Teaching American History Program University of Alabama

The Teaching American History Program II

Initiated by legislation introduced by Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia in 2001, the Teaching American History Program is designed to bring public schools together for a three year period with institutions that have expertise in American history. The goal is to increase teachers’ and students’ understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of U.S. history.

Making a Nation: Laying Claim to Democracy (TAHP II) is the second professional development grant for Social Studies teachers awarded by the United States Department of Education to the Tuscaloosa City Schools in partnership with the Tuscaloosa County Schools, the University of Alabama History Department, College of Education, University Museums, University of Alabama Consortium for Educational Renewal, and the Westervelt-Warner Museum. TAHP II, for teachers in grades 4-12, welcomes the collaboration of a new partner, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

TAHP II uses a five-pronged approach of intensive summer institutes at the graduate level, scholar-led field studies, team study/peer coaching during the academic year, single day content-oriented workshops, and an infusion of content materials and resources to increase teacher content knowledge and student learning of American history. It is also a research study, measuring the impact of the program on teacher’s content knowledge and teaching practices and on students’ attitudes, comprehension of informational text, and the ability to analyze primary sources and historical data.

Making a Nation focuses on significant individuals who developed and expanded the American ideals of liberty and democracy, examining how they did so, and how previously excluded groups claimed the privileges of these concepts for themselves. As our nation expanded so did our concept of citizenship. Topics will include the meaning of citizenship, as reflected in basic American historical documents, accessing the political realm, reform, social movements, in the larger context of immigration, industrialization, and urbanization.

Teaching American History Program I

A Partnership of The University of Alabama History Department, College of Education, and the Alabama Museum of Natural History,
The Tuscaloosa City and County School Systems,
and the
Westervelt-Warner Museum of American Art,

Lead Educational Agency: ACER – the Alabama Consortium of Educational Renewal

Southern History as U.S. History: Civil War to Civil Rights and Beyond

The Teaching American History Grant Program
Our program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is a research study of the effect of increased content knowledge in the area of American History and on skills necessary to teach it to teachers and their students.

Program Goals

To increase teachers' and students' knowledge of American History content
To increase teachers' use of primary materials, local history resources,
and technology in history instruction
To increase students' understanding of and skill level in American History
To study the effect of increased content knowledge of American History
on teachers and students

Program Activities

Two-week summer institutes in 2004, 2005, 2006 taught by
The University of Alabama faculty
Development of lesson plans and activities
Collaboration and networking with The University of Alabama History
and Education faculty and staff and American History teachers in the 5th,
6th, 10th, and 11th grades in the Tuscaloosa City and
County School Systems
Four all day workshops during each of the academic years of the program
Special museum field visits

Program Benefits

$500 stipend or payment of grad course tuition, release time, paid subs, classroom assistance, free materials.
Scholarships for those eligible and seeking Highly Qualified status
Content knowledge and "best practices" teaching strategies for teachers
working towards National Board Certification or taking the Praxis exam
History kits with items such as maps, atlases, books, CDs, videos,
primary sources, and lesson plans
Collaborative relationships with The University of Alabama History and
Education faculty and staff
Teams at each grade level with UA History and Education faculty members
and graduate assistants
Networking, demonstrations, staff support, and coaching through May, 2007in and out of the classroom
Technology training and support for digital research, webquests, and creation
of Power Point presentations and student projects