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2017 Best Practices Institute
Registration for the Best Practices Institute will close on May 15th. Please get registered as soon as possible. The institute takes place June 19-20, 2017 at the State Historical Museum. As always, the institute is FREE for any pre-service or in-service social studies teacher. There are a variety of sessions this year including topics such as strategies for discussing controversial topics, and Iowa history strand with topics such as Native Americans in Iowa, civil rights, agriculture, etc., geography, economics resources from the St. Louis Federal Reserve and much more. In addition, Ambassador Kenneth Quinn (the former ambassador to Cambodia) will serve as the keynote speaker. I will also be giving an overview of the proposed social studies standards. View the flyer here and register here. One license renewal credit will also be available.
FREE Workshop on the Holocaust
Educators are invited to this free workshop being put on by the University of Northern Iowa Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education, the Iowa Council for Holocaust Education, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines. The workshop is entitled: Teaching the Holocaust. Should We Also Be Teaching Other Genocides? The workshop takes place at Temple B’Nai Jeshurum on Tuesday, May, 16th from 4:00-6:00. Check out the flyer here. Refreshments provided. RSVP to jcrc@dmjfed.org.
Iowa Review Team Recommends New Social Studies Standards
DES MOINES – A state team charged with reviewing a draft of proposed statewide standards for social studies today released its final report, which recommends that the draft standards become Iowa’s new social studies standards. The Social Studies Standards Review Team’s report, as well as the draft social studies standards, will go to the State Board of Education for consideration next month.
The draft standards outline what students should know and be able to do in social studies from kindergarten through 12th grade. They were developed in 2016 by an Iowa writing team and modified by the Social Studies Standards Review Team based on broad public input.
The new draft social studies standards:
- Go beyond content that students should master, emphasizing the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that students need to be successful in postsecondary education and training and to compete for today’s most rewarding jobs.
- Weave in Iowa history and financial literacy, which are not reflected in the current social studies standards.
- Outline what students should know and be able to do at each grade level from kindergarten through eighth grade, rather than being organized by spans of grades. In grades 9 through 12, the draft standards are organized by content area within social studies.
Amber Davison, a member of the Social Studies Standards Review Team, said the writing and review teams shared a vision of providing all Iowa students with equal access to rigorous expectations and providing support to teachers.
“Our hope is these standards provide students at all grade levels the opportunity to move beyond understanding content and to begin engaging with and thinking like historians, economists, psychologists, sociologists, geographers, and political scientists,” said Davison, an instructional coach in the Des Moines Public Schools. “The goal is that students take what they have learned and support their communities as active and informed citizens.”
The draft represents the first statewide effort to update Iowa’s social studies standards, which were adopted in 2008. A recent survey showed many Iowa teachers want clearer, more specific expectations than those outlined in the current social studies standards.
The Social Studies Standards Review Team collected public feedback on the draft standards this year through an online survey, public forums and teacher focus groups.
Modifications made by the review team were based largely on providing clarity. For example, when public input indicated confusion about the inclusion of financial literacy in the draft social studies standards, the review team decided to clearly mark civic and financial literacy standards so that teachers would know these standards also show up in Iowa’s standards for 21st century skills (employability skills, civic literacy, financial literacy, health literacy, and technology literacy).
The team’s final report also included recommendations to ensure successful implementation of social studies standards, such as establishing a social studies position at each of Iowa’s area education agencies, providing teachers with ongoing access to professional development in social studies, and increasing statewide accountability for social studies education.
The review was part of an ongoing state process for reviewing Iowa’s academic standards, which also cover science, mathematics, literacy and 21st century skills. The process was prompted by Gov. Branstad’s Executive Order 83, which called for a regular, transparent review of Iowa’s academic standards to identify areas for improvement.
Recommendations stemming from the review process are directed to the State Board of Education, which has the legal authority to determine the content of Iowa’s academic standards. The board’s next meeting is May 11.
For more information about the Social Studies Standards Review Team and its recommendations, visit the Iowa Department of Education’s website. For more information about Iowa’s academic standards, visit www.iowacore.gov.
State Historical Museum of Iowa Young Writers’ Workshop
Write historical flash fiction at this five day summer workshop at the State Historical Museum in Des Moines, IA. This workshop will be from June 12-16, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants must be 7-12 graders with a limit of 12 participants. Register by June 7th here. View flyer here.
