Hatfield & McCoy Feud on the History Channel

As you have probably heard, The History Channel will be airing a special on the Hatfields & McCoys beginning on May 31.  The series stars Kevin Costner (Devil Anse Hatfiled), Bill Paxton (Randall McCoy) and many others.

While working in Mingo County over the past few weeks, I have spoken to several people who were interviewed for the series.  They report that the show portrays the events fairly accurately and does not show people from the region in an especially unflattering light.

As a resident of West Virginia, I would suggest that we watch the Hatfields & McCoys.  The previews look excellent.

An interesting article on the Hatfield-McCoy Feud can be found on the West Virginia Archives and History website.

Presentation to the Professional Development Schools Conference

On February 29, 2012, Kellie Wood and Danielle Bray presented our coal project to the statewide conference of Professional Development Schools at Flatwoods, WV conference center.
Their session generated a lot of interest and was well attended. This sort of thing is a great was to showcase the success of our project.
Thumbs up to Danielle & Kellie.

Congrats to Rick Sharpe!

Thumbs up to Rick Sharpe, his team teacher, Carla Snell and their HHS students. They were recently honored in Wasahington, DC at the White House Science Fair!

Rick & Carla's hands-on approach to science and their belief that students can achieve to their expectations make this a well deserved honor.

You can read the story in the Herald Dispatch.

Coal Project in The Parthenon

Our Cabell County Coal Project got some good press on the front page of the Marshall University newspaper, The Parthenon. The story was written by Hilary Freeman, the daughter-in-law of one coal teachers, Steven Freeman.

The article conveyed the purpose and implementation of the project well.

You can read the article HERE.

Reminder that applications for the 2012 Experiential
Learning project, Forestry and Rail Transport, are due to Karen no later than
5:00 pm on February 16, 2012.
We would love for everyone who completed the Coal Project in
2011 to apply for the 2012 project.
Please keep in mind that participation in the 2011 project is not an
automatic indication of acceptance for the 2012 project. Everyone will need to apply.
Applications will be reviewed by a committee and successful
applicants will be notified promptly.
If you did not receive the application from Karen, you can
download it here:
2012 Forestry and Rail Transport Project – Cabell County
Schools/June Harless Center-Marshall University

I will look forward to seeing your application soon.

http://db.tt/N6qZVNAB

Coal Garden

Kellie Wood reminded me that I had promised to post a recipe for a coal garden to our project blog.

I have done these crystal gardens many times and they work every time and the students love to watch it grow and change. This can stimulate so many lessons. Students can explore the chemistry behind the changes taking place on the coal as the crystals form. Another interesting discussion is the "growth" of the crystals. Students can be asked to defend whether the crystals are alive based on the growth.

Other than the coal, the ingredients are available at most grocery stores. If you are younger, you may have never used bluing in laundry. However, bluing is available in laundry areas of many grocery stores, especially older stores.

The easy instructions are HERE.


http://www.easy-homemade-recipes.com/crystal-garden.html

2012 Dates Announced

Applications for the 2012 collaborative project are available to you for preview HERE but will be released to all Cabell County science, math and social studies teachers on February 1.

Classes will be conducted at the Cabell County Central Office computer lab from 3:30 - 6:30 on the following Thursdays:

• March 1
• March 8
• March 15
• March 29

These Thursday classes will be structured much like the classes in 2011 and will include a mix of instruction in science and history, technology and guest speakers.

In addition to the Thursday classes, field work will take place on Saturday, April 21. This session will allow participants to conduct environmental evaluation, including water quality work similar to the 2011 project. A study of local trees will follow in the field.

The culminating field trip is set for July 15-21 and will include stops around the state of importance to the rail and forest products industries.

As with previous projects, applicants must agree to participate in all aspects of the project including the Thursday and Saturday classes, the July culminating experience, development of an educational blog and production of lesson plans that are implemented in the classroom.

While it is hoped that participants from the 2011 Coal Project will apply, please keep in mind that no one is assured a spot in the 2012 Forest and Rail Transport Project. All applicants will be selected on the basis of the application.