News and Professional Development Activities
for Illinois Social Studies Teachers
for Illinois Social Studies Teachers
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Social Studies News and Opportunities
As the state affiliate of the National History Day program, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum oversees the Illinois History Day competitions across the state each year. Seeking to cultivate the growth and development of young historians, while also inspiring a love of history, Illinois History Day encourages students to choose a topic related to National History Day’s , conduct research on the topic, and present their findings in one of five categories: Research Paper, Exhibit, Documentary, Performance, or Website.
Illinois students compete in two divisions, Junior (6th-8th grade) and Senior (9th -12th), across four regions -- Northern, Central, Southern, and Chicago Metro. Within each of these regions, students participate in local and regional competitions to determine who will advance to the state competition held in Springfield each spring. Students who rank highest at the state competition advance to the competition at the University of Maryland. At the national competition, Illinois students compete against students from 57 other affiliate National History Day states or regions.
To stay up to date on this program please keep an eye on the page and feel free to email the Affiliate Coordinator at .
Lincoln Home National Historic Site offers a variety of classroom resources for teachers, including . For more information about ,
Travel the world affordably, earn professional development credit, and bring global understanding into your classroom!
Founded in 2007, is a 501c3 non-profit organization that has sent over 3000 teachers abroad on adventurous travel programs. GEEO's purpose is giving educators enjoyable travel experiences that not only educate them but also reinvigorate them. At the end of this incredibly difficult school year, you are going to need and deserve a vacation. GEEO hopes to be able to provide this for you next summer, assuming it is safe to travel.
With GEEO educators can earn professional development credit and optional graduate credit while seeing the world. GEEO's trips are 5 to 23 days in length and are designed and discounted to be interesting and affordable for teachers. In addition to amazing tour leaders, many of the programs are accompanied by university faculty that are experts on the destination. GEEO also provides teachers educational materials and the structure to help them bring their experiences into the classroom. The trips are open to all nationalities of K-12 and university educators, administrators, retired educators, as well as educators’ guests.
GEEO offers programs to: Iceland, Morocco, Egypt, Canada, USA, Galápagos Islands, Mt. Kilimajaro, Spain, Jordan, Ethiopia, Bhutan, Central Europe, Central Asia, Peru, Southern Africa, Maldives, Balkans, Southeastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Armenia and Georgia, Ireland, Greece, Baltics, India, and Nepal.
The deposit is $350 for each program and then the final payment is due 60 days before departure. If the trip isn’t safe to run, you will be able to move that deposit to a different program or keep it on file to use in the future. Detailed information about each trip, including itineraries, costs, travel dates, and more can be found at . GEEO can be reached 7 days a week, toll-free at between 9 AM-9 PM EST.
Founded in 2007, is a 501c3 non-profit organization that has sent over 3000 teachers abroad on adventurous travel programs. GEEO's purpose is giving educators enjoyable travel experiences that not only educate them but also reinvigorate them. At the end of this incredibly difficult school year, you are going to need and deserve a vacation. GEEO hopes to be able to provide this for you next summer, assuming it is safe to travel.
With GEEO educators can earn professional development credit and optional graduate credit while seeing the world. GEEO's trips are 5 to 23 days in length and are designed and discounted to be interesting and affordable for teachers. In addition to amazing tour leaders, many of the programs are accompanied by university faculty that are experts on the destination. GEEO also provides teachers educational materials and the structure to help them bring their experiences into the classroom. The trips are open to all nationalities of K-12 and university educators, administrators, retired educators, as well as educators’ guests.
GEEO offers programs to: Iceland, Morocco, Egypt, Canada, USA, Galápagos Islands, Mt. Kilimajaro, Spain, Jordan, Ethiopia, Bhutan, Central Europe, Central Asia, Peru, Southern Africa, Maldives, Balkans, Southeastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Armenia and Georgia, Ireland, Greece, Baltics, India, and Nepal.
The deposit is $350 for each program and then the final payment is due 60 days before departure. If the trip isn’t safe to run, you will be able to move that deposit to a different program or keep it on file to use in the future. Detailed information about each trip, including itineraries, costs, travel dates, and more can be found at . GEEO can be reached 7 days a week, toll-free at between 9 AM-9 PM EST.
A common misconception about C-SPAN programming is that we only feature coverage of the U.S. House and Senate. While we are certainly known for our gavel-to-gavel coverage of Congress when they are in session, this year marks the 10th anniversary of our programming that airs each weekend on C-SPAN3.
This summer our three mined our archive of history programming to create and organize Bell Ringers and other resources that relate specifically to state history, showcasing historical events for all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The content is organized alphabetically by state on our new page.
Want your students to view our Lessons and Bell Ringers at home or on their individual devices? Consider creating a generic account for your classes to use, or use the following log-in:
Username: students
Password: C-SPANCLASSROOM
For resources from all 50 states, visit our page, but below is a sampling of some of our state-specific resources:
This summer our three mined our archive of history programming to create and organize Bell Ringers and other resources that relate specifically to state history, showcasing historical events for all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The content is organized alphabetically by state on our new page.
Want your students to view our Lessons and Bell Ringers at home or on their individual devices? Consider creating a generic account for your classes to use, or use the following log-in:
Username: students
Password: C-SPANCLASSROOM
For resources from all 50 states, visit our page, but below is a sampling of some of our state-specific resources:
- Bell Ringer: (2 Clips)
- Bell Ringer: (4:23)
- Bell Ringer: (2 Clips)
- Bell Ringer: (4:15)
- Bell Ringer: (2:46)
- Bell Ringer: (17:20)
- Bell Ringer: (3:48)
- Bell Ringer: (3:16)
- Bell Ringer: (4:57)
- Bell Ringer: (4:40)
- Bell Ringer: (6:54)
- Bell Ringer: (3:37)
- Bell Ringer: (3:40)
- Bell Ringer: (7:28)
Transcribe the military records of African American soldiers in the American Civil War
recently launched a new workflow to complete the transcription of the military records of all Black men who fought for the Union army, beginning with the famous 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments. Read on to see how you can get involved!
Last year Zooniverse volunteers transcribed the records of a sample of 40,000 members of the United States Colored Troops (USCT), the African American soldiers who fought for their freedom in the American Civil War. Due to the enthusiasm and commitment of these volunteers we completed the sample ahead of schedule. Today we are launching a new site to transcribe the records of the rest of the USCT and make them all freely available to scholars, genealogists and members of the public. We have divided the remaining soldiers based on their state of enlistment, and will be launching each new batch of records state-by-state.
We are starting with the members of the 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments, whose bravery at Fort Wager was immortalized in the 1989 film Glory. The 54th regiment was the first regiment made up of free Black men to be raised in the Northern states after the Emancipation Proclamation. The tragic and courageous fight at the battle of Fort Wagner, in which both regiments fought, marked a significant loss of life for the Union but showcased the bravery and honor of African American soldiers.
By visiting our project and transcribing these mens' records you can help preserve their memory and build an invaluable database for African American genealogists and historians. On our new workflow we have revamped and streamlined the transcription process. Through the use of pre-filled dropdown menus, an improved database of place names, and a fast-paced tagging system for the complex remarks field, the time it takes to transcribe a single soldier’s record has been cut in half. We hope that the new workflow will help us complete and publish our database in much less time.
Go try it out and see for yourself: visit today to get started!
Thanks, and happy transcribing!
John & the African American Civil War Soldiers team
recently launched a new workflow to complete the transcription of the military records of all Black men who fought for the Union army, beginning with the famous 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments. Read on to see how you can get involved!
Last year Zooniverse volunteers transcribed the records of a sample of 40,000 members of the United States Colored Troops (USCT), the African American soldiers who fought for their freedom in the American Civil War. Due to the enthusiasm and commitment of these volunteers we completed the sample ahead of schedule. Today we are launching a new site to transcribe the records of the rest of the USCT and make them all freely available to scholars, genealogists and members of the public. We have divided the remaining soldiers based on their state of enlistment, and will be launching each new batch of records state-by-state.