Boston Schools Have Ditched This Distorted and Misleading World Map
Last Thursday, social studies teachers in Boston's public schools ditched the widely used - but horribly distorted - Mercator Projection map in favor of a more accurate depiction of the world's landmasses. Read more here.
New Iowa Core Literacy Webpage
The Department of Education has launched new Iowa Core webpages with hundreds of literacy resources. Check them out here.
Vote Smart Moves to Des Moines
Vote Smart, a non-profit dedicated to providing non-partisan facts about elected officials and their voting records, has moved to Des Moines and is housed at Drake University. Check out their website at http://votesmart.org/ and their Government 101 section.
Help Write Curriculum for the National Czech and Slovak Museum
The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids is looking to hire educators to write lesson plans for a new curriculum titled 68.77.89: Arts, Culture and Social Change. The curriculum is designed to teach about the role of the arts in bringing democracy to then-Communist Czechoslovakia. For more information, please contact Dr. Nic Hartmann, Director of Learning & Civic Engagement, at nhartmann@ncsml.org, or by phone at 319.362.8500.
Campus Compact Launches Civic Mission of Higher Education Initiative
Iowa is facing a civic skills gap. Communities face challenges that require active citizens with the ability and willingness to apply skills like communication, critical thinking, and teamwork. The 21 college and university members of Iowa Campus Compact (IACC) are working to fill this gap by helping students build these skills through community experiences. To be successful, a broader coalition of nonprofit, community, and business leaders is needed, so IACC is launching a new campaign to help bring attention to the issue and solutions. “Community experiences were central to developing my ability to frame and solve problems, to manage projects independently, to communicate effectively, to work with groups of diverse people, and to celebrate the contributions of people at all levels of the organization,” said Iowa Campus Compact Board Chair and Coe College President David McInally on his personal experience in building core skills through community experiences. In addition to building civic skills, community experiences can also contribute to gaps in workforce skills. Three in four employers said in a recent survey that they want colleges to place more emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and applied knowledge in real-world settings and 92% said volunteering expands an employee’s professional skill set (Association of American Colleges and Universities report). The new “Giving Voice to the Civic Mission” campaign will seek to elevate the public understanding of how quality, hands-on experiences shape students into effective leaders. We will share stories of how volunteer projects, service-learning courses, alternative break trips, nonprofit internships, and a range of other opportunities leverage real-world experience while contributing to community needs. Learn more about this initiative and get involved.
Winners of the 2017 Women’s History Month Video Contest
We are honored to announce the winners of our 2nd annual Women's History Month Video Contest! First place award recipients are:
All of the first place students from this contest will receive a $50 prize and the classrooms/ organizations who sponsored the students will receive a $250 prize to be used toward supplies. These prizes were made possible by the Friends of the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women. Check out this brochure from the Iowa Department of Human Rights on notable Iowa women.
Winterset Teacher Blogs about Statewide Social Studies Professional Development
Maggie Llewellyn, a teacher in Winterset, recently attended the statewide social studies professional development Building Literacy in Social Studies. She then created a blog post based on the resources she created as a result of attending the training. You can check it out here.
Remembering World War I App
The National Archives has a new app for teachers called Remember World War I. Contained in the app is unreleased films and photos and WWI propaganda posters. All items are copyright free and for public use. Download and learn more here.
Mercy Street
Mercy Street is a resource for students to broaden their understanding of the Civil War and how it shaped history. Within this resource Iowa Core concepts such as understand historical patterns, periods of time, the relationships among these elements and understand the role of individuals and groups within a society as promoters of change or the status quo can be explored. Learn more here.
Library of Congress Magazine: America and the Great War
Special issue for the World War I Centennial honoring the U.S. entry into the Great War. Click here for more information.
Nat Geo Website: Printing Detailed Topographical Maps
National Geographic recently released a website that has topographical maps from across the United States and are made easy to print. Learn more about the site here. Visit the site here.
Top Ten Sites to Help Students Check Their Facts
It is necessary now more than ever to rely on trustworthy checking services to vet information. Share these fact-and-bias-checking sites with your students.
National Park Maps
National Park Maps has hundreds of free high-resolution national park maps to view, save and download. View this website here.
