Oregon Social Sciences Teacher Update #108

August 1, 2012

  1. Schools and Districts Must Observe Constitution Day, September 17
  2. Oregon Historical Society Free Field Trips
  3. U.S. Holocaust Museum Workshop at Lewis and Clark College
  4. National History Day Coordination Effort Return s to Oregon Historical Society
  5. Classroom Law Project Workshops
  6. Classroom Law Project’s Presidential Election Lessons and Class Hearing Assistance
  7. “The Environment in World History: Seeing Through a Local or a Global Lens” in Portland
  8. Call for Proposals: Oregon Journal of the Social Studies
  9. Take a Peek Underground at Champoeg
  10. Steam Up Time at Antique Powerland July 28-29 and August 4-5
  11. New Exhibit, Aurora Colony Cays Set for August 11-12
  12. “Gifts from Our Ancestors” Exhibit Debuts in The Dalles
  13. Mt. Hood’s Steiner Cabins Tour Set for August 11
  14. Architectural Heritage Features Evening Walking Tours
  15. Oregon Competition for National History Bee and Bowl
  16. Mentor Academy Professional Development Opportunities
  17. Administrator Professional Development Opportunities
  18. Mount Hood National Forest-Zigzag Ranger District Interpretation and Conservation Education Program
  19. Shelton McMurphey–Johnson House Living History Day Featured, August 4
  20. 13th Annual Iranian Festival
  21. “Timberrr!” to Open at Forestry Center Discovery Museum, August 4
  22. Council for Economic Education Lesson Plans (includes “Economics of Elections”)
  23. Distance Learning at the National WWII Museum
  24. SF Econ Ed Group Announces New Economics in Person Videos on U.S. Income Inequality
  25. Gilder Lehrman Institute Offers Music and the History of Our Times
  26. Teaching Tolerance Opens Registration for 11th Annual National Mix It Up at Lunch Day
  27. Financial Literacy Resource:Money as You Grow
  28. InVEST offers Resources for Teaching About Insurance
  29. Free Colonial Williamsburg Electronic Field Trips
  30. U.S. history Lessons Emphasize Primary-Source Documents
  31. ODE Resources (in every issue)
  1. Schools and Districts Must Observe Constitution Day, September 17

In 2005, Congress established September 17 as Constitution Day. Schools, federal and state agencies, and others that receive federal funding are required to provide educational programs related to the United States Constitution on that day. The Federal Register Notice of Implementation is available at Many organizations provide resources to support schools’ activities on that day:

Annenberg Media

  • The Constitution: That Delicate Balance: features a panel discussion on constitutional issues by distinguished personalities in government, media, and law.
  • See how key figures in law, media, government, religion, military, health care, and business puzzle through controversies introduced through hypothetical cases and the Socratic method in Ethics in America and Ethics in America II.
  • Hear leading historians recount American history illustrated by historical footage in Democracy in America. The course Web site has downloadable readings that include the writings of Frederick Douglass, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Niccolo Machiavelli, Thomas Paine, and Alexis de Tocqueville.
  • Making Civics Real: A Workshop for Teachers presents effective high school lessons and access Web-based materials including student and teacher perspectives, essential readings, and primary source documents.
  • For middle and high school teachers, America's History in the Making looks at the early development of the U.S. system of government. See unit 4, "Revolutionary Perspectives," and click on OAH Talking History to listen to the radio programs "Revolutionary Mothers" and "Washington's Slaves." Then see unit 20, “Egalitarian America,” for a look at more recent constitutional issues.
  • Learn about the beginnings of the U.S. Constitution in "A New System of Government," program 5 of A Biography of America.
  • Programs in The Western Tradition relevant to the Constitution include program 5, "The Rise of Greek Civilization," program 6, "Greek Thought," program 37, "The American Revolution," and 38, "The American Republic."
  • Search for historical artifacts –- images and documents -- related to the Constitution in the American Passages archive. Our special slideshow tool also allows you to create one or more presentations using items from the archive.

