|
#iasocialstudies Twitter chats
Did you know there will be an #iasocialstudies Twitter chat the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month this school year? Each chat takes place from 8-8:30 PM. If you missed the first one, you can view the archive here. The next chat will take place September 12th. For more information check out https://www.smore.com/t7as0.
Year 3 Professional Development
Year 3 professional development is now being offered to support implementation of Iowa's social studies standards. This professional development focuses on formative and summative assessment practices. Two-day workshops will be offered throughout the state. You can view the flyer here that includes dates the workshops are being offered at each AEA.
Year 1 and 2 Professional Development Modules Now Available
Did you miss the chance to attend the year 1 or 2 professional development or maybe you want a refresher? These courses are now available for free on AEA Learning Online. You can access the elementary and secondary modules by going to the links in this flyer.
Disciplinary Thinking Cards
Disciplinary thinking in social studies is an important component of fully implementing Iowa's social studies standards. We have released new disciplinary thinking "cards" to help students ask questions like a geographer, historian, political scientist, or economist. Note: The cards are meant to be printed front to back.
Want to Participate in Constitution Day Programming?
Do you want to participate in Constitution Day programming with the Iowa Supreme Court. Each year, the court puts on a special program to help students learn more about the judicial process and how oral arguments at the Supreme Court are different than at the district court level. This year they will offer four different opportunities for Iowa students. If you are interested in participating in any of these opportunities, please email stefanie.wager@iowa.gov as soon as possible. Each visit will include time for students to hear oral arguments and the ability for students to participate in Q & A with justices. Each time slot is limited to 60 students. This will take place at the Iowa Supreme Court building in Des Moines.
- September 18th AM and PM
- September 19th AM and PM
 |
|
Iowa Council for the Social Studies Conference
The Iowa Council for the Social Studies Conference is taking place September 30th at the Prairie Meadows Events Center. The conference offers over 35 sessions to support implementation of Iowa's social studies standards. This year's keynote speaker, Dean Jacobs, will speak on global understanding. Since 2001 Dean Jacobs has traversed across the globe exploring over 50 countries on a low budget adventure, propelled by a desire to understand the world we share. Read more about Dean here. To register for the conference go to https://iowasocialstudies.org/conference.
|
Iowa Clearinghouse for Work-Based Learning
Looking to give your students more real-world, hands-on experiences to make your classroom even
more relevant? You’ll want to check out the Iowa Clearinghouse for Work-Based Learning, where you
can connect your students with a business project. This isn’t pointless busy work, but real projects requiring real outcomes. There’s a whole range of projects on the clearinghouse that could readily match up to what you are
teaching in class – anything from math to social studies to science – and more. For instance, one non-
profit organization is seeking students to interview people for an oral history project. Some chambers of
commerce want students to help them market their towns. Though most projects are for older students, there are some that seek out grade schoolers, too. Many projects will be done online.
The projects are designed to give students a deeper-level of learning, making your classroom content
come alive. It also enables students to test-drive various careers and college paths.
Projects change regularly so you will want to come back to the website on an ongoing basis to see new
projects being offered.
There are several social studies projects now available such as Iowa History: Your County Matters. This project was created by the Iowa Museum Association and is available for 9th-12th grade students. Go the clearinghouse to check out the variety of available projects. Check it out at https://clearinghouse.futurereadyiowa.gov/.
|
On May 5, Iowa's 'Soldiers in White' were honored again, with a special tribute to the women who served during the Great War. A new bronze plaque was dedicated to those nurses next to the World War II Memorial at the State Capitol. The original dedication ceremony to those soldiers was held in 1921. At the time, 10 birch trees were planted near this spot to honor them. Those trees have since been replaced with white oaks, but the bronze plaque is meant to be a lasting symbol for generations to come. Click here to read more about the ceremony and the new, permanent memorial to the nurses for their service in World War I.
|
|
 |
Jewish Federation of Des Moines Student to Student Program
Prejudice often results from a lack of knowledge and familiarity. As a response,the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines adopted Student to Student, a program that seeks to reduce stereotypes and prejudice in the students it reaches. Initially funded in 1992 by a planning grant of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, Student to Student has reached thousands of students in area schools that lack a Jewish presence. These young people can now put a “human face” to Judaism—the best antidote to bigotry and intolerance. If you are interested in the Student to Student program coming to your classroom or school email kyle@dmjfed.org. Check out this flyer for more information.
