Middle States Council for the Social Studies
Delaware * District of Columbia * Maryland * New Jersey * New York * Pennsylvania
112th Middle States Regional Conference on the Social Studies
Cultivating a 21st Century Civil Society
February 20-21, 2015The Eisenhower Conference Center
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
The Middle State Council for Social Studies –
The Beginning
The Middle States Council for the Social Studies (MSCSS) was founded in 1903. The founders for this organization included six college (history) professors, most notably James Harvey Robinson of Columbia, Lucy Maynard Salmon of Vassar, and Dana Munro of the University of Pennsylvania, one school administrator, and one high school history teacher. Several of the founders participated in the famous committees that were established by the American Historical Association (AHA) and National Education Association in the latter part of the Nineteenth Century. Middle States became an extension of the work of those committees. Ms. Salmon was the only woman on the AHA’s “Committee on the Teaching of History in Schools in Colleges” in 1897 and she later became the first president of the Middle States association. The committees and the Council had similar goals. Both sought to provide expert opinions on what should be required in the study of history at the high school and college levels.
Another impetus for the formation of MSCSS derives from an organization that was originally referred to as the Association of Colleges and Preparatory Schools of the Middle States and Maryland; this organization is now known as the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, whose primary service is to review for accreditation of regional high schools and colleges. Founders of MSCSS were members of this organization and an annual “meeting” allowed for their important work to take place. Plenary sessions were held on Friday and were followed by Saturday sessions. These lecture-style sessions were devoted to history and other presenters had prepared responses to the lecture topics in advance. Following a similar model, the Middle States Council, the Middle States Council began holding annual meetings in the spring. The Executive Board members of the MSCSS welcome you to this year’s conference and in the spirit of the founders, we look forward to your annual participation at the conference and involvement throughout the year.
For Your Information, Fall 2010, Vol. 108, No.1
Middle States Council for the Social StudiesDelaware * District of Columbia * Maryland * New Jersey * New York *
Pennsylvania112th Middle States Regional Conference on the Social
Studies
Cultivating a 21st Century Civil Society
Middle States Council for the Social Studies Familiarization Trip | Friday, February 20, 2015
9:00a Gettysburg Heritage Center297 Steinwehr Ave | Gettysburg, PA 17325 | www.gettysburgmuseum.com New in 2014! Prepare to take a step back in time to the town of Gettysburg in this interactive museum and learn what the civilians and town experienced before, during and after the battle.
10:15a Group Program at Seminary Ridge Museum61 Seminary Ridge | Gettysburg, PA 17325 | www.seminaryridgemuseum.org Participate in a group program, and learn about the core standards that are included in each program. Choose one:Become a Soldier Program- An immersive program where you become a soldier. Perform troop movements, be assigned a real soldiers name and learn what happen to that soldier on the crucial first day of the battle. The Artifact Experience- Held at the Adams County Historical Society, you will put on white gloves and handle rare, tangible links to one of the most influential events in our nation’s history.
11:30a Lunch at The Pike Restaurant & Lounge 985 Baltimore Pike | Gettysburg, PA 17325 | www.thepikerestaurant.com A deli style buffet lunch with assorted breads, meats and cheeses, with soup and salad station will be offered.
1:00p Eisenhower National Historical SiteShuttle from the GNMP Museum & Visitors Center | www.nps.gov/eise
Tour the home of President Eisenhower and receive an intimate glimpse into the life and times of Dwight & Mamie.
2:30p Return to Eisenhower Complex2634 Emmitsburg Rd | Gettysburg, PA 17325
Friday, February 20, 2015 Pre-Conference Sessions
3:00 – 3:45 PM Concurrent Sessions I
Geographic Perspectives and Skills: Big Picture Considerations for Teaching Geographic Inquiry
A 21st Century civil society is a geographically literate civil society. This session will take a big-picture approach to demystifying the geographic inquiry which can be applied to a variety of real-wolrd examples. We look at implications for designing cross-disciplinary curricula that maximizes geography’s disciplinary contributions.
