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Best Practices Institute
Registration for the 2017 Best Practices in Social Studies summer institute has now opened. This year's institute includes an Iowa history strand, presentations from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, Iowa State University, the Geographic Alliance of Iowa, the Veteran's History Project, the World Food Prize, IPTV, the Iowa Bar Association, Grand View University, and many classroom teachers across Iowa. The keynote speaker will be Ambassador Kenneth Quinn. I will also be giving an update about the draft social studies standards. License renewal credit will be available. Register by May 12th here. View more information here.
Last Chance to Apply for James Madision Legacy Project
The Iowa Bar Association has a grant from the Center for Civic Education to offer extensive professional development to Iowa teachers on the core principles and history of the Constitution. The Bar Association will be putting on a week-long summer institute (June 26-30,2017) at the University of Iowa with a weekend follow up workshop in the fall. All expenses are paid for (mileage, housing, food, etc.) and teachers receive classroom materials and textbooks as well as a $500 stipend. If you teach 6-12 government or U.S. history you can apply here. Apply by Friday, March 24th! Questions? Email John Wheeler at jwheeler@iowabar.org.
Statewide Social Studies PD
Looking to attend our statewide Building Literacy in Social Studies professional development? This is being offered in every AEA and many AEAs are offering this professional development this summer. View a list of all opportunities here.
TLC Training on Statewide Social Studies PD
Are you a TLC instructional coach? If so, we will be offering another 2-day training on April 18-19, 2017 on the statewide social studies professional development entitled Building Literacy in Social Studies. View a flyer with more information here and go here to sign up.
2017 Iowa Council for the Social Studies Conference
The Iowa Council for the Social Studies conference takes place October 2nd at the Prairie Meadows Events Center in Altoona, IA. This year's conference theme is Meeting the Challenge: Bringing the Standards to Life. Mary Beth Tinker (Tinker v. Des Moines Public Schools) will serve as the keynote speaker. The conference will focus on the newly proposed social studies standards. Conference proposals are being accepted from now until June 1st. You can submit a proposal here. Registration will open soon! For more information go to www.iowasocialstudies.org.
History Alive Programming at the State Historical Museum on WWI
April 6 marks the centennial anniversary of the United States' involvement in World War I. Plan a field trip to the State Historical Museum on April 6 (3rd-5th grades) or April 7 (6th-12th grades) for the spring History Alive: World War I program. The program will highlight Iowa's World War I history through dynamic workshops and activities.
World War I Workshop at the Iowa Gold Star Museum
The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum at historic Camp Dodge invites high school
history and social studies students to participate in a commemorative program
honoring the centennial of the United States entry into the First World War. This event will take place March 31st for 1 hour slots from 9-3 pm. For more information or to schedule participation contact Mike Musel or Mike Vogt by phone
at 515-252-4531 before March 27, 2017. Visit the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum website at
www.goldstarmuseum.iowa.gov and visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IowaGSMM. See additional information here.
Vote in Iowa Commission on the Status of Women Video Contest
Schools across the state have submitted videos related to celebrating women's history month. Go here to view the 2017 video entries and to vote.
Volunteer at National History Day in Iowa Contest
Mark your calendar for the National History Day in Iowa state contest on Monday, May 8, at the Iowa Events Center. We are looking for volunteer judges to help evaluate student projects and create a positive experience for Iowa's young historians. No prior experience is necessary, and all judges will be provided with online training before to the contest. Volunteers must be 18 or older to participate.
Twelve Million Pages of Iowa Newspapers to be Preserved
The State Historical Society of Iowa recently unveiled a sweeping new plan to preserve more than 12 million pages of newspapers in its collection, giving Iowans greater access to more than 300 titles dating to the state’s pioneer days in the 1830s. The Advantage Companies, based in Cedar Rapids, are supporting this project at no cost to the state. See more information here.
