E-mporium

Picturing America is a free resource that can be readily used in every classroom and public library in the country.  The National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) new Picturing America initiative provides an innovative way for citizens off all ages to explore the history and character of America through some of our nation’s greatest works of art. 

 Images of people, places, and events illustrating American history give citizens everywhere a chance to better understand our country’s past and its ideals.  From the courage and leadership portrayed in Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware to the power of American democracy illustrated in Norman Rockwell’s Freedom of Speech, these works of art represent enduring American ideals.  These masterpieces open the viewer’s eyes to America’s rich history and culture, while also providing an introduction to the broader world of the humanities.

Picturing America is available to all eligible public, private, parochial, and charter and home school consortia (K-12), as well as public libraries in the United States and its territories.  These organizations will receive a set of 40 high-quality reproductions (approximately 24″x36″) of great American art and a teachers resource book.

Detailed instructions for submitting an application may be found on the Picturing America Web site, http://picturingamerica.neh.gov/ .  The online application will be accepted through April 15.

MACUL Leadership has been asked to help a non-profit organization find interested schools that would like to be part of a Second Life pilot.  The grant would fund a very creative and educational project in the Second Life environment.

 All costs would be paid by the non-profit organization.  Technical requirement specifications for Second Life are posted at: http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.php

If you have an interested teacher who would like to be considered for the Second Life pilot, please contact Ric Wiltse at MACUL (rwiltse@macul.org)

Information needed – teacher’s name, school, email address; grade level of class(es) involved; does school qualify for free lunch or USF funding; and any other pertinent information that would make this pilot successful.

The Mt. Vernon Ladies Association is working to promote George Washington by placing his picture back in schools across the country.  The portrait known as a “porthole portrait” is free and will be sent to schools who order it.  As George Washington’s birthday approaches, historians have grown concerned that today’s children have limited factual knowledge of George Washington and his presidency.  By placing a portrait of George Washington in the schools, historians hope to raise interest regarding our first president, his life and his presidency.

To request a portrait for your school, please have your principal send a letter on the school’s letterhead to the address listed below.  Your letter should include a description of the place you plan to hang the portrait and the school’s street address for UPS deliveries.  If requesting a poster for George Washington’s Birthday, please have your letters in by February 8, 2008.

To order send to:

Ann Bay

Associate Director for Education

P.O. Box 110

Mount Vernon, VA  22121

For more information visit http://mountvernon.org