We are starting with the members of the 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments, whose bravery at Fort Wager was immortalized in the 1989 film Glory. The 54th regiment was the first regiment made up of free Black men to be raised in the Northern states after the Emancipation Proclamation. The tragic and courageous fight at the battle of Fort Wagner, in which both regiments fought, marked a significant loss of life for the Union but showcased the bravery and honor of African American soldiers.
By visiting our project and transcribing these mens' records you can help preserve their memory and build an invaluable database for African American genealogists and historians. On our new workflow we have revamped and streamlined the transcription process. Through the use of pre-filled dropdown menus, an improved database of place names, and a fast-paced tagging system for the complex remarks field, the time it takes to transcribe a single soldier’s record has been cut in half. We hope that the new workflow will help us complete and publish our database in much less time.
Go try it out and see for yourself: visit today to get started!
Thanks, and happy transcribing!
John & the African American Civil War Soldiers team
New eBook
An Upstream Battle: John Parker's Personal War on Slavery
An Upstream Battle: John Parker's Personal War on Slavery, brings to life the exciting true story of John Parker, an African American businessman who helped hundreds of runaway slaves cross the Ohio River to freedom. Well known in southern Ohio during his lifetime, Parker's contribution to American history was all but lost for more than a hundred years. Now this inspiring story, based on Parker's autobiography, is available in a form suitable for young readers.
An Upstream Battle is currently available on Amazon ($2.99/ebook, $9.99/paperback), but the ebook will be available for free May 15-19. You can find this offer on the Amazon website by typing "An Upstream Battle: John Parker" into the search field or by clicking .
Additional curriculum materials related to An Upstream Battle are in development and a teacher's discount (20% off the list price) will be offered over the summer. Questions or comments about this offer or to request information about additional promotional offers may be addressed to Anne Stanton at .
An Upstream Battle: John Parker's Personal War on Slavery
An Upstream Battle: John Parker's Personal War on Slavery, brings to life the exciting true story of John Parker, an African American businessman who helped hundreds of runaway slaves cross the Ohio River to freedom. Well known in southern Ohio during his lifetime, Parker's contribution to American history was all but lost for more than a hundred years. Now this inspiring story, based on Parker's autobiography, is available in a form suitable for young readers.
An Upstream Battle is currently available on Amazon ($2.99/ebook, $9.99/paperback), but the ebook will be available for free May 15-19. You can find this offer on the Amazon website by typing "An Upstream Battle: John Parker" into the search field or by clicking .
Additional curriculum materials related to An Upstream Battle are in development and a teacher's discount (20% off the list price) will be offered over the summer. Questions or comments about this offer or to request information about additional promotional offers may be addressed to Anne Stanton at .
New Transcription Project: Scribes of the Cairo Geniza
is an international collaboration led by the Penn Libraries in partnership with universities, libraries, and scholars to sort and transcribe thousands of medieval fragments. A geniza is a storeroom or repository for old, used, and damaged sacred texts in the Jewish tradition. The Cairo Geniza (whose contents mostly date from the 10th-13th centuries CE) is an important source for learning about the social, economic, political, and religious lives of Jews and other inhabitants of the Mediterranean world. Hidden for centuries in an attic in Cairo, over 300,000 fragments of pre-modern and medieval Jewish texts—from everyday receipts to biblical works—have yet to be fully deciphered. Scholars who study these texts come away with a transformed sense of the history of the region, and we hope you do too!
This is your chance to work with others to unlock the secrets of one of the greatest archives of the Middle Ages! In the first step of the project, volunteers sort fragmentsinto Hebrew or Arabic script. In the second step, volunteers transcribe easy-to-read Hebrew and Arabic fragments. Zooniverse designed an interface that allows someone with no experience in these languages to transcribe fragments. Everyone can try their hand with the #genizascribes!
Help us transcribe these fragments from the Cairo Geniza at . You can also join us on the Talk boards to ask questions, discuss what you’re seeing, and be a part of the community. Come learn the history of everyday lives of medieval Jews, Christians, and Muslims!
Scribes of the Cairo Geniza partners include the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, the Princeton Geniza Lab, the e-Lijah Lab and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research of the Cairo Genizah at the University of Haifa, the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Genizah Research Unit at Cambridge University Library, The University of Manchester Library, the Bodleian Libraries at University of Oxford, and the Zooniverse community.
is an international collaboration led by the Penn Libraries in partnership with universities, libraries, and scholars to sort and transcribe thousands of medieval fragments. A geniza is a storeroom or repository for old, used, and damaged sacred texts in the Jewish tradition. The Cairo Geniza (whose contents mostly date from the 10th-13th centuries CE) is an important source for learning about the social, economic, political, and religious lives of Jews and other inhabitants of the Mediterranean world. Hidden for centuries in an attic in Cairo, over 300,000 fragments of pre-modern and medieval Jewish texts—from everyday receipts to biblical works—have yet to be fully deciphered. Scholars who study these texts come away with a transformed sense of the history of the region, and we hope you do too!
This is your chance to work with others to unlock the secrets of one of the greatest archives of the Middle Ages! In the first step of the project, volunteers sort fragmentsinto Hebrew or Arabic script. In the second step, volunteers transcribe easy-to-read Hebrew and Arabic fragments. Zooniverse designed an interface that allows someone with no experience in these languages to transcribe fragments. Everyone can try their hand with the #genizascribes!
Help us transcribe these fragments from the Cairo Geniza at . You can also join us on the Talk boards to ask questions, discuss what you’re seeing, and be a part of the community. Come learn the history of everyday lives of medieval Jews, Christians, and Muslims!
Scribes of the Cairo Geniza partners include the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, the Princeton Geniza Lab, the e-Lijah Lab and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research of the Cairo Genizah at the University of Haifa, the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Genizah Research Unit at Cambridge University Library, The University of Manchester Library, the Bodleian Libraries at University of Oxford, and the Zooniverse community.
Government and Guns Part I: Seize the Teaching Moment
from blog by Dan Fouts
Sometimes Big Questions don’t direct learning; they emerge from it.
Lost in thought and feelings of despair over the latest tragedy in Florida, I decided to ditch my regularly scheduled government programming and opt instead to hold a on gun control. My classroom will become the Senate Judiciary Committee considering a bill called the This bill passed the House of Representatives in the fall and is slated for debate in the Senate this spring. In a nutshell, the bill says that any person from a state which has legalized concealed carry can travel into any state which has outlawed the practice. Essentially then, should this bill become law, a person’s right to concealed carry would have to be honored by all 50 states. Students assume the roles of actual Senate Judiciary Committee members who question other students who are playing the role of interest group representatives giving testimony on their positions for and against the bill.
With this latest tragedy fresh in the minds of legislators, the chances of this bill passing the Senate are slim. Yet, this activity is a valuable chance to explore why it is so hard for our society to agree on gun issues. Also, this is a golden opportunity to dive deeper into how all aspects of our government work together to try to address problems.
Consider just some of the areas of government touched by this issue:
What about the Big Questions?
After the simulation is over, each student will generate a Big Question about the gun issue which emerged as a result of what they learned during the simulation. It’s hard to predict exactly what the students will want to ask but I’m confident the questions will lend fresh perspectives on an issue whose resolution is long overdue.
In the next post I will share some of their Big Questions!
If you try this activity out, let me know how it goes!
from blog by Dan Fouts
from blog by Dan Fouts
Sometimes Big Questions don’t direct learning; they emerge from it.
Lost in thought and feelings of despair over the latest tragedy in Florida, I decided to ditch my regularly scheduled government programming and opt instead to hold a on gun control. My classroom will become the Senate Judiciary Committee considering a bill called the This bill passed the House of Representatives in the fall and is slated for debate in the Senate this spring. In a nutshell, the bill says that any person from a state which has legalized concealed carry can travel into any state which has outlawed the practice. Essentially then, should this bill become law, a person’s right to concealed carry would have to be honored by all 50 states. Students assume the roles of actual Senate Judiciary Committee members who question other students who are playing the role of interest group representatives giving testimony on their positions for and against the bill.