Be a Census 2020 Ambassador
The 2020 Census is fast approaching. As an educator or education supporter, you are always striving to do your part to create a brighter future for children. There are many ways you do that, and in 2020 there is one big way you can help: Support efforts to make sure EVERY child is counted in the 2020 Census, because you know that every child is a part of our community.
This nationwide count happens every 10 years. When the children are not counted, important decisions are affected, such as how much money to spend on services and programs that help children, including special education, teacher training, technology, school lunch assistance, Head Start and after-school programs. Responses from the census provide the basis for distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually
to communities across the country to support these vital programs and more.
How You Can Help
As school leaders, you are trusted by your students, staff, community members, and families, and you have a
direct line of communication with them. You can get the word out about the importance of their participation in
the 2020 Census and the benefits of an accurate count. A great way to do this would be to share free resources from Statistics in Schools (SIS) to teach students about the value and everyday use of statistics. SIS is a U.S. Census Bureau program that uses census statistics to create classroom materials for grades pre-K through 12. Teachers and subject matter experts nationwide helped develop each SIS activity to make sure it is valuable and engaging. The SIS program includes more than 200 activities and resources that enhance learning in a variety of subjects.
What’s New for 2020?
SIS has crafted new materials specifically for the 2020 Census to educate students and adults in their home
about the importance of counting everyone in the 2020 Census, especially children. New SIS materials include:
-67 new activities for grades pre-K through 12 that have students use data in interactive ways to build
skills in subjects like history, math, geography, and English.
-Large, colorful maps with fun census-based facts about the country and its territories, including state-
by-state comparisons.
-A storybook with activities and a music video for children in preschool and early grades.
-Engaging videos created specifically for elementary, middle, and high school grade bands.
-Resources for English language learners and adult English as a second language students.
These new materials will be available at the beginning of the school year at census.gov/schools.
Incorporate these resources in 2019 during Constitution Week (September 16-20) and again in 2020 for
Statistics in Schools Week (March 2-6). Use Census Bureau tools, information, and messaging in creative
ways—such as in newsletter articles, on co-branded products, and in social media content—to increase public participation in the 2020 Census. Share what you can to provide information to students, educators, community
members, and families about the importance and benefits of participating in the 2020 Census.
Shape your school’s future. Start here at census.gov/schools.
ISU Finishes National Historical Publications and Records Commission Grant Project
Iowa State University Library Special Collections and University Archives is excited to share the completion of a National Historical Publications & Records Commission grant project. The two-year project, "Modern Tools for Modern Research: Migrating Old Finding Aids to a New AMS," involved migrating legacy finding aids from Microsoft Word and HTML files to a new archives management system, which includes a public catalog to search our archival collections. The public catalog, CARDinal, is now available for use: http://bit.ly/scuacatalog. This catalog can be searched for students and teachers looking for primary sources, for National History Day. The catalog does not include many digitized materials at this time, but descriptions and inventories of collections so researchers can get an idea of what collections they want to review when they visit. Please visit CARDinal, and send any questions or comments to archives@iastate.edu.
Last Call for Iowa Journal for the Social Studies
The editors of the Iowa Journal for the Social Studies, a peer-reviewed electronic journal, issue a call to submit manuscripts for the inaugural issue. This is an open call for proposals that feature research, conceptual and theoretical work, curriculum and lesson plans that have been implemented in the K-16 classroom, and media reviews related to social studies education. Authors are encouraged to draw upon current literature in the field and/or propose lesson plans that reflect current and effective practices in the social studies.
Submissions due by: September 1, 2019
Submissions sent out for review: Upon receipt-September 1, 2018
Reviews returned: October 15, 2019
Author revisions submitted: November 30, 2019
Publication: Fall/Winter 2019
For more information go here.
