Teachers' Institutes this Summer
Exploring Missouri's French Heritage
The National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence is going East! The mid-June seminar on the Mississippi Valley's French Cultural Corridor involves a bus tour that begins at Cahokia Mounds, includes the mining district around Bonne Terre, and spends concentrated time in Ste. Genevieve. The seminar coincides with the annual French Heritage Festival. Contact Richard Edwards at the Frontier Trails Museum for details.
Teaching Mark Twain
This July the Mark Twain Museum in Hannibal is offering three institutes on "Following the Equator" and other short stories by Mark Twain. In previous years, these workshops have earned "honors grades" from the participating teachers, and their lesson plans have been downloaded more than twenty thousand times! Don't miss the opportunities detailed on the museum web site. Contact Henry Sweets for details.
From Trails to Rails: The Faces of Westward Expansion
Take advantage of this week-long institute on "manifest destiny" and the effect of U.S. westward expansion not only on white and Black U.S. citizens, but on Native Americans, Chinese, and Mexicans. The National Frontier Trails Museum is offering this opportunity in Independence. Participants will be introduced to the fantastic primary resources at the Midwest Genealogy Center at the Mid-Continent Public Library. Contact Richard Edwards at the Frontier Trails Museum for details.
The Lure of Original Source Documents
The National Archives at Kansas City is one of nine locations across the country to host "Primarily Teaching: Original Documents and Classroom Strategies." The week long institute will be held July 13-17, 2009, at the region's new facility located at 400 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO 64108.
Primarily Teaching is designed to provide access to the rich resources of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for educators at the upper elementary, secondary, and college levels. Participants will learn how to research historical records, create classroom materials based on the records, and present documents in ways that sharpen students' skills and enthusiasm for history, government, and the other humanities.
Each participant will research the holdings of the National Archives at Kansas City for documents suitable for classroom use and develop strategies for using these documents in the classroom or design professional development activities to help classroom teachers use primary source documents effectively.
The cost of the institute, including all materials, is $100. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee. Space is limited; interested persons are encouraged to apply early.
An application for the institute is available online at
http://www.archives.gov/education/primarily-teaching/
For more information about Primarily Teaching, contact:
Lori Cox-Paul, Education Specialist
Phone: (816) 268-8017 Email: lori.cox-paul@nara.gov
Others?
If you hear about any other institutes in Missouri this summer, please let me know and I'll post the information. --Michael Bouman
