Summer Institute: July 7-11, 2008

High school and middle school teachers will come to the CCSU campus for a week of workshops and discussions about teaching American history, focused on our theme of "Social Movements, Social Change." The institute will include a visit to the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center as well as scholarly presentations on different social movements in U.S. history, and time to work on lesson plans. Participants may receive graduate credit or CEUs, a stipend, and books and other materials.

To apply for the Summer Institute, click here.

Graduate Workshops

Our series of six workshops this year will include sessions on finding and using primary sources in the classroom, teaching history with music and art, war and memory, civil rights and schooling, and war and civil liberties. The workshops will include talks by professional historians as well as time to work with primary sources and share teaching ideas with colleagues.

Click here for lists of additional resources prepared for our previous workshops , as well as Powerpoint presentations.

To apply to participate in graduate workshops during the next school year, click here.

Book Circles

Experienced teachers join with current CCSU teacher candidates for discussions about history and history teaching. Books for this year's book circles include Eric Foner, The Story of American Freedom; John Dower, Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of WWII; Cecilia O'Leary, To Die For: The Paradox of American Patriotism; and William Chafe, Remembering Jim Crow.

Contact us to sign up for any of the book circles.

Click here for additional resources related to each of our previous book circles.

Independent Study

Teachers can design a graduate independent study with a CCSU faculty member on any topic of their choosing relating to U.S. history. History Is Central will pay for the graduate credit and books. Please contact us if there is a U.S. history topic you would like to explore.

Museum Visits

Get an individualized tour of a museum or historic site that interests you, including talking with museum staff about resources for your classroom. Please contact us to arrange a visit.

We will also be arranging group visits to tour the Coltsville area of Hartford (Sept. 29) and the Old State House's new multimedia exhibit, "History Is All Around Us" (November 3). Contact us to sign up for these visits.