Econ Lowdown: A Monthly Newsletter
A monthly newsletter of events and resources for K-12 economics and personal finance teachers. Discover new resources including a toolkit, 101 conversations and webinars. April 2017 issue reviews advertising history and strategies. Mobile App, Online classes and other resources available.
Through Their Eyes: Narratives that Shape our World
Bring your classroom to Mount Vernon’s Washington Library to be apart of the live in-house audience on May 25th. Join the audience by emailing lsmith@mountvernon.org.If you are unable to make it to Mount Vernon, participate virtually through a webcast. Register here.
See All the Angles Campaign
This campaign’s focus is to encourage readers to dig deeper in what the meaning is of what they are seeing and build media literacy skills. Learn more about this campaign here.
Holocaust Memorial and Heroism Day
Engage your students while the world pays tribute to the Holocaust by teaching them about the history. Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation recommends the following resources: Finding Leadership and Tactics of Resistance
National Archives Releases New Document Analysis Worksheets
Document analysis is the first step in working with primary sources. The National Archives worksheets can help teach your students to think through primary source documents for contextual understanding and to extract information to make informed judgments. NARA has several forms available for analyzing different kinds of documents.
How to Teach Controversial Topics and Civil Debate
Go to these classroom resources from Civics Renewal Network organization to help with teaching controversial topics and civil debate. These resources are appropriate for 2nd grade to high school students.
Constitutional Rights Foundation: Civics on Call
This website has numerous classroom-ready lessons on issues around the world today. Click here to view the lessons.
Understanding the Great War Newsletter
This newsletter has education resources about World War I and includes extensive lists of articles, lessons, and primary sources. Subscribe to this newsletter here. Read past issues here. View issue #6 here.
Rare Color Images from World War II
Colored photos taken during WWII, some that have never been published before, are apart of a new book from the Imperial War Museums. View an article from the Smithsonian Magazine and the photos here.
Report on the Role of the Behavioral Sciences in K-12 Education
A meeting held by the Communication and Use of the Social and Behavioral Sciences of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine brought together representatives of SBS organizations and leaders in science and social studies education to discuss the behavioral sciences at the K-12 level. View their report here.
National Geographic Educators Certification Program
Do you believe in empowering students to think like explorers? In building geographic competency across disciplines? In inspiring students to be global thinkers who can change the world? If so, you can apply to join NatGeo Educator Certification Program. The program seeks to inspire educators to teach students about the world in innovative and interdisciplinary ways. The experience will provide you with professional recognition and development; connections and community with like-minded educators; and relationships, resources, and perks with National Geographic.
Social Studies Assessments
Check out this website from Southern Illinois University. They have created several short assessments aligned to the Literacy Standards for History/Social Studies.
Bill of Rights in Action
Check out the latest edition of Bill of Rights in Action from the Constitutional Rights Foundation. This edition includes topics such as The Great Depression and the Marquis de Lafayette.
Hoover Library and Museum Workshop for Elementary Teachers
Join the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum for a week of learning about American Presidents, Iowa Territorial Government, Iowa History, Voting, Citizenship, and how to incorporate primary sources into your elementary classroom. We will complete workshops geared towards understanding the new Iowa Social Studies Standards and incorporate them into building lesson plans and classroom activities. Classes will be led by NCSS Board Member and Teacher of the Year Kimberly Heckart and National Archives Education Specialist Elizabeth Dinschel. There will be individual and group work required. All teachers will submit an assignment for completion of graduate credit. Forty elementary teachers from across Iowa will be selected for this unique opportunity. Applications will be accepted through May 1, 2017.
- Breakfast and Lunch will be provided by the institute daily.
- A $100 stipend will be provided by the institute to pay for one credit hour of graduate credit from Drake University.
- Transportation to the Lincoln Museum in Springfield will be provided by the institute.
Applications can be submitted using our online application: https://goo.gl/forms/c0BzYpOtmBZ3b31x1.
Writing to Learn in Social Studies Workshop at UNI
The University of Northern Iowa is offering a summer/fall workshop on writing to learn in social studies using the newly proposed social studies standards. Check out a flyer about the class here. For questions or to sign up email Jim Davis at james.davis@uni.edu.
Teaching and Learning Iowa History - Iowans and the Struggles of Anti-Black Racism
Online course from July 1 - 31. Students can take the class for free or pay for university or licensure renewal credit. Check out Course Website for more information and go here to register for licensure renewal credits.
