R O C H E S T E R C I T Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 10

JUNE 2010 ROCHESTER REVIEW

SOCIAL STUDIES NEWSLETTER

University of Rochester ScholarsUniversity of Rochester ScholarsUniversity of Rochester ScholarsUniversity of Rochester Scholars

Do you have an exciting idea for a new class?

Would you love the opportunity to try out that idea

with motivated, bright, and excited students? Would

you like to teach at the University of Rochester

during your winter, spring, or summer break? Apply

to become a Rochester Scholars instructor and put

your creativity to use! Rochester Scholars is the

University of Rochester's premier pre-college

program for students in grades 6-12. An application

form is attached and further information can be

found at http://enrollment.rochester.edu/precollege

or by e-mailing kgoodberlet@admin.rochester.edu.

Echoes & Reflections CurriculumEchoes & Reflections CurriculumEchoes & Reflections CurriculumEchoes & Reflections Curriculum

Echoes and Reflections is an exceptional ten chapter

curricula focusing on the Holocaust. A one day

seminar will be taking place on Wednesday, August

18th from 8am-2pm at Our Lady of Mercy High

School which will provide teachers with training on

the program. Please refer to the attached flyer for

registration information.

Summer at the Genesee Country Summer at the Genesee Country Summer at the Genesee Country Summer at the Genesee Country

MuseumMuseumMuseumMuseum

A number of professional

development opportunities are

available this summer at the

Genesee Country Museum.

Not only is attendance at these

professional developments free to Rochester City

School District teachers, but, attendees get to bring

up to 30 students back to see the museum in the

2010-2011 school year at no cost! See the attached

flyer for more information.

Rochester Area Council for the Rochester Area Council for the Rochester Area Council for the Rochester Area Council for the

Social StudiesSocial StudiesSocial StudiesSocial Studies

The Rochester Area Council

for the Social Studies is a

professional association of

teachers and supervisors at

the elementary, secondary,

college and university levels.

Membership is open to all

persons who teach, supervise,

develop curricula, engage in research or are

otherwise concerned with social studies education.

Founded in the 1970's, the Rochester Council for the

Social Studies has been for years, one of the largest

and most active affiliates of the New York State

Council for the Social Studies and the National

Council for the Social Studies.

A membership form for the 2010-2011 school year

is attached. Consider becoming a member!

Teaching Tolerance HonoredTeaching Tolerance HonoredTeaching Tolerance HonoredTeaching Tolerance Honored

One of our favorite resources for lessons and

activities on tolerance and civil rights has been

honored recently. The Association of Educational

Publishers (AEP) has honored Teaching Tolerance

magazine as the 2009 Periodical of the Year in its

Distinguished Achievement Award adult category.

Created by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the

magazine is “dedicated to reducing prejudice,

improving intergroup relations and supporting

equitable school experiences for our nation's

children.” They also offer some wonderful FREE

resources for teachers including the Mighty Times

films about Rosa Parks and the

Birmingham Children’s March. More

at www.teachingtolerance.org, and

for the free kits, www.tolerance.org/

teaching-kits.

From the Director… Social Studies infusion into the Rochester Curriculum Framework begins this summer for grades 3-9. Teams of curriculum writers will work in collaboration with ELA and Social Studies department leaders to incorporate social studies themes, concepts, and skills into the Rochester Curriculum. Teams at grades 3, 4, and 5 will be writing social studies curriculum units to be piloted in schools during the 2010-2011 school year. Teams will focus on developing highly engaging, culturally relevant integrated units that will assure all children can meet the Social Studies standards. Social Studies infusion teams for grades 6-9 will collaborate with ELA curriculum writers to develop infusion of SS concepts, themes, and opportunities for integrated Humanities based instruction into the ELA curriculum at these grade levels. The 9th grade infusion work will have a United States history focus. A United States history focus informing ELA at grade 9 will serve to support the gradual shift that many Rochester schools are making as they offer Regents United States History as a 9th grade course. Additional teams will work to design SMART lessons to integrate and align engaging media from Brain Pop, You Tube, and Discovery, into the Rochester Curriculum Framework. At all levels, integration of content area literacy strategies that are supportive of reading and writing skill development for Rochester’s students is a priority for our work together. Students ability to think critically, analyze multiple perspectives, weigh economic decisions, and participate actively in our democracy, relies on their ability to read and write effectively. We acknowledge that as the Rochester Curriculum work moves forward, all teachers need to be effective teachers of literacy. As social studies specialists, we must understand the particular types of discourse exist within the disciplines of history, political science, economics, and geography. To support Rochester teachers in the work, the Center for Professional Learning, together with the Science and Social Studies departments, welcome to Rochester Anne Goodvis. Anne Goodvis will kick off a workshop series in August that will support teachers in grades 5 through 9 in teaching literacy specific to science and social studies. Anne has worked extensively with schools across the nation to develop these critical literacy skills in students, including a residency at School #9. Content area literacy will be the professional development focus of the Social Studies Department in the 2010-2011 School year.

2010201020102010---- 2011 Anniversary Commemoration Opportunities 2011 Anniversary Commemoration Opportunities 2011 Anniversary Commemoration Opportunities 2011 Anniversary Commemoration Opportunities As we pack up for the summer, it can’t hurt to give some thought to planning for the next school year. In

particular, we will need to make decisions about which topics in our crowded curriculum to explore in depth.