Iowa Author’s Book Selected for Notable Trade Books for Young People
The young adult nonfiction book Women in Blue: 16 Brave Officers, Forensics Experts, Police Chiefs, and More by Iowa author Cheryl Mullenbach has been selected for the list of Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2017. The list is a cooperative project of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC).
Women in Blue, which was published in May 2016 by Chicago Review Press, is written for children ages 12 and up, providing them with profiles of 16 females with careers in law enforcement—from some of the first police matrons 150 years ago, to today’s top forensic scientists and FBI agents.
The NCSS-CBC list of Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People is an annual reading list of exceptional books for use in social studies classrooms (grades K-12), selected by an NCSS-appointed committee of social studies educators. Reviewers look for books that emphasize human relations, represent a diverse range of cultural experiences, and are of high literary quality.
Cheryl Mullenbach is also the author of The Great Depression for Kids, The Industrial Revolution for Kids and Double Victory: How African American Women Broke Race and Gender Barriers to Help Win World War II—featured at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum Reading Festival in 2014 and on C-SPAN’s “Book TV.” Mullenbach is a former history teacher, public television project manager and social studies consultant. She lives in Panora, IA.
Teaching in China
Are you interested in teaching in China? If so, check out this program for doing so.
Veterans National Education Program
The Veterans National Education Program includes several great resources including the Global Awareness Map and lots of other resources for teaching about global conflict. They also just released twenty-two videos about the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Violations. Check out the main page here.
Latest Issue of History Now
Each quarter the Gilder Lehrman Institute releases a themed newsletter around a historical topic. Check out the latest issue on American Women in Leadership here.
We Love the Constitution
Check out this video collection of celebrities, politicians, and ordinary Americans describing why they love the Constitution.
Teaching about Dwight Eisenhower?
Check out this amazing resource from from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial. You can view lesson plans, an interactive timeline, access a mobile app and view what's called pivotal moments- an interactive resource on teaching about the Eisenhower era.
Globe to Go
Krista Olen, a teacher in Benton Community Schools, recently built a website called Globe 2 Go. The website shares several quality resources for teaching global studies and contemporary global issues. Check it out here.
Help Students Learn about Filing Taxes
The Iowa Department of Revenue has recently released their student tax packet. This allows students to practice filing their taxes. Check it out here.
Video on U.S. Immigration
Looking for a video on the history of immigration in the United States? The Center for Latin American Studies and the Arizona State Museum has put together a video entitled, U.S. Immigration: Linking Past to Present.
Free American Presidents Timeline on U.S. Presidents
C-SPAN Classroom is offering a free poster that includes a timeline of American presidents. Go here to request the poster.
Resources for Teaching about the Supreme Court Nomination Process
Check out this resource to help students understand the Supreme Court nomination process. Included in this resource is a video from Chief Justice Roberts about the process as well as the questionnaire from the U.S. Senate.
Interested in Media History?
The Media History Digital Library has an amazing collection of resources related to the history of media. There are magazines, yearbooks, audio files, and much more. Check it out here.
Resources from the Iowa Judicial Branch
The Iowa Judicial Branch has released a few new resources to teach students about the judicial branch. View a video tour of the Iowa Supreme Court building here and this video about the Iowa Constitution.
Need Texts for Your Classroom?
Are you looking for other texts for your social studies classroom? Check out Common Lit. They have free texts on a variety of social studies topics and each text includes questions embedded within the text.
Teaching Engineering Through History
IEEE REACH has created a variety of materials for teaching the history of engineering. Inquiry units include topics on the printing press, maritime navigation, using GPS, and more. Check it out here.
Lessons from the Pulitzer Center on Teaching about Refugees
The Pulitzer Center has a vast collection of lesson plans and resources for teaching about global issues. Check out this particular collection of resources on teaching about refugees. Note: You will need to create a free account in order to access the entire collection.
Latest Issue of Social Studies Research and Practice
Check out the latest issue of Social Studies Research and Practice here. Articles are included on the use of trade books, historical inquiry, and more.
Free Posters on Teaching Students to Annotate
Want to receive a free set of posters in order to help students annotate documents. Go here to sign up.
