The United Nations invited every primary (grades k-6), middle (grades 7-9) and secondary (grades 10-12) school (including homeschools) around the world to submit, via e-mail, two lines of poetry about peace. Once collected, the lines were collated together into one long Peace Poem, and redistributed to all participants as well as posted on the Web.
The poem is ten pages long and can be found at the following link:
The Peace Poem
Friday, July 17, 2009
Useful Social Studies Websites - Lesson Plans and Resources for Social Studies Teachers
Website:
http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/index.html
Uses and Content:
It is basically a collection of links to many internet sources in the following categories:
- lesson plans and strategies
- online activities
- teaching current events via newspapers, magazines and TV
- newsgroups and mailing lists
- NCSS
- educaional standards and curriculum frameworks
- social studies school service
- what's new this month
- other social studies resources
There is a short description of every site that there is a link to. Some of the sites are more useful and some are less.
If you are willing to take a little time to look through the plethora of links that this website provides there are definitely many useful ones. Under the 'other social studies resources' category there are links to the US department of education and many other useful sites.
Some of the links do not work.
Journal Entry - Diversity in the classroom
One thing that I have thought a great deal about in the course of earning my education degree, and especially during my social studies methods class, is diversity in the classroom.
It seems that diversity is a touchy topic in this country, and it makes sense that it is. In the course of the past 500 years there have been many bad things done in this country with diversity (or ethnicity, or race) as a primary factor. The kidnapping of Africans into slavery and the conquest of the Native Americans are probably the two best known examples.
Unfortunately the past sins of this country, and the continuing dominance of power by whites has caused diversity to be an taboo subject. Too often it is treated as a past problem that was dealt with during the Civil Rights Movement and other citizen actions. One has only to travel to a reservation or to a poor minority neighborhood to see that being a minority in this country continues to be a disadvantage.
I feel that truthful discussions of the diversity of this country, the life of minority populations and the reasons for these conditions can be powerful and help dispel the taboo nature of these topics.
One important aspect to discussions of this type is not to single out minority students to provide the point of view for their whole ethnicity (e.g. 'the black perspective'). It is important to emphasize that everyone is an individual, regardless of their ethnicity. I had a Native American friend (Mohawk and Cherokee) at Colgate who would always be called on by professors to give the 'Indian perspective' and she hated it because it inherently suggested that all Native Americans think the same way and have the same experience, which is obviously not the case.
There are so many forms of diversity in the classroom. Race, ethnicity, gender, intelligence, socioeconomic status, sexual preference, and religion are some of the factors. In my classroom I will encourage an open and safe environment where my students are comfortable being who they are and where constructive conversations about the issues surrounding diversity take place.
It seems that diversity is a touchy topic in this country, and it makes sense that it is. In the course of the past 500 years there have been many bad things done in this country with diversity (or ethnicity, or race) as a primary factor. The kidnapping of Africans into slavery and the conquest of the Native Americans are probably the two best known examples.
Unfortunately the past sins of this country, and the continuing dominance of power by whites has caused diversity to be an taboo subject. Too often it is treated as a past problem that was dealt with during the Civil Rights Movement and other citizen actions. One has only to travel to a reservation or to a poor minority neighborhood to see that being a minority in this country continues to be a disadvantage.
I feel that truthful discussions of the diversity of this country, the life of minority populations and the reasons for these conditions can be powerful and help dispel the taboo nature of these topics.
One important aspect to discussions of this type is not to single out minority students to provide the point of view for their whole ethnicity (e.g. 'the black perspective'). It is important to emphasize that everyone is an individual, regardless of their ethnicity. I had a Native American friend (Mohawk and Cherokee) at Colgate who would always be called on by professors to give the 'Indian perspective' and she hated it because it inherently suggested that all Native Americans think the same way and have the same experience, which is obviously not the case.
There are so many forms of diversity in the classroom. Race, ethnicity, gender, intelligence, socioeconomic status, sexual preference, and religion are some of the factors. In my classroom I will encourage an open and safe environment where my students are comfortable being who they are and where constructive conversations about the issues surrounding diversity take place.
