CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: Congress in the Classroom® 2005
DEADLINE: March 15, 2005
Congress in the Classroom® is a national, award-winning education program now in its 13th year. Sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional Center, the workshop is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information on teaching about Congress.
Congress in the Classroom® is designed for high school teachers who teach U.S. history, government, civics, political science, or social studies. Forty teachers from throughout the country will be selected in 2005 to take part in the program.
You will gain experience with The Center's educational Web site, CongressLink - [link removed].
Throughout the program you will work with national experts as well as colleagues from across the nation. This combination of firsthand knowledge and peer-to-peer interaction will give you new ideas, materials, and a professionally enriching experience.
In sum, the workshop consists of two types of sessions: those that focus on recent research and scholarship about Congress (and don't always have an immediate application in the classroom) and those geared to specific ways to teach students about Congress.
The 2005 program theme will be "Our New Congress -- the 109th." Confirmed session titles are:
* A View from Capitol Hill * The Importance of Teaching Democracy Appreciation * George W. Bush's Second Term: What's in Store for Congress? * Congress Has a Humorous Side * How Congress Members Decide (Hint: It Looks Like a Game of Billiards) * Teaching Congress Through Visuals * The Struggle to Reform Congress and Its Consequences * The Civil Rights Act of 1964: Using Document Analysis to Tell the Story * How to Get Your Point Across to Congress Members * The Dirksen Center Web Suite as a Resource for Teachers * Congressional Insight: A Computer Simulation of a Member's First Term in the House of Representatives, and more.
The workshop will take place from Monday, July 25 through July 28, 2005, at the Radisson Hotel in Peoria, Illinois. Teachers who are selected for the program will be responsible for (1) a non-refundable $135 registration fee (required to confirm acceptance after notice of selection) and (2) transportation to and from Peoria, Illinois. Many school districts will pay all or a portion of these costs.
The Center pays for three nights lodging at the headquarters hotel (providing a single room for each participant), workshop materials, local transportation, all but three meals, and presenter honoraria and expenses. The Center spends between $25,000 and $30,000 to host the program each year
Those teachers who are not selected for the program will have an opportunity to register for the Web-based Congress in the Classroom course.
The deadline for applications is March 15, 2005. Enrollment is competitive and limited to forty. Selection will be determined by The Center. Individuals will be notified of their acceptance status by April 1, 2005.
Take a look at The Dirksen Center Web site- [link removed].
If you are interested in registering for the Congress in the Classroom® 2005 workshop, you can complete an online registration form found at: [link removed].
Learn About One of the Best-Kept Secrets of American History: The I&M Canal
Five-day teacher workshops exploring the themes of immigration, transportation, western expansion and city building through study of the U.S. Canal Era, using the Illinois & Michigan Canal as a case study for the canal experience. Made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the workshops are for K-12 teachers across the U.S.
Workshop highlights include • $500 stipend for each participant • Discounted graduate credit available • Presentations by noted canal historians, scholars and authors • Field visits to sites throughout the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor • Access to I&M Canal Archives at Lewis University Library • A wealth of resources, including unpublished primary source documents • Development of a curriculum project for classroom use
The workshops will be held at the Gaylord Building Historic Site, 25 miles from downtown Chicago and on the I&M Canal.
Choose from one of three sessions: June 27-July 1, July 12- 16 or July 25-29, 2005.
Application deadline: March 15, 2005. Go to [link removed].
Sponsored by Canal Corridor Association and Lewis University. Made possible by a grant through the Landmarks of American History program of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Proyecto Campanario Campanario, begun in 1990, is a conservation initiative in the Osa Peninsula dedicated to protecting what remains of the lowland tropical rain forests of the region. Campanario is actively involved in sustainable development efforts in the region and offers environmental education workshops, courses, and vacations to national and international students of all ages. Campanario will be overseeing the natural history and research component of the course. Please view the Campanario web site at: [link removed]
PROJECT CAMPANARIO focuses on conservation and community activities conducive to and promoting sustainable living and development. The founders of PROJECT CAMPANARIO know that the Osa Península's natural endowment is unique and worth conserving for present and future generations.
Proyecto Campanario's second mission is to promote environmental education to all who spend time at Campanario, both local and international visitors. Campanario offers 4 basic programs to accommodate different age levels, interests, and different lengths of stay. Please select the program best suited for you:
Ecological Tourism Expeditions for the adult or family group. Rainforest Conservation Camps for families and/or middle and high school students. Tropical Ecology Student Courses for university, high school, and middle school students. Tropical Ecology Teachers' Programs.
RAINFOREST CONSERVATION CAMP The Ultimate Field Trip for Teachers
New schedule for 2005: 19/June - 24/June 26/June - 1/July 7/August - 12/August 14/August - 19/August
Contact Us As Soon As Possible.
What Rainforest Conservation Camp is all about. . .
