2011-09 Social Studies Newsletter
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The Rochester Review The Rochester Review Social Studies Department Newsletter Rochester City School District September 2011
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2011-09 Social Studies Newsletter
Transcript of 2011-09 Social Studies Newsletter
The Rochester ReviewThe Rochester Review Social Studies Department Newsletter Rochester City School District
September 2011
2
From the Director...
Dear RCSD Community,
This fall marks a historic one for our community with the launch of the
Rochester Custom Edition of the Pearson Scott Foresman Social Studies
Program, now in all of our primary grades classrooms. This program features
48 custom pages of Rochester content per grade level, including our schools,
families, historic landmarks, community leaders, parks, festivals, businesses, and all that makes
our community so special. As our youngest learners acquire the academic vocabulary and skills
necessary for future success, teachers are empowered with a program that allows them to provide
individualized instruction and build literacy skills with young children.
Over 150 secondary social studies teachers gathered on 8/31/11 to share in
learning about the new United States History curriculum. This common-core
aligned, standards-based curriculum will serve to unify our practices and
support student development of literacy skills that reflect career and college
readiness. Please be certain to visit the Social Studies curriculum located on
the Rochester Curriculum Sharepoint site. A best-practice guide for social
studies classrooms disseminated on 8/31/11 will serve as an anchor for our
work together this year through our city-wide zone meetings. Our first
meeting in October will be focused on “Thinking Like a Historian.” On
behalf of all of us in the social studies department, we wish you a fantastic
school year.
Jennifer Gkourlias, Ed.D.
Executive Director of Social Studies
I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
From the Director 2
Conference 2011 3
Opportunities 4-5
Teaching American
History Grants 6
Rochestrivia 7
Who’s Who and
What’ What in SS 7
September 2011 Volume 4, Issue 1
THE ROCHESTER REVIEW SOCIAL STUDIES NEWSLETTER
R O C H E S T E R C I T Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
Don’t hesitate to contact one of the Department’s Lead Teachers if you have any question, needs, or concerns...
Mark Ferraro, Intermediate
Elementary Lead: 262-8107
Kitty Palumbo, Intermediate
Elementary Lead: 262-8269
Stefan Cohen, Secondary
Lead: 262-8162
Steve LaMorte, Secondary
Lead: 262-8169
Mariella Diaz, Primary
Elementary Lead: 262-8367
Khieta Davis, Primary
Elementary Lead: 262-8372
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Teaching about 9/11 The 10-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks provide an opportunity to discuss relevant issues with our students in all social studies courses. - Possible topics: - Foreign Policy and International Relations - Terrorism - Religious Tolerance - Challenges to Democracy - Presidential Leadership - Civil Liberties
School libraries are a great source of age-appropriate materials for students to explore some of these themes. Locally, the Rochester Museum and Science Center is presenting September 11, 2001: a Global Moment. The National Council for the Social Studies has some great articles for teachers and students in its journal: Social Education
Here are some other great resources on-line: From Teachinghistory.org: In Remembrance: Teaching September 11
A terrific selection of primary source resources, video clips, photographs, and lessons that emphasize historical thinking. From the Library of Congress: Teaching About September 11 Using Primary Sources from Library of Congress Part of the power of teaching with primary sources comes from their immediacy—eyewitness accounts of historic events can have an emotional impact that secondary sources might lack. This is especially true of primary sources relating to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. September 11, 2001 Documentary Project The September 11, 2001, Documentary Project captures the heartfelt reactions, eyewitness accounts, and diverse opinions of Americans and others in the months that followed the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93. Patriotism and unity mixed with sadness, anger, and insecurity are common themes expressed in this online presentation of almost 200 audio and video interviews, 45 graphic items, and 21 written narratives. From the Smithsonian: September 11: Teaching Contemporary Society From Teaching Tolerance: Teaching Tolerance Materials related to combating prejudice in the wake of the attacks From the American Federation of Teachers: Voices for Peace – Nonviolent Strategies for Change From the NYC 9-11 Memorial: National September 11 Memorial and Museum From NPR: Saving The Stories Of Loved Ones Lost On Sept. 11 From Prepare NY (interfaith organization for religious tolerance): Prepare NY From Rutgers University: 9/11 and Children From Discovery Education: 9/11 Rise From the Pearson On-line Learning Exchange: Remembering 9-11 From the American Institute of History Education: 9-11 Anniversary
Rendering by Squared Design Lab of the New York City 9/11 Memorial
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NYS Core Curriculum
Seminar
Attention social studies teachers, ELA teachers,
art teachers, media specialists and other teachers
who want to incorporate more about East Asia
into their curriculum
We would like to invite you to apply for this free
seminar which will provide k-12 teachers with both
content and resources to teach about East Asia as
identified in the New York State standards and Core
Curriculum. This seminar series will be conducted at
Nazareth College from 9:00 to 3:30 on October 22,
2011, November 5, 2011, December 3, 2011, January
7, 2012, and April 21, 2012.