Journal Entry - Experience is paramount
One big thing that I have taken from our intensive five week class was the fact that inquiry and other forms of experience-based education are an effective method for teaching social studies.
As I already believed it, this fact has been confirmed during our various class experiences. I have been an advocate for and practitioner of experiential education ever since I went on a seven day pre-orientation backpacking trip at Colgate University, where I got my first degree in Peace and Conflict Studies. I lead trips for the Outdoor Education program at Colgate for four years and now work for the Boise State Outdoor Program. I strongly believe that experience is the most effective way to learn with the highest knowledge retention rate.
Thus, the trick with teaching history will be to create experience based lessons to learn about something that has already happened. History is, by definition, something that happened in the past, and, therefore, impossible to experience first hand (the most powerful way to learn). It seems to me that the next best thing is to simulate first hand experience. This brings up the question of what exactly happened. Answering this question can be part of the lesson.
I feel that one effective experiential lesson about a historical event will be as follows:
Students research the event to find out what happened. As a teacher I will encourage them to research different perspectives and find out if there are conflicting reports of what happened. Once the research is complete, we will, as a class, write a play or skit based upon the event. This can be as formal or informal as is warranted and we have time for (e.g. we may or may not build consumes and a set). If appropriate we will perform two or more skits to present multiple points of view. These multiple perspective can act as a powerful lesson to my students to show that a historical source always has a perspective and usually the perspective is that of the dominate group (i.e. 'the winners').
As I already believed it, this fact has been confirmed during our various class experiences. I have been an advocate for and practitioner of experiential education ever since I went on a seven day pre-orientation backpacking trip at Colgate University, where I got my first degree in Peace and Conflict Studies. I lead trips for the Outdoor Education program at Colgate for four years and now work for the Boise State Outdoor Program. I strongly believe that experience is the most effective way to learn with the highest knowledge retention rate.
Thus, the trick with teaching history will be to create experience based lessons to learn about something that has already happened. History is, by definition, something that happened in the past, and, therefore, impossible to experience first hand (the most powerful way to learn). It seems to me that the next best thing is to simulate first hand experience. This brings up the question of what exactly happened. Answering this question can be part of the lesson.
I feel that one effective experiential lesson about a historical event will be as follows:
Students research the event to find out what happened. As a teacher I will encourage them to research different perspectives and find out if there are conflicting reports of what happened. Once the research is complete, we will, as a class, write a play or skit based upon the event. This can be as formal or informal as is warranted and we have time for (e.g. we may or may not build consumes and a set). If appropriate we will perform two or more skits to present multiple points of view. These multiple perspective can act as a powerful lesson to my students to show that a historical source always has a perspective and usually the perspective is that of the dominate group (i.e. 'the winners').
Journal Entry - American Social Studies and the Natural World
While in the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming for five days I thought about how the American landscape is one of the most amazing things about this country. From the Appalachian Mountains and vast deciduous forests of the East Coast, to the Great Plains, to the Rocky Mountains, to the sandstone formations and deserts of the Southwest, to the Great Lakes, to the oft rained upon Northwest with its huge trees (redwoods, cedars, etc.), to the tundra and enormous peaks of Alaska, to the tropical and semitropical climates of Florida and Hawaii, the USA has an impressive diversity of landscapes and habitats.
As a future social studies teacher, I feel that is it important to expose students to the natural diversity of this country. This begins with hands on exposure to the environments that are easily accessible to us. In Idaho, these environments include the Rocky Mountains, the Snake River Plane, and others. As a teacher I hope to organize meaningful field trips to these environments. I feel that this could be a great multidisciplinary endeavor involving science and social studies.
As a social studies component we can look at the uses of the different environments for economic and cultural purposes. We can look at how land-use has changed over time. We can compare how Native Americans lived on the land both before and after Columbian influence (or conquest) to how European Americans have lived and do now. We can look at how the environment affects the lifestyle and culture of the people living there, both now and in the past. We can look at water rights, land rights and other matters of special significance to Idaho. We can also look at the movement of peoples and how they interact with each other.
