Summer Institute - National Humanities Center

From: National Humanities Center [mailto:ckoplik@nationalhumanitiescenter.org]


BECOMING MODERN:
AMERICA, 1918-1929

A Summer Institute for
High School Teachers of
History, Literature, and Art

June 21-July 3, 2009

The National Humanities Center
Research Triangle Park, NC

How did World War I affect politics in the United States?

Why did the prestige and power of American business dramatically increase in the 1920s?

What explains the remarkable cultural ferment of this period?

What place did religious and spiritual values assume in the United States during the Twenties?

How did concepts of citizenship and national identity change in the decade after World War I?

How did women and African Americans struggle to advance social equality?

How did modernizing and traditional forces clash during the decade?


"Becoming Modern: America, 1918-1929" will explore these and other questions through history, literature, and art. Under the direction of leading scholars, institute participants will examine such issues as immigration, prohibition, radicalism, changing moral standards, and evolution to discover how the forces of modernity and traditionalism made the Twenties both liberating and repressive.

Participants will assist National Humanities Center staff in identifying texts and defining lines of inquiry for a new addition to the Center's Toolbox Library which provides online resources for teacher professional development
and classroom instruction.

FACULTY

John Kasson
Professor of History and American Studies
University of Northa Carolina at Chapel Hill

Karen Lucic
Professor of Art History
Vassar College

Sean McCann
Professor of English
Wesleyan University

GENERAL INFORMATION

DATES AND LOCATION: "Becoming Modern" will be held from June 21 to July 3, 2009, at the National Humanities Center in Research Triangle Park, NC.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 6, 2009.

ELIGIBILITY: The institute is open to high school teachers of history, literature, and art.

FORMAT: In seminar sessions, participants and faculty will discuss the texts of the institute syllabus. In addition, participants will work with the faculty and Center staff to select texts and develop discussion questions for an online toolbox based on the content of the institute. The toolbox collaboration will not involve work on a computer.To see toolboxes that emerged from previous summer institutes, please visit the Center's Toolbox Library.

STIPENDS AND TRAVEL: Participants will receive a stipend of $1,000.
The National Humanities Center will cover the cost of travel and provide lodging.

TEXTS: Participants will receive the seminar texts, some of which will be online, at least six weeks before the program.

MEALS: The Center will provide snacks and lunch every day.

To apply: http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/becomingmod/index.htm

Deadline: March 6, 2009.

National Humanities Center | 7 Alexander Drive | P.O. Box 12256 | Research Triangle Park | NC | 27709

NEH Summer Seminar -- Production and Consumption in World History

From: Terry Burke <eburke@ucsc.edu>

National Endowment for the Humanities

Summer Seminar for Teachers

PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION IN WORLD HISTORY,
1450-1925
Director: Edmund Burke III (History / UC Santa Cruz)
June 29-July 24, 2009

The Summer Seminar on "Production and Consumption in World History, 1450-1950" will
explore the history of the world economy from 1450 to 1914, through a study of the leading commodities in each historical era. During the seminar, participants will develop a "commodity biography" or work on their own projects. The seminar is primarily intended for classroom teachers of world history, although others with a strong interest in teaching the history of world economy via commodities are warmly welcome.

For further information on the application process, see the NEH website at:

http://www.neh.gov//projects/si-school.html.

For more information on “Production and Consumption in World History, 1450-1914” go to:

http://cwh.ucsc.edu/NEHseminar.

Prof. Burke can be reached at (831) 459-2287 or by email at NEHseminar@ucsc.edu.

Completed applications should be postmarked no later than March 2, 2009 and sent to:

NEH Seminar 2009
HAS, Humanities Bldg.
University of California, Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064

JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest for High School Students

From: Michelle Herczog, LA County Office of Education

The annual John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest invites high school students from across the nation to write an original essay about an elected official who has demonstrated political courage. The contest is a companion program of the Profile in Courage Award, named for President Kennedy’s 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Profiles in Courage, which recounts the stories of eight senators, the obstacles they faced, and the special valor they demonstrated despite the risks.

Winning essayists will receive awards totaling up to $8,500. The first-place winner will be invited to accept the award at the Profile in Courage Award Ceremony hosted each May by Caroline Kennedy and Senator Edward M. Kennedy at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. To encourage student leadership and civic engagement, the nominating teacher of the first-place winner will receive a John F. Kennedy Public Service Grant for $500.

Student essays are due January 10, 2009. Information can be obtained: Here

Civic Mission of Schools OpEd pieces

From: Michelle Herczog, LA County Office of Education

Civic Mission of Schools Update:
OpEd Blitz Across the Nation Promotes Civic Education for America’s Youth

The recent presidential election has energized Americans, and particularly young people, to become actively engaged citizens by voting, campaigning, debating, and impacting public policy at local, state, and national levels of our democracy. The Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, led by Executive Director Ted McConnell, has led a nationwide media blitz to continue the momentum for promoting civic education in our schools.

