CUE-SN Announces Its Annual Multimedia Festival (Projects due 3/31/09)

Computer-Using Educators of Southern Nevada is now accepting invitations for its Sixth Annual Student Multimedia Festival Competition. The theme for this year's competition is "Explorations."

Entry categories include grade level (K-5, 6-8, 9-12), media category (computer generated, audio/video), and entry category (subject-area, non-subject area).

Applications are due March 31, 2009 and may be acquired here.

Contact Cynthia Ochoa with questions regarding entries, judging, and the festival.

CUE-SN Presents "CrazyTalk with Tanya Morrill" (1/13/09)

The Computer-Using Educators of Southern Nevada , the newest affiliate of Computer-Using Educators, Inc., invites all to their meeting January 13 at Kesterson ES from 4:00-5:30 PM. See how student drawings, as well as portraits, can come alive and “talk” when narration is added using CrazyTalk. The presenter, Tanya Morrill’s first-grade class captured a CUE-SN MultiMedia Festival award with this fun application.

RSVP Tanya Morrill or Lynn Kiehlbauch via CCSD's InterAct. For more information, visit http://www.cue-sn.org and click on "Free Local Trainings."

The Nevada Women’s History Project Teacher of the Year Award (Due 2/1/09)

The Nevada Women’s History Project, a non-profit statewide educational organization, announces its first Teacher of the Year Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize an outstanding teacher who promotes the roles and contributions of Nevada women in their classroom. They seek lesson plans or programs that promote the study of Nevada women. Applications must be received by February 1, 2009. The award will be presented at a Nevada Women’s History Project event in the North or the South depending on the location of the winner.

• AWARD: The successful candidate will receive a $500 cash award. The winning lesson will also be published on the Nevada Women’s History Project website.
• ELIGIBILITY: A candidate must teach in the state of Nevada and be a full time teacher in Grades 4-12.
• BIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION: The applicant must include a one-page autobiographical statement including his or her background, a complete history of where s/he has taught, when and what courses and a summary of teaching accomplishments and philosophy. The applicant should also refer to other history related activities in which s/he has participated and note any special awards received.
• BRIEF INTRODUCTION: Prepare a one-page introduction to the lesson or program. Address the following:
• For whom is the lesson intended?
• What is the purpose of the lesson?
• How does it fit in the curriculum?
• What history standards are covered?
• How does it promote the study of Nevada Women?
• PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTATION: Prepare a 1-2 page narrative description of the program or project and how it advanced the study of Nevada Women and their contributions. Include relevant handouts as needed.
• CONCLUSION: Write a one-page reflection on how the lesson or program succeeded in your class. What did your students learn about Nevada Women’s History? Including student work is encouraged.
• THREE LETTERS OF SUPPORT: Include three letters of support (none more than two pages) written by individuals familiar with the applicant’s work.

Deadline: Postmarked by February 1, 2009
Send five copies of application packet to Dr. Linda Karen Miller, Nevada Women's History Project Chair.

CUE-SN Presents "Google Docs Rock" (11/6/08)

The CUE-SN presentation, delivered by Donna Levy and Charles Sinicki, will introduce the free technology tool revolutionizing collaboration. Come learn why Google Docs ROCK!

Date: Thursday, November 6, 2008
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: Chaparral High School, Room 165A

Siemens "We Can Change the World" Challenge

Discovery Education teamed with Siemens in the development and support of the "We Can Change the World" Challenge. The current round is open to middle school students. In 2009, the Challenge will open to K-5 applicants and in 2010, it will open to high school students.

More information on the Challenge is available at http://siemens.discoveryeducation.com/

"The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge gives students the opportunity, tools and inspiration to become those agents of change. Beginning in fall 2008 through March 15, 2009, middle school student teams from across the country will be challenged to create sustainable, reproducible environmental improvements in their local communities.

Top prizes will include a chance to appear on Discovery Network's Planet Green, a share in thousands of dollars in cash prizes, a one-in-a-lifetime Discovery Adventure trip and more."

Google RISE Awards—Due December 1, 2008

The Google RISE (Roots in Science and Engineering) Awards are designed to fund, promote and support science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and computer science education in the United States. Non-profit organizations, and university computer science faculty, staff, and student organizations are encouraged to apply. Special consideration will be given to programs that impact students from communities with longstanding underrepresentation in computing and technology (women, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, people with disabilities) and economically disadvantaged students

Programs ranging from formative ideas that explore learning concepts to fully tested models that are ready to be adopted and disseminated will be consider. Awarded funds may include a combination of monetary awards, volunteer resources, and in-kind donations with award amounts ranging from $500 - $15,000

Applications for 2009 funding are due December 1, 2008. Awards will be announced mid-January 2009

For more information, contact google-rise@google.com

PCMall's Green Light Contest

WIN A "GREEN COMPUTER LAB" FOR YOUR SCHOOL!