Application Process Complete the attached application form and email to
[email protected] or send to Terry Noonan, 8
Trailwood Circle, Rochester, NY 14618 by October
12, 2011. Early application is encouraged as
enrollment is limited to 20 applicants. If you have
any questions contact Terry at 585- 442-6296 or by
email. Notification of acceptance will be sent by
October 15, 2011 .
Apply Now for the 2012 Prudential
Spirit of Community Awards!
If you've made a difference by volunteering in your
community over the past year, you could win $1,000
and a fabulous trip to Washington, D.C., by applying
for a Prudential Spirit of Community Award! Even
more importantly, you could win recognition that
might inspire other young people to follow your
example. These prestigious awards, sponsored by
Prudential Financial and the National Association of
Secondary School Principals, have honored tens of
thousands of middle level and high school students
over the past 16 years solely for their volunteer work.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is a
nationwide program for young people in grades 5-12
who are volunteering in their communities. The
program is conducted on the local level through
public and private middle level and high schools
across the United States and through these officially
designated local organizations:
Girl Scout councils
County 4-H organizations
American Red Cross chapters
YMCAs
Affiliates of HandsOn Network
Interested applicants must apply online or fill out a
paper application, and then submit their applications
to a school or one of above-mentioned organizations
for certification in order to be considered for the
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards at the state
and national level. http://spirit.prudential.com
Together Including Every Student
TIES (Together Including Every Student) is a
program which promotes the participation of
children/young adults with developmental
disabilities in extracurricular and community
activities by providing effective support. This
support is provided by trained student volunteers in
grades 8-12 in the Rochester City School District. If
you are interested in volunteering or have questions
about TIES, please contact Melissa Parrish at (585)
284-3831 or [email protected]. Or
Carla Williams at (585) 286-6907 or
Geography Day at the National
Museum of Play
Join in a full day of in-depth geography exploration for
grades 3 through 8. While navigating the museum,
students perfect their geography skills and test their
knowledge of map-reading, map-making, and more.
Students work in small groups to
take on geography challenges,
create a cooperative map mural, and
build three-dimensional landforms
with full-scale manipulatives.
Activity maps provided
Opportunities
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Opportunities
Larry J. Hackman Research
Residency Program The New York State Archives and the Archives
Partnership Trust announce the availability of funding
for research using historical records in the New York
State Archives through the Larry J. Hackman Research
Residency Program. Advanced work in New York
State history, government or public policy is supported
by the program. Previous residents have included
academic and public historians, graduate students,
independent researchers and writers, and primary and
secondary school teachers. For a project to qualify for
funding, the topic of study must draw on government
records in the New York State Archives.
Eligibility: Projects that use historical records in
the New York State Archives.
Funding: $100 to $4,500
Deadline: Applications must be postmarked by
January 15, 2012.
Contact: Archives Partnership Trust Cultural
Education Center, Room 9C49 Albany, NY 12230 518-
473-7091 [email protected] http://
www.archives.nysed.gov/apt/grants/hackman
The signing of the U.S. Constitution on September
17, 1787 is one of the most important and influential
events in American history, establishing the many
rights and freedoms “We the People” enjoy today.
In 2004, Congress declared September 17 to be a day
of memorial for the Constitution where educational
institutions across the country should be engaging
their students in activities revolving around the
function and meaning of the Constitution. Check out
the following resources for ideas on how to celebrate
Constitution Day in your classroom…
The Bill of Rights Institute
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/Teach/
freeResources/ConstitutionDay/
The Bill of Rights Institute offers some amazing and
easy to use resources for Constitution Day. From
interactive online modules, to printable classroom
activities, this site is a great place to start your
planning.
EDSITEment: A comprehensive resource for
celebrating Constitution Day with your students.
This site has great activities and links in English and
Spanish! http://edsitement.neh.gov/constitution-day
The National Archives: Visit the National Archives
site for various lessons to use with your students to
celebrate Constitution Day. http://
www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitution-
day/
National Constitution Center: The National
Constitution Center hosts online exhibits, events, and
resources broken down by grade level. http://
www.constitutioncenter.org/
ncc_progs_Constitution_Day.aspx
4th and 5th Grade Teachers Start
a Third Year of Professional
Development
The Elementary Historians Program is kicking off a third year
of outstanding professional development for teachers of the 4th
and 5th grades. This year we are focusing on migration and
immigration in the Western Hemisphere and in the Rochester
Area. Content sessions will be led by faculty from Nazareth
College and education professionals from the Memorial Art
Gallery, Landmark Society of Western New York, George
Eastman House, and the Central Library. The topics are aligned
with the Rochester Curriculum for both grade levels. This year
participants will examine the content with through the lens of
three questions:
Why do people move?
What factors lead to territorial expansion and contraction
What is the long-term impact of immigration and
migration?
