies Teachers
Offered by University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, in Collaboration with the NCTA National Coordinating Site at the University of Colorado Program for Teaching East Asia
The National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA) is pleased to announce an NCTA Seminar on Modern East Asia (1800 to the present) for Wisconsin middle and high school teachers. This 34-hour seminar offers teachers the opportunity to engage in study, analysis, and discussion of new scholarship related to Chinese and Japanese history, geography, and culture. Content will address the National Standards in World History.
Eligibility: This seminar is open to any Wisconsin middle or high school teacher who is teaching courses that include the study of China and/or Japan at the time of the seminar, and who is able to commute to MATC West Campus in Madison, WI, for four Saturday meetings. Additional sessions will be delivered online. Class limit: 15 teachers.
Seminar Location and Leaders: The seminar will meet on four Saturdays at MATC West Campus, 302 S. Gammon Road (across from West Towne Mall), Madison, WI. There will be a total of 22 face-to-face classroom hours, led by seminar leader Prof. Larry Neuman, with four additional asynchronous online classes providing 12 more hours of instruction with NCTA national staff member Jon Zeljo.
Seminar Dates: Face-to-face Saturday class sessions are from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on January 28, February 4, March 10, and April 14, 2012. Please plan on attending February 11 as snow date for the January or February sessions, if necessary. Attendance is required at all four Saturday meetings.
Participation is free, with the following benefits:
- 34 contact hours of study, curriculum, and discussion with East Asian specialists and fellow educators.
- Course textbook ($100 value).
- Morning coffee and lunch on Saturday meeting dates.
- $250 participant stipend upon satisfactory completion of the seminar and teacher implementation project.
- Discounted two undergraduate or graduate credits available from UW-Whitewater at the teacher’s expense.
- Eligibility for NCTA enrichment programs, including national study tour to China or Japan in summer 2013 (pending funding).
To register, contact Larry Neuman at neumanl@uww.edu or fill out the online registration form at http://www.colorado.edu/cas/tea/ncta/registration-wisconsin.html.
Pledge to Take Your School Global
Success for today’s students means building real understanding of the world around them. Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies has teamed up with ePals, the world’s largest K12 social learning network, to bring you the “Take Your School Global” pledge campaign.
Empower a Generation.
We’re asking teachers, parents and students in our community to take action this year to connect learners from around the world and bring cultural understanding to their schools. The campaign unites communities worldwide around a single, simple mission:
Empower a new generation of learners to build a meaningful, authentic understanding of diverse cultural perspectives as they prepare to participate in an emerging, global society.
By engaging with other learners from across the globe, students gain a deeper understanding of the world around them and build invaluable writing and communication skills by practicing with an authentic audience of peers.
Be a Global Leader. Pledge to take at least one action this year to bring students in your school community beyond the four walls of the classroom.
One Action. It takes only one small action to bring the world to your classroom. To share your One Action or to get ideas from teachers like you visit ePals One Action Forum. What will your One Action be?
The Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education Celebrates 20 Years
In 1990, the Wisconsin legislature created the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE) and the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board (WEEB), both housed within the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Partnerships with educators, agencies, organizations, individuals, and learning institutions over the past 20 years helped the WCEE grow into a leading environmental education (EE) organization in the state and nation. The WCEE currently has 20 staff working in 10 program areas, including the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP), the K-12 Forestry Education Program (LEAF), and the Global Environmental Teachings (GET) Program.
This year, the WCEE is celebrating the past 20 years of partnerships that have led to Wisconsin being at the forefront of environmental education in the nation. The WCEE congratulates all environmental education stakeholders on their successes. We are thankful for your support of EE and the WCEE.
On Saturday, November 5th the WCEE will host a celebratory banquet and it wouldn’t be complete without you! Join WCEE staff, alumni, friends, and partners for an evening of entertainment and local food. To register, visit www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/banquet.htm.
Sue Blanchette NCSS president's blog on tips for new teachers.
Save the Date!!
Teaching Historical and Contemporary Constitutional Controversies Relating to Equality
October 27-28, 2011
Learn cutting edge content about Constitutional equality and engaging teaching methods
Don't miss this interactive institute that puts middle school and high school social studies teachers in contact with Wisconsin justices and scholars!