You will have a week of adventure exploring the tropical forests: highland páramo, mangrove, and lowland primary, secondary, and successional rainforests. You’ll also be visiting nearby protected areas, recording observations, exploring tide pools, participating in lectures and discussions, performing your own investigation, and learning about the pressures affecting this area. There will be time for swimming, snorkeling, and just relaxing. You can expect to be challenged in your treks through the rainforest, to get wet, dirty, and tired, to experience a corner of the world few people know, and to have a great time.
Where You’ll Stay. . .
The Campanario field station is rustic, but comfortable, with all the basic necessities: large kitchen & dining hall, screened-in bunkrooms, tiled bathrooms, clothes washing sinks, library, study / lab tables, and a large front porch looking out to the beach. Solar panels provide a bit of lighting in the evenings. Trails start at the front door and the secluded beach is just a stone’s throw away.
How You’ll Get There. . .
Getting to Campanario is an adventure in itself. You’ll travel by chartered bus south from San José, visiting various life zones, winding through banana and oil palm plantations to the river village of Sierpe. There you board a boat to travel down the Sierpe River, spending some time in the dense mangrove forest before heading out to the ocean at high tide and down the coast to Campanario. Once in the Campanario cove, everyone hops out into the warm water to carry the cargo to the field station
HABITATS AND CULTURE OF COSTA RICA 2-week session and 3-week session
New schedule for 2005: 14 Day / 13 Night Course: 3/July - 16/July 24/July - 6/August
21 Day / 20 Night Course: 26/June - 16/July
Contact Us As Soon As Possible.
Course Description:
Habitats and Culture of Costa Rica offers an environmental overview of present day Costa Rica that emphasizes the natural history of its diverse landscapes as well as the language and customs of the people. You as a student, journey across Costa Rica’s extraordinary geography: from coral lagoon to once-glaciated peaks of volcanic rock, experiencing cloud forests, lowland rainforests, and mangrove swamps. Along the way, you will learn about typical menus, rural schools, and the practices of tropical agriculture. You will receive instruction in the rudiments of conversational Spanish, participate in a service project, and investigate the flora and fauna of different eco-systems. Your goal is to gain an understanding of Costa Rica’s environment within a cultural context.
Several days of residence at the remote Campanario field station on the Osa Peninsula anchor the course and provide a setting for learning to conduct simple field investigations.
Course Formats: Two course formats are offered: a two week course and a 3 week course. Credit is offered at two levels (see below): (1) Professional Development and (2) Degree Applicable. Academic credit is given through Lewis and Clark College in Oregon.
Two week session: The 14 day session gives 2 semester hours of credit: 1 credit hour in science education and 1 credit hour in social studies education. The course is basically split between classes and trips with the San José area and the field experience in the Campanario Biological Station.
Three week session: The 21 day session gives 4 semester hours of credit: 2 credit hours in science education and 2 credit hours in social studies education. This longer session allows for a further study of the tropical dry forests of Guanacaste.
Note: 2 semester hours is the equivalent of 3 quarter hours of credit. Write to us for the course numbers and for instructions as to how to register.
(1) Graduate credit for Professional Development is designed to respond to the ongoing educational needs of practicing professionals. These credits are generally not applicable to a degree program but typically meet licensing requirements and staff development needs. A Credit/No Credit evaluation will be given.
(2) Degree Applicable graduate credit is offered through the Graduate School of Education at Lewis and Clark College. This option demands additional work during the course and high expectations for reading, writing, and presentation of work for evaluation. A letter grade for the course will be given.
Participating Organizations: Institute for Central American Studies (ICAS) ICAS was founded in San José, Costa Rica in 1982 and seeks to disseminate accurate and reliable information about political and socio-economic development in the region and to provide education about the language, history and politics of Central America. ICAS will be overseeing the Spanish language learning and San José cultural aspects of the course. Please view the ICAS web site: [link removed]
Lewis and Clark College Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education is offering the course for academic credit under the approval of Dr. Charles Ault. For many years, Dr. Ault has offered “Ecoscapes: Costa Rica”, a similar course leading to a Masters in Education. He is now happy to offer the benefits of this course to non-degree and non-Lewis and Clark students through “Habitats and Culture of Costa Rica”. Please view the Lewis and Clark College web site at: [link removed]
Write – E-mail – Call us for an application and information on course outline, itinerary, fees, and instructions for obtaining academic credit.
Other Information You Should Know
Security and Safety. . .
There is a first aid kit at the field station, a boat is ready in case of emergencies, and a cellular phone is available for necessary communication with the outside world. The water is potable, and the dining hall & dormitories are completely screened. Meals, while not gourmet, are nutritous & plentiful, with lots of fruits & veggies. Each participant must have travel insurance which will be adequate for remote locations like Campanario. Insurance should cover med-evacuations, just in case.
