Students Take Teacher Licensure Orientation

Eight students and Professor Crawford traveled to the Metzger Nature Center last weekend to discuss using sport to teach the Social Studies, and the National Council for the Social Studies Ten Themes. After a hard day's work on Saturday, the group went to the theater in New Philadelphia to watch The Blind Side, a heartwarming story of a family that took in a homeless teenager who became an outstanding football player for Old Miss, and who now plays for the Baltimore Ravens.

As part of the program, students created and presented lesson plans to use sport in teaching the Social Studies. Keep your eye on this blog for their plans in the coming months.

As usual, Wayne and Carol King fed us more great food than we could eat!

Students who participated in the weekend seminar were (front row L-R) Beth Miller, Caitlin Kegley, Tom Walton, and (back L-R) Trey Jones, Ben Nauman, Andy Zaebst, Ryan Fleming, Zach Esterline. Professor Crawford is at the far right.

Another Student finds Teaching Position

Ashley Reiff, who graduated in February 2009, is now teaching 10th grade U.S. History and 11th grade government, as well as coaching junior varsity volleyball at Elida High School. The district hired Ashley in mid June and she reports that everything is going well in her new job.

With Ashley's news, all six Social Studies/History majors who graduated in 2008-2009 are safely at work (4) or attending graduate school (2).

Students Find Positions

Four ONU Social Studies majors graduated this past spring, and all have found positions for the fall. Joy Kessler (pictured in an earlier post) will be teaching Social Studies at Lima Central Catholic High School. Matt Fox will be teaching History at Lima Senior High School, and is also the Head Football Coach at Arcadia Middle School. Brian Hoefel (pictured in an earlier post) will be attending Akron University, working on his Masters Degree in History. Aaron Stiger will be attending Ashland University, where he will work for Residence Life and pursue a Masters Degree in Administration. Not pictured is Ross Spencer, who will be teaching in Arizona next year.

Well done to all of them, and we wish them the best of luck as they start their new careers!

Crawford Publishes Online Article

On July 27, Crawford's article "Bowling, Basketball, BCS, Baseball, and Birdies: Obama’s Use of Sport to Connect" was published on the History News Network. Crawford argued that President Obama has expanded the presidential use of sport, interjecting games into nomination speeches, appearing on commercials for sporting events, and inserting the office of the presidency into debates over controversial issues in the sporting world. For instance:

• When the president nominated Sonya Sotomayor, he prominently mentioned her role in ending the 1994 Baseball Strike, establishing her bona fides as a true blue American.
  
• As a candidate, Obama recorded an opening commercial for Monday Night Football, and joined announcers in the booth for the MLB All Star Game, using a game analysis of the Bears' chances to further his chances for the presidency.
• He inserted the office of the president into the debate over the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), calling for its end and encouraging a playoff system for Division I Football.

Crawford argues that this represents an expansion of the presidents role in the use of sports. While presidents since Theodore Roosevelt have participated in sport as players or participants and have used their "bully pulpit" to encourage sporting behavior, the current president, so far in his administration has increased his visibility in the sporting world and in his use of sport to connect to the American people.

Crawford and Schuck grade AP U.S. History

Professors Russ Crawford and Ray Schuck travelled to Louisville, KY from June 4 to 11 to serve as readers for the Educational Testing Service’s Advanced Placement U.S. History exams. They were among 1100 readers who waded through over 300,000 exams taken by high school students from around the nation. The work was hard, but the pay was good, and it also offered a chance to network with educational professionals from around the nation and world. Crawford made contact with a fellow grad of the University of Nebraska who teaches English and History at the University of Perm in Russia, and they made plans to cooperate in online guest lectures during the next year. There was also time to enjoy the city and the two attended a Louisville Bats (AAA Cincinnati) baseball game as well as getting in some golf at one of Fuzzy Zoeller’s nearby courses.

Studia Socialia Americae Inducts New Members

During the May 9 Honors Day ceremony, five new members were inducted into Studia Socialia Americae, ONU's honorary for social studies students and practicing teachers. This year's inductees included students Katherine DeMars, Katherine Gualtiere, and Rick Ingold. The organization also inducted two practicing educators, Chad Spencer of Shawnee High School, and Drew Chiles of Lima Senior High School.