C-SPAN Classroom Launches New Website
C-SPAN just launched a new teacher website. If you have never visited their website, or haven't seen the new site, check it out here.
Teach Current Events?
This resource is from Oregon, but includes several great sources organized around current issue topics. Check it out here.
George Washington Papers
The Library of Congress has created a new digital platform to access over 77,000 documents related to the life and presidency of George Washington. Check it out here.
Veteran's Legacy Program
The Veterans Legacy Program offers a wealth of tools for educators and the public, with a focus on honoring the sacrifices of our nation’s veterans. Through this program, citizens of all ages can explore U.S. history, visit national cemeteries or experience them online, and get to know these historic places as engaging places for learning. Specifically, the program seeks to engage young people to do authentic research into the veterans in their own communities. View this flyer and this handout for additional information. Check out more here.
ESRI
Did you know that your school has access to free GIS software? Check out more information at http://www.esri.com/connected and http://k12.maps.arcgis.com.
Word Generation
Check out the social studies curriculum offered by Word Generation. The curriculum focuses on 6th-8th grade and includes resources for teaching global studies and civics.
World Wise Schools
The World Wise Schools (WWS) program promotes global competence and 21st century skills through its programs and global education resources. Below you can find a description of their programs, including instructions on how to get involved and the necessary links:
- The Correspondence Match program connects educators directly with currently serving Peace Corps Volunteers. Educators enrolland WWS sends the name and contact information of a Volunteer.
- The Speakers Match program brings Returned Peace Corps Volunteers speakers – representing over 140 countries of service – directly to classrooms to talk about a variety of global and career related topics. Educators submit a request, and are provided a list of speakers in their area and the name of a local recruiter as a resource. WWS recommends submitting the request at least a month in advance to give ample time to find a speaker and plan for the event.
- The new Educator page provides hundreds of global education resources, including literature, lesson plans, and recipes.
- WWS offers events and special programming targeted at both learners and their educators. Check our calendar of events and activity pages for the current offerings.
What Works Clearinghouse
There are several new resources from the WWC that support best practices in social studies. These include Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively, Teaching Academic Content to ELL Students in Elementary and Middle School and Rubrics for Evaluating Instructional Materials, K-5. Check out the full website at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/FWW.
CNN Student News
Each day CNN broadcasts a 10-minute clip just for students. The broadcast provides a quick summary of the news of the day. Check it out here.
How to Detect Fake News
Check out this article from Easy Bib on 10 Ways to Spot Fake News, this story from Listenwise from a fake news creator, and this story with more tips on spotting fake news. You can also check out these media literacy resources including The News Literacy Project, this Google challenge on fake vs. real news and this resource from the New York Times.
Beyond the Ballot
Beyond the Ballot provides several resources for teaching civics and government. The resources help teachers teach youth engagement and empowerment around the political process.
Video Series on Literacy, Historical Thinking, and More
Check out this video series from the Minnesota Historical Society on best practices in literacy, concept-based instruction, historical thinking skills, and the use of primary sources in social studies.
Library of Congress Magazines
Did you know that the Library of Congress publishes a free magazine six times a year and they are free? Check out the magazines here.
Elementary Social Studies
Dr. Katy Swalwell, from Iowa State University, shared this website. It contains several elementary specific resources. This includes sample unit plans, Iowa history resources, and general elementary-specific resources.
Pieces of Iowa's Past
Did you know that the Iowa legislature puts out several historical guides related to the history of the Iowa legislature? Check them out here.
Street Law Moot Court Cases
Street Law provides several resources so that you can put on moot courts based off cases currently before the Supreme Court. Check out one here.
Teaching World History with Technology
Check out this Google doc from FreeTech4Teachers on 15 tools to teach world history.
Eight Great Podcasts for History Teachers
Check out this list of history podcasts. Although not exclusively about history, one of my favorites is Your Weekly Constitutional. Check it out here.