Presenters: Jacqueline Waite, National Council for Geographic Education
Audience: All Levels Room: Halsey
Not Fully Gone: Lessons Learned from the Teaching American History Grant Program
This presentation provides participants with information and guidance relating to the designing and implementation of history education professional development. Drawing on lessons learned from years of coordinating multiple Teaching American History Grants, the presenters will offer tips for funding and conducting similar professional development programs across PK-16 grades.
Presenters: Dr. Timothy Patterson, Temple University, Dr. Alexander Pope, Salisbury University
Audience: All Levels Room: Stillwell
“Just War”, A Survey on Student Views of Modern Warfare
What do students believe about war? This workshop presents data from a national survey on student views on wartime policy, as well as presenting strategies for ethical historical instruction. The framework for the survey, the “just war” doctrine, is the philosophical basis for most international laws, treaties, and conventions.
Presenters: Dr. Mark Pearcy, Rider University
Audience: All Levels Room: Technology
3:50– 4:35 PM Concurrent Sessions II
Lives Lost: Lives Found, Baltimore’s German Jewish Refugees, 1933-1945
This archival exploration activity incorporates oral history, photographs, documents, personal memorabilia and objects to tell the story of the German refugees’ flight from Nazi persecution in the 1930s, and how they established new lives in Baltimore. Participants will interpret primary sources and engage in the stories of the individuals, as well as learn more about this period of world history.
Presenters: Ilene Dackman-Alon, Jewish Museum of Maryland
Audience: Middle, High Room: Halsey
Teaching Consensual Peace: Five Strategies for the Middle Level Social Studies Classroom
This session explores the theory of consensual peace and it’s relationship to civic efficacy. Discussion centers upon the implementation of five peace education strategies into existing history or government curricula in the middle-level social studies classroom.
Presenters: Dr. Rachel Finley-Bowman, Lauren Hower, Ashley Bowman, Elizabethtown College
Audience: Middle Room: Stilwell
Toward a Theory of ”With-It-Ness: in Social Studies Education
We all know teachers who have ”it” – that special “something” that distinguishes good social studies instruction from great. But what is it? Can we learn it – or teach it? In this presentation, attendees will examine a framework for identifying, promoting, and fostering the quality of “withitness” that characterizes great social studies teaching.
Presenters: Dr. Mark Pearcy, Rider University
Audience: All Levels Room: Technology
4:40– 5:25 PM Concurrent Sessions III
Re-Discovering the Treaty of Paris Period (1783-87)
During the Treaty of Paris Period, the United States transitioned from war to governing through several key steps that led to a new Constitution. Without learning this history, it’s difficult to understand why a new Constitution was necessary. Americans don’t know about this first government because lessons skip it and go straight to the Constitution.
Presenters: Mark Croatti, The Treaty of Paris Center
Audience: Elementary, Middle, High Room: Halsey
Increase Your Students’ Engagement in a Social Studies Classroom
Interesting in increasing student engagement in your collaborative classroom? Learn how to bring content to life using Hstry’s interactive timeline tool. K-12 teachers will walk away knowing best practices for utilizing Hstry in their classrooms.
Presenters: Claire Varner, Hsty Tools
Audience: All Levels Room: Stillwell
Service Learning Activities in the Social Studies Classroom-Cultivating Our Future Community Leaders
A critical piece of the NCSS C3 framework is the cultivation of student/community engagement. Service learning activities in the social studies classroom can enhance learning while also developing student involvement in their community/civic society. This session will focus on defining and describing service learning activities with real-life examples from social studies classrooms.
Presenters: Dr. Michael Perrotti, California University of Pennsylvania
Audience: Middle, High Room: Technology
5:30 – 6:00 PM Annual MeetingRoom: Stillwell
6:00 – 8:00 PM Presidential Reception and Award PresentationRoom: Schwartzkopf
Please join President Marcie Taylor-Thoma, board members, members, and guests as we recognize this year’s award recipients. The Middle States Council for Social Studies is pleased to announce
the following recipients:
Roselle Award for 2015
Adam Goodheart
Harry J. Carman Award for 2015
Rebecca Reed
The Collins-Skinner Award for 2015
Karen Cooper
Samalonis Scholarship Recipient for 2015
Christine Panzitta, University of Scranton
Saturday, February 21, 2015
7:30 – 9:00 AM Registration, continental breakfast, exhibit hall open
8:00 – 8:45 AM Concurrent Sessions I
Digital Tools with Differentiation
Looking to have digital tools to enhance your classroom learning environment past the walls of your school? Looking to flip your classroom learning? New tools to help you do both with ease. We will demonstrate how to bring history and geography to your classroom in a digital format for the benefit of teachers and students.
