| Social Studies – Preparing Students for College, Career and Civic Life |  |
| Teaching & Learning
|  |  |
|
- Ohio schools get help with historical documents
The Ohio Historical Society is launching a program to help the state's educators teach about the U.S. Constitution and other important historical papers as required by state law. The Founding of America Documents Program will offer free professional development webinars to teachers on how to teach the historical documents and will make it easier for teachers to access online resources. The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)/The Associated Press
(12/9)
 
- N.Y. social studies teacher to share lesson plan on TED-Ed
Amy Bissetta, a seventh-grade social studies teacher at Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School in New York, will soon be sharing one of her lesson plans with a much bigger audience. She was one of 18 educators selected worldwide to have a lesson plan included on the TED-Ed website, as part of a program sponsored by the Kohl's department store chain. Bissetta's lesson -- about the character traits of historical figures and how those traits changed history -- will be converted into an animated video and featured on the TED-Ed site. The Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.)
(12/6)
| Standards & Assessments
| | |
|
- Okla. schools train teachers on literacy for common core
Tulsa, Okla., area schools are preparing teachers to inject literacy into math, science and social studies as Common Core State Standards arrive in 2014. Owasso Public Schools hired Ken Stamatis, a literacy professor at Harding University in Arkansas, to provide a two-year literacy training program for its teachers by modeling classroom strategies via Skype and answering questions afterward. "We're really stepping out and trying to equip all our teachers with what they're going to need to address these objectives and help all our kids," said Angela Parks, elementary curriculum coordinator for the Owasso district. Tulsa World (Okla.)
(12/9)
- Assessments to go beyond multiple choice under common core
While recent surveys reveal that teachers have lost faith in assessments and doubt that standardized tests in some cases accurately reflect students' achievement, experts now say the transition to the Common Core State Standards could bring better high-school assessments that more accurately depict achievement. Under the common core, states are expected to adopt "longer, more thoughtful exams," said David Coleman, president of the College Board. However, officials say they are still working to determine what length is feasible. U.S. News & World Report/High School Notes blog
(12/3)
| Technology in the Classroom
| | |
|
- Duncan: Connected educators find success, challenges
 The connected educator movement may be relatively new, but it has great potential to guide the future of professional development for teachers, Education Secretary Arne Duncan writes in this blog post. He also writes about the challenges faced, including the need for online professional learning to count toward professional development and for there to be greater support for online social learning and problem solving among teachers. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education
(12/7)
- Will online testing prompt schools to focus more on technology?
Students who took national writing exams using computers reportedly fared better than those who wrote their answers by hand -- findings that some say could lead more schools to focus on digital literacy or implement one-to-one technology initiatives. Sue Gendron, of Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, says schools should respond by adopting more classroom technology to ensure all students have equal access to its benefits, both on the testing side and later in the job market. Scholastic Administrator magazine
(Late Fall 2012)
| Social Studies & Civic Life
| | |
|
- Social scientist sees Internet as a tool for studying behavior
 The Internet offers opportunities to reach vast, diverse subject pools for studies on human behavior, says Duncan Watts, a social scientist working in Microsoft Research's New York City offices. Watts has been studying the Internet and human behavior for more than a decade and says it provides valuable information about "crowdsource knowledge," such as a region's response to emergencies, including Superstorm Sandy. He says in this interview that Internet-based social experiments can cut down on the cost and time requirements associated with more traditional studies of behavior. ScientificAmerican.com
(12/6)
- Kan. historian gathers photos for book on African-American history
Sherri Camp, president of the Kansas Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society in Topeka, is exploring historical societies, libraries and even churches to find photographs for a book the organization is putting together on the African-American experience in the city during the last 150 years. "African-American history is so elusive in regard to having documentation on a local basis," Camp said. "This has been a great opportunity. I want to make sure that young and old alike know our history." The Topeka Capital-Journal (Kan.)
(12/8)
| NCSS Updates
| | |
|
-
International Social Studies Conference
Understanding the Near East is important for today's social studies classrooms. To help social studies educators get a first-hand understanding of the region, NCSS has partnered with Maryville University of St. Louis and the Moroccan Center for Civic Education to host "Education for Democracy and the Arab World." This conference will include three days of sessions and speakers, featuring Moroccan officials, U.S. Embassy personnel, regional experts, and classroom teachers and students. More information.
-
NCSS gift memberships
Do you have a relative, friend or colleague who is a teacher? A gift of NCSS membership is not just another gift card! NCSS connects educators with many opportunities for professional growth! To order your gift membership, please visit our website. Orders placed by Dec. 17 will be processed before the holidays.
| SmartQuote
| | |
|
 | Alas for those that never sing, But die with all their music in them."
--Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.,
American physician, writer and poet
|
| |
| |
|
Read more at
SmartBrief.com |
|
|
|
| |
| |
| | Recent
NCSS SmartBrief Issues:
- Friday, December 07, 2012
- Wednesday, December 05, 2012
- Monday, December 03, 2012
- Friday, November 30, 2012
- Wednesday, November 28, 2012
| | | Lead Editor:
Trigie Ealey
Contributing Editor:
James Roland
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2012 SmartBrief, Inc.®
Legal Information |
|