Iowa Department of Human Rights
Did you know that within the Department of Human Rights there are several offices that support diverse populations within the state. Check them out at:
Econ Resources from the St. Louis Federal Reserve
The St. Louis Federal Reserve has numerous resources on its website to support the teaching of economics K-12. A few new resources include:
Teach Canada?
Check out this guide on how Canadians govern themselves.
Teaching Argumentative Writing
This Doing Social Studies blog post is about teaching argumentative writing in social studies. The author includes several links to resources as well as several resources from Bruce Lesh. Check it out here.
Teaching World War II?
Check out this extensive list of lesson plans for teaching World War II from the American Battle Monuments Commission. You can also download a free book called, When the Akimotos Went to War, about a family's service in World War II.
Extensive Database on African American History
Check out this extensive database on African American history. The site includes a search function as well as several already pulled out resources on topics such as the underground railroad, the civil rights movement, and more.
E-Congress Simulation
Check out this e-congress simulation from the Youth Leadership Initiative. Students can learn all about congress and participate in a simulation about its functions.
Comprehensive List of Summer PD Opportunities Nationwide
Check out this comprehensive list of several FREE or mostly free professional development opportunities that are taking place this summer across the country.
Iowa Native Spaces Workshop
The “Iowa Native Spaces Teacher Workshop: Teaching Back to Erasures” will provide participants with professional development on history, culture, resistance, and contemporary issues in Iowa from indigenous perspectives. Sessions will be led by content area experts and education faculty at the University of Iowa and the Meskwaki Settlement School and will include time to design lesson plans and curriculum that integrate indigenous perspectives and align with the Iowa Core Standards. Teachers will be responsible for completing a curriculum project based on their respective content area and grade level responsibilities. The organizers are supporting free lodging for Saturday night for workshop attendees. Please email Jason Harshman to indicate if you will require lodging, jason-harshman@uiowa.edu. For more information and to sign up go here.
FREE Workshop on Iowa's Labor and Civil Rights History
On Saturday, March 25, the University of Iowa Labor Center and the Iowa Labor History Society are co-sponsoring our first public labor history conference: Labor and Civil Rights Struggles in Iowa’s Past, Present, and Future. The conference is free and open to the public, with lunch provided for those who register in advance. To sign up or for more information go here.
Geographic Alliance of Iowa Workshop
The Iowa Geographic Alliance is putting on several FREE workshops this summer. Each workshop is also being offered for graduate credit at a rate of $75 per credit. See information below and full information here. To sign up email alex.oberle@uni.edu.
Integrating Literacy into Geography
1 credit hour
June 12th-June 13th
Cedar Falls, IA (UNI)
Grade level: 6-8 ideal, but any secondary educators
Instructors: Jake Wager (McCollum MS; Des Moines Public Schools); Kailyn Bettle (district/school TBA); Alex Oberle (Department of Geography; UNI)
Who should enroll: Grade 6-8 educators who teach social studies (especially geography and history) or English/Language Arts; any secondary social studies or ELA educator.
Teaching Geography, Conflict, and Human Rights Through Photos, Maps, and Narrative
1 credit hour
June 15th-June 16th
Cedar Falls, IA (UNI)
Grade level: 7-12
Instructors: Brittany Roberts (Mt. Pleasant S.D.); Jennifer Slagel (Mt. Pleasant S.D.); Dr. Stephen Gaies (UNI Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education)
Who should enroll: Grade 7-12 educators who teach social studies (especially geography and history) or English/Language Arts
* This can be repeated for credit by those who have enrolled in "Geography, Conflict, and Human Rights" in past years
Iowa's Underground Railroad
1 credit hour
June 26th-June 27th
on-site across southern Iowa but begins in Waterloo
Grade level: K-12
Instructors: Stacey Snyder (Orange ES; Waterloo S.D.)
Who should enroll: Grade 7-12 educators who teach social studies (especially geography and history) or Science
* This workshop has first-come/first-served limited enrollment as a grant pays in full for lodging, meals, and a tour bus. Contact Stacy Snyder at snyders@butler-bremer.com for more details and to get on the list.