With this latest tragedy fresh in the minds of legislators, the chances of this bill passing the Senate are slim. Yet, this activity is a valuable chance to explore why it is so hard for our society to agree on gun issues. Also, this is a golden opportunity to dive deeper into how all aspects of our government work together to try to address problems.
Consider just some of the areas of government touched by this issue:
- Civil liberties (2nd Amendment)
- Supreme Court ( and )
- Congress (bicameral legislature, filibuster, hearing, committees, mark-up)
- Political parties and ideology (liberal, conservative, polarization, single-issue voters, party discipline)
- Interest groups (information, advocacy, upper-class bias)
- Campaigns and Elections (Pacs and SuperPacs, Citizens United, FEC)
- Federalism (full-faith and credit clause, 10th Amendment, 14th Amendment selective incorporation)
- Presidency (informal/formal powers, executive orders)
What about the Big Questions?
After the simulation is over, each student will generate a Big Question about the gun issue which emerged as a result of what they learned during the simulation. It’s hard to predict exactly what the students will want to ask but I’m confident the questions will lend fresh perspectives on an issue whose resolution is long overdue.
In the next post I will share some of their Big Questions!
If you try this activity out, let me know how it goes!
from blog by Dan Fouts
Illinois Mock Trial Teams
The Illinois Trial Team is a highly competitive collegiate mock trial team representing the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Having competed in the national collegiate mock trial tournament this past year, the team is composed of some of the top competitors in the collegiate mock trial circuit, and is coached by real attorneys and law school faculty alike. The team is currently in the process of developing a high school mock trial clinic aimed at giving Illinois competitors the opportunity to learn the skills and techniques which have led to our team’s success, including various tournament wins, attorney awards, and witness awards. This year, we plan on holding a reduced fee pilot program in preparation for a larger clinic next year. We are looking to receive feedback which will help shape our program, as well as gauge interest. If you are interested, please fill out the Google Form below. Any other questions regarding the program can be addressed to Vanessa Aceves at . Your feedback is much appreciated!
Link to feedback survey:
Jack Duffley
Illinois Trial Team | President
Katy Karayannis
Illinois State Bar Association | High School Mock Trial Invitational
Mock Trial Coordinator
The Illinois Trial Team is a highly competitive collegiate mock trial team representing the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Having competed in the national collegiate mock trial tournament this past year, the team is composed of some of the top competitors in the collegiate mock trial circuit, and is coached by real attorneys and law school faculty alike. The team is currently in the process of developing a high school mock trial clinic aimed at giving Illinois competitors the opportunity to learn the skills and techniques which have led to our team’s success, including various tournament wins, attorney awards, and witness awards. This year, we plan on holding a reduced fee pilot program in preparation for a larger clinic next year. We are looking to receive feedback which will help shape our program, as well as gauge interest. If you are interested, please fill out the Google Form below. Any other questions regarding the program can be addressed to Vanessa Aceves at . Your feedback is much appreciated!
Link to feedback survey:
Jack Duffley
Illinois Trial Team | President
Katy Karayannis
Illinois State Bar Association | High School Mock Trial Invitational
Mock Trial Coordinator
We need your help to turn our collection of handwritten correspondence between anti-slavery activists in the 19th century into texts that can be more easily read and researched by students, teachers, historians, and big data applications. In this project, we’re asking our volunteers to help transcribe Boston Public Library’s extensive collection of handwritten correspondence between anti-slavery activists in the 19th century into texts that can be more easily read and researched by students, teachers, historians, and big data applications.
Get involved right now at !
is the premiere source for Holocaust education and professional development which utilizes the unparalleled expertise and resources from three world leaders in education: the Anti-Defamation League, USC Shoah Foundation, and Yad Vashem, to empower teachers and students with the insight needed to question the past and foresight to impact the future.
They offer an array of , which are also free.
They offer an array of , which are also free.
WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources is a cost-free academic Internet directory that is part of the volunteer-run WWW Virtual Library System, with over 2000 carefully selected, annotated links in 34 international affairs categories. It is frequently maintained, receives worldwide use daily, and is designed for teachers, scholars, students, researchers, diplomats, and the interested public, among others.
This Virtual Library would be useful to high school social studies and foreign language teachers. This directory is supported by Elizabethtown College, PA, USA and has recently relocated to . All external links to any former URLs of this site since 1999 will automatically be forwarded to the new URLs.
Users of this Virtual library can identify cost-free, authoritative, reliable, ongoing sources of statistics, information, and analysis in International Studies, worthy of regular consultation, and also benefit from general tips for more effective Internet use in academics and in serious international studies research. Please note the “Tips for Quality Internet Research in International Studies” section on the index page.
The site is linked on hundreds of library, university, governmental, military, NGO, and IGO websites, including Oxford University’s Bodleian Library () and Sciences Po (), France’s top Political Science program. With the search term “resources for international relations students,” as well as several others, it is usually in the Top Ten on Google. Individual pages are also well-ranked under their relevant search terms. It was recently noted at and .
This Virtual Library would be useful to high school social studies and foreign language teachers. This directory is supported by Elizabethtown College, PA, USA and has recently relocated to . All external links to any former URLs of this site since 1999 will automatically be forwarded to the new URLs.
Users of this Virtual library can identify cost-free, authoritative, reliable, ongoing sources of statistics, information, and analysis in International Studies, worthy of regular consultation, and also benefit from general tips for more effective Internet use in academics and in serious international studies research. Please note the “Tips for Quality Internet Research in International Studies” section on the index page.
The site is linked on hundreds of library, university, governmental, military, NGO, and IGO websites, including Oxford University’s Bodleian Library () and Sciences Po (), France’s top Political Science program. With the search term “resources for international relations students,” as well as several others, it is usually in the Top Ten on Google. Individual pages are also well-ranked under their relevant search terms. It was recently noted at and .
Founded in 2011, The Center for Reflective Citizenship (CRC) is a unit of UTC’s College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies. The CRC is dedicated to the revitalization of civic education in American schools and universities, and the equipping of a new generation of thoughtful citizens for the practice of democracy. The CRC, directed by Lucien Ellington, has an interdisciplinary focus.
Learn about our first extensive digital publication for teachers: 2017 Faculty Fellow American History and Government Teaching Modules!
The instructional modules, available at no charge, encompass a variety of significant themes, but all modules share the following commonalities:
For a succinct overview of the ten teaching modules, please see our module digest 2017 Faculty Fellow American History and Government Teaching Modules Digest.
Complete modules may be accessed at
Learn about our first extensive digital publication for teachers: 2017 Faculty Fellow American History and Government Teaching Modules!
The instructional modules, available at no charge, encompass a variety of significant themes, but all modules share the following commonalities:
- An emphasis upon rich and intellectually engaging American history and government content
- Are designed to be taught in two-four hours of class time.
- Include exemplary digital resources and practical pedagogical strategies
- Fellows first taught extensive early versions of their modules and subsequently made modifications
- Faculty Fellows working with CRC staff further refined and augmented all modules
- Modules are focused but flexible; revisions resulted in more instructional options
For a succinct overview of the ten teaching modules, please see our module digest 2017 Faculty Fellow American History and Government Teaching Modules Digest.
Complete modules may be accessed at
Beyond Words
Library of Congress Transcription Project
The Library of Congress invites you to help us in the effort to take newspapers . Join us to identify and improve information about illustrated newspapers in the Chronicling America digital collection. This brand new pilot project offers you the opportunity to explore historical newspaper coverage of World War I and contribute to Library of Congress collections at the same time.
This project from is an experiment in crowdsourcing and community engagement. Our goals are to gather more structured and usable metadata about the illustrations, comics, cartoons, and photographs in these newspapers; and to learn how to better connect to people who are interested in our collections.
To help us reach our goal -- and to help ensure accuracy -- we've broken the work into 3 free-standing tasks. These tasks follow a sequence, but they can be performed independently. Feel free to focus on the one you enjoy the most!
