Podcast #193 - Visit to the Museum of Nebraska Major League Baseball in St. Paul, Nebraska

Hello. I'm a native of Nebraska, enjoy baseball and love museums so I was very excited to visit the Nebraska Major League Baseball Museum in St. Paul, Nebraska on a recent family trip. The museum honors all major league players with a tie to Nebraska - born in Nebraska or called Nebraska home with a residence. There are about 160 major league baseball players who have met these requirements - 7 of which are in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Some of the more famous Nebraskans to play major league baseball include Grover Cleveland Alexander, Richie Ashburn, Bob Gibson and Sam Crawford. The museum is located in St. Paul, Nebraska because it is the proud hometown of Cleveland - the pitcher in 3rd place for wins all time in major league baseball history.

Listen to the podcast to learn more about my experience at the Nebraska Baseball Museum and check out the pictures below from my trip. We had a great time and encourage anyone who loves baseball to visit St. Paul for a great experience. If you have visited the museum or would have a remark to share please leave a comment on this blog post. Thanks.

Direct link to Podcast #193 - Visit to Nebraska Major League Baseball Museum in St. Paul

Update to Buffalo Chip Cookout Podcast

We had an interested comment posted on Podcast #192 - Making Smores Over a Buffalo Chip Campfire from Peter Findler and wanted to share it with everyone. Thanks Peter for the comment and photo!

Photo by Peter Findler

Nice idea, I'm sure you were able to get your student's attention and imagination going with this one!

I recently visited a relative living in Armenia. It turns out that a similar practice is used in this part of the world as well (and in other places I'm sure). I ate lunch with a family in a small village north of the capital city, and while I was there I noticed brown blocks lining the wall in the backyard. I asked what they were, and sure enough they were blocks of cow dung, cut and dried for heating the home next winter. The family said that about 3-4 blocks will heat the home for hours, and doesn't smell as bad as one would think.

When I heard the podcast for this post I was reminded of this, and thought some might be interested in hearing it. Keep up the good work!

George Washington and Twitter

A funny comic from the Holy Kaw! blog

Bill Moyers and Historical Figures Tweeting

Bill Moyer and some thoughts (humor) on famous historical figures and Twitter:

Podcast #192 - Making Smores over a Buffalo Chip Campfire

Hello. Sometimes you just have to experience something to understand it a little better. For the past 15 years I have taught about western expansion and the how the pioneers and early settlers on the plains used Bison (Buffalo) chips as fuel in the absence of timber. This year I decided to get my hands on some Bison chips and burn them at a cookout. I invited some students, some parents and my principal over for a good ol’ fashioned Bison chip fire where we roasted marshmallows for smores. Listen to the podcast to find out how everything went.

You can see more pictures from the Bison chip cookout by checking this Flickr set. If you have any personal experiences with burning Bison chips, or if you would just like share a general thought about the topic, please leave a comment on this blog post. Thanks.

Direct link to Podcast #192 - Making Smores over a Buffalo Chip Campfire

Podcast #191 - Suggestions and Tips for Visiting Washington DC during NECC 2009

Hello. Some of the listeners of this podcast will be heading to Washington DC at the end of June to attend NECC 2009. I have been fortunate to attend several NECC conferences in recent years but will not be attending - in person – this year. The current financial situation along with a desire to spend some time at home means I’ll be attending this year’s NECC virtually through a collection of podcasts, blog posts and tweets. Please post often if you are attending.

I must admit that I’m a little jealous since Washington DC is my favorite city to visit. I’ve been able to visit DC several times in the past couple of years and several listeners have e-mailed me questions about suggestions on what to do, where to stay, etc. I don’t consider myself an expert on DC in any manner but today’s podcast is a collection of suggestions and tips for visiting Washington DC – either for NECC 2009 or another trip.

Crystal City, Virginia Hotels

Smithsonian Museums in Washington DC

National Museum of the American Indian

Newseum

Lincoln Cottage

Ford’s Theatre

Alexandria, Virginia

Gadsby's Tavern in Alexandria

Alexandria Ghost Tour

If you have any suggestions for visiting DC - during NECC 2009 or any other time of year - please leave a comment on this blog for all to see and share. Thanks.

Direct link to Podcast #191 - Suggestions and Tips for Visiting Washington DC during NECC 2009

Podcast #190 - Review of "Our Documents" - Book and Website from the National Archives

Hello. Today's podcast is a review of a great book that every teacher should have in their classroom - "Our Documents : 100 Milestone Documents from the National Archives". This book should be in each history classroom in America and each school library. The book also has a companion website with additional resources for teachers and copies of all the material in the book.