GEOSTEM: Integrating Math and Science into Social Studies
1 credit hour
July 13th-July 174th
Cedar Falls, IA (UNI)
Grade level: 4-7
Instructors: Dr. Alex Oberle (Department of Geography; UNI); Alexandra Mens (UNI)
Who should enroll: Grade 4-12 educators who teach social studies want to incorporate math or science or who teach math or science and want to integrate social studies. Ideal for 5th and 6th grade teachers. Topical focus is precision agriculture, tornado hazards, and water conservation.
Geography, Technology, and the Iowa Core, Part III
1 credit hour
July 17th-July 18th
Sioux City, IA (specific location TBA)
Grade level: K-12
Instructors: Rachel Hansen (Muscatine S.D.); Steve Oaks (Waterloo S.D.); Kathy Sundstedt (Dike-New Hartford S.D. [ret])
Who should enroll?: Any K-12 educator with an interest in teaching geography and integrating technology-related 21st Century Skills. This workshop is especially useful for those who teach any of the following: geography, history, and other social studies; STEM; TAG; Special Education (but all disciplines are welcome)
* This a Part III to the workshop that we have offered in various locations around the state over the past few years; you do NOT need to have completed the Part I or Part II to enroll in this new Part III
Geography, Technology, and the Iowa Core, Part III
1 credit hour
July 19th-July 20th
Cedar Falls, IA (UNI)
Grade level: K-12
Instructors: Rachel Hansen (Muscatine S.D.); Steve Oaks (Waterloo S.D.); Kathy Sundstedt (Dike-New Hartford S.D. [ret])
Who should enroll?: Any K-12 educator with an interest in teaching geography and integrating technology-related 21st Century Skills. This workshop is especially useful for those who teach any of the following: geography, history, and other social studies; STEM; TAG; Special Education (but all disciplines are welcome)
* This a Part III to the workshop that we have offered in various locations around the state over the past few years; you do NOT need to have completed the Part I or Part II to enroll in this new Part III
Geography of Iowa by Bicycle
3 credit hours
July 23rd-July 29th
RAGBRAI route with workshop meetings in Algona and Waukon
Grade Level: K-12
Instructor: Dr. Alex Oberle (Department of Geography; UNI)
Who should enroll: Grade K-12 educators who are riding RAGBRAI and want to take what they learn about Iowa Geography and incorporate it into their courses
Contact Alex.Oberle@uni.edu by March 14th to get on the list; RAGBRAI and charter payment due by March 15th
Digital Earth: Integrating Mapping Technologies into Social Science and STEM
1 credit hour
August 2nd-August 3rd
Cedar Falls, IA (UNI)
Grade Level: K-12
Instructors: Dr. Curt Nielsen (College of Education, UNI) Debbie Stevens (Indian Hills CC)
Who should enroll: Grade K-12 educators interested in incorporated on-line mapping into their curriculum.
Iowa's Glacial Landscape
1 credit hour
August 7th-August 8th
on-site across NW Iowa but begins in Waterloo
Grade level: K-12
Instructors: Stacey Snyder (Orange ES; Waterloo S.D.)
Who should enroll: Grade 7-12 educators who teach social studies (especially geography and history) or Science
* This workshop has first-come/first-served limited enrollment as a grant pays in full for lodging, meals, and a tour bus. Contact Stacy Snyder at snyders@butler-bremer.com for more details and to get on the list.