Three Students Looking for Positions

Ashley Reiff (not pictured), Matt Fox, Joy Kessler, Aaron Stiger, and Brian Hoefel have graduated this year or will graduate in May. Hoefel has accepted an assistantship at Akron College, and Kessler has already accepted a position at Lima Central Catholic, but the others will be looking for positions soon. All will be fine teachers for your school. Should you wish the contact information for these new teachers, please contact me at r-crawford.2@onu.edu

Social Studies Students Attend OCSS Meeting

On Friday March 27, six ONU students and Professor Russ Crawford attended the Ohio Council for the Social Studies Annual Convention in Worthington. Along with Crawford, Matt Fox (SR Social Studies Cardington, OH), Brian Hoefel )SR Social Studies Akron, OH), and Aaron Stiger (SR Social Studies Wapakoneta, OH) presented a session on Using Sport to Teach the Social Studies to the secondary teachers gathered there. Also attending were Katherine Gualtiere (SR Social Studies Parma, OH), Rick Ingold (SR Social Studies Newark, OH), and Jennifer Sherman (Jr. Social Studies North Olmstead, OH).

After Crawford gave an overview of how sport could be used to teach the National Council on the Social Studies Ten Themes, Hoefel presented his lesson plan for using the 1980 U.S. Hockey team victory over the Soviets to understand the latter phase of the Cold War. Matt Fox then presented hi lesson plan International Sporting Events as Sites for Political Engagement to describe how the Olympics are often sites for political protest as well as athletic achievement. Aaron Stiger followed with a multiage lesson plan for teaching Civic Ideals and Practices using sport.

Among the audience was Tom Rutan, the Associate Director in the Office of Curriculum and Instruction at the Ohio Department of Education, who asked what we would say to a principal who wondered why we were wasting time talking about sport when we should be getting students ready for the Ohio Graduation Test. Stiger answered immediately that sport is an important way to reach many students who wouldn’t otherwise care about the social studies, and student interest increases their comprehension of the subject.

All of the student presenters did a fine job delivering their part of the talk, and all students had the chance to listen to professional educators tell about their fields of expertise. They also had the chance to network with other educators and to talk with sales representatives from various textbook and other educational companies, not to mention gathering bags full of complimentary materials.

Four Student Teachers Take to the Field

Matt Fox, Aaron Stiger, Brian Hoefel, and Joy Kessler will be going into the field for their student teaching experience during Spring Quarter. They join Ross Spencer (Fall) and Ashley Reiff (Winter) as ONU Social Studies candidates who have or will graduate this year. If you are looking for a fine Social Studies teacher for next year, email me at r-crawford.2@onu.edu and I will put you in touch with them.

Lesson Plan of the Month: Matt Fox on Problem Solving

Matt adapted this plan from a lesson that he had in high school, and the situation and profiles of the people were found at: http://www.eduref.org

Subject: Psychology/History

Grade Level: 12th

Topic: Nuclear Warfare in the 20^th Century

Relationship to Ohio Academic Standards:

Benchmark A; OH-SS.11-12.1.A - Explain patterns of historical continuity and change by challenging arguments of historical inevitability.

Benchmark B; OH-SS.12.2.B.4 - Evaluate the effectiveness of international governmental organizations (e.g., United Nations, European Union, World Court and Organization of American States), multinational corporations, and nongovernmental organizations (e.g., Amnesty International, Red Cross and World Council of Churches) in the global arena.

Performance Objectives:

1. Students will use problem solving and cooperation skills when working together to come to a decision over an issue that does not have a right or wrong answer.

2. Students will use analyze other students choices in comparison with their own.

Opening: Show students a picture of the leaders of the G8. Discuss that nuclear warfare has been a constant threat and this group has a vital role in what will be done with it. Transition this into a picture of a doomsday clock and proceed to give the history and importance of the doomsday clock. This includes today’s time, the closest time in history, the farthest time in history, and finally the time at the Cuban missle crisis.

Transition: Use the time at the Cuban Missle Crisis into reading the artificial story where the two great powers went to nuclear war over that key point in time.

