The Rochester ReviewThe Rochester Review Social Studies Department Newsletter Rochester City School District

History Alive!History Alive! Engage your students in the study of the past.Engage your students in the study of the past.

October 2010

15 Miles on the Erie Canal…15 Miles on the Erie Canal… 4th graders ride the Mary Jemison4th graders ride the Mary Jemison

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Curriculum News & Recommended Scope and Sequence

In June 2011 the New York State Office of Assessment has announced that 5

Regents Exams must be scanned and uploaded to the state data warehouse.

This will include the scanning of Regents Global History & Geography and

United States History & Government. June 2010 data from our local scan of

Regents US and Global are now available. We are booking meetings with

departments now for data sharing and are eager to meet with teachers to

disaggregate their school data and use the data to inform interventions and

instruction. Please contact me to set up a meeting for your school or department.

Content Area Literacy: specifically the explicit instruction of reading and writing as it pertains to

writing expository essays, are the professional development focus of the social studies

department. A book circle meets monthly to identify research based strategies for increasing

reading comprehension and responding to non-fiction text. Please visit

AVATAR to enroll or contact me for more information. The first book is

Strategies That Work by Anne Goudvis and Stephanie Harvey.

Attached to this newsletter is a document that explains the shift in curriculum

for American History instruction in grades 7-9. In response to the NYS

removal of the SS 8 Assessment, a team of teachers is working on an update

to the RCSD curriculum that is a 3 year preparatory sequence for United

States History and Government. Grades 7 and 8 introduce students to issue

and developments in United States history through inquiry, media, and

essential questions aligned with Regents U.S. outcomes in a chronological

approach, culminating in a thematic approach in Grade 9.

Jennifer Gkourlias, Ed.D.

Executive Director of Social Studies

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

From the Director 2

History Alive 3

Opportunities for

Staff and Students 4-5

Teaching American

History Grants 6

Who’s Who and What’s

What in Social Studies 7

Rochestrivia 7

October, 2010 Volume 3, Issue 2

THE ROCHESTER REVIEW SOCIAL STUDIES NEWSLETTER

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

Don’t hesitate to contact one of the Department’s Lead Teachers if you have any question, needs, or concerns...

Mark Ferraro

mark.feraro@rcsdk12.org

262-8107

Kitty Palumbo

kitty.palumbo@rcsdk12.org

262-8269

Stefan Cohen

stefan.cohen@rcsdk12.org

262-8162

Steve LaMorte

stephen.lamorte@rcsdk12.org

262-8169

Elementary

Lead Teachers

Secondary

Lead Teachers

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News & Notes History Alive!

The History Alive! programs,

from the Teachers Curriculum

Institute, are research based

curricula that aim to engage

students at all grade levels in

the study of Social Studies.

On September 29th,

representatives from two

dozen elementary buildings

gathered together to learn

about the History Alive

program and what it can do for their students. The day

engaged teachers in model lessons, interactive practices,

and offered advice on the best ways to implement the

History Alive program in

schools. The participants will

now be able to showcase the

programs in their respective

buildings and increase their

use throughout the district.

Right now, every school in the

district has access to TCI

materials. All kits should be

housed in schools’ libraries, so

check with your librarian to

see what’s available. Call the Lead Teachers if you have

any questions about what you see or how to implement

it!

4th Grade Erie

Canal Trips

After piloting the program last year,

4th graders across the district have

been given the opportunity to take a

ride on the Mary Jemison again this

year. So far, the Erie Canal Trips

have been a wonderful success.

Students from 23 city Schools have

participated in the experience to date,

and many more have signed up for our

upcoming trips in May of 2011.

More than recreational, these trips

are interdisciplinary learning

experiences for our students. Erie

Canal Kits are making the rounds to

area schools with pre-lessons for

students to take part in before they

embark on their journey. The

carefully prepared kits engage

students in inquiry-based activities

centering around the flow of

goods and services through the

Canal and the surrounding

region. Many classes have

even had the

opportunity to

interact with figures

from the past, such as

Mary Jemison, through

visiting lead teachers

and our Social Studies

director.

A warm thank you goes out to our 4th

grade elementary teachers

and Vicki Schmitt and her

crew from Corn Hill Navigation

for helping the Rochester

City School District engage

students in the exciting history

of the Erie Canal.

Rebecca Springer and Jason Ford trying out some History Alive strategies

On the Cover

Taream Sak & Demetrius Smith work

on creating their journals while Nature

Henderson and James Day continue

their discussion about life in the

Thirteen Colonies

World Canals

Conference On September 23rd several

Rochester teachers had the

opportunity to attend the World

Canals Conference. While there,

the teachers learned about the

myths that are perpetuated in

canal lore and the differences in

and functions of various types of

canals. Teachers also examined

the role that the Erie Canal played

in the Underground Railroad and

the spread of abolitionist ideas.