Attend the Judicial Teaching Institute offered through a partnership of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. There's' no better way to learn about the court system than right from the sources in this intimate learning environment. Take away valuable knowledge and tools you can use immediately in your classroom.
The size of the Institute is limited to 30 teachers. Register soon to guarantee your spot.
For more information, including registration materials, please go to
www.wisbar.org/lre and click on the Judicial Teaching Institute link or c ontact Marsha Varvil-Weld at mvarvil-weld@wisbar.org or (608)250-6191.
21st Annual Summer Institute on International Affairs for Educators
The New Middle East? - Power Shifts and Global Implications
July 27-June 1, 2011
Washington, DC
Tectonic shifts are underway in the Middle East as revolts take place in Tunisia and Egypt, the Saudi military comes to the aid of the ruling family in Bahrain, riots erupt in Syria and Yemen, and NATO forces engage in military action in Libya. Across the Middle East, unrest and uncertainty mount. Change is here. But what does it mean for long term stability, for US influence in the region, for the Arab-Israeli situation, for prices at the pump?
The World Affairs Council – Washington DC presents its 21th annual Summer Institute for High School Educators. Sessions offer teachers from across the US the opportunity to interact with foreign policy experts and other educators, while expanding their knowledge base and developing skills to bring global issues into the classroom. Site visits include embassies and major international organizations in DC.
3 graduate credits (Catholic University of America) (if desired), or professional development credits available.
Registration Fee: $350 Includes classroom resources and meals
Additional fees apply for housing and graduate credits
For more information please contact Amanda Stamp via email at astamp@worldaffairsdc.org or phone at 202-293-1051.
It gives me great pleasure to invite you to participate in our upcoming Summer Institute for K-12 Professionals being held in Montréal and Québec City, June 26-July 1, 2011. Our program "Québec Dimensions: Historical, Geographic and Cultural Explorations" will offer a unique professional development opportunity. We welcome the participation of K-12 teachers, curriculum coordinators and administrators with teaching background in social studies, geography, history and/or French.
The Québec Dimensions Summer Institute for K-12 Professionals provides participants with foundations in history and geography plus contemporary cultural insights through first-hand experience. The Institute content aligns with national social studies and geography standards. Participants will:
-Acquire current curriculum materials and resources to aid in teaching;
-Receive briefings by specialists in Québec geography, history, and culture;
-Visit fascinating sites relevant to Québec geography, history and culture; and
-Apply knowledge gained to a collaborative unit which meets state and national standards.
Registration cost is US$649, which covers transportation during the Institute, lecturer fees, admission to educational sites, curriculum materials, double-occupancy at hotels, and some meals. Participants provide transportation to and from Montréal, lunches daily, and most dinners. For an additional fee, we are also able to provide graduate credit for interested participants.
For more information, I welcome your questions and also encourage you to visit our website at: http://www.umaine.edu/teachingcanada/. This Institute is one of the outreach programs of the Northeast National Resource Center on Canada. Our mandate is to offer educational programs and materials that develop greater awareness and knowledge of teaching Canada throughout the K-12 community in the U.S.
Thank you in advance for forwarding this information to colleagues interested in teaching Canadian and Québec topics.
Kind regards,
Betsy
Betsy Arntzen, outreach coordinator
Office of Canadian Studies Outreach
Canadian-American Center
University of Maine 154 College Ave Orono, ME 04473
207.581.4225 / 207.266.7753 cell / barntzen@umit.maine.edu
Teaching Canada for a Global Perspective website:
www.umaine.edu/teachingcanada
NCSS Canada Community:
http://connected.socialstudies.org
Good website for history and current issues
The Choices Program
Announcing an Exciting Study Experience Next Summer The Hudson River in the 19th Century and the Modernization of America
A National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop for K-12 School Teachers
click here for more information
The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Writing Project is currently accepting applications to participate in its annual Invitational Summer Institute. The institute will meet for 5 weeks, 4 days/ week, June 20-July 21, 2011, 9:00-3:30 p.m. on the UWM campus.
UWMWP (writingproject.uwm.edu) is an affiliate of the National Writing Project (nwp.org). Through an application and interview process, 20 teachers from across southeastern Wisconsin in all grade levels Pk-16 and in all subject areas will be selected to participate.