Classroom Law Project

“Visitor from Outer Space”:Great with all age groups. The U.S. is overtaken by space aliens and learners are asked to ponder which rights are most important.

Bill of Rights Institute

The Bill of Rights Institute has developed materials to help students and other observers understand the significance of the U.S. Constitution in observance of Constitution Day. Free materials are available to download from the web site. There are Constitution Day lessons for middle school and high school as well as a Constitution Cube lesson with activities for all levels. "Champions of Freedom" is a middle school activity that includes images of the Founding Fathers.

Center for Civic Education

The Center for Civic Education has lesson topics for all grade levels:

  • Kindergarten: Introduction to the term authority
  • Grades 1 and 2: Introduction to the terms authority, limited government and law
  • Grades 3 and 4: Introduction to the Preamble's ideas and importance
  • Grades 5 and 6: Explore terms in the Preamble
  • Grades 7 and 8: The federal system and the role of federal vs. state governments
  • Grades 9 and 10: Introduction to the first Congress, establishing the executive and judicial branches, and drafting of the Bill of Rights
  • Grades 11 and 12: Major conflicts and the Bill of Rights

Constitutional Rights Foundation

The Constitutional Rights Foundation provides resources to educate young people about the responsibilities of "civic participation in a democratic society." Among the resources are lessons with the following titles: "A Visitor for Outer Space (V.O.I.C.E.)," "Diversity and Equality (The Challenge of Diversity)," "The Constitution and Governance (The Challenges of Governance)," "The Tired King (Adventures in Law and History, Vol. II)" and other titles.

Dirksen Congressional Center

The Dirksen Congressional Center promotes an understanding of the U.S. Congress and its leaders through archives, research and educational programs. On the Historical Documents page under "Constitution" are a number of links to other resources.

First Amendment Center

The First Amendment Center provided information about the First Amendment freedoms to protect and preserve the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The center is housed at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and Arlington, Virginia. Materials are organized according to the five freedoms in the First Amendment. Lesson plans are also included.

Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

The Gilder Lehrman Institute has a module on the U.S. Constitution under "For Teachers and Students." Resources include primary sources, a bibliography of books, films and additional web sites. Lesson plans illustrate how to put all of the resources together.

History Channel

"This Day in History" for September 17 provides information about the U.S. Constitution.

Law Focused Education, Inc.

The Law Focused Education, Inc. web site has activities for students, lesson plans and other materials for teachers to use in planning for Constitution Day. There is a weekly Constitution quiz, a Constitution game, Preamble Scramble and Branches of the Federal Government among several interactive activities.

Liberty Day

Liberty Day is a nonprofit organization dedicated to education youth about the basics of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence and to distributing copies of those documents to the country’s fifth graders. They also provide a Complete Education Resource for teachers on the Constitution. The Resource includes a Teacher’s Packet containing a lesson plan, two evaluation forms, and multiple-choice pre- and post-tests. Also included are copies of the documents and a set of 24 Q&A flashcards on the contents of the Constitution. For more information, go to the web site or contact Andy McKean at .

National Archives

The National Archives Building in Washington, D. C. houses the handwritten copy of the U.S. Constitution. An article included on the web site entitled "A More Perfect Union" provides details of the Constitutional Convention and the process for ratifying the U.S. Constitution. Interesting facts about the U.S. Constitution are included in "Questions and Answers Pertaining to the Constitution." These resources are available on the Constitution web page.

National Constitution Center

The National Constitution Center is dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution. Their resources include a toolkit for a group of people to read the Constitution aloud and lesson plans and other resources. The first web address is for the home page for the National Constitution Center. The second web address is for Constitution Day activities. The third web address links to the "America Reads the Constitution" tool kit.

Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) web site has at least thirty-five lessons and other activities relating to the U.S. Constitution. One lesson for high school is entitled "Why Celebrate Constitution Day?" Most of the lessons appear to be for high school and middle school classes.

