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Originally posted on April 7, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

Today we have our first meeting with the six teacher leaders who will be writing the Civil War unit. We are meeting online, which does present some challenges for communication. I’m sure we can surmount those difficulties, however, especially since this group of teachers seems to be so enthusiastic and accomplished.

All the teacher leaders teach 8th-grade U.S. History, and have worked as teacher leaders on History Project Teaching American History grants in the past. 

Originally posted on March 22, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

Originally posted on March 12, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

The Blueprint Needs Survey officially closed on Wednesday. As I was compiling the results, I thought you might like to see what your fellow teachers selected as priorities for development. This is the question: “We plan to design a state-of-the-art curriculum for all the History-Social Science Standards, but we can only do this gradually. Where should we begin? Which of the History Social-Science Content standards for your grade level most needs development and support?” 

Posted on March 5, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

According to the Blueprint survey, most history teachers make significant use of the websites when they plan their lessons. We asked them what websites they used and what they liked about those websites, in order to help us build a better website to support the History Blueprint.

Originally posted on February 19, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

Originally posted on February 12, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

Academic Literacy
I’ve been reading a lot about academic literacy lately, as I try to get up to speed on this aspect of Blueprint. As a high school teacher and then a college lecturer, I never really knew much about literacy beyond the observation that many of my students struggle with it. They read and do not understand the words. A page of text defeats them. Twenty pages is out of the question. Or English is their second language and everything is overwhelming.

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

I’ve just finished sending out a survey to teachers who have attended past History Project events. The survey asks teachers and others interested in history-social science education about their current needs. We’re also asking teachers to advise us about the online tools that they find most useful. If you’d like to take the survey, click here. I’d be happy to receive your input and advice as well!

Originally posted on January 20, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

Originally posted on January 15, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

Originally posted on January 5, 2011 by Shennan Hutton

In this interview, teacher leader Raymond Lopez shares what he appreciates most about the project. Help us thank teacher leaders like Ray for their work at our 25th Anniversary celebration this November at UCLA.

Q: Please describe your connection with the Project. When did you first get involved and what have you done?

Why is it so important for Californians that the Sierra Nevada Mountains have snow on them?  Students may have witnessed first hand – or certainly through the media – the bleak picture in the Sierras this spring.  Snowpack is at an alarming 5% of average – the lowest snowpack ever recorded. So what will this mean for Californians throughout the coming dry season? Here are a few key points to consider about the role of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California’s hydrological system:

Teacher facilitator Chrislaine Pamphile Miller is the focus of this post. She describes her connection with the California History-Social Science Project, how she first became involved and a favorite moment from a summer institute. Help us thank teacher leaders like Chrislaine for their work at our 25th Anniversary celebration this November at UCLA.

The CHSSP's Cold War History Blueprint includes a lesson (download here - see pages 74-81) designed to give students insight into the conflict between Cuba and the United States during the early Cold War. The lesson includes excerpts of speeches by President Kennedy and Cuba's Fidel Castro, along with literacy support and comprehension questions.

The brutal massacre of ten journalists and two policemen in Paris this week shocked and outraged us.  Evil struck at the heart of a world capital, silencing the provocative voices of a satirical weekly.  The attack reminds us once again of the fragility and importance of one of our most cherished civil liberties: freedom of expression, and more specifically, freedom of the press.