Please read the articles listed below and the ones attached. Share them with your colleagues, State Legislators, the California Department of Education, the California State Board of Education, your local school board, and front line administrators and teachers to restore the civic mission of every school in the nation!

"School Administrator Magazine"
The October issue, published by Coalition member the American Association of School Administrators, was dedicated to the civic mission of schools, with powerful articles by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Carl Glickman, Charles Haynes, Terry Pickeral, Peter Levine, Matt Leighninger and Shelley Berman. To view these great articles go to http://www.aasa.org/sa, look at 'back issues', and click on the October 2008 issue.

"Public School Insights," First Alliance Newsletter
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on Turning Students into Citizens
Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor offers ideas for reinvigorating civics education in American public schools. Among her recommendations: more time for civics, better civics curriculum and more dynamic teaching. Read more...
http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/?storyId=8484&lk=7332346-7332346-0-34057-cZ-i-IHfvaq50jik-JzF0Dnt6FeruL6n

"Believe in What You Teach": An Interview with Award-Winning Civics Teacher Cheryl Cook-Kallio
Cheryl Cook-Kallio puts her money where her mouth is. After decades of teaching civics in American public schools, she won a seat on the Pleasanton, California City Council. She recently told us about her innovative, hands-on approach to civic education. Read more... http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/?storyId=23506&lk=7332346-7332346-0-34057-cZ-i-IHfvaq50jik-JzF0Dnt6FeruL6n

Closing the "Civic Achievement Gap": A Conversation with Harvard Researcher Meira Levinson
Meira Levinson warns of a civic achievement gap that is every bit as troubling as academic achievement gaps. Poor students and students of color lag behind their peers in civic knowledge and engagement. Even worse, they are far less likely to believe they can make a difference through civic action. Levinson spoke with us about these gaps--and what schools can do to narrow them. Read more... http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/?storyId=23549&lk=7332346-7332346-0-34057-cZ-i-IHfvaq50jik-JzF0Dnt6FeruL6n

Tackling the "Empowerment Gap": An Interview with Award-Winning Superintendent Shelley Berman
As the celebrated superintendent of Hudson, Massachusetts schools, Dr. Sheldon Berman distinguished himself as one of the nation's leading champions of civic education. Since coming to Louisville, Kentucky a year ago, Berman has maintained his passionate commitment to civics. He recently spoke with us about his work in Jefferson County Public Schools. Read more... http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/?storyId=23575&lk=7332346-7332346-0-34057-cZ-i-IHfvaq50jik-JzF0Dnt6FeruL6n

Civic Youth
CIRCLE website: http://civicyouth.org/ to get Peter Levine & Company's authoritative analysis of the 2008 Youth Vote.

For more information about the Civic Mission of Schools, go to:
http://www.civicmissionofschools.org

November CISC History-SS Report

From: Gary Dei Rossi [mailto:gdeirossi@sjcoe.net]

Welcome to the CISC History-social science report. The attached items include:

*an article by Nat Hentoff concerning the youth vote that appeared in the Sacramento Bee on Oct. 31

*"Not by Votes Alone", an article by Ted McConnell (one of the keynote speakers at last year’s Asilomar Conference) on the importance of civic education

*the CISC history-social science minutes from the Nov. 6th meeting, including…
-History-Social Science Framework Revision Committee meetings
-Supplemental instructional materials for Native Americans
-CDE History-SS newsletter
-CCSS awards applications for excellence in History-SS education
-2009 CCSS conference
-CCSS pre-conference event on Closing the Achievement Gap
-Upcoming 3R’s program events
-Civic education resources
-National service learning standards
-Media and Democracy project
-Five Freedoms Project (a Leadership & Youth Media project)

*the latest CA 3Rs Bulletin on Student Religious Expression in School Assignments

*the CA 3Rs calendar for this year.


Gary F. Dei Rossi

Co-Chair CISC History Social Science Committee

Lincoln Exhibit

From: Todd Greenspan <Todd.Greenspan@ucop.edu>


The California Museum at 1020 O St. reports having been selected by the Library of Congress as the first of five institutions to host the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition that will be travelling through the states next year. The exhibit celebrating our sixteenth president's 200th birthday will be in Sacramento from June24 to Aug. 24 for its only stop west of The Rockies. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation will serve as the centerpiece of the 3500 square-foot exhibit. Some less heralded historical items will be on display as well, such as the contents of his pockets the night he was assassinated. Along with Sacramento , the exhibit stops in Chicago, Indianapolis , Atlanta and Omaha.

Contact: Ashley Robinson 916-651-3030.

Important News from T4SJ!