Presenters: Lori Swiger and Sheila Miller,Nystrom
Audience: All Room: Halsey
Compelling Questions and Connected Civility: A Common-Core Approach to Social Studies Instruction
This session will offer a creative format for using multi-media to connect social studies concepts with compelling questions that challenge us as citizens of our nation and the global community. Attendees will receive a sampler of resources for classroom instruction in civics, American History, economics, and world history.
Presenters: Dr. Lucille Esham, Sussex Technical High School
Audience: Middle, High Room: Wainwright
Tracing the Footsteps of Democracy Using Chronozoom Technology
Imagine zooming between and among digital primary source artifacts from ancient Greece to 16 th century Europe to 21st century America! ChronoZoom allows teachers and students to build understanding of concepts like democracy by exploring its meaning and development across various
epochs contained in one immense and interactive timeline. This session will demonstrate how ChronoZoom might be used in the civics or government classroom.
Presenters: Dr. Teresa Wojcik and Brandon Durflinger, Villanova University
Audience: All Room: Stillwell
Building Literacy in the Social Studies: How the District of Columbia Social Studies Teachers have led the Transition
How do we help social studies teachers become better literacy instructors? Come talk with staff members of Center for Inspired Teaching and the Director of Social Studies at DCPS about a 5-year partnership that has used Common Core and C3 to infuse literacy into social studies instruction across the District.
Presenters: Adam Evan, DCPS, Stephanie Bunton, Center for Inspired Teaching
Audience: All Audiences Room: Technology
8:50 – 9:35 AM Concurrent Sessions II
Information Nation: the Free Press in a Global World
The right to know vs. national security. Traditional media vs. digital revolution. Essential to our democracy, the First Amendment’s freedom of the press is experiencing more challenges, both here and abroad, than ever before. Gain tools and resources that equip your students to be thoughtful participants in today’s wired world.
Presenters: Kim Ash, Newseum
Audience: High, College Room: Halsey
Hinduism-Sikhism 101: Training Teachers on Best Practices
Hinduism and Sikhism continue to be widely misunderstood religions. As a result of textbook inaccuracies, teachers are often unable to accurately teach about both religions. Dr. Balaji and Mirin Phool help teachers build their knowledge with the most up to date pedagogies to best teach about Hinduism and Sikhism in the 21st century.
Presenters: Murali Balaji and Mirin Phool, Hindu American Foundation and the Kaur Foundation
Audience: All Room: Wainwright
Digital Social Studies Education: Don’t Teach History Like It’s 1776!
This session will familiarize upper elementary and middle school teachers with some outstanding new digital resources available for teaching U.S. and mid-Atlantic history, including virtual explorations of museum artifacts through video-chats, a web-based collection of interactive historical investigations for students, and an online primary source repository.
Presenters: Jennifer Frieman, Maryland Historical Society
Audience: Elementary, Middle Room: Stillwell
Cultivating a Civil Society Through Cultural Understanding
Cultivation a Civil Society Through Cultural Understanding will provide attendees a plethora of resources and strategies, such as creating “culture bins” and integrating authentic literature, to engage students in learning about cultures around the world. Activities address social studies standards and ELA Common Core State Standards alike.
Presenters: Kristin Becker, Red Clay School District
Audience: Middle, High Room: Technology
9:40 AM – 10:25 AM Concurrent Sessions III
Utilizing the Curse of Caste in the Classroom
The Curse of Caste: A Slave Bride presents historical and literary that benefits English Language Arts or Social Studies classrooms. Throughout the interactive presentation, different historical themes and civil inequalities, and analytic techniques will be applied to the text to reveal the value this novel holds poetically, historically, and linguistically.
Presenters: Dr. Amy Rogers and Shannon Bolin, Lycoming College
Audience: Middle, High, College Room: Halsey
Using Commercial Games Effectively in Social Studies Classrooms
How can Social Studies educators both capitalize on the motivational and cognitive benefits that commercial video games offer and instill in students a sense of evaluation and critique of 21st century media? This session will analyze the many specific uses of commercial games in Social Studies classrooms, model several activities for teachers to “walk away with,” and give attendees several suggestions for commercial games and their classroom uses.
Presenters: Jeff Mummert, Hershey High School
Audience: All Room: Wainwright
Using Civic Engagement to Cultivate 21st Century Civil Society in a University Setting
Come discuss civil society in the university setting. We review efforts to promote civil society at and around Salisbury University (MD) through civic engagement initiatives. We will share civic engagement projects from courses, connected to an emerging theory of civil society. Attendees leave with ideas for teaching and research.
Presenters: Dr. Alexander Pope, Jenny McFadden, Matthew Swiderski, Salisbury University
Audience: All Levels Room: Stillwell
Keeping Social Studies In The Spotlight: The Simulated Congressional Hearings
Learn how to implement Simulated Congressional Hearings to keep Social Studies a focus, integrate English Language Arts strategies, involve your community, and start students on a path for a lifetime of civic engagement.
Presenter: Catherine Song and Wendy Kanter, Howard County Public Schools
Audience: Elementary, Middle Room: Technology
10:25 AM – 10:45 AM Vendors’ Session Room Nimitz & Bradley
10:45 AM – 11:30 AM Concurrent Sessions IV
Democratic vs. Dystopian Societies
Democratic vs. Dystopian Societies an interdisciplinary unit aligned to the C3 Framework and Common Core Standards, promotes 21st century literacy. Lesson plans and activities combine the study of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, discussion of current events, and analysis of dystopian societies from classic literature, teen novels, and popular movies.
Presenters: Andy Warren, Southern York School District
Audience: Middle, High Room: Halsey
Applying the 21st Century Technology of ChronoZoom to an Interdisciplinary Study of the US History and Literature
With ChronoZoom teachers can jumpstart the interdisciplinary study of the American Experience in the 21st century. By analyzing digital artifacts on this zoomable timeline developed by Microsoft Research, students can see and make connections, develop the historian’s habits of mind, and examine continuity and change over large spans of time. This session will model multiple uses of ChronoZoom for the interdisciplinary classroom.
Presenters: Dr. Teresa Wojcik, Brian Gallagher, and Greg LaLuna, Villanova University
Audience: Middle, High, College Room: Wainwright
Hands on Human Geography in the 21st Century
Discover hands-on activities that build global awareness on population dynamics, land use patterns and environmental impacts while cultivating critical thinking and problem solving skills, communication and creativity. Receive a CD-ROM of lesson plans matched to state and national standards.
Presenters: Molly Carlson, Population Connection
Audience: Middle, High Room: Stillwell
Multiage Learning Opportunities: A Launch Pad for Fulfilling the Civic Mission of the C3 Inquiry Arc
Multiage learning opportunities at the upper elementary level will be explored as a vehicle to fulfilling the goals of the C3 Inquiry Arc. A Framework for implementing this initiative, the process of scrolling formative assessment, and the integration of civically focused programs will be examined as key components of success.
Presenters: Jesse Orth, Washington County Schools
Audience: Elementary, College Professors Room: Technology
11:35 AM – 12:15 PM Concurrent Sessions V
Teaching Civility Through Discussion and Reading
Presenters will provide participants with several discussion techniques and activities to incorporate into their Social Studies classroom.
Presenters: Carolyn Van Roden and Karla Wienhold, Harford County Public Schools
Audience: All Room: Halsey
Interactive Computer Lessons and Assessments in Social Studies to Prepare for the Future
This session will explore how Baltimore City Public Schools is developing content-rich Middle School digital curriculum units that incorporate interactive lessons and assessments by linking cross-curricular skills with language arts to increase social studies instruction to better prepare students for PARCC and the reality of classroom time constraints.
Presenters: Jason Peinert, Baltimore City Schools
Audience: Middle Room: Wainwright
Disciplinary Literacy, C3 and Effective Social Studies Instruction
Students being content literate and the instructional practices found in C3 are not new concepts. So, how do we use the current shift in standards to strengthen Social Studies instruction? Educators will be provided with strategies to help make the time provided for Social Studies instruction more rigorous and meaningful.
