Trenton, NJ, June 5, 2009 - A new web-based social studies curriculum that includes the integral part African-Americans have played in US history was announced by New Jersey Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells, Esq. and the Amistad Commission during a press conference at the New Jersey State Museum today. The website will be officially launched at the annual Amistad Commission statewide conference on June 6, 2009.
The conference will feature a demonstration of the new curriculum web site, focus on the utilization of the web-based curriculum in the classroom and provide practical applications and teaching methods for educators. Approximately 150 educators are expected to attend the conference, which will be held from 10 am to 2 pm on June 6, at Rutgers University New Brunswick, Busch Campus Center.
"I am especially proud that New Jersey leads the nation with the debut of a new prototype for a web-based social studies curriculum that details African American influence, history, and accomplishments. This highly anticipated web-based curriculum is the culmination of State legislation requiring African American content be a part of all social studies in every classroom throughout the state," said Secretary Wells.
"This is the first undertaking of its kind in the country and was created in partnership with the New Jersey Amistad Commission Curriculum Committee and the American Institute for History Education. We would also like to extend our appreciation to Commissioner of Education Lucille Davy and the New Jersey Department of Education staff for their support and assistance. We would also like to thank Governor Corzine for his support of this effort, the Amistad Commissioners in their tireless efforts, and Amistad Commissioner William D. Payne for introducing this pivotal piece of legislation in 2002," added Secretary Wells.
The Amistad Commission undertook the development of a comprehensive Amistad curriculum in response to the need for a sample program that fully illuminates the legislated Social Studies course of study, and to ensure that New Jersey teachers are equipped to effectively teach the revised social studies core curriculum content standards. The Amistad Bill (A1301), which became law in 2002, calls on New Jersey schools to incorporate African-American history into their social studies curriculum. This legislation also created the 23-member Amistad Commission, charged with ensuring that African-American history, content and experiences are adequately taught in the state's classrooms.
"This web-based curriculum is going to be an extraordinary resource for teachers," said Education Commissioner Lucille E. Davy. "It is a great example of using new technology to make these landmark events and heroic figures in African American history come alive for today's students. The Amistad Commission and the Department of Education and American Institute for History Education staffs who worked on this innovative project should be congratulated."
The K-12 social studies curriculum is available online at no cost to all New Jersey teachers at: www.NJAmistadCurriculum.com. The curriculum consists of 12 units of study, prepared by time periods as specified in the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Social Studies; and includes historical overviews, lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, biographies, interactive maps, interactive timelines, primary source documents and classroom activities for students in each respective grade. All of the elements utilize a consistent, user-friendly format.
The Amistad Commission is also providing course pacing for K-12, lesson plan templates, sample lessons plans, rubrics for replication. The activities and resources are designed to be used in all Social Studies classes K-12 as well as interdisciplinary courses and will be infused into elementary, middle school and high school American history courses, language arts courses, art courses, music courses, etc. in all 619 school districts. Later phases will include video and audio recordings, and music.
Located in Swedesboro, NJ, American Institute for History Education is an organization dedicated to providing engaging historical content and activities for teachers to use in their classrooms that will dramatically increase students' comprehension of historical events, personalities, issues, and trends with tools such as CICERO: History Beyond the TextbookTM, a multi-media classroom tool for teaching American History.
The American Institute for History Education's CICERO recently received a 2009 CODiE Award for outstanding achievement and vision in the software, digital information and education from the Software and Information Industry Association in the category "Best Social Studies Solution." CICERO is an educational and professional development tool available to social studies teachers entirely online. With interdisciplinary methods, interactive games and resources, this web site delivers a complete digital toolbox for teaching history well beyond the textbook. CICERO will dramatically increase students' comprehension of historical events, personalities, issues, and trends.
About the Amistad Commission
The Department of State's Amistad Commission ensures that the Department of Education and public schools of New Jersey implement materials and texts which integrate the history and contributions of African-Americans and the descendants of the African Diaspora.