After lunch the participants had

the opportunity to ride along the

canal aboard the Mary Jemison

and experience travel on an

authentic wooden canal vessel.

The teachers had an educational

and enjoyable day.

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Assignment: the

World (ATW) has

started it’s 52nd

season this year.

ATW is a 15 minute

weekly video program for classrooms (3rd-8th

grade) to learn about current events and global

issues. The program series is available weekly on

many public broadcasting stations and on the web

for streaming or download.

This season ATW is launching a new initiative to

allow students to respond to issues and questions by

creating their own short video responses called

Classroom Viewpoints. If you are interested in

becoming part of this exciting initiative to help

students become well informed critical thinkers and

communicators, then please fill in the short teacher

classroom application. Classes will be informed of

their selection as a Viewpoints Classroom following

the submission deadline of 10/29/2010. See http://

atwonline.org/viewpoints for more information.

__________

History Day History Day encourages

students to explore local,

state, national, and world

history. Students conduct

extensive research by using

libraries, archives, museums,

and oral history interviews.

They analyze and interpret

their findings, draw

conclusions about their topics' significance in

history, and create final projects that present their

work. John Buchinger, Associate Director of

Education for the New York State Historical

Association will be talking with teachers about the

initiative on Thursday, October 21 at Freddie

Thomas High School (3:30-5:00). He will offer

some easy and practical ways to get your students

involved. You can register on Avatar now. If you

can’t make it out then, just give Steve LaMorte a call

to get the information.

School Violence

Prevention

Demonstration Program

The School Violence Prevention Demonstration

Program, intended for 4th, 5th, 7th, and 8th grade

classrooms, is a grant funded program provided

through the Center for Civic Education. It is a

student centered program designed to use civil

engagement and empowerment to reduce violence in

schools. The program will focus on Project Citizen

and deal with the concepts of responsibility and

authority. We are currently looking for up to 30

teachers to pilot the program in our district.

Participating teachers will implement SVPDP

lessons in their classrooms and commit to attending

PD on the topic. A $495 stipend will be provided to

participating teachers.

__________

Forgiveness, Reconciliation and

Peacemaking in Abrahamic

Religions This lecture, being held from 7:00-8:30 on

November 8, 2010, will examine the theory of

forgiveness and its application of reconciliation and

peacemaking in Abrahamic Religions. Dr. Susan

Thistlethwaite will be the keynote speaker at the

Shults Center Forum on the Nazareth College

campus. This event is open to the public and is

presented by the Nazareth College Center for

Interfaith Studies and Dialogue (CISD).

__________

Break the Cycle of Violence The Rose and Joseph Denaro Interfaith Center is

hosting the 2010 Annual Cycle of Violence Series

for students, youth organizations, and parents. It is

an opportunity to learn from specialists in the field

about cyber-bullying, social networking, teen dating

and violence. The event will be held on Saturday,

October 23 from 8:30am-12pm at the Girl Scouts of

Western New York. See the attached flier for more

information.

Opportunities

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Opportunities

Teaching and Learning

Communities

This year the Social Studies

Department is piloting the new 4th and

5th grade curriculum maps that were

developed by teams of teachers this

summer. Updated document were also

produced for grades 7, 8, and 9. We are excited

about the innovative nature of the work, and believe

that providing a space and time in which teachers

can work together and debrief will be helpful to all.

Please consider joining us at the Teaching and

Learning Community collegial circle for your grade

level.

For Elementary teachers…

TLC for Grades 4 and 5: collegial circles for

grades 4 and 5 will give teachers an opportunity

to share ideas, lessons and strategies as we begin

to pilot the new 4th and 5th grade curricula.

These will meet once a moth.

Children’s Literature: There will also be a book

circle that will examine children’s literature and

scholarly works that relate to the 5th grade

curriculum. These books will focus on the

Caribbean as well as the major themes of

Movement, Geography, Revolutions, and Civil

Rights. This group will meet 4 times and focus

on the topics of study that are coming up.

For Secondary teachers…

TLC American History: for Middle and High

School teachers

TLC World History: for teachers of Global

History

TLC for Teachers with three years or less in the

district

Log onto Avatar now to see meeting dates and

register! Contact the Lead Teachers with questions.

__________

On Thursday, October 21, 7pm, Metro

Justice Racial Justice Committee

presents July ’64, a film by Carvin

Eison, with discussion to follow. The

event is free and open to the public. You can find

more information on the film is at http://

www.pbs.org/independentlens/july64

The New York State Council for the Social Studies

annual conference is in Rochester this year March

17-19, 2011. The theme this year is The March from

Civil War to Civility: Through Social Justice

Education. Please consider submitting a proposal

to present at the conference. Whether you are

presenting or attending sessions, you should find out

if there are RTA Conference Days and Money

available in your building to provide you with

substitute coverage and to cover the cost of

registration for the conference. More information is

at www.nyscss.org .

__________

Upcoming Dates: October 19: TLC - Grade 4

October 21: TLC - American

History

Ocotber 21: Elementary

Historians (Late Schools)

October 25: History Alive

Training

October 26: TLC - Grade 5

October 26: Growing Up in America

October 28: TLC - Global History

November 2: Superintendent’s Day

November 4: Elementary Historians (Early)

November 8: Lecture - Abolitionist Movement

November 9: Children’s Literature TLC

November 11: Veteran’s Day - No School!

November 15: Content Area Literacy Circle

November 16: Grade 4 TLC

November 17: Grade 12 Collegial Circle

November 18: TLC American & Global History

November 18: Elementary Historians (Late)

November 24-26: Thanksgiving Recess!

November 29: Suffragist Book Circle

November 30: Grade 5 TLC

November 30: Growing Up in America

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The Rochester City School District is currently implementing

three separate federal Teaching American History grant

programs for teachers:

Teachers as Historians: targeting Middle and High

School teachers

Elementary Historians: geared toward teachers of

Fourth and Fifth Grades

Growing Up in America: designed for teachers of

Kindergarten through Grade 2.

Roc

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each

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Am

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an

His

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Gra

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Elementary Historians

The Elementary Historians TAH Grant is well

underway. Participating teachers have already

had sessions on the Native American influence

on democracy and lesson work with Dr. David

Hursh of the Warner School of Education.

In the coming month we will be modeling

lessons for teachers and will be receiving a

lecture on the Declaration of Independence from

Dr. Timothy Kneeland of Nazareth College. We

are aiming to provide teachers with rich and

engaging content as well as lesson ideas that they

can use with their students.

Fooled you! They’re both portraits of Charles Grandison Finney. That one on the right is a little scary looking,

isn’t it? The first lecture in our 2010-2011 Teaching as Historians series focused on Finney as a local figure in

the American Second Great Awakening. Dr. John Daly of SUNY Brockport wowed us with some amazing

insights about Finney and the time period, making it clear that Rochester was the heart of the Second Great

Awakening in America.

John Daly will be with us again in November to talk about the Abolitionist movement. It’s sure to be a great

time; consider joining us! It’s not too late to join the cohort either. You can register on Avatar now, or call Steve

LaMorte or Stefan Cohen for more information.

Do you know these men?

TEACHING AS HISTORIANS___________________________

Growing Up in America

Growing Up in America addresses the

needs of teachers and children in

Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade.

Participants will learn to engage their

students using texts, documents, and

artifacts to explore lives of diverse

families, urban and rural environments,

education, childhood, and identity in American

History. A rich program has been planned to

help teachers help their students unlock

American history and build literacy skills

simultaneously. A brochure with more

information is attached. The program is limited

to 60 teachers, but is still accepting applications.

See attached for more information.

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Do you know a teacher, student, or administrator who is doing great things with Social Studies? Is there a

program or group that’s is working hard at Social Studies in your building. If so, send in a nomination to The

Rochester Review Social Studies Newsletter. We will recognize groups or individuals every month. E-mail Steve

LaMorte today to submit your nomination for Who’s Who and give credit where credit is due!

facebook.com/rcsdsocialstudies

School: Charlotte High School

Years in District: 17 years in the district

Why is Social Studies awesome? I love social studies

because it is about people, cultures, history and places. I

love to travel and learn about different lifestyles. All those

things make history come alive for me!

About Betsy: I am a member of DAR (Daughter of American

Revolution) because I have ancestors who fought against the

British in Revolutionary War. I was a founding member of the

Model United Nations Club at my high school in Hilton New

York. I am presently an advisor for the 10th grade Student

Government as well as an administrator at Charlotte High

School. I live in Spencerport New York with my husband, four daughters and a new golden retriever puppy.

Betsy was nominated by Margaret Krizan… “She brings her spirit of enthusiasm along with her prior reading and

literacy skills to us. She has been extremely helpful in dealing with "at-risk" students and has made major

progress in improving staff development for our school.”

Make a nomination for Who’s Who and What’s What in Social Studies!

in Social Studies Betsy Hoffer-Goehle

Every month, a trivia question dealing with local

Rochester history will be posted on the RCSD SS

Facebook page. Log on and post a comment with

your guess and you’ll have a chance at winning an

awesome SS prize.

From the book Rochestrivia by Pete Dobrovitz

This famous French explorer first canoed through Irondequoit Bay in

1669, as he moved toward America’s Midwest wilderness. Who was he?