Announcing a Summer Professional Development Activity Ohio Geographic Alliance
The Ohio Geographic Alliance, in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Education the Ohio Resource Center, and the Ohio Council of Social Studies, is pleased to announce that it will be offering a series of one day workshops for Ohio teachers during the second and third weeks of June. Separate identical workshops will be held at locations to be determined in the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati metropolitan areas on one of the following dates— June 13th, 18th or 20th.
The workshops will be targeted to 5th and 6th grade teachers and aligned with the content standards of the new Model Social Studies Curriculum for the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Each workshop will include:
- an overview of the place of geography in the new standards
- a content presentation connected to the standards
- breakout sessions for small group demonstrations and discussions of curriculum activities.
The workshops are free to the participants. Lunch will be provided and contact hour credit will be available.
To express your interest in attending any of the three workshops please complete the form below and either email it to ohioga@osu.edu or send it by April 11th to:
Colin Kelsey Department of Geography, The Ohio State University 1036 Derby Hall 154 North Oval Mall Columbus OH 43210.
OGA Summer Professional Workshop Form
Ohio Resource Center Adds Social Studies Content Specialist
On October 17, 2011 Virginia Moore became the social studies content specialist at the Ohio Resource Center. For the preceding seven years Virginia was social studies consultant with the Ohio Department of Education.
During the upcoming months Virginia will work to establish a collection of social studies resources for K-12 teachers and students. One of her first tasks is the alignment of more than 1200 resources from the Ohio Social Studies Resource Center to Ohio’s 2010 Academic Content Standards. Other priorities include:
- initiating a Social Studies Review Board at the ORC;
- establishing and maintaining a social studies bookshelf for grades K-8 to encourage reading in the content area;
- developing an ORC-ON with the topic of Primary Sources and
- locating and vetting resources for grades 4, 5 and 6, where
- adjustments to the scope and sequence hastened the need for additional resources.
Plans are to have the social studies website at the ORC up and running by January 2012. In the meantime, you can follow Virginia on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/OhioRC_SocSt
Economics Workshops offered by University of Akron Barker Center for Economic Education
The University of Akron Barker Center for Economic Education is offering anextensive variety of Professional Development workshops for area teachers,counselors, and administrators related to economics, entrepreneurship, andfinancial literacy. We areoffering six workshops, which include RockYour Business Simulation with the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, Entrepreneurs inthe Middle School, Financial Education & Simulation, Insurance Basics, and Teaching Economics Through Children’sLiterature Grades 1-5.
Participants will receive the most current classroom instructional materials that willrelate to their current classroom curriculums. These popular courses are agreat opportunity for educators to attain free financial and economicinstructional materials for their school and their classroom. Teachers will also be afforded theoption of taking any workshop for graduate credit. Teachers can enroll in 1, 2,or 3 graduate credit hours.
In addition, the Barker Center is excited to offer $100 teacher stipends towardthe first credit hour for the following workshop:
1. Entrepreneursin the Middle School
2. InsuranceBasics
3. RealityCheck
Withlower tuition and several registration options, we expect enrollment to fillquickly so early registration is encouraged. PLUS we are providing FREE copies of Virtual Economics 3.0 to all participants with over 1200 economic & personal finance lesson plansand economic concepts and principles with multimedia presentations. Yourschool and students will benefit from the hundreds of dollars worth ofmaterials that teachers will receive! Additional information and online registration is available at http://www.uakron.edu/barkercenter/
Stock Market Game Ohio Sign-up
The spring Stock Market Game starts February 21st, make sure to register your teams today at www.smgohio.org. Also, did you know parents can play with their kids at home as well? To learn more, read this announcement!
Spring Game:February 21, 2012 – April 27, 2012 ($20/team)
Special offer for Teachers in Greater Cincinnati!
Your students will have an opportunity to compete in the 3rd Annual Portfolio Challenge. The top teams will present their portfolio to investment professionals for a chance to win a trip to a real world investment firm. Your students will also receive a field trip to the University of Cincinnati!
Check out the photos from last year’s Portfolio Challenge!
The Stock Market Game is a 10-week competition that can be integrated into any classroom. Lessons included with this game can be incorporated into all subjects, grades 4-12.
We are hosting webinars and free workshops to teach you how to integrate The Stock Market Game into your current curriculum and classroom. Join us to learn how to play the game and receive access to a robust database of lessons designed for integration in various subjects.
Free Workshops and Webinars Frequently Asked Questions
This online simulation teaches essential skills to compete in the 21st Century:
- Critical-Thinking
- Cooperation & Communication
- Financial Literacy
- Decision-Making
- Saving and Investing
- Math
Register Teams Today!
Check out The Capitol Hill Challenge! It begins Feb. 6th. It’s the Stock Market Game but it’s free with the opportunity to partner with your Member of Congress and win a trip to Washington DC. Click here for more information
Financial education is more important than ever. The Stock Market Game™ makes teaching and learning fun.
For more information, visit Stock Market Game’s corporate website at www.smgww.org or call Program Manager, Kimberly Moon at 1.888.4.SMGOHIO.