Story: It’s October 16, 1962. One week earlier, the rising tensions built up during the Cuban missile crisis led to all out nuclear war with every country in the world involved. The first attacks completely destroyed most of earth’s major cities. The first two days radio and remaining television broadcasts reported a substantial loss of most of earth’s population. Over the last four days the number of broadcasts has dwindled down to zero including the total annihilation of most of Earth's population. You have banded with a group of twelve other people and have made it too a fallout shelter that can sustain life while nuclear winter and radiation harms the surface. From what you know this group of people are the last living in the world or at least in your part of it. Upon looking into the hideout shelter you come across a major dilemma. There is room for twelve people, but not enough water and other supplies to keep them all alive for the time needed for the atmosphere to clear up. To survive, the people must stay inside the fallout shelter for at least three months. The problem is that if all of them stay in the shelter, all of them will starve to death or dehydrate. There are enough supplies in the shelter for seven people (besides yourself) to live.

1. Hand out worksheet and clearly read directions at the top of it to students.

2. Have students work individually to come up with their seven surviviors.

a. When a student is finished have them pair with 2-3 other students who are finished.

3. This new group is required to debate and agree upon seven survivors

a. Do the same till you get 4-5 groups of students (depends on class size)

4. When a group has reached a consensus, have them read you their seven and write it on board.

a. Separate groups by colors if possible, and put each group’s seven survivors up on board.

5. Bring the entire class together. Circle all names that show up in each of the group’s. Work to try and get entire class to agree on seven survivors.

a. Have one group at a time present why they chose the person they did.

b. Ask others if they agree, if not; why?

c. Work this way to you get seven or cannot reach an agreement.

Closure: Finish by explaining that the leaders of the world have to face difficult situations where there may be no right or wrong answer. The importance of negotiation and compromise is very important in serious world affairs.

Materials (see worksheet below) – Student worksheet; Paper with story on it; Powerpoint and slides with pictures of g8 and doomsday clock.

Students to present at OCSS Annual Meeting

Matt Fox, Brian Hoefel, and Aaron Stiger will be presenting, along with Dr. Crawford, at the Ohio Council for the Social Studies Annual Meeting at Worthington, OH on March 27th. The title of the presentation is Using Sport to Teach the Social Studies. Other social studies students will also have the chance to attend. This meeting brings together social studies teachers from across Ohio to present their lesson plans, discuss common concerns, and carry away bags full of free teaching materials.

Studia Socialia Americae holds its Winter Meeting

SSA members braved the snow Tuesday night and met at Dr. Crawford's home for their Winter Meeting. Ashley Reiff, who is currently student teaching shared her experiences with the group, who will soon be going out into the field themselves. We also discussed the Ohio Council for the Social Studies Annual Meeting that will be held in Worthington, OH on March 27th. Matt Fox, Brian Hoefel, and Aaron Stiger will be presenting, along with Crawford at this meeting. The group also discussed finding jobs and other teaching concerns. Sophie Crawford provided the dinner of tortilla soup with bite-size quiches as starters, and dessert was a gallette de roi, or king cake, a traditional French treat that is eaten after the start of the new year.

Pictured are (left side, front to back) Aaron Stiger, Brian Hoefel, and Ben Kretz. (right side front to back) Vice President Joy Kessler, Ashley Reiff, and President Matt Fox.

Football on Film Weekend Seminar

During the weekend of January 17-18, four ONU students and professor Crawford journeyed to the Metzgar Nature Center to explore how football had been imagined in the popular culture. During the weekend, we watched Knute Rockne-All American (1940), The Male Animal (1942), North Dallas Forty (1979), Brian's Song (1971), and Gridiron Gang (2006) (or would have if snow hadn't forced an early departure).

Students also read articles about the positive and negative views of football, including "My Crusade Against Football," an article by Wade Thompson published in the Nation magazine in 1959, and a recent article by Terrence P. Jeffery entitled "What Politicians Could Learn from Football," which took a more positive view of the game.

From the scholar athlete to the dumb jock, the class explored the various ways in which football players and the game have been depicted in film and discussed the cultural contexts that gave rise to the varied depictions.

As always, Wayne and Carol King, who run the center for ONU, provided high quality food and more than we could possibly eat.

Pictured above are (L-R) Joe Kent, Matt Cuffari, Chad Turner, and Eli Lange.