Last Call for Iowa Center for the Book Applications
The Iowa Center for the Book is now accepting applications for the 2019 Iowa Literacy Award. The award recognizes an organization that has made an outstanding contribution to increasing literacy in Iowa, along with $2,000 to continue their efforts. Nominations are due no later than Aug. 31, 2019.
Organizations eligible for the award include non-profits, faith-based organizations, and public libraries. Literacy organizations may self-nominate or be nominated by others. To be considered, a one-page cover letter, a statement of impact which explains the value of the organization’s work, and one letter of support must be submitted via email before the due date. A panel of judges will review the nominations and select an award winner. The award and check will be presented to the winning organization by State Librarian Michael Scott this fall. More Information and Nomination Instructions.The Iowa Center for the Book is a program of the State Library of Iowa and an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book.
Founding of America's First Black Banks
This resource from the Kansas City Federal Reserve covers the history of America's earliest African American banks. You can download the resource for free or request a free hard copy.
Slavery Simulations: Just Don't
This article from Teaching Tolerance outlines why simulations about slavery or experiences of enslaved people are never okay.
Art and Remembrance Lesson Plans for Teaching the Holocaust
This series of lesson plans are based on the story of Esther and the art she created to memorialize those lost in the Holocaust. These lessons plans would be ideal for cross-curricular efforts to teach about the Holocaust.
1619 Project Curriculum
The 1619 Project is a new resource from the New York Times. 1619 is the year when the first enslaved Africans arrived on Virginia soil. The Pulitzer Center has created teacher resources for this project here.
New Resources from Facing History and Ourselves
New Iowa History Resources
- C-SPAN: This summer, C-SPAN put together a series of resources related to state history in their collections. Check out the Iowa collection and more here.
- How a Bill Becomes a Law in Iowa: The production explains the process a bill goes through from introduction to enactment. This eight-minute video is intended for fourth through sixth grade school levels. The production follows the path of a bill as it becomes a law in Iowa in a manner that is both concise and appropriate. The key concepts include: bills, State Senators, State Representatives, committees, amendments, majority vote, the Governor’s role, law, and Iowa citizenship. Check out the video here.
- Iowa historian Tom Morain was recently featured on Constituting America with an essay on Iowa's path to statehood. Check that out here.
- Teaching Iowa History Newsletter
World 101 Modules
World 101, from the Council on Foreign Relations, is a perfect resource for the 6th and 7th grade Iowa social studies standards. The website includes several modules, or multimedia primers, on topics such as terrorism, globalization, nuclear proliferation, and more. Check it out at https://world101.cfr.org/home.
Model Diplomacy
Model Diplomacy is a free simulation program that invites students, educators, and professionals from a variety of backgrounds to step into the roles of decision-makers on the U.S. National Security Council (NSC) or UN Security Council. This would be another great resource for the 6th or 7th grade Iowa social studies standards. Check it out at https://modeldiplomacy.cfr.org/about.
Secretary of State Office Updates the Elections101 Curriculum
As the nation turns its attention to Iowa, the Secretary of State Office is updating the Elections 101 curriculum, a free educational tool created by Iowa educators for Iowa teachers. You can learn more at http://www.Elections101.org. Please save the date of October 29th for the Iowa Youth Straw Poll.
National Council for the Social Studies Releases List of Notable Tradebooks
Each year, NCSS releases a list of notable social studies tradebooks. The book list is an amazing assortment of books for K-12 classrooms. Check out a recent blog post about the lists here. Check out the book list here. Note: If you are not a current NCSS member you cannot view the most recent list, but you can view past lists.
Investigating the Lincoln Assassination
Ford's Theatre has released new resources for teaching about the Lincoln assassination. Check them out here.
4 Tools to Help Media Literacy
Strangers in Town Film
Strangers in Town is a film about Garden City, Kansas and how global migration unexpectedly transformed the town. View the film at http://strangersintownthefilm.com/. This could be a good resource to address the 7th grade social studies standards.