The Ohio Center for Law Related Education (OCLRE)
Combat bullying with middle school mock trial
The Ohio Center for Law-Related Education’s fastest growing program, Middle School Mock Trial, can serve as a springboard for talking about the issues of bullying and cliques with your students. This original, activity-based program blends classic age-appropriate pieces of literature with civics and democracy. This year’s program, which focuses on Lord of the Flies by William Golding, will help students see the negative results when cliques develop and bullies have their way. Lord of the Flies allows students to examine various assumptions and actions and, as the trial process allows, to argue a point of view. Also through Middle School Mock Trial, students will learn important 21st century skills, such as civic literacy, critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration. Register now to attend a professional development on Thursday, Jan. 12 and learn how to bring this program to your school. For more information, please visit the center’s website or contact Tim Kalgreen at (877) 485-3510 (toll-free) or tkalgreen@oclre.org.
NEH Summer Institute for middle and high school teachers calls for applications
Applications for a forthcoming National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Summer Institute for Middle and High School Teachers on the theme Central Asia in World History are now available. The Institute will be held at The Ohio State University’s Department of History in Columbus from July 15 to 27. Central Asia in World History will engage teachers in a deeper understanding of how Central Asia has historically functioned as a crossroads of intercultural exchange. The Institute will describe how Central Asia connected the great civilizations on the Eurasian periphery; how this connection gave rise to world empires in antiquity and the medieval era; and why this area served as the playing ground for the Anglo-Russian “Great Game” in the 18th and 19th centuries. The institute will include expert presentations, analysis of primary material (both narrative and documentary), screenings and discussion of relevant films, immersion in traditional food and music of the region, and the development of unit plans for classroom use.
An advisory panel will select 25 teachers from various disciplines to participate in the Institute. Primarily, they will seek teachers in the fields of world history, social sciences, geography and Asian studies. They also will consider full-time graduate students pursuing a K-12 teaching career for participation. NEH Summer Institute participants receive a stipend of $2,100 to help cover travel expenses and the cost of housing. Additional information, including a list of participating faculty, the Institute schedule and instructions on how to apply, can be found on the OSU website here.
Graduating College Seniors: Gilder Lehrman History Scholar Award Open for Applications
Since 1994, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has promoted history education through an array of national programs. In 2012, the Institute is pleased to announce a new award program to honor outstanding graduating college seniors who have demonstrated academic and extracurricular excellence in American History or American Studies. Highlights of the Gilder Lehrman History Scholar Award include: a four-day trip to New York City, June 8-11, 2012; special presentations with eminent history scholars; exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of historic archives; celebratory awards dinner. The recipients will be reimbursed for up to $600 for travel expenses to New York, and room and board will be provided during the award weekend. Application Deadline is March 15, 2012. Notification Deadline: April 16, 2012. To apply, or for more information, visit: www.gilderlehrman.org/historyscholaraward. If you have questions about the History Scholar Award, email scholars@gilderlehrman.org
The American Geographical Society (AGS) needs your help
The American Geographical Society (AGS) needs your help in a matter of vital importance. We are conducting a nationwide survey of public attitudes toward geography and knowledge about geography. This is our part in a major study funded by the National Science Foundation. This “Roadmap” project is a joint effort of the National Geographic Society, the National Council for Geographic Education, the Association of American Geographers, and AGS. The overall topic is geographic literacy, a matter of serious concern in America today. We invite all U. S. citizens and long term residents of the United States to take the survey. The only eligibility requirement is that you must be age 18 or older. The results will help guide Federal and state policies regarding geographic education.
You may access the survey online by clicking the following link: AGS Geographic Knowledge and Values Survey (If the link does not take you directly to the survey, please copy and paste this URL into your web browser: http://webteach.ubalt.edu/UltimateSurvey/Surveys/TakeSurvey.aspx?s=F30154FD158241D39265B445E3BD5817 ). Based on trial runs, we estimate the survey will take 12 to 18 minutes of your time. Please complete the survey by January 31, 2012.
Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning announces Pathways to Global Competency conference.
The Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning is pleased to announce that registration is now open for their 5th annual conference. Called PGL12, the conference will focus on the Pathways to Global Competency. It will be held from June 29-30, 2012 in New York, NY. This annual conference is dedicated to preparing American students to be globally competent and ready for college. The two-day event connects educators, business leaders, policymakers and resource providers to share best practices, build partnerships and advance policies to ensure the next generation is ready to lead in an interconnected world. There will be interactive keynotes, dozens of workshops, and a learning expedition throughout New York City. For more information, visit http://sites.asiasociety.org/pgl2012/.
Is your School’s Web Filter Blocking Important Professional resources?
Your district web filter may be blocking excellent professional resources because they are housed on blog sites or have social media links. Your district web administrator can unblock specific web addresses withing those sites if you provide them with the specific web address.
Two good resources that are currently blocked by local districts are:
- The OCSS Web Site – ask your web administrator to “whitelist” the address http://ocss.wordpress.com/
- The Center for Civic Education is now offering an electronic version of their civics textbooks (We the People) for free at Scribd.com. The hard copy of the books will not be available through the Ohio Center for Law-Related Educaiton as they have been in the past. Ask you web administrator to “whitelist” the following addresses:
