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Monday, October 1, 2012

Are You Going to MEA or MCEL? We Are.

We made it through a very exciting Montana History Conference and are now busy preparing for the next round of fall workshops. The Montana Historical Society will have a very large presence (nine distinct sessions with three encore performances) at the MEA Educators Conference in Billings this year (October 18-19).

And, for the first time, we’ll have a booth and be giving a presentation at MCEL (Montana Conference of Educational Leadership)—also in Billings.

If you are going to MEA, we hope we’ll see you at one or more of our sessions, all at Skyview High School:

“Labor History in the Class: A Montana Perspective,” MHS Senior Archivist Rich Aarstad
Grade Level:  8-12
Thursday, 9:00 AM- 9:50 AM, SHS 145
This sectional will explore the history of the U.S. labor movement through key Montana events associated with organized labor through the use of primary sources held in the Montana Historical Society archives collections.

“Finding Authentic Audiences for Student Work,” MHS Historical Specialist Martha Kohl
Grade Level:  6-12
Thursday, 1:00 PM-1:50 PM, SHS 237 and Friday, 8:00 AM- 8:50 AM, SHS 202
Museum-school partnerships, Veterans Day programs, web-based publishing, and participation in “crowd-sourcing” projects all offer students opportunities to engage in “authentic” work for “authentic” audiences while engaging in original research, improving writing, and connecting to their communities. Learn how to create successful projects that motivate students and improve learning outcomes.

“Thinking Like a Historian: Using Digital Newspapers,” Washington Elementary School Librarian Ruth Ferris, author of an MHS Lesson Plan on using digital newspapers in the classroom
Grade Level:  4-12
Thursday, 1:00 PM-1:50 PM, SHS 113 and Friday, 9:00 AM-9:50 AM, SHS 114
Join me for a cup of java and a morning newspaper. Did I mention it will be dated 1864-1869? Enter a digital portal to Montana's gold rush era. Learn how to use this treasure in your classroom. Notebooks and laptops are optional but not required. Door prizes.

“Toys: More than Just Fun!” MHS Reference Librarian Zoe Ann Stoltz
Grade Level: K-12
Thursday, 2:00 PM-2:50 PM, SHS 237 and Friday, 11:00 AM-11:50 AM, SHS 237
Museums are filled with artifacts that teach us about previous lives and cultures. Did you know that our toys are artifacts? Toys not only teach us about history, they also teach us about our current culture. Learn how you can teach with toys. Let's play!

“Tools and Techniques for Teaching with Maps,” MHS Program Specialist Deb Mitchell
Grade Level:  4-8
Thursday, 3:00 PM-3:50 PM, SHS 237
Discover interactive lessons that connect geography to history while teaching students map reading skills, how to analyze primary sources, and how maps reflect the context in which they were created. And find out about the treasure trove of historic Montana maps now available online.

“Historical Anniversaries as Teachable Moments,” MHS Government Records Archivist Jeff Malcomson
Grade Level:  6-12
Thursday, 3:00 PM-3:50 PM, SHS 147
By explaining the importance of historical anniversaries related to the Homestead Act and county centennials in Montana, this workshop will demonstrate the usefulness of focusing class projects on state and local history. Information provided can be used to build projects or lesson plans around important events in your local communities.

“Connecting Montana to the Civil War,” MHS Senior Archivist Rich Aarstad
Grade Level:  8-12
Friday, 9:00 AM-9:50 AM, SHS 147
Connecting Montana to the Civil War introduces educators to the sectional politics that divided the nation to events occurring in Montana politics during its territorial period (1864-1889) using documents found in the collections of the Montana Historical Society.

“Teaching History with Primary Sources,” MHS Government Records Archivist Jeff Malcomson
Grade Level:  6-12
Friday, 10:00 AM-11:50 AM, SHS 147
Through a survey of Web resources and interactive exercises, this workshop will explain how to make use of historical documents, photographs, and other media in history lessons. Learn various methods for teaching with primary sources in history, how to engage your students using historical materials, and meet common core standards.

“Play with the Past: Montana History K-6 Resources,” MHS Program Specialist Deb Mitchell
Grade Level:  K-6
Friday, 11:00 AM-11:50 AM, SHS 235
Discover free, standards-based, interactive resources to help you make Montana's rich and diverse history, from 12,000 years ago to the present, real and exciting for your elementary students. Resources created by the Montana Historical Society include hands-on history footlockers and IEFA lesson plans.

If you’ll be at MCEL, visit our booth on Thursday. And on Friday, come here me speak on “History Resources for Improving Reading Comprehension and Meeting Common Core Standards,” at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana Hotel/Parlor 1009, 9:40 AM-10:20 AM.

Even if you can’t make it to one of our sessions, we hope you’ll stop by our booth and say hello. Special prizes for those of you who tell us you read this blog (while supplies last.)

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