INSPIRE your middle and high school students to be leaders in the Green Schools movement and your school could win a state-of-the-art computer lab! The "Green Light Contest" essay competition, sponsored by PC Mall Gov, in partnership with HP, InFocus, and T.H.E. Journal is seeking entries from students in two categories: grades 5 - 8 and 9 - 12. In essays of 1,000 words or less students are asked to describe how they and their teachers can utilize technology to protect the environment. The grand-prize-winning composition will receive a 30-seat "green" computer lab for the author's school. Two additional first place
winners (one from each grade-level category) will each receive a "green" laptop and all winning essays will be published in T.H.E. Journal. Recognition of winners
will occur at FETC, January 21 - 24, in Orlando, FL.

Application Deadline: December 1, 2008
Essay and submission criteria are available online at: http://www.1105info.com/t.do?id=1685344:7097764

Holocaust in Nevada—October Training

From the Holocaust in Nevada webpage:

"If you have just a day or two to teach about the Holocaust, what would be critical for your students to know about the Holocaust and what are the best instructional strategies for teaching that content? This conference will provide teachers with specific content, lessons, and instructional strategies for teaching students about the Holocaust. The training and materials are free. Free recertification credits available. Food will be provided!

Location: Sig Rogich Middle School
Dates: Friday, October 24 from 4pm - 8pm
and Saturday, October 25 from 8am - 6pm

The deadline to register for the Southern Nevada teacher training is October 17, 2008. "

Petco's Aquademics Program

Local Petco stores offer fish tanks for free to fourth and fifth grade teachers. They will bring the tank to your classroom along with lesson plans. The below information is available at http://www.petco.com/Content/Content.aspx?PC=aquademics&Nav=538:

"Aquademics® is a hands-on, minds-on enrichment opportunity that brings learning to life for children, whether they are sitting in the classroom or gathered with family members around the aquarium in the living room.

Now it's easy to incorporate the fun of an aquarium into your 4th or 5th grade students' learning experience.

Aquademics can help meet state learning standards in Science, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Ecology, Writing and more.

Lesson Plans
Use the aquarium to create interest in a range of subjects from biology to creative writing, from math to social studies and more.

Resource Materials
Use materials such as worksheets to give each student the opportunity for a hands-on, minds-on learning experience.

Cash for College
One of your students could win $1,000 to save for college!

Special Offers
Money-saving offers are available for Aquademics teachers.

Bring your class in to your local participating PETCO store for an unforgettable learning experience. Signups for the upcoming school year begin in August. For more information, visit your nearest PETCO store. "

Each store has a limited number of tanks so teachers are encouraged to contact their local store as early as possible.

Picturing America — An Initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities

From the National Endowment for the Humanities:

"Picturing America, an exciting new initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities, brings masterpieces of American art into classrooms and libraries nationwide. Through this innovative program, students and citizens will gain a deeper appreciation of our country’s history and character through the study and understanding of its art.

Collectively, the masterpieces of American art featured in Picturing America, when used in conjunction with the Teachers Resource Book and program Website, help students experience the humanity of history and enhance the teaching and understanding of America’s past.

What You Receive
40 high-quality, laminated reproductions (approximately 24” x 36”), an illustrated Teachers Resource Book, with activities organized by elementary, middle and high school levels. The resource book will help K-12 teachers use the images to teach core curriculum subjects such as: American history, social studies, civics, language arts, literature, science, math, geography, and music.

Other Resources
The Picturing America website, is a rich source of additional information and resources, including innovative lesson plans.

Who May Apply
Public, private, parochial, and charter and home school consortia (K-12), as well as public libraries in the United States and its territories.

How to Apply
Go to the Picturing America website
From the Picturing America home page you may browse the gallery of images or go directly to the application by clicking on Apply Now and follow the simple directions.

Application Deadline: October 31, 2008"

Southern Nevada Council for the Social Studies: Fall Social — October 16, 2008

The Southern Nevada Council for the Social Studies will celebrate Social Studies their Fall Social and Membership Drive on October 16, 2008. Food, fun and festivities will occur at McMullan's Irish Pub (4650 West Tropicana, 702-247-7000) from 4:00-6:00 PM.

There will be a raffle for all new members, as well as a raffle for all current members who bring a new member. RSVP to Karlye Mull by Monday, October 13, 2008.