Travel with GEEO
Travel the world affordably, earn professional development credit, and bring global understanding into your classroom! GEEO is a 501c3 non-profit organization that has sent over 1600 teachers abroad on adventurous travel programs. With GEEO educators can earn professional development credits and optional graduate credit while seeing the world. GEEO's trips are 7 to 21 days in length and are designed and discounted to be interesting and affordable for teachers. 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. The deposit is $250 for each program and then the final payment is due 60 days before departure. GEEO is offering the following travel programs for 2017: Bali/Lombok, Bangkok to Hanoi, China, Costa Rica, Eastern Europe, The Galapagos Islands, Greece, Iceland, India/Nepal, Bhutan, Ireland, Armenia/Georgia, Italy, Multi-Stan, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Peruvian Amazon, Peruvian Andes, Southern Africa, Vietnam/Cambodia, Balkans and, a Mt. Kilimanjaro climb. Detailed information about each trip, including itineraries, costs, travel dates, and more can be found at www.geeo.org. GEEO can be reached 7 days a week, toll-free at 1-877-600-0105 between 9 AM-9 PM EST.
AP Summer Institutes
Find out more about the following opportunities here.
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AP Redesign Scholarships: Awarded to teachers with no other sources of funding who are planning to attend an AP Summer Institute for one of the following updated subjects: AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, or AP World History. AP Redesign scholarships cover the cost of APSI tuition only.
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AP Fellows Program: Annual competitive grant program that provides AP Summer Institute scholarships for teachers at high schools serving minority or low-income students who have been traditionally underrepresented in AP courses. The $1,000 scholarships cover the cost of APSI tuition; any remaining funds may be applied to travel and expenses.
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2016 AP Rural Fellows Program: Annual competitive grant program that provides AP Summer Institute scholarships for teachers serving in rural areas of the country. The $1,500 scholarships cover APSI tuition as well as travel and expenses.
Freedoms Foundation Graduate Programs
The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge offers several graduate level courses and many scholarships are available to cover the costs of attending these programs. Check out the full list here.
Heartland AEA Social Studies TIC
Heartland AEA hosts monthly TIC sessions. Each TIC focuses on a different content area and the technology connections in that area. Check out videos from the the social studies TIC here.
Iowa Mapping Contest
Are you teaching in an Iowa school district? Private school? Home school? Consider engaging your students in mapping projects! William Penn University, the Iowa Geographic Information Council, and Esri are sponsoring an Iowa Map Contest this spring. Students in grades 4-8 (middle school division) and grades 9-12 (high school division) are eligible to submit a map about “My Favorite Iowa Place” to the state competition, with the top five state level winners in each division receiving a $100 cash award, donated by Esri. The two top maps in the state, one middle school and one high school, will also be entered in Esri’s national competition, with Iowa’s state winners and their teachers (or chaperones) invited to Esri’s Education Conference in San Diego in July.
Students in any subject may create a map: social studies, geography, science, technology, literature, and more. Also, students in afterschool programs, 4-H, and other youth organizations can participate; but all maps must be submitted through a public, private or home school map account.
Everyone has a Favorite Place! For full contest background, guidelines, registration, judging criteria, deadlines, and resources, visit the website at https://sites.google.com/site/iowamapcontest2017/home. Participate and put Iowa on the map!
Abelkader Essay Content
Students are asked to evaluate the significance of Emir Abdelkader's life values and his struggles during peace, war, imprisonment, and exile in light of current events in America, the world, and in their own lives. Abdelkader was an Arab Muslim hero admired from Missouri to Moscow to Mecca and by world leaders such as President Lincoln, Queen Victoria, and Pope Pius IX. Essays are due April 15, 2017. Find essay contest details here and view the essay flyer here.
Apply for an Iowa Field Trip Grant
The Iowa History Center at Simpson College is offering up to $500 to cover field trips to Iowa history related locations or events. Apply here.
Check out this comprehensive list from Achieve the Core of several lesson plans organized by monthly theme.
Women's History Month
World War I Commemoration
April 6th will mark the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War I. Check out several resources for teaching about World War I below.
Black History Month
In case you missed the last newsletter, here are a few additional resources for teaching Black History Month:
Stefanie Rosenberg Wager
Social Studies Consultant
21st Century Skills- Civic and Financial Literacy
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 Website, Calendar, Iowa Core Social Studies, Newsletter, Diigo, Pinterest
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