As a Science component we can look at the fora and fauna of Idaho as well as the geology. We can study rainfall and its effect on the biological makeup of environments of Idaho. We can look at humans' changing of the environment and how this change has impacted the environment as a whole.
To make this project effective it will be important to do both preloading activities and follow-up projects. Before the field trip(s) my students will know the specific expectations and assignments. I will set my student up so that the field trip is meaningful and productive. After the trip they will complete assignments that make the experience meaningful.
As a future social studies teacher, I feel that is it important to expose students to the natural diversity of this country. This begins with hands on exposure to the environments that are easily accessible to us. In Idaho, these environments include the Rocky Mountains, the Snake River Plane, and others. As a teacher I hope to organize meaningful field trips to these environments. I feel that this could be a great multidisciplinary endeavor involving science and social studies.
As a social studies component we can look at the uses of the different environments for economic and cultural purposes. We can look at how land-use has changed over time. We can compare how Native Americans lived on the land both before and after Columbian influence (or conquest) to how European Americans have lived and do now. We can look at how the environment affects the lifestyle and culture of the people living there, both now and in the past. We can look at water rights, land rights and other matters of special significance to Idaho. We can also look at the movement of peoples and how they interact with each other.
As a Science component we can look at the fora and fauna of Idaho as well as the geology. We can study rainfall and its effect on the biological makeup of environments of Idaho. We can look at humans' changing of the environment and how this change has impacted the environment as a whole.
To make this project effective it will be important to do both preloading activities and follow-up projects. Before the field trip(s) my students will know the specific expectations and assignments. I will set my student up so that the field trip is meaningful and productive. After the trip they will complete assignments that make the experience meaningful.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Social Studies Websites - Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
Website:
http://free.de.gov
Content and Uses:
This is the Federal Resources for Educational Excellence website. This website has a plethora of primary documents that can be accessed (e.g a scan of the Lincoln’s handwritten original copy of the Emancipation Proclimation). The website connects to resources found in many federal entities such as the Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution, National Park Service, Department of Energy, National Endowment of the Arts, NASA, National Science Foundation, etc., etc. This website is also multidisciplinary with content in many areas other than social studies.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Website Evaluation Exercise (CRAAP) - Iroquois Indian Tribe History
Website:
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/iroquioi/iroquoishist.htm
Relevance:
Authority:
Purpose:
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/iroquioi/iroquoishist.htm
Currency:
- Website is current (2004-2009).
- Some of the links direct you back to the page you are already on.
- The information is about the history of the Iroquois, there is no information from any years after the 19th century.
- The website is a genealogical website and the information about the Iroquois history that relates to names and movement of the nations that make up the Iroquois.
- I would not be comfortable using this website as a resource for a research paper. There are no citations and it is a company website with advertisements on screen. I am not confident that the information on the website is accurate.
- The site is the Access Genealogy website.
- The site is a ".com" site.
- There is no actual "author" listed.
- There is no contact information to anyone involved with the website, only a link to email the site to a friend.
- It is hard to tell what the level of authority is on this website and therefore I have to conclude that the authority level is low.
Accuracy:
- It is unclear where the information on the website came from. The title of one book is listed as a resource for further information, but the complete bibliographic information is not given, only the title.
- The information is not supported by evidence.
- The information is neither reviewed nor referred.
- The language has a fair number of grammatical errors including calling Cayuga Lake Cayuga Lane.
- There is no easy way to tell the accuracy level of the information on this site. The inattention to editing and detail leads me to believe that the information is suspect.
Purpose:
- The purpose of this website appears to be to give information about genealogy and to make money through advertising and promoting other genealogy websites.
- There is no actual stated purpose on the website.
- The information is presented as fact, but there is no actual evidence presented.
- The language in the website makes it clear that the information is presented from the white American perspective. The use of words such as regime (when referring to the French), the word 'tribe' rather than 'nation' (when referring to a group in Natives), the fact that the Iroquois are presented as a militaristic confederacy that was bent on acquiring new land, and the fact that the white conquest of Native Americans in not discussed show this perspective.
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