Teachers will also work with scholars from the University of
Rochester and the Lead Teachers implement an action research
project in their classrooms and reflect on student learning.
If you would like further information on this program or to
work with someone co-planning or co-teaching lessons in
Social Studies or integrating Social Studies instruction with
ELA please contact Mark Ferraro or Kitty Palumbo.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
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Growing Up in America The Growing Up In America program for K-2 teachers is well underway and a great success. In
October, participants had the opportunity to tour the Genesee Country Village and Museum and
participate in a workshop on Child Labor presented by Dr. Thomas Lappas of Nazareth College.
Participants learned about the resources available to teachers by the GCVM and examined the
Lowell factories in respect to child labor practices of the times. In November, participants
convened at the Rochester Museum and Science Center to tour two exhibits and enrich their
historical content knowledge. Mr. Perry Ground, the director of the Native American Resource
Center, engaged teachers in a hands on workshop to develop a deeper understanding of the Native
American Family. In addition to the above experiences, these two workshops provided teachers with
resources and materials to design lessons to incorporate in their classroom. On January 27th, teachers met
at the Rundel Library and participated in the third session of the program entitled; Urbanization: From
Farm to City. Participants learned about the Great Migration presented by Dr. Timothy Kneeland from
Nazareth College and toured the Local History & Genealogy Department to learn how to use local
directories and historical education boxes to create dynamic Social Studies lessons in order to engage our
youngest future historians, K-2 students.
TEACHING AS HISTORIANS
2011-2012 PROGRAM The Teaching as Historians program, funded by a federally awarded Teaching American History grant,
provides teachers of social studies in grades 7-12 with the opportunity to collaborate with their
colleagues, historians, and local institutions to broaden their knowledge of United States history and
enhance their teaching practice. This year’s program content will focus on foreign policy throughout
American history as participants investigate the following question:
How has American foreign policy reflected and influenced the attitudes, actions, and aspirations of
the American people and the people of the world?
Throughout the year, participants will conduct classroom experiments using their heightened knowledge
and skills, ultimately culminating in the creation of a unit plan based on their experiences. The program
will include seven (7) afterschool sessions (4-6 p.m.) and 4 full school days (substitutes will be provided
for teachers’ classrooms). Participants who successfully complete the program and attendance
requirements will be eligible for a stipend of up to $594. Application information will be forthcoming;
priority must be given to full-time teachers of social studies.
Roc
hes
ter’
s T
each
ing
Am
eric
an
His
tory
Gra
nts
The Rochester City School District is currently implementing
three separate federal Teaching American History grant
programs for teachers:
Teachers as Historians: targeting Middle and High
School teachers
Elementary Historians: geared toward teachers of
Fourth and Fifth Grades
Growing Up in America: designed for teachers of
Kindergarten through Grade 2.
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"Erin Hoover is a teacher of English for Speakers of Other
Languages at Thomas Jefferson High School. On a recent visit
to Ms. Hoover's room, I was struck by the visual appeal of the
maps and texts representing all of the parts of the world from
which her students hail. She is a champion of social studies, as I
witnessed her returning a student to the registrar to place
American History on her course load for the year! Ms. Hoover
also is an integral part of the 6th grade curriculum writing team,
assuring that the lessons are adaptable for English Language
Learners.
Below are some thoughts she shared with me on this visit...."
Why is SS awesome? Social Studies class is the place where students become socially aware. By examining historical
and current events from many perspectives, students have the chance to develop their own set of ideals and values.
How long have you served ELLs in RCSD? In what schools? This is my 4th year teaching
English Language Learners in the Newcomer/Sheltered program at Jefferson High School.
Why is SS important for your students? Social Studies class is a forum where students with diverse cultural backgrounds can
shine. English language learners have the advantage of seeing the world from multiple perspectives, and being able to express
that knowledge and relate it to social studies content gives them confidence.
What is your favorite topic to teach and why? I love teaching about indigenous groups of people who have faced adversity
(Native Americans, Aborigines, etc...) Relating to and empathizing with people who have struggled strengthens our own
community in the classroom.
What advice would you offer teachers with ells to better support them in the ss classroom? In any content area classroom,
ELLs struggle with vocabulary development. Giving them multiple and varied exposures to the same content area words
throughout the entire year is really important. I think this tends to be done more successfully when Social Studies is taught
thematically rather than chronologically. Revisiting the same themes, like change, overcoming adversity, or the movement of
people through time ensures that ELLs will see and recognize important vocabulary again and again.
in Social Studies Erin Hoover
Contact Steve Lamorte and Make a nomination for Who’s Who and
What’s What in Social Studies!
From the book Rochestrivia by Pete Dobrovitz
Which came first in Rochester: East or West High School?
Every month, a trivia
question dealing with local
Rochester history will be
posted on the RCSD SS
Facebook page. Log on
and post a comment with your guess and you’ll have a
chance at winning an awesome SS prize.
facebook.com/rcsdsocialstudies
