2008 NCSS Grant for the Enhancement of Geographic Literacy Guidelines and Criteria
National Council for the Social Studies honors annually the outstanding performance of teachers, researchers, and other worthy individuals and programs, and has encouraged unique and innovative social studies education projects through its award and grant programs. NCSS serves as an umbrella organization for elementary, secondary, and college educators of social studies; teacher educators; researchers; curriculum designers; and curriculum specialists. The Council engages and supports educators in strengthening and advocating social studies.
Sponsored by:
- National Council for the Social Studies
- Nystrom Herff Jones Education Division
Frequency:
Award:
- $2,500
- Commemorative gift
- Annual Conference presentation session
- Publicity
Purpose:
To promote geography education in the schools; to enhance the geographic literacy of students at the classroom, district, or statewide level; and to encourage the integration of geography into the social studies curriculum/classroom.
Criteria:
- Sound rationale and appropriate methods for incorporating the study of geography into the social studies curricula.
- Specific plans for enhancing geographic literacy.
- Feasibility of program implementation.
- Number of teachers and students served.
- Potential for program continuation or its effects after initial implementation.
- Incorporation of the National Geography Standards as identified in Geography for Life, the "Fundamental Themes in Geography", and appropriate sections of Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies.
Eligibility:
- Programs, not individuals, individual lessons or units, which will enhance the geographic literacy of students at the classroom, district, or statewide levels. Recipients may be individuals or groups in school districts, public institutions, or universities.
- Proposals from individuals having already received this grant may be considered after three-years from the last time they received this grant.
Proposal Requirements:
- Cover page (download here)
- Abstract
- Double-spaced.
- 150-200 words (maximum).
- The program abstract should contain a clear and concise statement of the program's objective, briefly describe or summarize program activities, and identify the populations served
- Proposal - Five pages, double spaced (maximum).
- Concise rationale statement.
- Complete program description that highlights specific geography skills and knowledge that will be introduced or reinforced.
- Number of teachers and students served.
- Specific criteria for and means of evaluating program effectiveness.
- Statement of potential program impact after the first year.
- Specific line-item budget for $2,500 program grant.
- Vitae or professional resume - for all key persons involved in the implementation of the grant.
Submission Requirements
- Seven (7) sets of all information listed above under Proposal Requirements
- Each set of nomination materials should be in a three-ring binder or similar binder that contains subject dividers that identify materials by the nomination requirement headings listed above under Proposal Requirements
Review the contents of your submission carefully! The subcommittee will consider composition, spelling, grammar, etc. in the evaluation process. Application materials that are incomplete or that do not meet the established award criteria requirements will not be considered. The selection subcommittee reserves the right to remove from consideration any application that fails to meet all submission requirements. All Subcommittee Award Selection Decisions Are Final!
Recipient Responsibility:
- The grant recipient will be expected to participate in a one hour grant writing session at the NCSS Annual Conference in which the recipient will discuss the successful grant writing process.
- In the year following grant implementation, the grant recipient will be expected to participate in a one hour session at the NCSS Annual Conference, in which the recipient will report on the implementation of the project and offer evidence of its success.
For more information on NCSS Awards and Grants, contact Prema Parmar, Program Manager
at excellence@ncss.org or 301-588-1800, ext. 106
**
Deadline: Postmarked by March 21, 2008**
Send to:
Grant for the Enhancement of Geographic Literacy
National Council for the Social Studies
8555 Sixteenth Street, Suite 500, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
