St. Paul Educator Honored as Teacher of the Year at National Social Studies Conference

In November, St. Paul teacher Michelle Leba received the 2009 Outstanding Middle Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year award at the National Council for the Social Studies conference in Atlanta. Leba, a geography teacher at Washington Technology Magnet School, also was named Minnesota Middle School Social Studies Teacher of the Year last March by the Minnesota Council for the Social Studies.

The award honored Leba’s creative and innovative use of instructional materials, role as a provider of professional development, involvement in professional activities, and commitment to student learning through programs such as National History Day and Kids Voting.

“I am both humbled and honored to receive this award,” Leba said. “I have had many great teachers and professors when I was in school that inspired me. I have also been blessed with a creative, supportive and hard-working group of colleagues and mentors that have shaped the teacher I have become.”

Free Field Trips to Alexander Ramsey House

St. Paul Public Schools: Here's your chance for free field trips to the Alexander Ramsey House, home of Minnesota’s first territorial governor. Thanks to the generosity of the Ramsey House Board of Governors, the historic site is offering free admission and bus subsidies for K-12 students.

Bring the Victorian era to life for your students. They'll encounter costumed guides, engaging stories, and more than 14,000 artifacts that belonged to the Ramsey family. Students will learn about Ramsey's role as a prominent Minnesota politician in the second half of the 19th century. The lively tour features stories about the home's servants and highlights the newest technologies of the Victorian era. Funds are limited, so make your reservations early.

For details, please call 651-296-8760. Schedule your trip anytime April through December. The mansion is closed January through March.

Visit Historic Sites for Holiday Events

Celebrate the season at one of the Minnesota Historical Society’s historic sites with entertaining, educational holiday events.

• Folsom House, Taylors Falls: Christmas at the Folsom House, Dec. 4-6, 2009
• Ramsey House, St. Paul: Variety of Christmas events, select dates Dec. 4, 2009-Jan. 3, 2010
• Forest History Center, Grand Rapids: A Logging Camp Christmas, Dec. 5, 2009
• Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Little Falls: A 1918 Christmas with the Lindberghs, Dec. 5, 2009
• Mille Lacs Indian Museum, Onamia: Birch Bark Ornament Workshop, Dec. 5-6, 2009
• Comstock House, Moorhead: Holiday Treats and Tours, Dec. 5-6, 2009
• James J. Hill House, St. Paul: Hill House Holidays, select dates Dec. 6-29, 2009
• Mill City Museum, Minneapolis: An 'Eventually' Christmas, select dates Dec. 18-27, 2009
• Oliver Kelley Farm, Elk River: Christmas on the Farm, Dec. 19-20, 2009
• Minnesota History Center, St. Paul: Kwanzaa Celebration, Dec. 27, 2009

Historical Lectures Discuss Minnesota Inventor Jones, Battle of the Bulge

The Minnesota Historical Society is sponsoring two discussions about historical topics this month; encourage students to attend!

Explore the life and inventions of Minnesota entrepreneur Frederick McKinley Jones, a self-taught engineer who pursued innovations such as mobile refrigeration. Historian and interpreter Dwight Scott will discuss Jones’ innovations and encounters with racial prejudice. This free lecture, held in conjunction with the Benjamin Franklin exhibit, begins at 7 p.m. on Tues., Dec. 8, 2009, at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.

The World War II History Roundtable, a series connected with the Minnesota’s Greatest Generation exhibit, will discuss the 82nd Airborne Division in the Battle of the Bulge at 7 p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 10, 2009. This event, held at Historic Fort Snelling, is open to the public. Admission is free for students and $5.00 for all others.

Science Museum Needs Teacher Input for "Dead Sea Scrolls" Exhibition

In March 2010, the Science Museum of Minnesota will open the exhibition "The Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World."  The museum is looking for a few teachers to review a draft of the exhibition's teacher guide.  Participating teachers will receive a small stipend and expenses, including parking and a light supper, to attend a review meeting at the museum at the beginning of January.  The Science Museum is particularly interested in how the exhibition would align with curricula and whether the suggested activities would fit classroom needs and expectations. World history teachers are encouraged to participate.

Please e-mail Maija Sedzielarz for information, or call 651-221-4554.