You can purchase the book here and check out the website here. Both great resources for any American history teacher.

Direct link to Podcast #190 - Review of "Our Documents" - Book and Website from National Archives

Live Video Feed of Shuttle Launch

Hello. I am constantly blown away by the ability for us as teachers to connect to the rest of the world via video. Today I'm sitting in my classroom in Liberty, Missouri working on some random projects and on my computer in the background I'm watching a live video feed from UStream and NASA. If you are reading his on May 11, 2009 go and check out the link below to watch the launch live. I just watched them strap in the astronauts prior to lift off.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/spacevidcast

Podcast #189 - Early Morning Walk to See Lincoln in DC

Hello. While I was in Washington DC earlier this week I took an early morning walk down the Mall to the Lincoln Memorial. It was peaceful and very few people were out yet. In today's podcast I discuss my walk to see Lincoln while sitting on the steps in front of the reflecting pool. I have added some pictures from my walk with this blog entry. If you would like to see more of my pictures please check out my Flickr set from the walk.

If you have any thoughts on this podcast please leave a comment on this blog or you can reach me directly at speakingofhistory@gmail.com Thanks.


Direct link to Podcast #189 - Early Morning Walk to See Lincoln in DC

Podcast #188 - Review of Trip to the Newseum in Washington DC

Hello. Earlier this week I visited the Newseum in Washington DC - a museum devoted to telling the story of how news is gathered and then shared with the public. It is one of the newer museums in DC and I really enjoyed it. This podcast is a review of my visit and I have included some pictures from the Newseum below. This podcast may be of interest to anyone who is planning to attend NECC 2009 this summer in Washington DC and is looking for something to do when not attending sessions.

If you have any comments or would like to add your experiences at the Newseum to the discussion, please post a comment to this blog post or e-mail directly at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Direct link to Podcast #188 - Review of Trip to the Newseum in Washington DC

Smithsonian Presetation to Teacher Ambassadors

Last year I had the honor of participating in Smithsonian Teacher Day 2008 in Washington DC as the Missouri Teacher of the Year (2007/2008). Smithsonian Education gave us behind the scenes access to their museums and staff. They also gave us materials as Smithsonian Teacher Ambassadors which we could share with other teachers to share information on all the Smithsonian has to offer educators. Last year I did several podcasts and a couple of screen cast videos to share Smithsonian resources.

Today I have the privilege of sharing some of these techniques with the current state teachers of the year from around the country as they participate in Smithsonian Teacher Day 2009. I have included the presentation below via SlideShare and links to the podcasts, screen casts and applications that I mention in the presentation.

Smithsonian Teacher Day 2009

View more presentations from elanghorst.

Links to Podcasts and Screen casts :

Podcast #166 - Using "Smithsonian in the Classroom" to Teach Lincoln

Podcast #172 - Preview of the Smithsonian's Upcoming Online Conference Featuring Lincoln

Screen cast - Smithsonian's Interactive Gettysburg Address

Screen cast - Smithsonian's Interactive Star Spangled Banner

Podcast #175 - Smithsonian Museum of American History Using Web 2.0 with Blog

Podcast #177 - Review of Smithsonian's Online Lincoln Conference


Links to Resources:

Twitter - free micro blogging at 140 characters each

Blogging - free blogging application

Audacity - free audio editing program which can be used to create podcasts

Jing - free application to create screen casts

You Tube - free application to share video content on the web

Flickr - free application to share images online

The National Museum of American History

The following post is a collection of photos from my visit today to The National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. I was very excited to walk through the museum for a while since it has been closed for a while and recently re-opened to the public.

Battle of Yorktown Display

George Washington's field glasses and travel desk used in the Revolutionary War
Chairs used at Signing of Surrender Papers to End the Civil War

Coffee cup used by Lincoln on the night he was assassinated

What Does A "Trillion" Look Like?

News concerning today's economic crisis occasionally uses the term "TRILLION" but can we really visualize what that means. I saw the following site via a tweet on Twitter from David Warlick. The visualization of a trillion was created by the people at PageTutor.com and it is amazing. Check it out here. Great to use with a class of students.

By the way, the image below is NOT a trillion - not even close....

Podcast #187 - How I Use Twitter as a Teacher and Educator

Hello. Twitter has been all over the news this past week and although I don't have a million followers - and I don't know why anyone would want a million followers - I thought I would comment on how I use Twitter as a teacher. I don't Twitter with students but the podcast discusses how I use the application as an educator.