U.S. Courts

The U.S. Courts web site has discussion topics in one-page handouts, fast facts, interactive games, sixth amendment activities and court simulations.

Constitution Day, Inc.

  1. Oregon Historical Society Free Field Trips

Oregon Historical Society in Portland is offering free tours for ALL school groups throughout Oregon with 10 or more students, and one free chaperone per 6 students. A bus grant is available to schools with over 55% free and reduced lunch student population.

OHS now has a new permanent exhibit on modern Oregon history in addition to their permanent exhibit on Oregon history, B.C. through 1940’s. Exhibits use interactive artifacts that students can touch and explore, and align with many of the Oregon academic content standards for Social Sciences. Consider bringing students this fall for an introductory tour to kick off your units, or schedule the traditional unit summary tour next spring. Descriptions of each tour by grade level and content standards will be posted soon on the OHS web site,

  1. U.S. Holocaust Museum Workshop at Lewis and Clark College

Saturday, October 6th at Lewis & Clark College’s Templeton Center, 0615 SW Palatine Hill Road, Portland, Oregon.

The workshop is free of charge to middle and high school teachers and includes books and teaching resources from the Museum. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. For more information, please contact Robert Hadley, Regional Education Corps, at or 503.880.5626 or Peter Mehlbach, Regional Education Corps, at . The Regional Education Corps comprises master teachers who help the Museum train educators around the country. This workshop has been made possible with support from the David and Fela Shapell Family Foundation.More information and the application are available at Deadline for applications is October 5, 2012.

  1. National History Day Coordination Effort Return s to Oregon Historical Society

The Oregon Historical Society is actively sponsoring National History Day for Oregon for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year. This year’s topic is “Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, and Events.” Integrating History Day into classroom teaching and curriculum can be easily aligned to state and Common Core State Standards. Online support materials and one-on-one support from the coordinator are available. The winners will receive a paid trip to the finals in Washington, D.C. next June.

October 12, 2012: The NHD Coordinator will host a breakfast meeting for all Oregon teachers to kick off a workshop for Oregon History Day. This will include a presentation of OHS exhibits, start-up materials, and guest speakers, including former teacher/student participants in History Day, and the OHS librarian, who will show how the library services and online materials can support teaching with primary source documents. University credit is available through Concordia University.

Please RSVP to Denise Brock, Interim Education & School Services Manager, Oregon Historical Society,1200 SW Park Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97205; or , phone 503.306.5251 or FAX 503.896.5251.

Why Do Teachers Encourage Students to Participate in National History Day? National History Day motivates students to discover history by:

  • Cultivating interest: students research a topic of their choice.
  • Developing research skills: students act as historians discovering how to uncover primary sources, build historical context and form historical interpretations.
  • Becoming experts on their research topic: presenting their research to teachers, students, and historians.
  • Achieving success.

The shy student gains confidence when speaking about a topic he/she has researched. The apathetic student gains passion by choosing a topic of personal interest. The high achieving student increases his/her ability to articulate their learning through presentation.

  1. Classroom Law Project Workshops

We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution Curriculum Workshop

1 Day - For upper elementary, middle and high school social studies teachers

In this hands-on, interactive workshop, teachers will learn how to implement the acclaimed We the People curriculum from experienced teachers and program coordinators.

Date: Tuesday, August 21; 9:00am - 4:00pm

Location: Lewis & Clark Law School

Fee: $25 non-refundable registration fee includes all materials and lunch.

PDUswill be available.

Go to to learn more and register.

Project Citizen Curriculum Workshop

2 Days - For high school teachers; middle school teachers welcome

Project Citizen is a curriculum where students learn how to influence public policy by studying problems in their own community. Project Citizen focuses on the role of state and local government and is most often used in civics or government classes. This hands-on, interactive, cooperative-group curriculum also aligns well with leadership classes, senior projects, and the like. This workshop takes teachers beyond how to implement the curriculum. It takes advantage of its Capitol location to provide great speakers on public policy, the role of government, and related issues.