Innovative Project-Based Learning: From Kindergarten to College

Presented by Christy G. Keeler, Ph.D. and Heather B. Rampton, M.Ed. at the National Educational Computing Conference, San Antonio 2008

1. View sample student-made project (“Mixed-Up Chameleon”)
2. Introduction and PBL overview
3. The Strategies
1. Video Methods
1. Adapting literature into first-person using video (“Mixed-Up Chameleon”)
2. Research-based video reports (“St. Patrick’s Day” — Not available online)
2. Audio
1. Mock interviews (“Tomorsky’s Simpson Book Review”)
2. Process practice songs (“Gravity”)
3. “Day in the Life”
1. Man-on-the-street (“New York City Draft Riots")
2. Journal memoirs (“Civil War Nurse”)
4. Content-based podcasts (“Civil War Metaphors”)
3. Blogs
1. Journaling (“Harriet Tubman”)
2. Daily homework (“Baula’s Logic…”)
3. e-portfolios (“Dennison’s Pre-service Teacher Portfolio”)
4. Digital Photography
1. Scavenger hunts (“Geometry”)
5. Page Layout Software
1. Mock newspaper reports (“Saia’s 1930s Newspaper Book Review”)
2. Tri-fold brochures (“Kuennen’s Book Review”)
6. Common Applications
1. Virtual museums using slideshows (“Native Americans of the Colonial Era”)
2. Slideshow-based games
   
4. Brainstorming/Goal Setting
5. Closing

Boulder City and Hoover Dam: Then and Now—Teaching and Writing Local History

The Nevada Chapter of the National Council for History Education (co-sponsored by Arcadia Publishing) is offering a one day conference on teaching and writing about local history with historical foci on Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Boulder City.

Boulder City and Hoover Dam: Then and Now:
Teaching and Writing Local History

Boulder Dam Hotel and Forever Earth Cruise on Lake Mead
September 27, 2008

Presented by the Nevada Council for History Education
Co-Sponsored by Arcadia Publishing

Preliminary Schedule of Events

7:45 Arrive at Green Valley Tech Center (pending bus transportation)
8:00 Depart for Boulder Dam Hotel
8:30 Arrive Boulder Dam Hotel
8:45 Introductions by Dr. Linda Karen Miller, Nevada Council for History Education State Coordinator
9:00 Senator Harry Reid (invited not confirmed) Importance of writing Local History: Discussing book on Searchlight
9:30 Gene Segerblom, former Nevada State Assemblywoman on past issues in Boulder City and Lynn Stewart, current Nevada Assemblyman and former Boulder City High School government teacher on current issues about Boulder City
10:00 Break
10:15 Mimi Rodden on Images of America: Boulder City
10:45 Arcadia Publishing on Writing Local History
11:00 Tour of Boulder Dam Hotel and Hoover Dam Museum
12:00 Lunch (Talk with author or publisher about writing)
12:45 Depart for Lake Mead and Forever Earth Boat or walking tour of Boulder City
1:00 On board Forever Earth** — Introduction Daphne Sweing, Program Manager Forever Earth, UNLV; Dr. Fran Campbell: CSN, Blacks in the Construction of Boulder Dam
1:30 National Park Service Presentation (will continue as we go to the Dam) by Kay Rohde, Chief of Interpretation at Lake Mead
3:30 Lessons from Forever Earth instructor or primary source lessons.
4:00 Wrap Up: What does the future hold?
5:00 Depart Boulder City

Alternative Schedule: 1:00-4:00 Walking Tour of Boulder City: Observe changes then and now

**The boat excursion is limited to 25 people. If there are more participants, then the others will go on the walking tour of Boulder City.

Participants will receive:

• Images of Boulder City by Mimi Rodden (First 25 only) ($20)
• Lunch: ($15)
• Boat ride
• One year membership in Nevada Council for History Education ($15)
• One year membership in National Council for History Education ($30)
• Recertification credit from the Nevada Department of Education
• Lesson plans and resources

For information or an application, contact Dr. Linda Miller.

Google Teacher Academy

This was sent my Mike Lawrence of the Computer Using Educators sent hte following message:

"Since today is National Teacher Day, we thought it would be the perfect day to announce that Google's FREE training program for K-12 educators is back at the Google headquarters! Outstanding educators from across the country (and beyond!) are encouraged to apply for the Google Teacher Academy taking place on Wed, June 25, 2008.

The GTA is an intensive, one-day event (8:30am-7:30pm) where participants get hands-on experience with Google's free products and other technologies, learn about innovative instructional strategies, collaborate with exceptional educators, and immerse themselves in an innovative corporate environment. Upon completion, GTA participants become Google Certified Teachers who share what they learn with other K-12 educators in their local region.

50 outstanding educators from across the country will be selected to attend the GTA based on their passion for teaching, their experience as leaders, and their use of technology in K-12 settings. Each applicant is REQUIRED to produce and submit an original one-minute video, and applications for the event in Mountain View are due on May 28, 2008. Please use Google Video or YouTube to post these original videos. Participants must provide their own travel, and if necessary, their own lodging. Though we will give preference to K-12 educators within a 90-minute local commute of an Academy event, anyone may apply.

Learn more about the program and the application at: http://www.google.com/educators/gta.html"

Southern Nevada Council for the Social Studies - Spring Fling - May 20, 2008

The SNCSS will have its Spring Fling on May 20, 2008 at McMullan's Irish Pub (4650 W. Tropicana, Las Vegas, Nevada). The banquet and social will include delivery of the "Best Of" social studies teacher awards, raffle prizes, food and drink, and trivia. The cost is $20 at the door for non-members (includes one year membership fee) and free for members.