The information that is created through this project is being made available for download as and for exploration via keyword search in the .
Library of Congress Transcription Project
The Library of Congress invites you to help us in the effort to take newspapers . Join us to identify and improve information about illustrated newspapers in the Chronicling America digital collection. This brand new pilot project offers you the opportunity to explore historical newspaper coverage of World War I and contribute to Library of Congress collections at the same time.
This project from is an experiment in crowdsourcing and community engagement. Our goals are to gather more structured and usable metadata about the illustrations, comics, cartoons, and photographs in these newspapers; and to learn how to better connect to people who are interested in our collections.
To help us reach our goal -- and to help ensure accuracy -- we've broken the work into 3 free-standing tasks. These tasks follow a sequence, but they can be performed independently. Feel free to focus on the one you enjoy the most!
The information that is created through this project is being made available for download as and for exploration via keyword search in the .
Travel the world affordably, earn professional development credit, and bring global understanding into your classroom!
Founded in 2007, Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that has sent over 3000 teachers abroad on adventurous travel programs. With GEEO educators can earn professional development and graduate credit while seeing the world. GEEO's trips are 5 to 23 days in length and are designed and discounted to be interesting and affordable for teachers. In addition to amazing tour leaders, many of the programs are accompanied by university faculty that are experts on the destination. The deposit is $350 for each program and then the final payment is due 60 days before departure. From now until September 30th many of the programs are on sale for 5% off the normal price.
GEEO also provides teachers educational materials and the structure to help them bring their experiences into the classroom. The trips are open to all nationalities of K-12 and university educators, administrators, retired educators, as well as educators’ guests.
GEEO is offering the following travel programs for 2020: Iceland, Morocco, Egypt, Qatar and Oman, Galápagos Islands, Chile and Argentina, W-Trek, Colombia, Spain, Jordan, Ethiopia, Bhutan, Portugal, Camino de Santiago, Japan, Paris to Rome, Central Europe, Vietnam and Cambodia, Multi-Stan, Peru, Southern Africa, Maldives, Bolivia, Balkans, Budapest to Bulgaria, Bangkok to Hanoi, Armenia and Georgia, Ireland, Greece, Baltics, New Zealand, and India and Nepal. The registration deadline is June 1st, but space is limited and many programs will be full well before the deadline.
Detailed information about each trip, including itineraries, costs, travel dates, and more can be found at . GEEO can be reached 7 days a week, toll-free at between 9 AM-9 PM EST.
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Founded in 2007, Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that has sent over 3000 teachers abroad on adventurous travel programs. With GEEO educators can earn professional development and graduate credit while seeing the world. GEEO's trips are 5 to 23 days in length and are designed and discounted to be interesting and affordable for teachers. In addition to amazing tour leaders, many of the programs are accompanied by university faculty that are experts on the destination. The deposit is $350 for each program and then the final payment is due 60 days before departure. From now until September 30th many of the programs are on sale for 5% off the normal price.
GEEO also provides teachers educational materials and the structure to help them bring their experiences into the classroom. The trips are open to all nationalities of K-12 and university educators, administrators, retired educators, as well as educators’ guests.
GEEO is offering the following travel programs for 2020: Iceland, Morocco, Egypt, Qatar and Oman, Galápagos Islands, Chile and Argentina, W-Trek, Colombia, Spain, Jordan, Ethiopia, Bhutan, Portugal, Camino de Santiago, Japan, Paris to Rome, Central Europe, Vietnam and Cambodia, Multi-Stan, Peru, Southern Africa, Maldives, Bolivia, Balkans, Budapest to Bulgaria, Bangkok to Hanoi, Armenia and Georgia, Ireland, Greece, Baltics, New Zealand, and India and Nepal. The registration deadline is June 1st, but space is limited and many programs will be full well before the deadline.
Detailed information about each trip, including itineraries, costs, travel dates, and more can be found at . GEEO can be reached 7 days a week, toll-free at between 9 AM-9 PM EST.
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Big Questions Blog from ICSS member Dan Fouts.
This blog celebrates the power of . Discover lucid examples of Big Questions and resources that inspire teachers & students.
Dan has been teaching high school in the Chicagoland area since 1993 using Big Questions in his AP Government, US history and philosophy classes.
This blog celebrates the power of . Discover lucid examples of Big Questions and resources that inspire teachers & students.
Dan has been teaching high school in the Chicagoland area since 1993 using Big Questions in his AP Government, US history and philosophy classes.
Teaching American History.org is excited to unveil another great resource for teachers and students! We’re offering free to help you teach several major eras and topics in our Nation’s history.
Toolkits are topically-focused collections, each made up of resources from around TeachingAmericanHistory.org, and organized to provide for easy access to a variety of materials.
Topics include:
- The American Founding
- Expansion & Sectionalism
- Civil War & Reconstruction
- The Progressive Era
- The Great Depression and World War 2
- Civil Rights
Each Toolkit contains:
- Guiding Questions for the topic as a whole, with criteria for good answers
- A curated list of 10 essential documents from TAH.org’s
- Relevant , , and videos
- Other documents-based resources from around TAH.org
- Lesson Plans that complement the documents and more!
To learn more and download your free Toolkits, visit:
Our whole purpose at is to provide teachers like you with resources you need to thrive. We hope you (and your students) will find these Toolkits useful classroom resources.
Order your FREE American Presidents Timeline Poster! Our free American Presidents Timeline poster is available for order. All orders received by Thursday, August 3 will be processed and shipped next week.
This colorful 6' long poster details the lives and public service careers of every president, plus key historical events, Supreme Court cases, Constitutional Amendments, and technology milestones throughout history.
To reserve yours, simply visit our page, log-in, and click on "Get This Offer." The poster is FREE of charge to C-SPAN Classroom members (* limit of one poster per member and only available to members residing in the U.S. and territories).
Already ordered a copy earlier in the spring but never received it? Simply email us at with your preferred postal information and we'll get another one in the mail.
Dear Illinois Global Scholar supporter,
Last October we asked for your votes and thanks to you we are rolling out the first of several programs for Illinois students! Please take a look at the following information and kindly share the news with K-12 educators and community leaders or consider participating yourself!
Message follows...
With the school year approaching, teachers may be looking for opportunities for their students to learn while giving back. Look no more! With your help we were able to secure funding from Farmers Insurance and are pleased to introduce Illinois Waterway Cleanup Week, September 10-16. This week-long initiative provides an opportunity for educators and students all over the state to work together to make an impact on our state's waterways! Community groups, park districts, municipalities and other organizations are also invited to participate so long as youth are engaged!
Participating is free and can be as easy as a teacher leading a group of students in a cleanup in the neighborhood around their school. If you want to take it further, apply for a $500 grant to organize a community cleanup! Either way, technology can make it easy for students to become active service learners and citizen scientists:
To find out more, access our and the . Need help or more information? or
contact us at or visit our website at .
Being a teacher myself, I know there is a lot of interest in service-learning, citizen science, and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I also know that many students want to contribute. Please consider participating in Illinois Waterway Cleanup Week yourself and spread the word through social media or by forwarding this email with a personal note attached!
Thank you!
Last October we asked for your votes and thanks to you we are rolling out the first of several programs for Illinois students! Please take a look at the following information and kindly share the news with K-12 educators and community leaders or consider participating yourself!
Message follows...
With the school year approaching, teachers may be looking for opportunities for their students to learn while giving back. Look no more! With your help we were able to secure funding from Farmers Insurance and are pleased to introduce Illinois Waterway Cleanup Week, September 10-16. This week-long initiative provides an opportunity for educators and students all over the state to work together to make an impact on our state's waterways! Community groups, park districts, municipalities and other organizations are also invited to participate so long as youth are engaged!
Participating is free and can be as easy as a teacher leading a group of students in a cleanup in the neighborhood around their school. If you want to take it further, apply for a $500 grant to organize a community cleanup! Either way, technology can make it easy for students to become active service learners and citizen scientists:
- Use the Clean Swell App to record trash-pickup data in real-time!