Date:Wednesday, August 22 and Thursday, August 23; 9:00am - 4:00pm

Location:State Capitol Building, Salem

Fee:$25 non-refundable registration fee

Includes:All materials, classroom set of textbooks ($295 value), and lunches

Travel: $50 stipend if driving 150-299 mi (round trip); $100 stipend if driving at least 300 mi (round trip)

Lodging:Accommodations provided if needed.

PDUswill be available.

Contact Classroom Law Project for more information, . Go to to learn more and register.

  1. Classroom Law Project’s Presidential Election Lessons and Class Hearing Assistance

As in past presidential election years, Classroom Law Project (CLP) is compiling lessons for use in your classroom. At the kick-off event on Sept. 20, CLP will unpack the lessons, have a guest speaker, describe class hearings, and provide dinner to teachers. That is also when the lessons will be posted on-line. Suitable for middle through high school students, you will find lessons on topics such as candidate comparisons, debate checklists, and how to be wise watchers of the media and more. CLP will help with everything from advice on how to arrange your classroom to recommending speakers.

Registration for the September 20 kick-off will open in August, so keep an eye on the CLP website

  1. “The Environment in World History: Seeing Through a Local or a Global Lens” in Portland

Northwest World History Association/California World History Association Teacher Workshop - Oct. 12, 2012, 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Native American Student and Community Center, Portland State University, 710 SW Jackson St. (corner of SW Broadway), Portland, Oregon

You are invited to attend the conference and participate in sessions on teaching world history thematically (presented by Dr. Candice Goucher, WSU Vancouver and Dr. Linda Walton, Portland State University), using World History for Us All (presented by Dr. Tim Keirn, CSU Long Beach and teachers from Long Beach, CA), teaching environmental history, and teaching the environment in AP World History (presented by Dr. Laura Mitchell, UC Irvine). Cost: $35 ($25 without lunch), which includes a late afternoon reception and the keynote presentation by Dr. Anthony Penna, Northeastern University. Both continuing education hours and university credit available. For more information check the web site at or contact Barbara Traver at .

  1. Call for Proposals: Oregon Journal of the Social Studies

The Oregon Journal of the Social Studies is a peer-reviewed, electronic journal that provides an outlet for P-16 social studies research, best practices, lesson plans, and reviews.

  • Executive Editor: Ken Carano
  • Co-editor: Shawn Daley

The editors of the Oregon Journal of the Social Studies, a peer-reviewed electronic journal, issue a call to submit manuscripts for the inaugural issue, which is scheduled for January 2013 publication.

  • Theme: Best Practices for 21st Century Learning
  • Submission Guidelines: Submissions from all social studies disciplines as well as from interdisciplinary perspectives are welcome. Each submission will be refereed using a double-blind peer review process. Submit manuscripts as a file attachment to the executive editor.

Submit your manuscript with an email message indicating that it has not been published elsewhere, is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, and that copyright will be given to the Oregon Journal of the Social Studies should it be accepted for publication. To be sent for peer review, manuscripts must be:

  • Original, accurate, meet submission guidelines, in good form editorially, and not under consideration elsewhere.
  • Submitted in Microsoft .doc or .docx format.
  • Submitted in Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6thedition) style.
  • Manuscripts that do not comply with APA format will be returned without review.
  • Formatted in Times New Roman, size 12 font, double spaced with graphics embedded in text in .gif or .jpg file formats.
  • From 2,000 to 5,000 words in length, excluding references.
  • All manuscripts must be written in English.
  • Submit with an e-mail message (a) identifying the category under which the manuscript should be reviewed (i.e. Practice, Research, or Lesson Plan). Confirm that the manuscript has not been published elsewhere, is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, and that copyright will be given to the Oregon Journal of the Social Studies should it be published in the journal.

Please include: