K-12 Social Studies Beginning Teacher Webinar Series

On Wednesday, November 29th from 3:45-4:45 PM, NCDPI K-12 Social Studies will have the third webinar of the series for beginning teachers. The five-part webinar series is a way for us to continue to provide support on effective implementation of  the Standard Course of Study for social studies teachers. The webinars will feature some strategies to assist teachers with planning their lessons and/or units in a way that will not only help students gain a deeper understanding of the content, but also help teachers in the transition to conceptual teaching. 

The focus of this particular webinar is on effective social studies instructional strategies.

Click here to register for the webinar. 

Click here to access the webinar.

Did you miss the previous webinars? Access it today, here.

Announcing the 2018 Middle East and African Cultures Teacher Fellows Program

We invite currently practicing K-12 teachers and curriculum coordinators across North Carolina to participate in the 2018 Middle East and African Cultures Teacher Fellows Program. This intensive year-long professional development opportunity will explore Middle Eastern and African heritage through structured site-visits across the state, from visiting a refugee resettlement agency in Greensboro, to dining at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Charlotte, to attending a performance in Durham by Alsarah & The Nubatones. This program aims to enhance expertise in Middle Eastern and African cultures and communities, explore the growing diversity of North Carolina, and develop culturally competent pedagogy.

Fellows will first attend a two-day orientation workshop January 19-20, 2018 at UNC-Chapel Hill to introduce program themes, and then attend a minimum of 5 site-visits throughout the year (held across North Carolina) while engaging with readings, scholarship, discussion, and pedagogy. Program content will be organized around three strands: Migration & Diaspora, Cultural Landscape & Community, and Shared Histories & Cultural Retention. At the culmination of the program, teachers will develop curriculum related to program content and present their work at a culminating workshop in December 2018. Fellows will earn up to 5.0 CEUs and a $300 stipend upon completion of all program requirements.

The deadline to apply is December 10, 2017. Detailed information and the application can be found online at http://ncmideast.org/meac-teacher-fellows/.

Please contact Emma Harver at harver@email.unc.edu or 919-962-6732 with questions.  

The Middle East and African Cultures Teacher Fellows Program is a collaboration between the UNC African Studies Center, Carolina K-12 and the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies. This program is funded by the UNC College of Arts & Sciences, Carolina K-12’s Warren A. Nord Endowment for Teachers, and Title VI funding from the U.S. Department of Education.

Turkey: From the Ottoman Empire to Contemporary History and Politics

Duke University

Saturday, December 2, 2017

9:00am-5:00pm

The Ottoman Empire was a vast and diverse entity that spanned centuries and across Anatolia, the Middle East, North Africa, and southern Europe. In this free day-long workshop, teachers will explore the historical, political, and cultural aspects of the Ottoman Empire as well as its legacies and Turkey today (recommended for secondary educators). Teachers will learn about Ottoman history, architecture, art, and cuisine , engage with scholars from Duke Univeristy and UNC Chapel Hill, visit an exhibit of political cartoons from late Ottoman and Republican Turkey, and may earn up to .9 CEUs by participating in the workshop and completing preparatory readings.

Lodging scholarships are available for teachers traveling more than 150 round-trip miles to the training site (2204 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27705). Space is limited, register today! Please contact harver@email.unc.edu for more information.

This workshop is presented by the Duke Islamic Studies Center with support from Qatar Foundation International and the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies.

Veterans' History Month in North Carolina

On June 28, 2017, Governor Roy Cooper signed into law, An Act To Establish Veterans’ History Awareness Month In November.  The intent of this law is to enable students to gain a better understanding of the meaning and importance of the contributions of American veterans and, in particular, veterans from North Carolina.

The North Carolina State Board of Education ( NC SBE) is tasked with identifying recommended programs that schools can use during Veterans’ History Awareness Month.  This is an ongoing process.  Below are a few of these programs and ideas for honoring veterans.     

• Experience and Curate Veterans’ History

• North Carolina Museum of History - Take a field trip to the museum to experience the interactive multimedia exhibit on North Carolina and World War I.  Students will be able to understand North Carolina’s role in the War and experience a re-created trench warfare environment to discover what life was like for NC soldiers.  Teachers can engage students in rich conversations about NC’s participation through these resources.
  
  
• Veterans History Project: A Project of The American Folklife Center of The Library of Congress was created in 2000 as a result of Public Law 106-380.  The Project aims to make accessible, the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear these accounts directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.  Students in the 10th grade and above may participate in the Project by following the Guidelines for Students/Youth Participation.  Essentially, students will download the Veterans History Project Field Kit, prepare and conduct an interview with a veteran, then, send their collection to the Library of Congress for archiving. 
  