- See the impact of your cleanup on Ocean Conservancy’s worldwide map
- Access data from the 800,000+ people participating in similar cleanups worldwide!
- Utilize K-12 curricula to teach watershed literacy (available mid-August) on our website
- Learn how to partner with a classroom doing the same project in another part of the world!
To find out more, access our and the . Need help or more information? or
contact us at or visit our website at .
Being a teacher myself, I know there is a lot of interest in service-learning, citizen science, and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I also know that many students want to contribute. Please consider participating in Illinois Waterway Cleanup Week yourself and spread the word through social media or by forwarding this email with a personal note attached!
Thank you!
Last October, seventh-graders at an Illinois middle school petitioned their school board to change Columbus Day to Explorers Day. Their efforts have led the district to create an Explorers Week so that students can learn about the contributions of many different explorers.
HEROES ON DECK: World War II on Lake Michigan
Narrated by Bill Kurtis, this documentary explores the little-known chapter of WWII history immediately following the attack at Pearl Harbor that took place just off Chicago's shores. With enemy submarines patrolling both east & west coasts, Lake Michigan was chosen as a safe place for the location to train more than 15,000 aviators for eventual carrier based duty in the Pacific, including future president George H. W. Bush. Neophyte pilots and unforgiving weather conditions on the lake contributed to hundreds of accidents. As a result more than 100 WWII aircraft sank to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
HEROES ON DECK is the story of Chicago during wartime, a bold and innovative training plan, brave pilots, and the recovery of several historic aircraft. HEROES ON DECK, brings to life a vital episode of American history.
NYTimes Review:
Chicago Tribune Review:
Here is a password protected link to the 56 min doc on vimeo:
password: review
There is also have a shorter, 42 minute version that may be more suitable for class discussion time frames.
Narrated by Bill Kurtis, this documentary explores the little-known chapter of WWII history immediately following the attack at Pearl Harbor that took place just off Chicago's shores. With enemy submarines patrolling both east & west coasts, Lake Michigan was chosen as a safe place for the location to train more than 15,000 aviators for eventual carrier based duty in the Pacific, including future president George H. W. Bush. Neophyte pilots and unforgiving weather conditions on the lake contributed to hundreds of accidents. As a result more than 100 WWII aircraft sank to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
HEROES ON DECK is the story of Chicago during wartime, a bold and innovative training plan, brave pilots, and the recovery of several historic aircraft. HEROES ON DECK, brings to life a vital episode of American history.
NYTimes Review:
Chicago Tribune Review:
Here is a password protected link to the 56 min doc on vimeo:
password: review
There is also have a shorter, 42 minute version that may be more suitable for class discussion time frames.
New Free Video Series from Bowdoin College:
Founding Principles: American Governance in Theory and Action
A new series of short videos is being offered free of charge by Bowdoin College as its contribution to a national effort aimed at improving civics education in the United States. Titled “Founding Principles: American Governance in Theory and Action,” the series comprises a total of fifteen episodes, each eleven to fifteen minutes in length, that serve as a readily available instructive tool for use in classrooms and by anyone interested in better understanding the American system of government.
Written and narrated by Bowdoin College Government Professor Andrew Rudalevige, “Founding Principles” provides an introductory, non-partisan overview and basic understanding of American government—how it was formed, how it works, and how everyone can participate. The series was produced by Bowdoin with technical support from students at Emerson College.
During this pivotal election year, “Founding Principles” serves as a valuable resource in educating and informing current and future voters, building citizen-leaders, and promoting civic engagement. The series is currently being used in classrooms across New England with very positive feedback.
We at the college find it invaluable if you would share with your member base via an eNewsletter or on your website so that interested teachers can access it for this upcoming election season lesson plan. We have strong support from DOEs here in New England and teachers are loving this tool. If you could make teachers aware we would appreciate it!
TO ACCESS VIDEO SERIES:
Founding Principles: American Governance in Theory and Action
A new series of short videos is being offered free of charge by Bowdoin College as its contribution to a national effort aimed at improving civics education in the United States. Titled “Founding Principles: American Governance in Theory and Action,” the series comprises a total of fifteen episodes, each eleven to fifteen minutes in length, that serve as a readily available instructive tool for use in classrooms and by anyone interested in better understanding the American system of government.
Written and narrated by Bowdoin College Government Professor Andrew Rudalevige, “Founding Principles” provides an introductory, non-partisan overview and basic understanding of American government—how it was formed, how it works, and how everyone can participate. The series was produced by Bowdoin with technical support from students at Emerson College.
During this pivotal election year, “Founding Principles” serves as a valuable resource in educating and informing current and future voters, building citizen-leaders, and promoting civic engagement. The series is currently being used in classrooms across New England with very positive feedback.
We at the college find it invaluable if you would share with your member base via an eNewsletter or on your website so that interested teachers can access it for this upcoming election season lesson plan. We have strong support from DOEs here in New England and teachers are loving this tool. If you could make teachers aware we would appreciate it!
TO ACCESS VIDEO SERIES:
NCSS Committees
Be an NCSS Leader!
Serve on an NCSS Operations CommitteeOperations committees carry out board-mandated operations, duties, and policies, as well as many of the necessary business and organizational functions of NCSS. Operations committees relate their work to Board directives, the long-range plan of NCSS, and the leadership theme of the year set by the Board. They make recommendations to the board and provide advice.
You must be a member of NCSS to serve on a committee, serving on one committee at any time. NCSS is committed to expanding participation of underrepresented groups. Beginning teachers, elementary teachers, and minorities are encouraged to apply. Appointments will be made by the House of Delegates in November and NCSS President-Elect in June for terms that will begin the following July 1.
Be an NCSS Leader!
Serve on an NCSS Operations CommitteeOperations committees carry out board-mandated operations, duties, and policies, as well as many of the necessary business and organizational functions of NCSS. Operations committees relate their work to Board directives, the long-range plan of NCSS, and the leadership theme of the year set by the Board. They make recommendations to the board and provide advice.
You must be a member of NCSS to serve on a committee, serving on one committee at any time. NCSS is committed to expanding participation of underrepresented groups. Beginning teachers, elementary teachers, and minorities are encouraged to apply. Appointments will be made by the House of Delegates in November and NCSS President-Elect in June for terms that will begin the following July 1.
Inspire your students with a Field Trip to the
Illinois Holocaust Museum
Explore artifacts, hear from eyewitness speakers, and teach your students the universal lessons of the Holocaust, Genocide, and
Human Rights
"As the decision makers of tomorrow children must understand the consequences of indifference and hate. They must not be bystanders, they must always be proactive and have the courage to speak up and care."
-Holocaust Survivor, Aaron Elster
Make a Difference:
The Harvey L. Miller Family Youth Exhibition
Field Trips for 3rd through 6th grades
- Peek inside school lockers to find surprising stories about Rosa Parks, Anne Frank and others who took a stand.
- Give advice to kids in sticky situations or tell their own stories on video.
- Make a pledge to be an upstander in their own community.
BECOME A WITNESS (GRADES 6+)
Learn about the power of one voice to take a stand for positive change. Explore how questions of identity, human behavior, community, and culture connect to an introductory study of the history and lessons of the Holocaust. Topics include pre-war Jewish life, the Kindertransports, and post-war immigration.
MEMORY, ACTION, COMMUNITY (GRADES 5+)
Discover ways to become more actively involved in your local and global communities through hands-on activities in Make a Difference: The Harvey L. Miller Family Youth Exhibition. Learn how identity, social responsibility, and community tie into a discussion of universal human and civil rights and introductory study of the Holocaust, including pre-war Jewish life, the Kindertransports, and post-war immigration.
TAKE A STAND (GRADES 3+)
Through hands-on, interactive activities, discover what it takes to care for yourself and others, learn how to speak up for those being bullied, and understand core values of respect, compassion, justice, and citizenship.Develop the strategies and tools necessary to not only identify a problem, but also to identify and overcome any obstacles to solving that problem. This tour option does not include the Karkomi Permanent Exhibition.
Webinar Recording:
Social Studies in the Every Student Succeeds Act
In case you could not join us for our January 13th legislative webinar: "Social Studies in the Every Student Succeeds Act," you can view this informative webinar recording at: and learn in greater detail about the social studies provisions included in ESSA, and what we need to do next to secure that funding and enable social studies educators to apply.
The Great Thanksgiving Listen
Sponsored by StoryCorps in partnership with
The Library of Congress, TED, NPR, ABC News, Facing History and the National Council for the Social Studies
This Thanksgiving weekend, StoryCorps will work with teachers and high school students across the country to preserve the voices and stories of an entire generation of Americans over a single holiday weekend.
Since 2003, StoryCorps has given more than 100,000 Americans a quiet booth and a facilitator to record meaningful conversations with one another about who they are, what they’ve learned in life, and how they want to be remembered. The Great Thanksgiving Listen is its most ambitious initiative to date.
Open to everyone, The Great Thanksgiving Listen is a national assignment to engage people of all ages in the act of listening. The pilot project is specially designed for students ages 13 and over and as part of a social studies, history, civics, government, journalism, or political science class, or as an extracurricular activity. All that is needed to participate is a smartphone and the StoryCorps mobile app. Students will be asked to interview a grandparent or elder over Thanksgiving 2015 using the new free StoryCorps mobile app. Participants will upload their recordings to the StoryCorps archive at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. In one holiday weekend StoryCorps hopes to gather more interviews than it has in the 12 years since its founding, and to capture an entire generation of American lives and experiences.
When you sign up for The Great Thanksgiving Listen, you will receive a special Educator’s Toolkit from StoryCorps with information on how to incorporate the assignment into your 2015 lesson plan. The curriculum will help students develop the following:
To learn more and register, go to
Sponsored by StoryCorps in partnership with
The Library of Congress, TED, NPR, ABC News, Facing History and the National Council for the Social Studies
This Thanksgiving weekend, StoryCorps will work with teachers and high school students across the country to preserve the voices and stories of an entire generation of Americans over a single holiday weekend.
Since 2003, StoryCorps has given more than 100,000 Americans a quiet booth and a facilitator to record meaningful conversations with one another about who they are, what they’ve learned in life, and how they want to be remembered. The Great Thanksgiving Listen is its most ambitious initiative to date.
Open to everyone, The Great Thanksgiving Listen is a national assignment to engage people of all ages in the act of listening. The pilot project is specially designed for students ages 13 and over and as part of a social studies, history, civics, government, journalism, or political science class, or as an extracurricular activity. All that is needed to participate is a smartphone and the StoryCorps mobile app. Students will be asked to interview a grandparent or elder over Thanksgiving 2015 using the new free StoryCorps mobile app. Participants will upload their recordings to the StoryCorps archive at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. In one holiday weekend StoryCorps hopes to gather more interviews than it has in the 12 years since its founding, and to capture an entire generation of American lives and experiences.
When you sign up for The Great Thanksgiving Listen, you will receive a special Educator’s Toolkit from StoryCorps with information on how to incorporate the assignment into your 2015 lesson plan. The curriculum will help students develop the following:
- Research, archiving, and planning skills
- Speaking skills that enable students to express ideas clearly and persuasively
- Listening skills that reflect increased comprehension, lead to critical analysis, and advance discussion
- An increased connectedness, to community and to school
- A deepened sense of social awareness, exhibited by appreciation of diversity and respect for others
To learn more and register, go to
- Website:
- Teacher Toolkit:
The Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History
is happy to announce our new .
Each self-paced course includes:
- Video seminars with an eminent historian
- Digital labs and pedagogy sessions
- MP3 audio files of each seminar for on-the-go listening
- Featured primary sources and readings
- An online quiz and certificate of completion
- The opportunity for teachers to earn contact hours credits
We are currently offering four courses:
with Professor Jeremi Suri, University of Texas at Austin
with Professor Allen C. Guelzo, Gettysburg College
with Professor Edward L. Ayers, University of Richmond
with Professor James G. Basker, Barnard College
Book by ICSS Author
Vital Witnesses
Using Primary Sources in History and Social Studies
MARK NEWMAN
The use of primary sources as texts in the classroom is growing. Teachers realize these vital witnesses provide opportunities to motivate students and improve learning. They bring students closer to the people, places, and events being studied and help students improve content knowledge while building skills. Recent trends in standards, such as Common Core, and the increasing use of the Document-Based Questions also promote primary source use.
The strong push to use primary sources in teaching history and social studies creates a need among teachers for more information on what they are and how they can be used effectively in the classroom. Vital Witnesses meets this need by providing teachers with a comprehensive guide to primary sources and their use in the classroom. Primary sources are defined, and the various types are described. Classroom-tested activities and strategies are offered to teachers for addressing the needs of all learners and for accommodating Common Core standards and the C3 Framework for State Social Studies Standards.
Using Primary Sources in History and Social Studies
MARK NEWMAN
The use of primary sources as texts in the classroom is growing. Teachers realize these vital witnesses provide opportunities to motivate students and improve learning. They bring students closer to the people, places, and events being studied and help students improve content knowledge while building skills. Recent trends in standards, such as Common Core, and the increasing use of the Document-Based Questions also promote primary source use.
The strong push to use primary sources in teaching history and social studies creates a need among teachers for more information on what they are and how they can be used effectively in the classroom. Vital Witnesses meets this need by providing teachers with a comprehensive guide to primary sources and their use in the classroom. Primary sources are defined, and the various types are described. Classroom-tested activities and strategies are offered to teachers for addressing the needs of all learners and for accommodating Common Core standards and the C3 Framework for State Social Studies Standards.
The Unfinished Lives Educational Initiative
The Unfinished Lives Educational Initiative is groundbreaking as it will be the first introduction and discussion of the Holocaust in which Middle and High School teachers can instruct and lead without requiring them to become Holocaust teaching certified.
This unique initiative does not attempt to chronicle the Holocaust (too complex) but rather personalize this event through the portrayal of extraordinary people chronicling their lives, showing their works and telling their compelling stories a midst the tumultuous historical times in which they lived . (Similar to the Ann Frank story concept which has endured for now over 70 years.)
Unfinished Lives Presentation
The Unfinished Lives Educational Initiative is groundbreaking as it will be the first introduction and discussion of the Holocaust in which Middle and High School teachers can instruct and lead without requiring them to become Holocaust teaching certified.
This unique initiative does not attempt to chronicle the Holocaust (too complex) but rather personalize this event through the portrayal of extraordinary people chronicling their lives, showing their works and telling their compelling stories a midst the tumultuous historical times in which they lived . (Similar to the Ann Frank story concept which has endured for now over 70 years.)
Unfinished Lives Presentation
NCSS Teacher Practice Networks Annual Survey
Please help NCSS further define teacher professional development needs by completing the Teacher Practice Networks Annual Survey found at this link:
The Teacher Practice Networks Annual Survey is designed to learn from teachers about the types of supports that are helping them implement new state standards, which may be referred to as the Common Core, College and Career Readiness Standards, or something else specific to your state or district. Your feedback will help National Council for the Social Studies in further defining teacher needs as it moves forward in developing College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework professional learning initiatives.
Please help NCSS further define teacher professional development needs by completing the Teacher Practice Networks Annual Survey found at this link:
The Teacher Practice Networks Annual Survey is designed to learn from teachers about the types of supports that are helping them implement new state standards, which may be referred to as the Common Core, College and Career Readiness Standards, or something else specific to your state or district. Your feedback will help National Council for the Social Studies in further defining teacher needs as it moves forward in developing College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework professional learning initiatives.
The Illinois State Library is again offering its Try It! Illinois statewide database trial. Through this program, we get a chance to try out innumerable library databases in a wide range of subject areas. I would encourage you to check it out. Here's the link to the Try It! page: . To access the databases, enter the following login information in the boxes at the right side of the screen:
There are all kinds of great sources to be found under the Education heading.
Enjoy!
Start a National History Club Chapter at Your School
The National History Club Inc. (NHC) inspires students and teachers to start History Club chapters at high schools, middle schools, and within other student and community programs. Members of local History Club chapters participate in local and national programs, and create their own projects and activities. The NHC also provides chapters with resources and services that will help them increase the activity and impact of their History Club. To date, 500+ History Club chapters at high schools and middle schools in 44 states have joined the NHC, and there are over 14,000 student members.
When you join the National History Club, you join students and teachers from around the country—and the world—in discovering, learning, reading, writing, teaching, and living history. The NHC's main goal is to bring together students and teachers with a real passion for history, helping them learn from each other's ideas, experiences, and stories, which are distributed through our tri-annual eNewsletter, monthly eUpdates, and other communication methods.
We do not limit the scope of activities that a chapter may participate in—each club is allowed to navigate its own course. This allows for a wide-range of really interesting activities that are displayed in each Newsletter and on our website. Schools are free to decide whether their chapter will be a regular History Club (open to all) or a History Honor Society (with specific requirements for induction). The NHC also co-sponsors multiple award programs to recognize outstanding student members, Advisors, and chapters. For more information on the NHC and to find out how to join, please visit:
The National History Club Inc. (NHC) inspires students and teachers to start History Club chapters at high schools, middle schools, and within other student and community programs. Members of local History Club chapters participate in local and national programs, and create their own projects and activities. The NHC also provides chapters with resources and services that will help them increase the activity and impact of their History Club. To date, 500+ History Club chapters at high schools and middle schools in 44 states have joined the NHC, and there are over 14,000 student members.
When you join the National History Club, you join students and teachers from around the country—and the world—in discovering, learning, reading, writing, teaching, and living history. The NHC's main goal is to bring together students and teachers with a real passion for history, helping them learn from each other's ideas, experiences, and stories, which are distributed through our tri-annual eNewsletter, monthly eUpdates, and other communication methods.
We do not limit the scope of activities that a chapter may participate in—each club is allowed to navigate its own course. This allows for a wide-range of really interesting activities that are displayed in each Newsletter and on our website. Schools are free to decide whether their chapter will be a regular History Club (open to all) or a History Honor Society (with specific requirements for induction). The NHC also co-sponsors multiple award programs to recognize outstanding student members, Advisors, and chapters. For more information on the NHC and to find out how to join, please visit:
American Education and Culture Ambassador Program
Teach English in China!
All Majors Welcome
Basic Requirements for Teaching Positions or Paid Summer Internship in China:
a) Standard English Speakers in any major;
b) Strong Leadership, Public Speaking, Social, and Interpersonal Skills.
Benefits for you:
1. Free Round-trip international airfare paid by your host school if you teach at the same school for two semesters.
2. Free furnished-apartment usually on school campus.
3. Well-paid positions with free Chinese lessons and paid holidays.
4. Place your friends and family together
5. Free TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) Training and TESL Certification either at USC or online
6. Deferment of Student's Loan
Required Application documents:
a) Online registration on our website:
b) One-page resume emphasizing your teaching related experiences if any.
Chinese Culture Center certified by the China State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) will take care of the tedious and complicated application procedures for you. Please find more program info online:
If you don't have a passport yet, please call your local main post office to apply for one ASAP.
Teach English in China!
All Majors Welcome
Basic Requirements for Teaching Positions or Paid Summer Internship in China:
a) Standard English Speakers in any major;
b) Strong Leadership, Public Speaking, Social, and Interpersonal Skills.
Benefits for you:
1. Free Round-trip international airfare paid by your host school if you teach at the same school for two semesters.
2. Free furnished-apartment usually on school campus.
3. Well-paid positions with free Chinese lessons and paid holidays.
4. Place your friends and family together
5. Free TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) Training and TESL Certification either at USC or online
6. Deferment of Student's Loan
Required Application documents:
a) Online registration on our website:
b) One-page resume emphasizing your teaching related experiences if any.
Chinese Culture Center certified by the China State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) will take care of the tedious and complicated application procedures for you. Please find more program info online:
If you don't have a passport yet, please call your local main post office to apply for one ASAP.
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As you begin planning your spring lessons: The Illinois Holocaust Museum’s literature-based teaching trunk program provides K – 12 educators with a wide array of resources for classroom units on character education, human rights, the Holocaust and/or genocide. Each trunk allows educators to create meaningful, age/grade appropriate lessons employing award – winning fiction, non-fiction, historical reference materials, as well as DVDs and teaching posters. The focus of each trunk has been carefully developed to address State and National Learning Standards, including Common Core State Standards.
Trunk Themes
Inside the Trunks
*The curriculum framework binder contains an introduction to each trunk; synopses of select books and films with rationale, discussion questions, and activities; additional resources; and professional readings.
Generously supported by: Bank of America; The Jacob J. Fink Charitable Foundation; J.P. Morgan Chase; Kraft Foods; Motorola Foundation; RBC Wealth Management; State Farm; Bruce and Elizabeth White.
Education Services are supported with generous grants from: Dr. Scholl Foundation; Leah Gutman Education Fund; John and Eunice Johnson Education Fund; Harry & Sadie Lasky Foundation; Francis L. Lederer Foundation; Francis L. Lederer Foundation; MetLife Foundation; Charles & M.R. Shapiro Foundation; and an anonymous foundation.
Additional endowment support is provided by: The Mayor Richard M. and Maggie C. Daley Education Fund; The Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation Program Endowment Fund; and Teachers Educational Endowment Fund.
Trunk Themes
- 9th – 12th grade: Investigating Human Behavior
- 7th – 12th grade: On Our Watch: Genocide and Human Rights
Inside the Trunks
- Reference and resources materials
- Classroom sets (30 copies)
- Literature Circle sets
- Read –aloud titles
- DVDs
- Posters
- Curriculum Framework Binder*
*The curriculum framework binder contains an introduction to each trunk; synopses of select books and films with rationale, discussion questions, and activities; additional resources; and professional readings.
Generously supported by: Bank of America; The Jacob J. Fink Charitable Foundation; J.P. Morgan Chase; Kraft Foods; Motorola Foundation; RBC Wealth Management; State Farm; Bruce and Elizabeth White.
Education Services are supported with generous grants from: Dr. Scholl Foundation; Leah Gutman Education Fund; John and Eunice Johnson Education Fund; Harry & Sadie Lasky Foundation; Francis L. Lederer Foundation; Francis L. Lederer Foundation; MetLife Foundation; Charles & M.R. Shapiro Foundation; and an anonymous foundation.
Additional endowment support is provided by: The Mayor Richard M. and Maggie C. Daley Education Fund; The Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation Program Endowment Fund; and Teachers Educational Endowment Fund.
Learning Bird
Teachers get free memberships and with full access to Learning Bird. It can
be used as a classroom resource, a homework facilitator, for flipping
classes and for professional development. Teachers can also earn money when
students rate their lessons as helpful. Best of all, their lessons can reach students across the continent.
We encourage you to check out our site, , for general information, and to join if you are interested in participating. You can also follow us on Facebook <> and Twitter<>.
Teachers get free memberships and with full access to Learning Bird. It can
be used as a classroom resource, a homework facilitator, for flipping
classes and for professional development. Teachers can also earn money when
students rate their lessons as helpful. Best of all, their lessons can reach students across the continent.
We encourage you to check out our site, , for general information, and to join if you are interested in participating. You can also follow us on Facebook <> and Twitter<>.
Illinois State Bar Association and Illinois Judges Association - Free Materials
The Illinois State Bar Association has Law-Related Resources for Teachers, grades K-12, at . ISBA also publishes a free quarterly on-line newsletter for teachers. Included at the link are:
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The Illinois Judges Association welcomes opportunities to be in the classroom, including the 7 Reasons to Leave the Party, discussing the legal effects of drinking, and Courtroom in the Classroom, discussing the law through the use of a search of the locker at school case. Information available at .
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The Illinois Judges Association welcomes opportunities to be in the classroom, including the 7 Reasons to Leave the Party, discussing the legal effects of drinking, and Courtroom in the Classroom, discussing the law through the use of a search of the locker at school case. Information available at .
Education Portal has that you can use to supplement and strengthen your instruction and that your students can use for summer study. We have lessons in , , and more. Don't see your subject area? Let us know and we'll add it to our lesson development queue.
Click here to browse all lessons and find your subject area:
Click here to browse all lessons and find your subject area:
NCSS Award and Grant Selection Committees
NCSS is looking for members to serve on awards selection committees. The selection committees review nominations and select recipients of NCSS awards and grants. Committee members serve a three-year term and most committee work is accomplished online or by telephone. Members are also asked to make a reasonable effort to attend the award winner session, awards presentation, and assist the committee chair when need arises during the review or at the NCSS conference.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
Outstanding Elementary, Middle Level, or Secondary Social Studies Teacher of the Year awards recognize social studies teachers who have made outstanding contributions through her exceptional teaching in K-6, 5-8, or 7-12. Committee members evaluate nominations and forward the results to the Committee chair. Communications are through e-mail and/or telephone. Members are asked to make a reasonable effort to attend the award winner session, awards presentation, and assist the Committee chair when need arises during the review or at the NCSS conference.
Eligibility: NCSS members who are current or previous elementary, middle, secondary level social studies teachers, administrators, teacher education faculty, or consultants are eligible to apply for the corresponding grade level committee. Familiarity with the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies is desirable. Previous recipients of NCSS or state council teacher of the year awards are especially encouraged to apply.
The Award for Global Understanding recognizes a social studies educator or team of educators who have made notable contributions in helping social studies students increase their understanding of the world.
Eligibility: NCSS members who are current or previous elementary, middle, secondary level social studies teachers, administrators, teacher education faculty, and/or consultants with a familiarity with the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies are eligible to serve on the Award for Global Understanding selection committee. Global/multicultural education practitioners or specialists and previous recipients of the award are encouraged to apply.
Grant for the Enhancement of Geographic Literacy recognizes an exemplary program of geographic education that encourages the integration of geography into the social studies curriculum/classroom and enhances the geographic literacy of students at the classroom, district or state level.
Eligibility: NCSS members who are current or previous social studies educators elementary, administrators, teacher education faculty, or consultants are eligible to serve on this committee. Experience with program, curriculum or teacher evaluation, a background as a geography education practitioner or specialist;and familiarity with National Geography Standards and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies is desired.
Carter G. Woodson Book Awards recognize elementary, middle level, and secondary outstanding social science books appropriate for young readers and young adult readers which depict race-ethnicity in the U.S. Committee members evaluate all nominated books. Committee members may be asked to assist with award-winning book author presentation sessions, awards presentation, and book signings at the NCSS Annual Conference
Eligibility: NCSS members who are current or previous social studies educators elementary, administrators, teacher education faculty, or consultants who are one or more of the following are eligible to serve on the committee:
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
Outstanding Elementary, Middle Level, or Secondary Social Studies Teacher of the Year awards recognize social studies teachers who have made outstanding contributions through her exceptional teaching in K-6, 5-8, or 7-12. Committee members evaluate nominations and forward the results to the Committee chair. Communications are through e-mail and/or telephone. Members are asked to make a reasonable effort to attend the award winner session, awards presentation, and assist the Committee chair when need arises during the review or at the NCSS conference.
Eligibility: NCSS members who are current or previous elementary, middle, secondary level social studies teachers, administrators, teacher education faculty, or consultants are eligible to apply for the corresponding grade level committee. Familiarity with the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies is desirable. Previous recipients of NCSS or state council teacher of the year awards are especially encouraged to apply.
The Award for Global Understanding recognizes a social studies educator or team of educators who have made notable contributions in helping social studies students increase their understanding of the world.
Eligibility: NCSS members who are current or previous elementary, middle, secondary level social studies teachers, administrators, teacher education faculty, and/or consultants with a familiarity with the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies are eligible to serve on the Award for Global Understanding selection committee. Global/multicultural education practitioners or specialists and previous recipients of the award are encouraged to apply.
Grant for the Enhancement of Geographic Literacy recognizes an exemplary program of geographic education that encourages the integration of geography into the social studies curriculum/classroom and enhances the geographic literacy of students at the classroom, district or state level.
Eligibility: NCSS members who are current or previous social studies educators elementary, administrators, teacher education faculty, or consultants are eligible to serve on this committee. Experience with program, curriculum or teacher evaluation, a background as a geography education practitioner or specialist;and familiarity with National Geography Standards and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies is desired.
Carter G. Woodson Book Awards recognize elementary, middle level, and secondary outstanding social science books appropriate for young readers and young adult readers which depict race-ethnicity in the U.S. Committee members evaluate all nominated books. Committee members may be asked to assist with award-winning book author presentation sessions, awards presentation, and book signings at the NCSS Annual Conference
Eligibility: NCSS members who are current or previous social studies educators elementary, administrators, teacher education faculty, or consultants who are one or more of the following are eligible to serve on the committee:
- ethnic studies practitioners or specialists;
- classroom teachers who use children’s/young people’s literature in social studies instruction;
- reviewers of children/young people literature.
Free Materials To Teach About
The Japanese American Internment
Fred Korematsu is remembered for his courageous fight against the Japanese American Internment which led to the WWII 1944 Supreme Court case, Korematsu v. United States. Fred Korematsu was exonerated almost 40 years later and was eventually awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton.
FREE MATERIALS TO TEACH ABOUT THE JAPANESE AMERICAN INTERNMENT AND FRED KOREMATSU
The Korematsu Institute () wants to send you a FREE Teaching Kit that helps teachers instruct on the life of Fred Korematsu and the overall Japanese American internment during World War II.
PLEASE SHARE THE WORD ABOUT OUR MATERIALS WITH YOUR TEACHERS
Please inform your teachers about the FREE Teaching Kit. Help us spread the word about this pivotal story in U.S. History.
The Korematsu Institute () has a wealth of free teaching materials that help students learn about Fred and the Japanese American internment during World War II. Some items include:
* a K-12 teaching guide,
* a Fred Korematsu classroom poster,
* the 24 minute version of the Emmy Award winning video, "Of Civil Wrongs and Rights, the Fred Korematsu Story."
FREE MATERIALS TO TEACH ABOUT THE JAPANESE AMERICAN INTERNMENT AND FRED KOREMATSU
The Korematsu Institute () wants to send you a FREE Teaching Kit that helps teachers instruct on the life of Fred Korematsu and the overall Japanese American internment during World War II.
PLEASE SHARE THE WORD ABOUT OUR MATERIALS WITH YOUR TEACHERS
Please inform your teachers about the FREE Teaching Kit. Help us spread the word about this pivotal story in U.S. History.
The Korematsu Institute () has a wealth of free teaching materials that help students learn about Fred and the Japanese American internment during World War II. Some items include:
* a K-12 teaching guide,
* a Fred Korematsu classroom poster,
* the 24 minute version of the Emmy Award winning video, "Of Civil Wrongs and Rights, the Fred Korematsu Story."
Start a Rho Kappa Chapter Today!
RHO KAPPA National Social Studies Honor Society is the only national organization for high school
juniors and seniors that recognizes excellence in the field of social studies. Membership in RHO
KAPPA is an honor bestowed upon students by a local chapter for accomplishments in social studies
and overall academic achievement. Any accredited high school can apply to start a chapter, through
which students will be inducted into the RHO KAPPA Social Studies Honor Society.
juniors and seniors that recognizes excellence in the field of social studies. Membership in RHO
KAPPA is an honor bestowed upon students by a local chapter for accomplishments in social studies
and overall academic achievement. Any accredited high school can apply to start a chapter, through
which students will be inducted into the RHO KAPPA Social Studies Honor Society.
Preparing Students for College, Career, and Civic Life
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