“German Iowa and the Global Midwest” Traveling Exhibition
A traveling exhibit “German Iowa and the Global Midwest” is being put on by the State Historical Museum of Iowa from April 6- May 1. This exhibit shows the long influence German immigrants and their descendants have on Iowa such as politics and religion.
Library of On-Demand Professional Learning Webinars
Brought to you by the American Federation of Teachers, this Share My Lesson Webinar series provides you with classroom content to use in today’s classrooms. Check out their website and apply for the webinars here.
New Online Graduate Courses for Summer 2017
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce its summer courses which include these 3 graduate credit classes: American in the Age of World Wars: World War I, Historiography and Historical Methods, Lincoln and Leadership, and State Histories.
Teach Your Students to Read Their World Using Classroom Media Analysis Videos
These 5-10 minute videos help K-12 educators engage all students in a discussion based on a Constructivist Media Decoding philosophy. Teachers are taught how to change their practice from delivering facts to drawing students into rigorous analysis and reflection. Click here to watch the video series.
Federalist No. 10: Documents in Detail Webinar Recap
James Madison’s Federalist 10 was discussed in detail by professors. View the full archive of the program and related documents here. Register for the Teaching American History Webinars here.
Human Rights in Africa and the Middle East: Recognition, Research and Response
Programs in International Educational Resources (Pier) is offering a summer institute for Educators July 10-13, 2017 relating to Africa and the Middle East. Complete the online application here. Final date for application is 5/31/2017.
Qatar Foundation International (QFI) Teacher Professional Development
These Awards are for K-12 public/public charter school educators in the social sciences and or humanities and arts fields to participate in a professional development to enhance ability to teach about the Middle East/Arab world. Learn more about this award here.
“Teaching World War II in East Asia” Online Workshop
Sutori has partnered up with Facing History and Ourselves for an online workshop called Teaching World War II in East Asia that will begin April 24th. Sign up here.
Library 2.017 Mini-Conference “Digital Literacy + Fake News”
The Global Education Conference Network has announced their second of three 2.017 mini-conferences. This will be free and held online on June 1st from 2-5pm. Register for the event here. Join the 2.0 network to be kept updated on this and future events here.
Medal of Honor Summer Workshops
Are you looking for a more in-depth course on the Medal of Honor and its legacy? Check out these opportunities, provided through the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. Scholarships are available for teachers from every state. Program, accommodations, and meals are included.Graduate credit available from Immaculate University.
Spend a week learning about WWII with those who were there, including Iwo Jima survivor and Medal of Honor Recipient Woody Williams. Special focus on the war in the Pacific, Japanese internment, and the use of the atomic bomb.
Examine how the world changed after 9/11, by spending a week interacting with veterans like MOH Recipient Sgt. Clint Romesha, whose memoir Red Platoon tells his story from Afghanistan, as well as DHS intelligence officers, Middle East scholars, and share ideas to help students understand their world.
Explore major biographical figures in light of six character traits - courage, sacrifice, integrity, commitment, citizenship, and patriotism. Learn best practices for building literacy in social studies. ELA teachers welcome.
Delve into how you can teach character using the stories of Medal of Honor recipients and the decisions they made to save others. Meet Sgt. Leroy Petry, USA,who served in Paktya Province, Afghanistan, and will share his experiences. Hear from scholars on WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Topics include the collapse of French colonialism, the Cold War, Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Cong, the Tet Offensive, Laos and Cambodia, and the politics at home. Hear from veterans who served, including MOH Recipient Roger Donlon.
Collection of Professional Development Videos from the Library of Congress
Check out these videos from the Library of Congress. Topics range from copyright to analyzing primary sources and navigating the library’s website.
Travel with GEEO this Summer
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. In addition to amazing tour leaders, many of the programs are accompanied by university faculty that are experts on the destination. The deposit is $250 for each program and then the final payment is due 60 days before departure. 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 2017: Bali/Lombok, Bangkok to Hanoi, Costa Rica, Eastern Europe, The Galapagos Islands, Greece, Iceland, India/Nepal, Bhutan, Ireland, Armenia/Georgia, Multi-Stan, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Peruvian Amazon, Peruvian Andes, Southern Africa, Vietnam/Cambodia, and the Balkans. 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 www.geeo.org. GEEO can be reached 7 days a week, toll-free at 1-877-600-0105 between 9 AM-9 PM EST.