How You Sign Up. . .
Sign-ups should be made as early as possible (space is limited) and at least 30 days prior to the trip. We need a 50% deposit to secure your reservation. The deposit can be made with your trip coordinator or directly to us. Payment may be made by cash, travelers’ checks or bank checks made out to Campanario S.A., The remainder is due during orientation in San José and should be paid in cash at that time.
Should cancellation be necessary, 50% of the deposit can be refunded if you advise us in writing at least 30 days before the initiation of the trip. Sorry, we are unable to offer refunds on deposits after that date because preparations for the camp session will have gone into effect.
Once you’ve made your reservations, we’ll send you a list of things to pack and how to get ready for your trip. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. Click here for updated costs.
Return to Home Proyecto Campanario Tel: +506 - 258-5778 * Fax: +506 - 256-0374 [link removed]
Devereux is working on a research project that will directly impact the lives of many children around the country - we could really use your help!
We are asking parents and teachers of children in grades K- 8 to complete a short survey on positive behaviors exhibited by their child or student. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. In addition to helping contribute to this valuable research, Devereux is offering to donate $2.50 for each completed form to your choice of: the child's school, a Devereux treatment center, or to be reinvested into our research efforts.
You can help by doing any and all of the following things:
1. If you are a parent of a child/children currently in grades K-8, you can complete a survey online... use the link below.
2. If you are a teacher of grades K-8, you can fill out a form on 4 children in your class and/or you and we can talk about putting together a fundraiser for your school by getting other teachers to participate as well... use the link below.
3. You can forward this message along to your friends, family, and coworkers who are teachers or parents themselves, or who may be able to forward this message to parents and teachers all around the country.
4. If you have any connections to schools in your area, you can pass this along to them and send me their contact information so that we can talk about putting together a fundraiser for that school by getting teachers and parents to participate. (The fundraisers can be for other groups, too... such as scouts, teams, band, PTA, the possibilities are endless!)
To fill out a form (or up to 4 if you're able), you can either ask my research team to mail you paper versions of the survey OR you can simply fill it out electronically at: [link removed].
Please direct any requests or questions to Marisa at [email removed].
Thank you again so much for your contribution to this important cause!!
Sincerely, The Institute of Clinical Training and Research Team Devereux Foundation
We are in need of the following states still for our postcard exchange:
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DE, DC, HI, ID, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NC,ND, RI, SD,TN, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY
If you are interested and your state is listed above please email me crutherford_308yahoo.com your: Full Name School Name School Address Grade email address
We are only having one participant per state. Let me know if you have any questions.
I thought some of you might be interested in my novel entitled "Soul of the South" which is being tentatively released for the winter of 2005. It is filled with action, romance, and intrigue, as my protagonist serves the South as a spy in Washington, as a diplomat in England and France, and as an officer in the Army of Northern Virginia. My protagonist is also adamantly against slavery, as he makes known to President Lincoln and Confederate President Davis. And, of course, there is much romance in my novel, as my protagonist William Lytham meets a beautiful woman Melanie Wenning from Virginia set against the backdrop of a beautiful woman he meets in France as a Southern diplomat. Without giving away too many details, William marries one of them amidst much acclamation with a surprise individual as the best man. You are more than welcome to read a chapter excerpt and purchase the novel on my web site at [link removed].
Join us for a great US postcard exchange! SD is needed for our fall project. We are taking one classroom from each state. If you are interested, please email me with the following info:
Your name Grade School name School street City, State, zip Your school and class web site addresses(if you have one)
You will need to obtain 50 postcards and stamps and send them out in October. At the same time, you will receive a postcard from each state. It's a great way for your kids to learn US geography and great state info. Check out my website for more info or email me.
"I'M FEELING JUST DUCKY" is a free story/coloring book put out by OSSD (Overcoming The Stigma of Seizure Disorders), of Savannah, GA.
We want to reach as many teachers, students, and communities that we possibly can, as seizure disorders are still one of the most misunderstood ailments in society today.
This book tells the tale of a little duck who has seizures, and how he learns to conquer his fears along the way...thanks to Mother Duck and pals.
Please contact Pam Steadman at [email removed].
It is SO IMPORTANT that ALL children know what to expect during a classmate's seizure. This book reaches out in a very gentle and informative manner.
Hi Everyone! I am still putting together the Worldwide postcard exchange. We still need quite a few states. Just send me your address where you want the postcards sent and the date you start back to school! We want this to be highly successful so please only send your info if you are going to send the postcards! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. We still need the following states: AL, AK, CO, CT, DE, GA, HI, ID, IN, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MS, MO, MT, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, UT, VT, VA, WV, AND WY. Also, anyone in other countries email me as well! We already have Australia, Romania, Serbia & Montenegro, and several from Canada. I hope everyone is having a great summer! Hope to hear from you soon! Courtney