Please listen to the podcast and let me know how you are using Twitter. Please leave a comment on this blog or contact me on Twitter where my user name is ELanghorst

Direct link to Podcast #187 - How I Use Twitter as a Teacher and Educator

James Swanson Interview on Lincoln Assassination from Ford's Theatre You Tube Channel

Today as we reflect on the anniversary of Lincoln's assassination (April 14, 1865) take a few moments to watch some great videos from the Ford's Theatre You Tube Channel. These videos include some great segments from author James Swanson "Manhunt : The 12 Day Chase For Lincoln's Killer".

I have embedded one of the segments below in this post but please check out the entire Ford's Theatre channel on You Tube for other great segments of this interview, and others about Lincoln. Awesome content and I'm so thrilled that another major historical site, like the Smithsonian, has embraced web 2.0 tools such as You Tube!

You can also check out another great Swanson interview on You Tube from C-Span Book TV.

Podcast #186 - Review of Upcoming PBS / American Experience Series "We Shall Remain"

Hello. This month I have the privilege of hosting the PBS blog "Media Infusion" and discussing the upcoming PBS and American Experience series "We Shall Remain". The series will be shown on PBS stations beginning in mid-April 2009, check your local PBS station for dates and times. "We Shall Remain" describes the Native American story within the context of American history. Each of the 5 episodes are unique and the entire 7.5 hours of content is excellent.

In the podcast I discuss the series and how a teacher could approach it for use in class. I also encourage you to read the Media Infusion blog post and leave a comment during the month of April describing how you incorporate Native American culture in your history class.

You can also leave a comment on this blog post or contact me directly at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Direct link to Podcast #186 - Review of PBS / American Experience Series "We Shall Remain"

RSA Video from Ken Robinson - Author of "The Element"

Here is another great video from author/presenter Ken Robinson. If you enjoyed his TED video on creativity in schools check out this one from RSA. I can't get enough of this guy. Finished his book, The Element, a couple of weeks ago and really made me think about the lens through which I view myself and my students.

Thanks to 2008 National Teacher of the Year Mike Geisen - I first saw this video posted on his blog.

Podcast #185 - Review of Matthew Pinsker's "Lincoln's Sanctuary"

Hello. Today's podcast is a brief review of a great book for anyone who enjoys learning about Lincoln : Lincoln's Sanctuary, Abraham Lincoln and the Soldiers' Home by Matthew Pinsker. Two summers ago I was able to tour and visit the Lincoln Cottage in Washington DC just prior to the opening of the visitor center. The Soldiers' Home, or Lincoln Cottage, was the summer White House for President Lincoln. It has been estimated that Lincoln spent almost 25% of his presidency at the Lincoln Cottage.

This book sheds light on what Lincoln accomplished at this second home, how the location might have impacted his thought process during the war years and some personal details that make Lincoln appear more human than the stoic icon we view him as today.

I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoyed learning more about Lincoln and would recommend a visit to the Lincoln Cottage the next time you are in Washington DC. If you can't physically visit the next best thing would be a visit to their web site or blog.

If you have any additional thoughts on this subject please feel free to leave a comment to this blog post.

Direct link to Podcast #185 - Review of Lincoln's Sanctuary by Matthew Pinsker

Podcast #184 - Creating "Common Craft" Type Videos about Historical Terms for Class

Hello. This week we did a cool project in class - my students created short videos in the "Common Craft" style to describe a variety of historical terms and concepts we are currently studying. My students loved it and did a great job. I have included a couple of videos with this blog post below, the rest you can view at my You Tube channel.

I have included a couple of pictures of the set up we used to film the videos with a Flip camera. The podcast has more details on how we created the videos. If you have any questions or thoughts on this project please leave a comment on this blog post.

Thanks to Common Craft for the inspiration - we are all huge fans of your work!

Direct link to Podcast #184 - Creating "Common Craft" Type Videos about Historical Terms for Class

Teacher Institute at Kansas City National Archives for Summer 2009

Sharing another great opportunity for social studies teachers in the Kansas City area from the National Archives.

The National Archives at Kansas City is pleased to announce that it is one of nine locations across the country to host "Primarily Teaching: Original Documents and Classroom Strategies." The week long institute will be held July 13-17, 2009, at the region's new facility located at 400 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO 64108.

"Primarily Teaching" is designed to provide access to the rich resources of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for educators at the upper elementary, secondary, and college levels. Participants will learn how to research historical records, create classroom materials based on the records, and present documents in ways that sharpen students' skills and enthusiasm for history, government, and the other humanities.

