Local Resources for Global Education
Chicago has many resources for teachers interested in globalizing their classrooms. So while these may not be "local" to the neighborhood where I teach, they are "local" in the sense that they are within a reasonable drive. Each of the organization's names are hyper-linked, so clicking on them will take you to their websites.
The University of Chicago
The University of Chicago offers several departments which offer Educational Outreach programs providing teachers with Workshops, Institutes, and other classrooms supports for a wide range of International or Cultural issues.
The Center for International Studies
The Center for International studies "sponsors and coordinates a wide variety of activities related to research, teaching, curriculum, and public outreach on global and international topics." The Center for East European and Russian / Eurasian Studies
The Center for East European and Russian / Eurasian Studies "is actively involved in helping educate the public about Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Former Soviet Union and serves as a link between the University of Chicago's specialists and members of the wider community." They offer speakers, resources, and other forms of educational outreach. The Center for South Asian Studies
The Center for South Asian Studies offers a wide range of resources for educators. As well as offering lesson materials and supports, they also have speakers, offer workshops and institutes, cultural events and a lending library. |
Center for East Asian Studies
The Center for East Asian Studies offers lectures, and a large library of East Asian materials. The Center for Latin American Studies
The Center for Latin American Studies offers professional development opportunities for teachers with regards to improve knowledge of Latin American Issues. The Center for Middle Eastern Studies
The Center for Middle Eastern Studies offers a wide range of services to teachers and educational organizations. They have speakers available to visit schools, workshops for professional development, Teacher Guides on a variety of Middle Eastern / Arabic subjects, and other resources for teachers. The International House at the University of Chicago
The International House at the University of Chicago is technically a residence hall. However, the International House offers a "wide array of programs and activities" throughout the year. These programs include music and cultural performances, programs in conjunction with foreign consulates in Chicago, lectures and and language exchanges.
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Chicago Cultural Alliance
The Chicago Cultural Alliance offers many programs, events, and workshops for families, businesses and educational organizations in the Chicago Area. CPDUs are available for teachers who attend their "Heritage Matters" events. There are also many youth programs offered through the Chicago Cultural Alliance. Members of the Alliance include 34 different cultural museums and organizations who work together to increase cross-cultural understandings in the Chicago area.
Chicago Area Museums
The Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago has many resources available for teachers and families to learn about art from various cultures. Their Educator Resource Finder offers online Teacher Manuals, Videos, Thematic Websites and Resource Packets to help teachers create lessons or units around artworks in the Art Institute Collections, including African, Asian, Native American, European, Latin American and other Indigenous art traditions.
The Museum of Science and Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry has several resources available for teachers and families to learn about everything from environmental issues around the world, to clean energy, physical sciences, weather, and technology. They offer workshops in science instruction as well as on more specific topics.
Shedd Aquarium
The Shedd Aquarium offers exhibits on oceans, water systems, and environmental issues on top of having some really incredible fish and other sea-creatures! They offer online training programs to help teachers develop their STEM teaching skills as well as workshops on NOAA, and other science topics.
The Chicago History Museum
The Chicago History Museum may not seem like the most logical place to learn about global issues, however the museum has exhibits and classroom resources that apply to global themes. There is a great collection about the cultural diversity in Chicago neighborhoods, exhibits about topics like Abolition, Progressivism, Civil Rights, and Political Activism. Their "Facing Freedom" series and connected website is an incredible way to connect global issues to local experiences.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is often overlooked, however they have many incredible resources for teachers. They have an incredible collection of materials that can be checked out from the museum's Teacher Leadership Center. They also offer professional development courses in Science Instruction as well as some Custom Professional Development programs. Finally, they even have programs where the museum will come to your classroom.
Illinois Holocaust Museum
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The DuSable Museum of
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Libraries / Research Centers
The Newberry Library
The Newberry Library has many resources and opportunities for teachers. Some of their programs include:
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Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory offers incredibly strong STEM professional development and resource materials for teachers. One of the programs they have is a Sustainability Workshop covering carbon-footprint and environmental issues that can be applied to a global unit.
Fermilab
Fermilab also offers incredibly strong STEM professional development and resource materials for teachers including workshops on the Prairie environment, and energy. These topics can be applied to global units fairly easily.
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Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's)
and Non-Profits
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is "an independent, non-partisan organization committed to educating the public - and influencing public discourse - on global issues of the day." It offers over 150 public and leadership programs each year as well as publishing studies covering a wide variety of topics. While the Chicago Council on Global Affairs is not something you would take your class to, it is a tremendous resource for information on global issues as well as events and programs that you as a professional can attend. In addition, they offer many opportunities for people to get involved in Chicago through fellowships and volunteering.
Some incredible resources from the Chicago Council are: Chicago is the World
Chicago is the World is a media organization dedicated to providing "a wide audience to Chicago’s diverse ethnic community and culture through its news outlets, cultural activities, leaders and institutions." The Chicago is the World blog provides information about global issues and how they are affecting people here in Chicago. They also have a directory of ethnic media in the Chicago area including African-American, Latin American, European-American, and Asian-American TV channels, radio stations, newspapers, magazines and blogs.
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Peace Corps - World Wise Schools
While the Peace Corps is a national organization, they offer opportunities to invite a returned Peace Corps volunteer to come to your classroom as a Speaker. In addition, they offer classroom resources such as lesson plans, publications, and even the opportunity to correspond with active Peace Corps Volunteers around the world.
United Nations Association
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Zoos
Brookfield Zoo
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Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo has "one of the largest zoo-based conservation and science programs in the country." As such, it is a tremendous resource for teachers covering topics such as environmental issues, conservation, global ecosystems, and research. On top of the many research centers that provide valuable resources for teachers, they also offer Professional Development, Curriculum Guides, and even an i-pad app to help students learn to participate in independent research.
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