The evening is sponsored by Rick Coop of Holt, Rinehart, and Winston Publishing and will begin at 4:30 PM. Please RSVP to Karlye Mull.

PBS Content at iTunes U

On Friday, iTunes added PBS content to iTunes U (available by going to iTunes, selecting the "iTunes Store," clicking on "iTunes U," and using the "Beyond Campus" menu). The content includes teaching support videos and instructional content from KQED, WETA, WNET thirteen, WGBH, and more. Video clips that illustrate science, geography or history (including segments from Ken Burns' documentary The War) are accompanied by PDF lesson plans and educator's guides!

Students and Teachers Mash It Up in eInstructionTM’s “Content Meets Technology” Sweepstakes

From Christy Oberly:

Classroom technology leader to give away over $25,000 in interactive technology; asks students and teachers to collaborate on nationwide Google Maps mashup

Denton, TX – April 8, 2008 – Merging content with technology when they joined forces in December, eInstruction™ and the former Interwrite Learning™ today announced “Content Meets Technology”, a first-of-its-kind sweepstakes that asks teachers and students to submit, using 250 characters or less, their vision of the role of technology in education. Those thoughts will then post to an interactive Google Map mashup on the eInstruction site. The “mashup” of Google Maps (technology) and the student/teacher collaborations (content) is designed to mirror the merger of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning.

The student/teacher submissions, which will only be required for posting to the map, should highlight classroom achievements made possible by the use of technology or focus on the benefits of a technology-empowered classroom. The work, along with the name of the school, the grade, and the teacher’s name, will appear on a Google Map of the world on the sweepstakes’ Web site at www.contentmeetstechnology.com.

“The combination of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning helps make teaching and learning fun and interactive in a whole new way,” said Lisa O’Masta, Vice President of Marketing for eInstruction. “We’re celebrating this merger by asking teachers and students to participate in a groundbreaking, educational exercise that is itself a metaphor for the tremendous possibilities available when great content and great technology come together.”

Winners will be awarded an interactive makeover prize package that consists of:

Interwrite Workspace with ExamView™ reader. The award-winning, easy-to-use software enables educators to create, save and share engaging, interactive lessons with a gallery of digital images and annotation tools that can be used with any application. Workspace provides one-click integration with CPS, eInstruction’s popular student response systems.
Interwrite Board™. Teaching from the front of the classroom has never been this fun before. The Interwrite Board combined with Interwrite Workspace gives you the power to control your computer from the front of the class. Your students will be on their best behavior with the chance to come to the board.
Interwrite Pad™. Combined with Workspace, the wireless Interwrite Pad is a powerful teaching tool that enables educators to easily control their computer and instructional resources from anywhere in the classroom. Used by over 50,000 teachers worldwide, this dependable, durable pad is a must in every classroom.
32-Pad CPS RF Clicker System. Engage every child in class material by creating an interactive learning environment in your classroom. Students who normally remain silent in class can now answer every question without fear of embarrassment. Join the 150,000 teachers who now spend less time grading and more time teaching. CPS simplifies taking attendance, grading tests and quizzes, creating lessons, and generating personalized reports automatically!
One year subscription to ExamView Learning Series™. A collection of over 9,500 unique high-quality standards-aligned questions that work in conjunction with the ExamView Suite. Over 50 leading publishers also create and distribute ExamView-formatted questions with over 5,000 elementary, middle school, high school, and post-secondary textbooks.
Epson PowerLite 400W Projector. Ideal for widescreen computers and interactive whiteboards, this 3LCD short-throw projector with WXGA resolution reduces shadows, simplifies installation, and provides 30 percent larger images than standard 4:3 projectors. It can project an 87 inch widescreen (16:10) image from just 3.4 feet away. The 3LCD optical engine, the world’s number one projection display technology, provides vibrant color and incredible image quality and unsurpassed reliability.
Epson Short-throw Projector Wall Mount. This projector wall mount enables quick, efficient and low cost installation of short-throw projectors. It allows presenters to fully utilize an interactive whiteboard (IWB) or screen without creating shadows or having light from the projector shine in their eyes.
Free installation and online training.

The contest will name one winner from the following three grade level segments: kindergarten through fifth; sixth through eighth; and ninth through twelfth. The sweepstakes is not limited to users of eInstruction or Interwrite Learning products. It is open to all teachers and students in the United States.

To encourage participation in the Google Map mashup, eInstruction will provide those teachers a referral bonus: for each teacher they successfully refer, they will receive an additional chance to win (total chances per teacher are capped at eleven per single entry).

All participants will submit their work by going to www.einstruction.com and clicking the “Content Meets Technology” link. The sweepstakes begins on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 and ends on Thursday, May 13, 2008. Winners will be chosen randomly from each grade category and announced on Monday, May 19, 2008.

The Content Meets Technology Sweepstakes arrives on the heels of Interwrite Learning’s 2007 Video Makeover Contest, in which more than 220 classes submitted music parody videos. The success of that contest has prompted eInstruction to schedule the second annual music parody contest; teachers and students can begin submitting their musical collaborations September 9, 2008.