From: Teachers 4 Social Justice [mailto:teachers4socialjustice@yahoo.com]


Please join T4SJ in one of the following ways:

1. SUPPORT THE DREAM OF LATINO STUDENTS! We need you to help send a message to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund:

"Open ALL Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarships to Undocumented Students!"

Protest, HSF Headquarters!!! We won't stand for discrimination!!!
When: Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 4:30pm
Where: 55 Second St., San Francisco, CA, for a map: http://tinyurl.com/5663xv

Website: http://www.openhsfscholarships.pbwiki.com

Please, sign the petition online:
http://www.petitiononline.com/2college/

2. SAY YES TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, SAY NO TO PRIVATIZATION!

Today, we celebrate Barack Obama's momentous election as President of the United States. Our vision of educational justice, access, opportunity, and equity includes having a Department of Education whose officials embrace the idea of a quality education as part of the common good.

T4SJ is one of 6 groups working together nationally for educational justice. Find out more about the above statement and sign on! Please visit our website at http://www.teacheractivistgroups.org/ to sign the online petition to keep public education public!!

3. T4SJ Monthly General Meeting - COME GET INVOLVED!

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 * 6-8pm * 523 Dolores Street, SF

For more info on this and the events above, visit http://www.t4sj.org and click on our Upcoming Events page.

New Podcast: Washington's Crossing

From: Gilder Lehrman Institute [mailto:gli@gilderlehrman.org]

Historians on the Record
Audio Podcasts from the Gilder Lehrman Institute

Since 1996, the Gilder Lehrman Historians' Forums have presented dozens of eminent historians discussing their latest books. Now you can hear these lectures on your computer or on a portable media player.

David Hackett Fischer
Washington’s Crossing
January 10, 2005, at the The New-York Historical Society

Most Americans know George Washington’s December 1776 crossing of the Delaware from the famous painting by Emmanuel Gottlieb Leutze, which depicts Washington standing bravely in a rowboat on stormy waters. David Hackett Fischer, author of Washington’s Crossing, looks beyond the famous painting to the events of that tumultuous month. One of Washington's great strengths was his ability to lead men from different regions and walks of life. He was also known for his humane treatment of British prisoners -- treatment that the British did not reciprocate with American prisoners.

Gilder Lehrman Institute | 19 West 44th Street, Suite 500 | New York | NY | 10036

ORIAS History Through Literature Working Group

From: ORIAS [mailto:orias@berkeley.edu]

Reminder - Three free slots left in the History Through Literature working group on collected tales – 1001 Arabian Nights and the Buddhist Jataka

http://orias.berkeley.edu/2009/2009HistoryLiteratureHome.htm

Michele Delattre, Program Representative
University of California Berkeley
ORIAS (Office of Resources for International and Area Studies
2223 Fulton Street Room 338 #2324
Berkeley CA 94720-2324
510-643-0868
http://orias.berkeley.edu
orias@berkeley.edu

The Gettysburg Address

FEATURED DOCUMENT: THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

145 years ago, on November 19, 1863, four months after the Battle of Gettysburg, a ceremony was held to dedicate a cemetery for the Union dead. President Lincoln had been invited to make a "few appropriate remarks" at the cemetery's consecration. Drawing upon the biblical concepts of suffering, consecration, and resurrection, he described the war as a momentous chapter in the global struggle for self-government, liberty, and equality. To examine an early printing of this address from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, click here:

http://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection/docs_current.html


LINCOLN RESOURCES

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth this February 2009 with resources from the Gilder Lehrman Collection. Resources include:

*The new 2009 Lincoln calendar, featuring images of people and events in the President’s life and a historical fact about Lincoln for every day of the year.
*Document booklets, such as Wilberforce, Lincoln, and the Abolition of Slavery.
*Posters featuring photographs of Lincoln as well as some of his most famous documents.
*Abraham Lincoln: History in a Box, which includes a resource book and CD of documents, artwork, maps, study questions, posters, and an interactive DVD.

All Gilder Lehrman resources can be found in the History Shop:

http://www.gilderlehrmanstore.org

You can also sign up to receive the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission's free classroom poster. The front side, suitable for classroom display, is a portrait of Lincoln, while the reverse contains resources for educators, offering suggestions for incorporating Lincoln's legacy into the classroom. To request this poster, please call (202) 707-6998 or visit the "For Teachers" page on the Bicentennial Commission's website:

http://www.abrahamlincoln200.org

Online Workshops from the National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center

Online Resource Workshops
for High School Teachers of
U.S. History and American Literature
Spring 2009


Want to learn more about teaching primary documents in U.S. history classes?

Want to explore thematic connections between American literature and U.S. history?

Want to bring art into your history or literature lessons?

Sign up for a live, online resource workshop from the National Humanities Center.