Each participant will research the holdings of the National Archives at Kansas City for documents suitable for classroom use and develop strategies for using these documents in the classroom or design professional development activities to help classroom teachers use primary source documents effectively.

The cost of the institute, including all materials, is $100. Graduate credit is available for an additional fee. Space is limited; interested persons are encouraged to apply early. An application for the institute is available online at http://www.archives.gov/education/primarily-teaching/

For more information about Primarily Teaching, contact:

Lori Cox-Paul, Education Specialist

Phone: (816) 268-8017

Email: lori.cox-paul@nara.gov

Ending the War Against Japan - new White House Decision Center scenario at the Truman Library

Today I'm passing along an excellent experience for you and your students if you are able to visit Independence, Missouri and the Truman Library.

Truman Library educators have developed a new historical decision for students in 8th grade and up. They take on the role of President Truman or one of his advisors in the summer of 1945 as they explore the options available for ending the war with Japan. In this open-ended experience, students practice historical thinking as they read once top-secret documents which include the MAGIC/Ultra intercepted Japanese messages. They give President Truman advice on a course of action to take and several briefing speeches are delivered. Several hundred students have gone through this latest decision this semester and it has received high evaluations from teachers. Teachers may also choose from three other decisions for their students: the Berlin Airlift, opening days of the Korean War, or Truman's order to desegregate the military. The WHDC experience takes place in a specially built West Wing environment with eight advisory rooms and a press room.

To view a 7 minute video of a typical high school group going through a WHDC session go to the education page of our website, www.trumanlibrary.org. The WHDC minicurriculum contains 4 previsit modules, a 4 hour on-site experience and one postvisit module. The cost is $12.00 per student with a minimum group rate of $360.00 if the group is under 30 students. The WHDC can accommodate up to 64 students per day. Since its opening in the Fall of 2001 over 40,000 students and thousands of adults have taken part in this experiential activity.

While many days are already reserved for the 2009-2010 school year, below is a list of remaining open dates. Teachers would need to come to a training session to be introduced to the materials and activities. Contact me if you are interested and I will mail out a reservation form.

The White House Decision Center is also available for adult groups as a problem solving/team building experience. Civic groups, churches, the military, corporations, hospitals, university staffs, Elderhostels, etc. have attended sessions.

Open 2008 - 2009 dates:

September - all days open except for Sept 18th
October - 16, 21, 26, 29
November - 2, 5, 9
December. - 8, 9, 14, 17, 18-22
January - 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 19, 20, 22
February - 1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12
March - all taken
April - 22
May - 10, 13, 14, and 27 onward

Tell me, I forgetShow me, I rememberInvolve me, I understand

Tom Heuertz
Associate Education Coordinator
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
500 West US Highway 24
Independence, MO 64050-1798
Tel: 816-268-8241
1-800-833-1225 x88241
Fax: 816-268-8297
E-mail: Tom.heuertz@nara.gov
Web: Trumanlibrary.org

Secrets of Lincoln's Watch Revealed

Very cool news today about the discovery of a message inside Lincoln's watch. I saw it reported first via the Museum of American History's Twitter feed and then later saw the Washington Post story.

Here is the blog entry about the watch from the Museum of American History's blog and includes some great pictures.

There is also some audio from NPR and the NBC video below.

Once again it's cool to know that not everything has been discovered in relation to our nation's history.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Zune in the Classroom - FREE Webinar on March 10th

I have received e-mails in the past about how we have incorporated the Zune MP3 player in my 8th grade American History classroom. I will be discussing our use of the Zune in my classroom on March 10th online at a FREE webinar hosted by Microsoft in Education. This webinar is part of the Tech Teacher Tuesday series.

The webinar will take place on Tuesday, March 10th from 3:00 PM Central Time until 4:00 PM Central Time. The webinar is also recorded and will be available for viewing later as well.

Sign up for this FREE webinar here.

I did a similar webinar in January and really enjoyed interacting with the audience. Please drop in and I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have about using Zunes in the classroom.

Using Google Maps in Class to Connect Liberty with the Gold Rush

Check out the following screen cast, created with Jing, to learn more about using Google Maps in class and hear a cool story that connects Liberty, Missouri to the California Gold Rush.

Liberty Gold Rush Tree location in Google Maps

Podcast #183 - Using the Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine "American Spirit" in Class

Hello. Today's podcast is a suggested resource for anyone who teaches, or enjoys reading about, the American Revolution. For the past couple of years I have used articles from a magazine produced by the Daughters of the American Revolution - "American Spirit". The articles are well written and engaging. One of my favorite articles describes "Colonial Junk Food". I receive my own copy at home and a subscription can be ordered online for only $18 a year. Check out the podcast for some examples of the articles available and how we've used them in my 8th grade classroom.