For further information on the sweepstakes and eInstruction, please visit http://www.einstruction.com. For more information on Interwrite Learning, visit http://www.interwritelearning.com.

NCSS Social Studies Teacher of the Year, April 22

NCSS Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award has been extended--new postmark deadline is April 22, 2008

If you know of an exceptional social studies teacher or are one, then please submit an application for this year's Teacher of the Year Award. Winners will be asked to present a session at the upcoming conference in Houston, TX and will receive a special tribute at an awards reception!!!

Guidelines and criteria for this award can be found on the NCSS website at http://www.socialstudies.org/awards/teaching/. You can download the cover page from the website or email excellence@ncss.org for a copy of the information.

CUE-SN Presents: "Simple Broadcasting," 4/3/08

How to Set Up a Simple In-School Broadcast

This CUE-SN presentation is a basic introduction to the nuts and bolts of setting up an IN-SCHOOL Broadcast.

Agenda

• Goals of Broadcast
• How to Connect the Modulator to DVD, Camera, VCR, etc.
• Connect the Portable Encoder for the Video over IP systems (Schools built from 2006 to present only)
• Software for Editing Video
• Teleprompters
• Examples of Student Work
• Presentation by Ken Baird from Visual Communication Systems

When: Thursday April 3, 2008 from 4:30 - 6pm
Where: Burkholder MS Room 210

RSVP or for more information contact Craig Cuddihy on InterAct or 702-799-1010 ext.5359

Geographic Alliance in Nevada Summer Institute

I highly encourage you to consider participating in the Geographic Alliance in Nevada's (GAIN) Alliance Summer Geography Institute (ASGI). The institute includes two weeks of training in geography content and instruction and takes place in both Las Vegas (content/instruction) and Reno (field experiences). This year's institute will be June 9-20, 2008. Contact Herb Thompson (GeoMan) for more information and applications.

We the People Summer Institute

I highly recommend all teachers participate in the below advertised institute. I attended last year and found it to be an incredibly enjoyable and educational experience. You may find information about last year's institute at another of my blogs: "Keeler Thoughts and Conference Notes."

We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
NEVADA/CALIFORNIA SUMMER INSTITUTE
July 27 – August 3, 2008
Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village, NV

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution helps students understand the history and principles of our constitutional government. The program focuses on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and fosters civic competence and responsibility among upper elementary, middle, and high school students in public and private schools nationwide.

The Nevada/California institute is a rigorous professional development program that brings educators to Sierra Nevada College to work with constitutional scholars from a variety of disciplines. Participants complete academic readings, attend morning lectures, and participate in afternoon sessions dedicated to the content and teaching methods, appropriate to the We the People curriculum. At the close of the institute, they also participate in a culminating activity modeled on the We the People simulated congressional hearing, an authentic assessment strategy.

The following topics are addressed in the lectures and teaching methods and assessment sessions:

• What are the historical and philosophical foundations of the American political system?
• How did the Framers create the Constitution?
• How did the values and principles embodied in the Constitution shape American institutions
• and practices?
• How have the protections of the Bill of Rights been developed and expanded?
• What rights does the Bill of Rights protect?
• What are the roles of the citizen in the American democracy?

WHO CAN APPLY
Educators from schools throughout the state of Nevada and northern California are eligible to apply. Enrollment is limited to thirty teachers from upper elementary, middle and high schools, both public and private. Applications are due May 1, 2008 with notification of acceptance by May 15, 2008.

BENEFITS
Participants will receive AT NO COST

• Airfare or other transportation costs (up to $150)
• Lodging and meals
• A library of congressional literature
• A set of textbooks and other materials for the classroom

LOCATION
Sierra Nevada College is located in Incline Village, Nevada, about one-mile from the shore of Lake Tahoe, at an elevation of 6,700 feet above sea level. While many view the Lake Tahoe Basin as a recreational wonderland made up of world-class resorts and intense natural beauty, Sierra Nevada College views Tahoe as a laboratory for learning, where altitude and attitude come together to create a truly unique atmosphere.

OBLIGATION
Participation in the institute, considered to be professional development worth more than $3000, obligates the recipient to conduct a simulated congressional hearing in his or her classroom. State, regional and congressional district coordinators for We the People will assist with the hearing and other aspects of program implementation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
David Richmond [(661) 871-5636 ] , California State Coordinator (We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution)

Draft Social Studies Standards for the State of Nevada

This message is from Stephanie Hartman, Social Studies Coordinator for the State of Nevada.