With some milestone anniversaries of historical events coming up, there will be additional media attention and

teaching resources available that could help engage students on these topics. Here are a few topics that might

be worth special attention next year:

10-year Anniversaries

Election of 2000, Bush v. Gore

Slobodan Milosevic resigns, arrested

Wikipedia launches on internet

50-year Anniversaries

Sit-in Movement and SNCC (earlier this year)

Election of 1960: Kennedy, Nixon, TV debates, King and

the influence of black votes

Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Farewell Address warns of

“military-industrial complex”

Peace Corps

Freedom Rides, Boynton v. Virginia

First men in space

Eichmann Trial

Publication of To Kill a Mockingbird

Bay of Pigs invasion

Independence of many African nations

Congo and Lumumba assassination

OPEC formed

Khrushchev’s UN speech (where he bangs his shoe)

100-year Anniversaries

Mexican Revolution

Frederick Winslow Taylor, The Principles of Scientific

Management

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, March 25, 1911

150-year Anniversaries

Election of 1860, Secession Lincoln’s First Inaugural

Ft. Sumter and first battles of the American Civil War

Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is

published.

Dorothea Dix becomes Superintendent of Nurses for Union

Army

Longfellow publishes “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”

Apache Wars led by Mangas Coloradas, Cochise in

American Southwest

Garibaldi and unification of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II

becomes king

Maori Revolt in New Zealand

Mutsuhito (the future Emperor Meiji) becomes Crown

Prince of Japan

Rochester’s Teaching American History Grants

The RCSD currently has two federal Teaching American History grants: Teachers as

Historians for secondary teachers and Elementary Historians for K-6 teachers. The

TAH Lead Teachers are always available to help and support you and your students

whenever needed. Please do not hesitate to contact one of us if you need anything.

Teachers as Historians Summer Teachers as Historians Summer Teachers as Historians Summer Teachers as Historians Summer

Institute 2010Institute 2010Institute 2010Institute 2010

The TAH Summer Institute will be

taking place the week of July 19th!

This year’s institute will center

around Native American History

and culture, with a specific focus

on their role in the Revolutionary

War. We will hear from local

historians, visit the Rochester

Museum and Science Center, and end on a Saturday

trip to Ganondagan for the annual Native American

Dance and Music Festival which will feature two

Navajo code talkers. Information and registration

forms have already been sent to you via e-mail.

While the deadline to apply has passed, we still have

a few open spots. Contact Steve LaMorte for

information.

Elementary HistoriansElementary HistoriansElementary HistoriansElementary Historians

Thank you to all of those that

participated in the Elementary

Teaching American History Grant

this year. It was great working

with you. Attached are the dates

and topics for next year. The

focus for 2010-11 is early

American history. Registration is

now open. Reserve your spot

today by submitting your signed

registration form to Mark Ferraro, Lead Teacher,

Central Office, or via email.

2010201020102010----2011 Lecture Series2011 Lecture Series2011 Lecture Series2011 Lecture Series While the Summer Institute will tide some of you

over for a few months, we know that many of you

can’t wait to participate in our 2010-2011 Teachers

as Historians program. We will focus on two main

topics next year: Social movements of early 19th

century America (Fall 2010) and Industrialization

(Spring 2011). Secondary teachers will have the

opportunity to attend scholarly lectures, explore new

sources and interpretations of history, and work with

colleagues to create lessons and materials for

classroom use. There will be another year-long

lecture series as well as four new book circles to

choose from. An informational brochure about the

lecture series is attached; book circle information

will be available soon.

Mark Ferraro

mark.feraro@rcsdk12.org

262-8107

Kitty Palumbo

kitty.palumbo@rcsdk12.org

262-8269

Elementary LeadsElementary LeadsElementary LeadsElementary Leads

Stefan Cohen

stefan.cohen@rcsdk12.org

262-8162

Secondary LeadsSecondary LeadsSecondary LeadsSecondary Leads

Steve LaMorte

stephen.lamorte@rcsdk12.org

262-8169

Joe CiceroJoe CiceroJoe CiceroJoe Cicero School: School: School: School: Franklin Bioscience & Health Careers

Years in the RCSDYears in the RCSDYears in the RCSDYears in the RCSD: 2

Nominate Someone to be the Next Featured Teacher!Nominate Someone to be the Next Featured Teacher!Nominate Someone to be the Next Featured Teacher!Nominate Someone to be the Next Featured Teacher!

Every month, a district teacher is recognized in the Social Studies newsletter. This “featured

teacher” is selected by nomination. If you know or work with someone who you think should

be our featured teacher because of their love of Social Studies, amazing instructional skills,

great classroom activities, or exceptional good looks, please nominate him or her. E-mail

Steve LaMorte today to submit your Featured Teacher nomination and make your friends and

coworkers famous!

Why is Social Studies the best? Why is Social Studies the best? Why is Social Studies the best? Why is Social Studies the best? Social Studies is the best because it is real. There are not hypothetical scenarios or numbers that mean nothing. History effects you and I and to quote the

famous philosopher Cicero “To be ignorant of one’s history is to remain a child.” It is with this

understanding that Social Studies educators are able to link content to student interests. Is there a

Math Channel or English Channel? No, but there is a History Channel.

Favorite Social Studies topics: Favorite Social Studies topics: Favorite Social Studies topics: Favorite Social Studies topics: All Social Studies topics are interesting if one knows the details. Civil Rights Movement, Imperialism, and the history of the American landscape (ex: lawn care) are

intriguing.

About Joe: About Joe: About Joe: About Joe: Joe is currently teaching US History, Global History, and AP World. He is a member of

the School Based Planning Team. He presented a Professional Development to his colleagues on

acquiring donations for the classroom. He is a fellow of the Bill of Rights Institute in Washington

D.C. where he will be for part of the summer. He was awarded the CIT New Teacher Award last year.

He will be teaching seventh grade Social Studies at the newly created Integrated Arts and Technology

School starting Fall 2010. Joe enjoys teaching, learning, and working in his yard.

Joe was nominated by Trevor Purdy

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