Social Studies

As those of you in my EDU 522 class know, we have spent quite a while on the issue of unequal school funding. The Kozol video we watched in class raised the question of how each state pays for its public schooling, and as a result I have been trying to determine which states still use local property taxes (thus perpetuating the inequality of schools within the state) and which have instituted reforms to equalize funding. The problem is, none of this information is compiled in a concise manner. This is a recent article discussing this issue; I am still trying to find others.

Just another site where teachers can share their lessons with one another.

Yesterday I had to prepare and deliver a lesson on archaeology to our grade 7 classes (Ancient World History) for my practicum. I actually used this site in my preparation. Under "Outreach and Education," there is a section called Archaeology 101 where you can get basic information on archaeology. There is also a glossary, a list of books and a list movies. They have an archive of well developed lesson plans too. However, I found another lesson plan that I modified and used that was a smash with the kids……even to toughest, roughest, hardest to reach students were engaged. If anyone wants a copy of it let me know and I can post it on our Wiki. Anyway, since archaeology applies to almost all of history, this site is quite useful.

I think I got this a while ago from the Diigo History Teacher's website but I really like the idea of it, so i"m posting it on our Diigo page too. Basically, this teacher created a history/technology club. The students build technology that is from historical periods and also work on artifacts. It's like bringing Ancient Rome to your classroom or colonial Williamsburg. I think people can use it for ideas/inspiration. You wouldn't have to have an after-school club, you could pick a project that works well within a particular unit.

Some of the projects are really intense but I kind of want to make the walnut ink.

So this isn't article doesn't have a practical application, but it is very heart warming and inspiring. It's about an 81 year old guidance counselor in northern Virginia who has actually dedicated her life to serving her students. She continually works to build upon her skills and hone her craft and really seems to be the exemplar of what an educator should be.

DC voting rights are the PERFECT way to get DC students engaged with politics and government. As one student told me, "nothing gets students motivated like being pissed off." One of the teachers that I'm working with has folks from DC Vote come into her classroom and teach about the history of DC voting rights (the 23rd amendment and all) and then has students do a project on it. It gets them heated and it's critically important for them to know about - more than just a license plate! Also, you might consider using Sweet Honey in the Rock's "No Taxation Without Representation" which outlines the entire history of DC voting rights and potential avenues for action in song. ;-) As they were a crucial part of the civil rights movement this might be a nice tie in of history and current events. From the website: "Founded in 1998, DC Vote is an educational and advocacy organization dedicated to securing full voting representation in Congress and full democracy for the more than half a million residents of the District of Columbia. DC residents pay full federal taxes, fight and die in wars and serve on juries yet are denied voting representation in the House and the Senate. DC Vote is working to end this injustice."

Defining citizenship eduction in a global society is an increasingly relevant and important education issue today. This site has really great resources for exploring global citizenship. In particular, I liked the global citizenship chart, it is easy to read and it defines key elements by age level. There is also an entire page of related links that could provide further explanation.

Dude this is rad. I hadn't seen this before but just searched for citizenship and it came up. Thanks for posting!

So I got this link from a friend of mine and I had no idea what he was sending me. It didn't make any sense until he told me that the artist is an Italian singer who sang this song in an American accent and so the song is basically what English sounds like to people who don't speak it. And then I had a light bulb moment-- what a FANTASTIC way to illustrate cross cultural differences. Show this video and ask the students to comment on it and then tell them that this is what songs sound like to people who don't speak the same language as us. That's just ONE possibility...there are so many more!

I have no idea either! Which I guess is what it sounds like to Italian people when they listen to like Britney Spears or something like that. I think it would be a cool thing to use to teach about cross cultural communications or something like that.

So, it's not for the dance moves...

While not located in the DC area, the Tenement Museum in New York City has a great website. You can dowload primary sources and other great resources. Navigating from this page is helpful.

Obama gave a speach on Wednesday to talk about the Race to the Top competition - a competition in which states compete for $4.35 billion in education grant money.

This article provides a great hisory of something in our own backyard here in DC - Arlington National Cemetery and its history in the Washington family and as the home of Robert E. Lee. Studying this could be a way to link the Civil War to the area.

This website shows what the world's population would look like if there were only 100 people (keeping proportions the same.)

WOW!! That is powerful!! And based on other information I have read, it is mostly accurate. I wonder how something like this could be used in classrooms in the district. I wish there was some kind of an action statement or suggestions at the end....not for the 25% who have a home, bed, refrigerator and closet for but for that other 75% that does not. Hmmmmm, much to think about.

This website connects teachers who need money for their classrooms with donors.

The author mentions the book "Three Cups of Tea." It is a really awesome book. I own it, if anyone wants to borrow it.

Aljazeera is news organization based in the Arab gulf. Their coverage spans world-wide, and they are a great opportunity to study the news from a non-western perspective.

This website on Mesopotamia and early civilizations is maintained by The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. It provides a wealth of information about the early civilization between the two rivers and includes great photos of artifacts, teaching materials, and interviews with archaeologists. For students, it might be fun to use this site as a webquest, where they would have to explore the site to answer questions.

The National Archives and Records Administration created this site for teachers who want to incorporate documents into the classroom. They offer lesson plans and ideas for teaching the texts.