“The Nevada Social Studies Standards have been revised and a draft copy is now available for public comment. Public comment will be open from March 4, 2008 to April 4, 2008. The revised standards may be found at: http://www.doe.nv.gov/standards/socialstudies/standards_revision.html

The Social Studies Standards Revision Team has been meeting since last August to provide teachers, students, administrators, and parents with a revised Social Studies Standards document. Several issues guided the work of this team:
First, the document needed to be user friendly and teachable for all teachers. This issue guided the decision to combine the old social studies standards document into one document. In addition, the four content area standards have been numbered sequentially to demonstrate the belief that social studies is an interdisciplinary content area.
Second, standards and benchmarks were combined and subsumed within each content area so that teachers could effectively teach the standards and benchmarks in a school year.
Third, the document is now laid out in a K - 12 continuum so that teachers can read the content across the grades to see what students should have learned before and after a specific grade.
Finally, the group focused on the idea that the standards and benchmarks are not meant to be curriculum, but instead, to provide a framework for guidance to districts in the development of an appropriate and comprehensive social studies curriculum.

For questions, please contact Stephanie Hartman at (775) 687-2450 or at shartman@doe.nv.gov.”

2008 George Washington Teachers’ Institute, Applications due April 4, 2008

This message is from Stephanie Hartman, Social Studies Coordinator for the State of Nevada.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens is pleased to announce that through the generous support of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, Nevada educators are now eligible to attend the George Washington Teachers’ Institute. Now in its tenth year, the Institute provides a one-week study program at George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon, in northern Virginia for ten Nevada teachers from public and non-public schools, teaching in grades three through twelve.

The Institute’s weeklong program provides an intensive immersion study of George Washington and his world. The curriculum includes discussions led by noted Washington scholars and hands-on workshops exploring Washington’s life and interests at Mount Vernon. Participating teachers will meet with Mount Vernon’s historians, curators, and educators; and will spend a day in Philadelphia, Colonial Williamsburg or Washington’s hometown of Alexandria, Virginia exploring 18th century colonial life and politics. Through study, discussion, tours, and projects, participants will gain a new and deeper understanding of the life and character of George Washington and his unique legacy in creating and shaping the principles of America’s democracy.

This year, they are providing an abbreviated workshop format for lower elementary teachers. The workshop is an intensive three day, hands-on learning experience for teachers of grades 3 – 5.

Upon completing the Institute’s study program, teachers are required to prepare a lesson plan, suitable for publication and distribution to teachers across the nation, providing engaging, quality guidance on teaching about the life and contributions of George Washington. Teachers are also required to conduct a seminar for their colleagues in their home districts to share the information they have gained at the Institute.

Teachers enrolled in the Institute will reside in lodgings on the grounds of historic Mount Vernon, within sight of Washington’s Mansion. The Institute will provide each participating teacher with room and board during the Institute and a stipend of up to $350.00 to offset travel expenses.

Institute Dates:
High School: July 19 – 25, 2008
Middle School: July 8 – 14, 2008
Elementary School (Grades 3 – 5): June 24 – June 27, 2008
Elementary/Middle School (Grades 5 – 8): August 2 – 8, 2008

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation is a national philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, it is one of the largest private foundations in the United States.

Contact Stephanie Hartman for more information and a Nevada application.

CCSD's Web2 4U Conference

You are encouraged to attend the 21st Century Technology Conference presented by the Clark County School District.

Friday, May 16, 2008 - Saturday, May 17, 2008

Foothill High School (800 College Drive, Henderson, Nevada 89002)

Registration available online.

My Hero Project Media Arts Curriculum and Short Film Festival

My Hero Project is a website that offers students opportunities to write about and publish biographies of their personal heroes. In addition to providing the basic forum, the organization is running a Media Arts Curriculum and Short Film Festival. In addition to accepting student-developed pictures and videos, they also accept audio entries.

You may access the following online:

• Gallery of Past Winners
• Film Screening Room

The grand prize winner will receive $2,000. The deadline date for applications is June 15, 2008.

Note: There is a charge for submitting entries to the contest. There is NOT a charge for posting "My Hero" content on the My Hero Project website.

CUE-SN Accepts Submissions for the 2008 Multimedia Festival

Computer-Using Educators of Southern Nevada is now accepting invitations for its Fifth Annual Student Multimedia Festival Competition. The theme for this year's competition is "Explorations."

Entry categories include grade level (K-5, 6-8, 9-12), media category (computer generated, audio/video), and entry category (subject-area, non-subject area).

Applications are due March 31, 2008 and may be acquired here.

Contact Cynthia Ochoa with questions regarding entries, judging, and the festival.

Nevada Social Studies Standards: Revision Document Available for Review

The following memorandum was written by Stephanie Hartman:

The Nevada Social Studies Standards have been revised and a draft copy is now available for public comment. Public comment will be open from March 4, 2008 to April 4, 2008. The revised standards may be found at: http://www.doe.nv.gov/standards/socialstudies/standards_revision.html

The Social Studies Standards Revision Team has been meeting since last August to provide teachers, students, administrators, and parents with a revised Social Studies Standards document. Several issues guided the work of this team:

• First, the document needed to be user friendly and teachable for all teachers. This issue guided the decision to combine the old social studies standards document into one document. In addition, the four content area standards have been numbered sequentially to demonstrate the belief that social studies is an interdisciplinary content area.
• Second, standards and benchmarks were combined and subsumed within each content area so that teachers could effectively teach the standards and benchmarks in a school year.
• Third, the document is now laid out in a K - 12 continuum so that teachers can read the content across the grades to see what students should have learned before and after a specific grade.
• Finally, the group focused on the idea that the standards and benchmarks are not meant to be curriculum, but instead, to provide a framework for guidance to districts in the development of an appropriate and comprehensive social studies curriculum.