If you have any comments, suggestions for other history magazines you use in class or ideas you would like to share please leave a comment on this blog. Thanks for listening.

Direct link to Podcast #183 - Using the Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine "American Spirit" in Class?

Podcast #182 - Back to School, Starting My Doctorate Work

Hello. This week I'm starting my work on a doctorate degree from Walden University -a Doctor of Education with a program in Teacher Leadership. It will be a three year process and I'm looking forward to the challenge. In today's podcast I discuss the first step in my journey.

I welcome any suggestions or tips from those of you have earned your doctorate, especially if you did so in an online program. Please leave a comment on this blog post. Thanks for listening.


Direct link to Podcast #182 - Back to School, Starting my Doctorate Work

Podcast #181 - Teaching the Donner Party as a Debate

Hello. We recently finished one of my favorite units to cover in our 8th grade American History curriculum - Manifest Destiny and Western Expansion. As we study the Oregon Trail we discuss the fate of the Donner Party. The Donner Party captures the attention of my students and allows us to discuss a variety of topics. For years I have shown my students "The Donner Party" from PBS, part of The American Experience series. Several years ago I used the role of Lansford Hastings in the tragedy and have a debate to try and decide if he or the Donner Party are more to blame for the loss of life. My students then do a short debate, which this year we taped with a Flip video camera. Listen to the podcast to learn about how we use this resource in our classroom.

PDF copy of the worksheet we use while watching the video "The Donner Party" from PBS and the American Experience

If you have any ideas or thoughts on teaching about The Donner Party please leave a comment on this blog. I would enjoy learning how other classes teach about this interesting historical event.






Direct link to Podcast #181 - Teaching the Donner Party as a Debate

Podcast #180 - Speech on "Opportunity" for Parents and Students at Platte County Schools

Hello. Today's podcast is the audio recording of a speech I recently gave at an academic banquet for students and parents at Platte County Schools in Platte City, Missouri. I typically give presentations on technology, history or education so this speech was a little different for me. I tried to explain how others create opportunity for you and then you need to make the best of your own opportunities by telling some stories and sharing examples. The podcast is the audio of the presentation and I have included the presentation below if you are interested in the images the audience saw that night.

If you have any questions or thoughts please feel free to leave a comment on this blog post. Thanks for listening.

Opportunity

View more presentations from elanghorst. (tags: langhorst)

Direct link to Podcast #180 - Speech on "Opportunity" For Platte County Schools

National Churchill Museum - Summer 2009 Teacher Workshop

Passing along another great professional development opportunity:

Attention Educators!

2nd Annual Summer Teacher Workshop
Thursday, June 25, 2009 - Saturday, June 27, 2009

The National Churchill Museum wants to bring together Missouri educators to study the life of Winston Churchill and to develop strategies for applying historical content in the classroom. Our second year running, this three-day teacher workshop will have more speakers and more opportunities to learn about Churchill and how to use his life to teach history, language arts, speech, cultural studies, and even art/architecture.

You can check out our website www.churchillmemorial.org, click on School Programs. We are also still looking for presenters, particularly educators that already use Churchill in their classroom!

Please don't hesitate to call or email me with questions. We can only accept a maximum of 30 educators.Register early!


Mandy Crump
Education & Public Programs Coordinator
National Churchill Museum
Westminster College
501 Westminster Ave
Fulton, MO 65251-1299

Phone: (573) 592-6242
Fax: (573) 592-5222
Email: Mandy.Crump@churchillmemorial.org
Website: www.churchillmemorial.org

2009 State of the Union Bingo Game

Although tonight's speech by President Obama is not officially a "State of the Union Address" it is being treated as such with delivery before a joint session of Congress. Eli Lesser of the National Constitution Center a couple of years ago came up with a great way to engage your students as they watch the State of the Union speech - BINGO! While your students watch the speech they mark off the topics that are mentioned by President Obama. I have not seen a 2009 version at the National Constitution Center site but I was able to find some 2009 cards at the Center for Global Development. You can also create your own cards.

If you don't hand the cards out to your students in advance of the speech you can also use it if you watch the speech later in class.

Thanks to Eli for the awesome idea and to the Center for Global Development for the 2009 cards. Check out Eli's blog : Civic Learning for ideas on teaching tonight's speech and other civics related lesson plans.