For more information about the Rochester City School District’s Growing Up in America program, please contact:

Jennifer Gkourlias, Ed.D.

Executive Director of Social Studies

(585) 262-8470

jennifer.gkourlias@rcsdk12.org

Lead Teachers

Khieta Davis Mariella Diaz

(585)262-8372 (585) 262-8367

khieta.davis@rcsdk12.org mariella.diaz@rcsdk12.org

With regard to both educational programs and employment, the Rochester City School

District makes opportunities available without regard to age, race, creed, religion,

color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic

disposition, or HIV or hepatitis carrier status.

Growing Up in America: Growing Up in America:

A Historical JourneyA Historical Journey A program for K-2 Teachers

Growing Up in America: A Historical Journey, will engage teachers of grades K-2 with documents, texts, and artifacts that will serve to unlock history for young learners. Working with Dr. David Hursh of the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester and local historians, curators, and educators, participants will increase their own content understanding of American history and develop historical inquiry skills to integrate American history instruction into the school day. Teachers will learn to engage their students using texts, artifacts, documents, and even toys to unlock American history while simultaneously developing students’ literacy skills.

...in Rochester ...to be a child in Rochester?

What’s it like...

Growing Up in America has been made possible by a federally funded Teaching American History grant. Additionally, the Rochester City School District has partnered with the following local organizations to create this meaningful and exciting program.

AKWAABA: The Heritage Associates

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County

Freedom School

Genesee Country Village and Museum

Kuumba Consultants

Memorial Art Gallery

Nazareth College

Rochester Museum and Science Center

Strong National Museum of Play

University of Rochester

Meeting Dates, Topics, Presenters and Locations:

September 29, 2011: Greet/Meet/Informational, Dr. Jennifer Gkourlias; Dr. David Hursh ; 690 St. Paul October 20, 2011: Working Long Ago, Dr. Susan Goodwin; Genesee Country Village and Museum December 1, 2011: Childhood, Ms. Sara Boettrich; Dr. Timothy Kneeland; Ms. Delores Jackson Radney; Strong National Museum of Play January 23, 2012: Urbanization: From Farm to City, Dr. Timothy Kneeland; Ms. Christine Ridarsky; Monroe County Library February 9, 2012: Education, Mr. George Moses; Dr. Timothy Kneeland; Freedom School March 1, 2012: Families of Native Americans, Mr. Perry Ground; Rochester Museum and Science Center March 29, 2012: American Identity, Dr. Isabel Cordova; Ms. Carol Yost, Memorial Art Gallery April 26, 2012: Transportation, AKWAABA; Dr. Thomas Lappas; Ms. Delores Jackson Radney; TBD May 31, 2012: Sharing & Poster Session; TBD

Program participants will… develop an action research project individually or with a partner to explore teaching American History in the primary grades complete research projects demonstrating reflection and growth relevant to instruction of American History with young children collect student work relevant to their research questions/findings and reflect on this work to demonstrate program effectiveness present their findings and student work in a year-end poster session take a pre and post assessment to determine program effectiveness complete all program requirements in order to be eligible to earn up to a $792.00 stipend*.

*Stipend rate is based on 100% attendance and participation of 24 hours of program offerings. Teachers with 80-90% of program attendance and participation will receive a pro

-rated stipend. Teachers with less than 80% attendance and participation are not eligible for a stipend.