Smithsonian Offers Free Online Course for Teaching about Historical Inquiry
The Smithsonian is offering Teaching Historical Inquiry with Objects, a free, self-paced online course to give middle and high school history teachers new techniques to engage and motivate students with an inquiry-based approach to learning. Teachers will learn the following:
- How to use and apply the inquiry arc of the C3 Framework for Social Studies, engaging students in a deeper process of historical inquiry;
- How to incorporate object-based learning in history lessons, related educational or museum programs;
- Techniques to develop compelling questions; and,
- Lesson planning ideas that incorporate the C3 Inquiry Framework and museum resources.
Click here for more information.
John Morton Excellence in the Teaching of Economic Awards
The John Morton Excellence in the Teaching of Economics Award recognizes three national educators each year on their stimulates the understanding of economics. Learn more about the award here. To receive the award you must be a member of EconEdLink. Submit your application here.
Broadband Student Ambassadors Application
Iowa Communications Network is accepting applications for their statewide Youth Broadband Advisory Council for the 2017-2018 school year. Learn more and apply here. Application deadline is May 5, 2017.
Apply for an Iowa Council of the Social Studies Award
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The Civil Rights/Civil Liberties: Excellence in Teaching Award- Recognizes and honors the accomplishments of an Iowa social studies educator in the area of Civil Rights/Civil Liberties. Nominees inspire students to be fully informed about their Civil Rights and Civil Liberties assured by the Constitution. This teacher is someone who inspires students to take informed action when they see injustices and to be a responsible contributing member of our democracy. This award serves to honor a person who is striving to continue their work advancing civil rights and civil liberties. The recipient will be recognized at the annual Iowa Council for Social Studies Educators Conference. Applications must be completed no later than May 31st. Award· $250 cash award and award from Nystrom Education and recognition at the Iowa Council for Social Studies Educators Conference Luncheon. Apply at https://goo.gl/23LsH0.
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Iowa Social Studies Teacher of the Year- Recipients of the Iowa Social Studies Teacher of the Year award will be recognized with an award and a one-year paid membership to the National Council for the Social Studies and the Iowa Council for the Social Studies. Winners also have the option to be nominated for the NCSS Teacher of the Year Award. The applicant must be a member of ICSS with over three years of experience and currently under contract within the State of Iowa. Categories include elementary, middle, and high school teacher of the year. Applications include a resume and a letter of recommendation from the teacher’s principal or superintendent. Recipients of this award are encouraged to lead a session at the fall conference. Applications must be completed no later than May 31st. Apply at http://goo.gl/qUqiBL.
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Clair Keller Development Instructional Project Grant- The Clair Keller Development Instructional Project Grant applicant must submit a project proposal on line, including the main purpose of the project, objectives, schedule for completion, and how it will improve Social Studies instruction, with a cover page with the applicant’s name, school, and address. The applicant must be a member of ICSS. The Clair Keller Development Instructional Project Grant winners receive a grant of $250. The winner must also present at the next ICSS fall conference. Applications must be completed no later than May 31st. Apply at http://goo.gl/VDihhi.
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Don Fett Social Studies Instruction Award- The Iowa Council for the Social Studies will give a $100 cash award to K-12 teachers for submitting an exemplary lesson plan that they have created. This lesson plan must reflect current trends in social studies education and be an original approach to the teaching of any social studies discipline. Be sure to explain why your lesson plan should be selected. A cover page must also be included with the lesson plan. Winner(s) of this award must present their lesson plan at the fall conference of the Iowa Council for the Social Studies. Applications must be completed no later than May 31st. Apply at http://goo.gl/ZzAind
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Helen Finken Award- This award recognizes teachers in their first three years of teaching Social Studies, who have demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence in Social Studies Education. This award is given in memory of Helen Finken, an outstanding teacher and long time member and officer of ICSS. Nominees must have three or fewer years of teaching experience. They must submit two lesson plans and examples of Iowa Teaching Standard #8. They must be a member of ICSS. Recipients will be required to lead a session at the conference at which they receive the award. Recipients receive an award and registration for the conference at which they will receive the award, plus ICSS and NCSS membership for one year. Applications must be completed no later than May 31. Apply at http://goo.gl/HtXJWY.
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
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