UWMWP offers 5 scholarships for teachers in their induction years paying full tuition for 6 graduate credits (approximately $2300) earned through participation in the institute. UWMWP also offers partial scholarships for all other participants of approximately 50% tuition cost for the 6 graduate credits (approximately $1500).
The application is available at writingproject.uwm.edu. Deadline: February 18, 2011
Congratulations to Mike Koren, WCSS treasure, who was named Middle School Teacher of the year by the National Council for the Social Studies. Way to go Mike!!!!
Check out Melissa's blog as she is in Rwanda this summer globalforward.blogspot.com
Professional Development for K–12 Educators
in Southwestern Colorado
Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities
Stipends Provided to Cover Expenses, Including Travel
Hosted by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center • Cortez, Colorado
Surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the American Southwest,
learn how archaeology can help unlock the doors to the past and expose
your students to an intellectually stimulating field of investigation.
Peoples of the Mesa Verde Region:
Connecting the Past with the Present Through Humanities Research
Three-Week NEH Summer Institute
June 27–July 17, 2010
Limit: 25 educators
Seeking the Center Place:
The Mesa Verde Cultural Landscape and Pueblo Indian Homeland
One-Week NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop
August 1–7 or August 8–14, 2010
Limit: 40 educators per workshop
___________
For more information, go to NEHsummer2010,
call 800.422.8975, ext. 146
Application deadline is March 2, 2010 (postmark).
Prospective applicants can access information about
all 2010 NEH Landmark workshops and Summer Institutes, as well
as the online Participant Application Cover Sheet on the NEH Web site.
Free Multimedia Materials Explore Globalism
As the world grows ever more complex and interdependent, preparing students to be responsible global citizens becomes increasingly more challenging. Our World Economics is a free multimedia set of lesson plans that helps middle- and high-school classes explore questions raised by globalism: Where do the products and services we buy come from? What mechanisms lead to 600 million children living in poverty? Can we protect the rainforests while promoting economic development?
An international team of educators including Governor German Velasco of Bolivia, Monica Villavicencio of NPR, and Dr. Lynn Wagner of the International Institute of Sustainable Development have developed a multimedia set of lesson plans and activities – produced in Bolivia – to prepare American students to become informed world citizens. Please visit www.OurWorldEconomics.com to learn more about our talented team of educators, and to download lesson plans, activities, videos and games.
The Bill of Rights Institute Announces Founders Fellowship Program for New Teachers from Across the Country
Arlington, VA – The Bill of Rights Institute has announced the launch of the Founders Fellowship Program. This new program is open to 20 early-career American History and Civics teachers. Selected Fellows will participate in a year-long educational program to deepen their understanding and appreciation of the American Founding.
The Founders Fellows will convene in Washington, D.C. on July 6, 2010 for an all- expenses paid multi-day educational program. During the program, Founders Fellows will participate in lectures, discussions, and scholar-led visits to historic sites including Mount Vernon, the National Archives, Gunston Hall, Monticello, and Montpelier.
In order to prepare for the program, Fellows will complete readings about our Founding. Among the questions they will explore will be: How did the Founders define liberty?, Why did the Founders create a republic and not a democracy?, and Who was the greatest Founder? Upon completion of the Washington program, each Fellow will submit a lesson plan drawing upon the readings, discussions, and topics from the program. The Fellowship will continue during the following academic year, when Fellows will reconvene online for periodic discussions about reading and pedagogical issues.
The Founders Fellowship Program will select promising social studies teachers, grades 7-12, who have been teaching for five years or fewer. Early career teachers from all around the country are encouraged to apply. Twenty top teachers, representing 20 states will be selected to participate.
Fellows will be selected based upon their knowledge of the Founding era, their talent in the classroom, and dedication to educating their students.
Application requirements include the application form, a letter explaining the candidate’s interest in the program, a brief resume, and a letter of recommendation. The application form can be found at http://my.billofrightsinstitute.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=371
All application materials must be submitted by 5:00 PM EST on March 24, 2010.
The Founders Fellowship Program was made possible by a generous grant from Drs. Jack and Pina Templeton.
# # #
The Bill of Rights Institute, founded in 1999, is a nonprofit educational organization. The mission of the Bill of Rights Institute is to educate young people about the words and ideas of America's Founders, the liberties guaranteed in our Founding documents, and how our Founding principles continue to affect and shape a free society.