Resources from the White House Historical Society
Do you teach about the executive branch and the White House? If so, check out these resources from the White House Historical Society.
8 Resources for Making Digital Maps
This blog post shares 8 free tools for creating digital maps. Resources include Scribble Maps, Thinglink, Nat Geo Map Maker and more.
Text Sets Build Background Knowledge and Improve Comprehension of Informational Texts
This article from the Iowa Reading Research describes the importance of using text sets to build background knowledge. The article uses examples from the Iowa social studies standards.
History Instruction Indicted: Too Much Memorization, Too Little Meaning
This article from Ed Week argues that history curriculum tends to focus too much on memorization and not enough knowledge building.
Veterans National Education Program
Today the grandchildren of Vietnam War veterans are attending middle and high schools throughout America, sitting side-by-side with the children of those who served more recently in Desert Storm and the Iraq War. But how much do they really know about these conflicts and the sacrifices their dads, moms and grandparents proudly made? Joining with social studies departments throughout the Country, the Veterans National Education Program (V-NEP) believes it is time to teach the lessons of these wars in the classroom. They have a series of short video clips to bring history to life for students through expert interviews and highly visual, archival footage highlighting key events during Desert Storm and the Vietnam and Iraq Wars. Check out their resources for teaching about the Vietnam and Iraq wars including a webinar about teaching about these wars.
20 YouTube Channels for Social Studies Teachers
Check out this Control Alt Achieve blog on 20 YouTube channels that are perfect for social studies classrooms.
Google Earth Timelapses
Did you know that you can access historical imagery in Google Earth? Check out this tutorial on how to access this feature in Google Earth.
Current Events in Historical Perspectives
This website takes current events and provides historical connections to recent events. This provides direct connections to the "why are we learning this" question students might ask.
World War I Iowa Resources
The Iowa Masonic Library in Cedar Rapids made an earnest attempt during the World War I period to collect and make available materials that were being published about the Great War, from 1914 to its aftermath. You can find over 1,000 items that are available. Included in the collection are materials produced by the Allies and Central Powers during the war. Additionally, they have a large variety of posters that were produced. Other items include:
-
Isabell Pirie-Beyea collection – she was a nurse in both the American Red Cross and the U.S. Army and was from Iowa. Her collection includes items brought back from the War.
- Danielson post card collection – Jesse Danielson was a Mason from Des Moines who served in the U.S Army Signal Corps in World War I. He and his unit documented the destruction of various locations after the war, including Ypres, Zeebrugge, and other locations in Flanders and northern France.
- Pearsall post card collection – Henry P. Pearsall was a Mason from Waterloo, Ia. and served as a sailor aboard the U.S.S. Davis (destroyer) during World War I. His family recently donated many photographs that document life aboard a United States naval vessel during World War I.
You can access the catalog here. If you use the term “World War, 1914-1918" it will bring up the largest collection of materials.
DBQ Workshop- September 26th
The DBQ Project is hosting an open workshop on September 26th at the Iowa Gold Star Museum in Johnston. The workshop will take place from 9 AM- 3PM. For over almost two decades, The DBQ Project has promoted rigorous reading and writing instruction for all students, not just those in advanced classes. The introductory workshop is designed to get teachers new to the DBQ pedagogy excited about the process. It is also
reinvigorating for those teachers already steeped in DBQ experience. The day includes an overview
of The DBQ Project 6-Step Method where teachers go through all the steps in a lively, interactive
session.Registration is $40 and includes the training, workshop materials and lunch. You can register here. Questions? Contact Beth Montgomery. View the workshop flyer here.