Presenters: Eric Phillips, Frederick County Schools
Audience: Elementary Room: Stillwell
Helping Teachers and Students Bridge the Digital Divide
In this session, we will explore ways that we are partnering with schools to integrate resources directly into classroom curriculum, enhancing learning while also driving skills. We will show how our digital tools will help students assimilate information literacy skills, critical thinking and problem solving into everyday research assignments. This session will show educators how to transcend the boundaries of research and engage students in unique ways that are destined to prepare them for the demands of the future.
Presenters: Carl Moore and Geoff Thieke, GALE Cengage Learning
Audience: Middle, High Room: Technology
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Roselle Luncheon Room: McArthur & Patton
Welcome- Marcie Taylor-Thoma, President of MSCSS
Keynote Address – Adam Goodheart - An historian, journalist, and critic, Adam Goodheart is the author of The New York Times bestselling
book 1861: The Civil War Awakening, published by Alfred A. Knopf in April 2011 to widespread critical acclaim.
Adam Goodheart, Professor, Washington College
Roselle Award Recipient, 2015
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM Concurrent Sessions V
Document Based Performance Tasks
In this session participants will receive curriculum units that align to the C3 and CCSS-ELA, but with a social studies flair!
Presenters: Rebecca Reed, Red Clay School District
Audience: Middle, High Room: Halsey
Germany and the European Union: Confronting Past; Building the Future
German and European unification have initiated a political, economic, and cultural renaissance across the continent. How will these changes impact the United States? Through the challenging activities, participants will be given strategies to facilitate their student’s ability to demonstrate the cogent reasoning and use of evidence that is essential to decision-making and responsible global citizenship.
Presenters: Ellen Resnek, Downingtown High School
Audience: Elementary, Middle, High Room: Wainwright
Graphic Novels in the Classroom: More Than a Novelty
When it comes to graphic novels, teachers are finding themselves in a new situation. How to implement graphic novels in the classroom, while maintaining the academic tone of instruction? Educators will be provided with concepts and strategies tat can help with inclusion of graphic literature in an educationally sound manner.
Presenter: Josh Headley, Baltimore Polytechnical Institute
Audience: Middle, High Room: Stillwell
Building Literacy: How DCPS and a Local non-profit Partnered to Innovate and Advance Social Studies
Come see how a group of social studies instructors have become district-wide Teacher Leaders and have led the transition to C3 in the classrooms and across the district. See examples of teacher-created, literacy-infused curricular modules and discuss how you can make an impact on literacy instruction in your district.
Presenter: Cosby Hunt and Matt Fiteny, Center for Inspired Teaching
Audience: All and District Leaders Room: Technology
2:00 – 2:30 PM Plenary Session
Kidizens and the Mentors: Civics and Civility
Dr. Steven Frantzich, U.S. Naval Academy Academy
Room: Stillwell
2:30 – 2:45 PM
Conference Closure - Collection of evaluation forms and name badges.
Name badges will be collected and used for drawings!
Exhibitors
The Middle States Council for Social Studies extends much gratitude to the support of our vendors.
AIDemocracy/AMP/Global Scholar
Center for Inspired Teaching
C-Span
Eduspire
Gale Cengage
Gettysburg Diorama Center & Lincoln Train Museum
Gettysburg Foundation
Gettysburg Group
Gettysburg Heritage Center
Gettysburg Licensed Town Historians
Gibbs Smith Publishers
Hindu American Foundation
Hstry
Kaur Foundation
Maryland Historical Society
NCGE
Nystrom
Transatlantic Outreach
MSCSS Board of Directors 2014-15President
Marcie Taylor-Thoma
President-Elect
Donna Olszewski
Past President
Mary Davis
Recording Secretary
Scott Abbott
Legislative Liaison
Althea Smith
Treasurer
Lee Mayer
Delaware Representatives
Alycia Jefferson & Judith Purcell
District of Columbia
Althea Smith & Paul Howard
Maryland
Carolyn Van Roden & Laura Pinto
New Jersey
Vacant
New York
David Scott & Martha Noordsy
Pennsylvania
Nicole Roper & Dr. David Sidelnick