For questions, please contact Stephanie Hartman at (775) 687-2450 or at shartman@doe.nv.gov.

Service-Learning Summer Job Opportunities

Spend a week (or a month or two) this spring or summer helping young people discover how to make a difference in the world! The Civic Education Project (CEP), a leadership and citizenship program at Northwestern University, is NOW HIRING exceptional staff for our Spring & Summer 2008 service-learning programs. Learn more.

Spring & Summer Programs

CEP offers week-long field study programs for 9th-12th graders during the academic year, and intensive, three-week service-learning courses for 7th-12th graders during the summer. CEP programs explore complex social issues through academic study, meaningful service work, and meetings with community leaders, and help teach young people how to apply their skills and abilities to pressing social issues in their own communities. This year, CEP will offer programs in Chicago, Baltimore, Washington DC, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco, covering a wide variety of topics, including poverty, homelessness, education, public health, law, politics, leadership, and social change. Learn more.

Job Opportunities

We are looking for outstanding teachers from public and private schools and universities, service-learning practitioners, other education, youth development and nonprofit professionals, and graduate and undergraduate students. Instructional, residential, and administrative positions are available, ranging from one-week to eight-week sessions in the spring or summer. Staff generally receive a cash stipend, room and board, and training in service-learning and experiential education. However, the biggest payoff comes from the opportunity to work with bright, motivated students, build community with passionate, dynamic colleagues, and gain valuable experience educating young people about civic engagement and social responsibility. Learn more.

How To Apply

To learn more about CEP programs and staff positions or to apply online, visit the website.

Apply Now! Spring staff consideration has just begun, and summer staff consideration begins February 15, 2008. Applications are accepted at any time, but are reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received, so candidates are encouraged to apply early to ensure full consideration.

Using Digital Photo Scavenger Hunts to Reinforce Content Learning, 2/5/08

Computer-Using Educators of Southern Nevada (CUE-SN)

CUE-SN invites 40 members and guests to attend program titled “Using Digital Photo
Scavenger Hunts to Reinforce Content Learning.” RSVP to Cynthia Ochoa
via InterAct. Dress to be active and outdoors.

Chaparral HS Mac Lab
4:30-6:30 PM
Tuesday, February 5, 2008

GeoFest, 1/31/08-2/1/08

Southern Nevada K-12 GeoFest
Geographic Alliance In Nevada - Southern Nevada RPDP - UNLV
Thursday, January 31 - Saturday, February 2
4:30pm-9:00pm (Thursday & Friday) and 8:00am to 4:00pm (Saturday)
Del Webb Middle School - Henderson, Nevada

1 Graduate Credit - $45.00 / Registration Fee - $15.00

Dinner will be provided both evenings and there will be LPG's (aka "Lovely Parting Gifts")!

Presenters include Chris Ryan and Herb Thompson and there will be breakout sessions conducted by GAIN Teacher Consultants on Saturday.

A Community Resource in Las Vegas: Goshen

WAYS THE GOSHEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COALITION CAN ASSIST CLASSROOMS WITH SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECTS:

• Provide information on Development Assets – one service-learning project = 19 developmental assets.
• Provide information and community contacts on ways to reduce violence and bullying – how to become a bully free school.
• Mentoring.
• Tutoring.
• Research.
• Explaining the difference between volunteerism and service-learning.
• Creating field trips.
• Finding paint supplies and/or building relationships with cooperative extensions, city councils, and county commissioners.
• Provide resources on locations to find service-learning grants.
• Providing contacts for learning more about banking/savings accounts – US Bank, Washington Mutual.
• Connecting classrooms with doctors and nurses to learn more about biology and medicine.

These are just a few ways that the Goshen Community Development Coalition can be of service to the classrooms.

For more information, please feel free to contact Kathleen Dickinson or Lindsay Garcia at:

Goshen Community Development Coalition
2008 Hamilton Lane
Las Vegas, NV 89106
(702) 880-4357
www.goshenonline.org

Grant Writing Workshop, 1/17/08

Computer-Using Educators of Southern Nevada

Writing Grants Workshop
January 17, 2008
4:30-6:00 PM
Las Vegas Day School (3275 Red Rock Street)

For questions or to RSVP, contact Shannon Wood or Cynthia Ochoa on InterAct.

NEH Summer Institutes for Teachers

The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent grant-making agency of the federal government. Each year the NEH offers teachers opportunities to study humanities topics in a variety of Summer Seminars and Institutes. The dates and duration of each project are listed under each title. The application deadline is March 3, 2008 (postmark).