Whose Land is this? Native America, European and American Perspectives Teacher Workshop
The UNI Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education (CHGE) and the Grout Museum District are pleased to
announce a one-day workshop on Monday, October 14, for in-service and pre-service teachers, focusing on a
traveling exhibit, “Whose Land Is This? Native American, European and American Perspectives,” which explores the history of Native Americans in Iowa. The exhibit was developed by the CHGE and is currently on display through the end of 2019 at the Grout Museum in Waterloo. Beginning Fall 2019, the exhibit will be loaned at no cost to schools, public libraries and local historical museums. School districts from which one or more teachers participate in the workshop will have priority in borrowing the exhibit. We need a minimum of twelve (12) participants to run the workshop and can accommodate a maximum of twenty-five (25). If you are interested in participating in the workshop, please register on the Grout Museum District’s website, https://www.groutmuseumdistrict.org/calendar. The registration deadline is Monday, October 7th. Please register early to secure your spot. You can view more information about the workshop here and more information about the exhibit here.
United States Senate Youth Program
Applications are now open for students to apply for the United States Senate Youth Program. Two students will be selected from Iowa. The delegates will spend a week in Washington D.C. at an all-expenses paid week-long experience where they will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials from the State Department, Department of Defense and directors of federal agencies. In addition, delegates will receive a $10,000 scholarship. Please encourage your students to apply. Check out more information at https://educateiowa.gov/pk-12/advanced-learning-opportunities/us-senate-youth-program.
Nominate a Presidential Scholar
The Iowa Department of Education is seeking nominations for outstanding high school seniors for the 2019-20 U.S. Presidential Scholars selection cycle. We encourage you to nominate students who, while demonstrating outstanding scholarship, might not otherwise be nominated through the current SAT/ACT, arts, or CTE recognition processes. If you have an outstanding high school senior deserving of consideration, submit a nomination through the Department’s online Presidential Scholar Nomination Form by Sept 30.
Department Director Ryan Wise will select 25 students (10 males, 10 females, and 5 in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) category) to submit to the U.S. Presidential Scholar Program for consideration. The 2020 Presidential Scholars will be selected by the Commission on Presidential Scholars and will receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion at a ceremony in their honor in Washington, DC. Reviewers will consider the following categories:
- Involvement and service (in school and community)
- Leadership and character
- Writing samples
- Academic achievements
- Discretionary points for extraordinary achievement, heavy workload, family responsibilities, or obstacles overcome.
The CTE component of the program will honor students on the basis of outstanding scholarship and demonstrated ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Reviewers will consider the following categories:
- Mastery of technical skills
- Strength in teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving
- Real world application
Specific information to be included in each nomination is described on the Department’s online General Component Presidential Scholar Nomination form, or the CTE Component Presidential Scholar Nomination form. Nominations must be submitted no later than Sept. 30.
For questions regarding the nomination process, contact Deborah Darge at deborah.darge@iowa.gov or (515) 242-6176. Read more about the Presidential Scholars Program.
|
9/11 Memorial and Museum
Join the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and students from around the world to commemorate the 18th anniversary of 9/11 by participating in an interactive webinar on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2019. New this year:
- On-demand access, allowing you to start, pause, and stop the program at any time to accommodate all time zones and school schedules.
- Personal stories from five diverse speakers—FDNY firefighter Jeff Johnson, survivor Frank Razzano, Retired Colonel of the U.S. Army Mark Lewis, Pentagon survivor Kathy Dillaber, and journalistSofia Lachapelle*.
- An extended live chat where students can directly ask Museum staff questions throughout the day.
- A forum for students to share ideas and connect with other schools from around the world using the hashtag #911MuseumEd
- An inside view of exhibitions and artifacts within the Museum.
Register here.
Other Resources for Teaching 9/11
United States Constitution Day is September 17 of each year. Congress enacted legislation requiring all public schools to set aside one day during the week of September 17 to teach all students about the U.S. Constitution and about citizenship. Go here for resources.
Stefanie Rosenberg Wager
Social Studies Consultant
21st Century Skills- Civic and Financial Literacy
World Languages
Iowa Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
400 E. 14th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone: 515-725-7842
Cell: 515-419-2876
Fax: 515-242-5988
Email: stefanie.wager@iowa.gov
Social Studies standards, website, Iowa Core Social Studies, newsletter, calendar, Pinterest
Financial Literacy website, newsletter, Pinterest
|