The Center's online resource workshops give high school teachers of U.S. history and American literature a deeper understanding of their subject matter. They introduce teachers to fresh texts and critical perspectives and help teachers integrate them into their lessons. Led by distinguished scholars and running sixty to ninety minutes, they are conducted through lecture and discussion using conferencing software.

A resource workshop identifies central themes within a topic and explores ways to teach them through the close analysis of primary texts, including works of art, and the use of discussion questions. Texts are drawn from anthologies in the Center's Toolbox Library. To participate, all you need is a computer with an internet connection, a speaker, and a microphone.

Enrollment in each workshop is limited to eighteen participants.

Ten to thirty-five pages of reading
$35 registration fee (The registration fee may be paid by a school, district, professional development consortium, Teaching American History project, or other organization.)

The National Humanities Center will supply documentation for certificate renewal credit (including technology CEUs).

For information about group participation, contact Richard R. Schramm, Vice President for Education Programs, National Humanities Center, at rschramm@nationalhumanitiescenter.org.


SCHEDULE

Jacob Riis and Progressive Reform

In what ways is Jacob Riis's How the Other Half Lives a document of progressive reform?
What does How the Other Half Lives tell us about urbanization and immigration?
How does Riis use photography in How the Other Half Lives?

Leader:
Joy Kasson
National Humanities Center Fellow
Professor of American Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Date and Time: January 8, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)

Registration Deadline: December 12, 2008 » Register now


Industrialization and Progressivism

What constituted progress during the Progressive era?
How did Americans define the "old" and "new," "backward" and "progressive" during this period?
How did economic and industrial ideas and methods influence other areas of American life during the Progressive era?

Leader:
Henry Binford
National Humanities Center Fellow
Associate Professor of History, Northwestern University

Date and Time: January 22, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)

Registration Deadline: January 5, 2009 » Register now


Community in African American Culture: 1917-1968

How was African American community constructed during this period?
Under what circumstances was it created?
How did evolving concepts of community affect and reflect notions of African American identity?

Leader:
Stephanie Shaw
National Humanities Center Fellow
Professor of History, Ohio State University

Date and Time: February 12, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)

Registration Deadline: January 16, 2009 » Register now


What It Meant to Be Enslaved

What did it mean to be enslaved in the United States?
How did the enslaved respond to bondage?
How did labor shape their daily lives?
In what ways did the enslaved resist bondage?
How did the enslaved maintain their identities?

Leader:
Daina Berry
National Humanities Center Fellow
Professor of History, Michigan State University

Date and Time: February 19, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)

Registration Deadline: January 23, 2009 » Register now


Teaching African American History with WPA Slave Narratives

What do recollections of formerly enslaved people, gathered by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, tell us about slavery in America?
What interpretative challenges do the WPA slave narratives pose?
How can the WPA slave narratives be used with students?

Leader:
Marianne Wason
Assistant Director, Education Programs
National Humanities Center

Date and Time: February 26, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)

Registration Deadline: February 6, 2009 » Register now


Civil War Home Fronts

How did the total mobilizations of the Civil War affect the northern and southern home fronts?
What was life like for women on the northern and southern home fronts?
What was life like for African Americans on the northern and southern home fronts?

Leader:
W. Fitzhugh Brundage
National Humanities Center Fellow
Umstead Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Date and Time: March 12, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)

Registration Deadline: February 20, 2009 » Register now


Life on an Antebellum Plantation

How did the self-contained environment of a plantation--its layout, buildings, isolation, and use of the land--influence the lives and self-image of the enslaved?
What made a plantation "home?" What made a plantation "hell"?
How did a slave reconcile "home" and "hell"?
What can plantation photographs tell us about plantation life?

Leader:
John Vlach
Professor of American Studies, George Washington University

Date and Time: March 26, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)

Registration Deadline: March 6, 2009 » Register now


Native American and European Power Rivalries in North America: 1690-1763

By 1690 what factors and issues dominated European-Native American relationships throughout North America?
How had these relationships changed by the end of the British imperial wars in 1763?
How did these changes influence British America on the eve of the Revolution?
How did these changes influence Native American culture and politics?

Leader:
Alan Taylor
National Humanities Center Fellow
Professor of History, University of California, Davis

Date and Time: April 7, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)

Registration Deadline: March 20, 2009 » Register now


Art and American Identity: 1690-1789

In 1690, to what extent were the arts and material culture of the British Atlantic colonies "American"? To what extent were they "American" by 1789?
What major factors defined the evolution in American arts and material culture in this period?
To what extent did this evolution reflect the changing self-image of Americans?
Leader:
Maurie McInnis
Professor of Art History, University of Virginia

Date and Time: April 23, 2009; 6 p.m. (EST)

Registration Deadline: April 3, 2009 Register now