Amount of Award
All teachers selected to participate in a seminar or institute will be awarded a fixed stipend based on the length of the seminar or institute to help cover travel costs, books and other research expenses, and living expenses: $1,800 (2 weeks), $2,400 (3 weeks), $3,000 (4 weeks), $3,600 (5 weeks), or $4,200 (6 weeks).

Eligibility
Full-time teachers in American K-12 schools, whether public, private, or church-affiliated, as well as home-schooling parents, are eligible to apply to seminars and institutes. Americans teaching abroad are also eligible if a majority of the students they teach are American citizens. Librarians and school administrators may also be eligible. Applicants should consult the guidelines and application information received directly from seminar and institute directors concerning any additional eligibility requirements specific to the project. Selection committees are directed to give first consideration to applicants who have not participated in an NEH-supported seminar or institute in the last three years.

How to Apply
Please mail or e-mail a request for application information and expanded project descriptions to the seminar and institute directors listed. When doing so, please include your regular mailing address because directors may send application material through the mail. You may request information about as many projects as you like, but you may apply to no more than one project. The application deadline is March 3, 2008 (postmark).

Information
Please direct all questions concerning individual seminars and institutes, as well as all requests for application materials, to the appropriate director. General questions concerning the National Endowment for the Humanities' Seminars and Institutes Program may be directed to 202/606-8463 or e-mail: sem-inst@neh.gov.

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Seminar Options


The Arabic Novel in Translation
July 7-August 1, 2008 (4 weeks)

Literary Pícaros and Pícaras and Their Travels in Early Modern Spain (In Spanish)
June 23-July 20, 2008 (4 weeks)

The Great Plains from Texas to Saskatchewan: Place, Memory, Identity
June 23-July 25, 2008 (5 weeks)

The Political Theory of Hannah Arendt: The Problem of Evil and the Origins of Totalitarianism
June 29-August 7, 2008 (6 weeks)

Making Sense of 1989
July 20-August 1, 2008 (2 weeks)

Religion in English History and Literature from The Canterbury Tales Through Pilgrim's Progress
June 23-July 18, 2008 (4 weeks)

Historical Interpretations of the Industrial Revolution in Britain
June 30-August 1, 2008 (5 weeks)

Citizenship and Culture: French Identity in Crisis
June 29-July 25, 2008 (4 weeks)

Roots: Teaching the African Dimensions of the Early History and Cultures of the Americas
June 23-July 25, 2008 (5 weeks)

The Abolitionist Movement: Fighting Against Slavery and Racial Injustice from the American Revolution to the Civil War
July 6-August 1, 2008 (4 weeks)

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
June 22-July 18, 2008 (4 weeks)

Authors in the Prado: Spanish Painting and the Literature It Inspired (In Spanish)
June 22-July 26, 2008 (5 weeks)

The President and Congress: Constitutional Principles and Practices That Have Shaped Our Understanding of the War Powers
July 8-July 19, 2008 (2 weeks)

Poetry as a Form of Life, Life as a Form of Poetry
July 6-July 25, 2008 (3 weeks)

Petrarch and Provence: Between Seclusion and the World
June 30-July 25, 2008 (4 weeks)

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Institutes

An institute for school teachers, typically led by a team of core faculty and visiting scholars, is designed to present the best available scholarship on important humanities issues and works taught in the nation's schools. The 25 to 30 participating teachers compare and synthesize the various perspectives offered by the faculty, make connections between the institute content and classroom applications, and often develop improved teaching materials for their classrooms.

Mozart's Worlds
June 16-July 11, 2008 (4 weeks)

J.S. Bach in the Baroque and the Enlightenment
June 30-July 25, 2008 (4 weeks)

Houses of Mortals and Gods: Latin Literature in Context
June 23-July 28, 2008 (5 weeks)

Thomas Jefferson: Personality, Character, and Public Life
July 13-August 8, 2008 (4 weeks)

Political and Constitutional Theory for Citizens
July 12- August 2, 2008 (3 weeks)

Multiple Perspectives on the Holocaust
June 26-July 29, 2008 (5 weeks)

Abolitionism and the Underground Railroad in Upstate New York
July 14-August 1, 2008 (3 weeks)

Literatures, Religions, and Arts of the Himalayan Region
July 7-July 31, 2008 (4 weeks)

Winston Churchill and the Anglo-American Relationship
July 13-August 2, 2008 (3 weeks)

Voices across Time: Teaching American History through Song
July 7-August 8, 2008 (5 weeks)

From the Yucatan to "The Halls of Montezuma"—Mesoamerican Cultures and Their Histories
July 14-August 8, 2008 (4 weeks)

Folger Shakespeare Library: Teaching Shakespeare 2008 Institute
July 6-August 2, 2008 (4 weeks)

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See http://www.neh.gov/projects/si-school.html for more information and for specific seminar and institute details.