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Greetings from the State Coordinator
Greetings!
The weather has finally turned wintery, and we all know what that means: It's History Day research time. Hopefully by now students have begun narrowing in on their topics and finding oodles of secondary research. As they move on to primary sources, they should continue to keep this year's theme in mind, and start to develop their own thesis statement.
John and I have been very busy, traveling around New York to help teachers and students start their History Day journey. We are pleased that the Yonkers Public Schools will be starting the program in earnest this year, and have really enjoyed working with their highly-motivated teachers.
We also had an amazing time at the Western Southern Tier Council for the Social Studies inaugural conference. I always enjoy spending time learning from teachers who have a passion for Social Studies education.
You can read all about our adventures at our blogs (links are in the right margin) as well as hear our thoughts about this year's theme. We also try to jot down suggestions and tips for research resources.
As always, give us a call or drop us an email with your History Day questions!
Sincerely,
Tobi Voigt |
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Web Site Category
 This is just a reminder that the Web Site category makes its debut as an official National History Day category this year.
We have encountered a lot of interest and a bit of confusion over how this category works, and we want to clarify one big rule. Web Site entries can not be made on online hosted sites like MySpace or Freeweb. Students must use an authoring software program that is not dependent on the internet.
All Web Site entries must be saved and submitted on CD prior to the contest. This way judges have time to review the sites prior to competition. For safety and access reasons, the Web Sites can not be "live" on the internet. Instead, they must be accessed wholly on the CDs.
So, what programs can students use, you ask? Students can use programs like iWeb on Macs and Front Page on PCs to develop their websites. However, programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Publisher can also make easy and professional web sites.
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New Online Resource on Abolition in NYS
 We are pleased to share with you an incredible new online resource on the abolitionist movement in the greater Rochester area. Developed by Larry Naukam and a staff of hard-working digitizers from the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, this new resource, which is called Many Roads to Freedom: Abolitionism and the Civil War in Rochester "includes images and information on abolitionists, the local Underground Railroad, slave narratives, anti-slavery speeches, and abolitionist newspapers, as well as Civil War era news on the war effort and local military units. All items included in the tour are from the collections of the Central Library's Local History & Genealogy Division."
The website is chock full of primary resources, and is very easy to navigate because it is organized thematically. In addition to a general war timeline and a map of Civil War Rochester, the site breaks the topic into three date-related parts: Rochester, Abolitionism, and The Road To War, 1830-1861 includes biographies and photos of abolitionists, copies of abolitionist newspapers, and anti-slavery song sheet music. Rochester and The Civil War , 1861-1865 includes a soldier photo gallery, a complete digitized collection a local newspaper that chronicled the war, and a comprehensive political cartoon section. Rochester and the Aftermath of War, 1865 and Beyond includes regimental histories and images of local monuments and landmarks.
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| New Holocaust Web Resources
 The Arnold-Liebster Foundation is pleased to announce a new educational resource for teachers and students on the Nazi persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses at www.alst.org.
Jehovah's Witnesses were a small group of ordinary people who refused to conform to Nazi ideology, resulting in brutal persecution. Despite being offered a chance for freedom if they signed a document renouncing their faith, most refused. Teachers have used the experience of Jehovah's Witnesses to raise important moral questions about peer pressure, bystanderism, and the law of conscience.
An extensive education section includes survivor testimonies, online resources, videos and DVDs, and teacher comments.
Through special arrangements with the Arnold-Liebster Foundation, the Liebsters are available to visit classrooms through a free interactive audio or video conference.
The Foundation was established by Holocaust-era survivors Max Liebster and Simone Arnold Liebster in January 2002 to educate future generations in the lessons of history. The Liebsters have addressed numerous audiences at schools, universities, museums, and public events in more than 60 European and North American cities. The Foundation especially aims to help young people to repudiate racism, xenophobic nationalism, and violence, and to learn to listen to the voice of conscience.
For more information please contact:
Greg Milakovich - greg@alst.org
Sandra Milakovich - sandra@alst.org |
| How to Make an Exhibit
National History Day in Iowa and the Herbert Hoover Presidental Library and Museum have teamed up to provide a helpful online resource specifically for History Day exhibits. Of course, students should be focusing on research right now, but take a look and bookmark this site for later use.
They created the site as a companion piece to their classroom workshops, but frankly, it is so comprehensive it stands on its own as a valuable tool.
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Program Links
New York State
History Day
National History Day
That History Day Guy
John Buchinger
That History Day Gal
Tobi Voigt
Program Sponsor
New York State Historical Association
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