  

Korean Veterans Digital History Project

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s (NCDPI) K-12 Social Studies Section, in connection with the Korean War Legacy Foundation, is working to collect and curate oral histories from Korean War Veterans.  We are seeking teachers and students who would be interested in working with us to conduct and transcribe interviews.  These interviews will be archived with the Korean War Digital History Project and on the NCDPI website. 

If you are a NC educator and are interested in working with your students on this project, please contact Fay Gore at fay.gore@dpi.nc.gov .

Engage in Service-Learning Experiences

Corporation for National & Community Service (Serve.org) - has developed a list of 10 Ways to Support and Honor Veterans.  You can find that list here.
Noblehour established Six Ways To Honor Veterans.  You can find the article here.

Support Character Development

 
The Medal of Honor Character Development Program is a teacher-designed resource that provides students with opportunities to explore concepts such as courage, commitment, sacrifice, patriotism, integrity, and citizenship with a focus on The Medal of Honor and recipients.

NC American Indian Heritage Celebration

LIVE! Streaming Programs for Students Join us for a free LIVE! streaming event. Museum educators, curators, and special guests share some “stuff” from our past and “meet” people from our history who helped shape our present. Join us via YouTube; students can ask questions during the program and we’ll answer them LIVE! Register at BeyondTheExhibits.com for these FREE LIVE! events and bring the museum into your classroom. Resources available!

NC American Indian Heritage Celebration Friday, November 17, 2017/Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm 

Join us via LIVE! streaming to hear music and see dances performed by North Carolina American Indian dance groups. This LIVE! event will not be hosted but will focus on providing access to the celebration taking place in the museum auditorium. Sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

Essay Contest Opportunity 

Share with Your Students!

TAH.org is once again pleased to support the third annual Roots of Liberty National Essay Contest. Students will write an essay on the following:

In If Men Were Angels, No Government Would Be Necessary, law professor Stephen B. Presser argues that, “[f]or the Framers of the Constitution the practice of politics was all about how to distribute power within the government in order to preserve private property, individual rights, and the rule of law which secured both.”

Has the Constitution succeed in preserving the interests of those outside the majority? If so how and why? If not, how and why? A thoughtful response will include at least one historical example (18th, 19th, 20th centuries) and one contemporary example (21st century.)

The winning student essay will receive a grand prize of $5,000, plus a trip to D.C. for 2. The teacher who sponsors the winning student will also receive a prize of $1,000.

Essay Contest Deadline: Friday, December 15, 2017

For more information, click HERE

2017 Gilder Lehrman NC History Teacher of the Year

Meet the 2017 Gilder Lehrman NC History Teacher of the Year, Renny Taylor. Mr. Taylor teaches at Nash Central High School. Learn more about Mr. Renny and his students here. For more information on the 2018 National History Teacher of the Year visit the nominations and eligibility page.  

National winner receives a $10,000 prize presented at an award ceremony in their honor in New York City.

State winners receive a $1,000 prize, an archive of classroom resources, and recognition at a ceremony in their state.

Important Calendar Dates

Deadline for 2018 nominations: March 31, 2018

Deadline for 2018 nominees to submit supporting materials: April 30, 2018 

Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year

The North Carolina Council for the Social Studies recognizes exemplary teaching in the field of social studies. Teachers may be nominated by an individual; preferably a principal, supervisor, or fellow teacher, or a group. Self-nominations are also accepted. The 2018 Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award is presented at the NCCSS Annual State Conference, February 8-9, 2018. 

The winner of the 2018 Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award will be presented an award check for $1000 at the Conference Luncheon. The winner is encouraged to share his/her expertise and experiences by presenting on a session topic of his/her choice at the 2019 Annual Conference; if the winner chooses to do so, the NCCSS will also waive the Conference registration fee in 2019. In addition, the recipient will have an honorary appointment on the NCCSS executive board for one year of service. We look forward to having the input of our Teacher of the Year!

To start this process please start the nomination process by completing the corresponding Google form.

 If you have any questions about the NCCSS Teacher of the Year Award contact: Tom Daugherty by email: 

• Click here for the TOY nomination form
• Teacher of the Year Program Information

2018 Student Teacher of the Year

The North Carolina Council for the Social Studies recognizes exemplary teaching in the field of social studies. Our student teachers are the future of our discipline and the NCCSS celebrates their entry into a rewarding profession. Student teachers may be nominated by an individual; preferably a principal or professor.  The Social Studies Student Teacher of the Year Award is presented at the NCCSS annual state conference held each year.  The winner of the 2018 Social Studies Student Teacher of the Year Award will be presented an award check for $1000 at the conference luncheon.  Review all eligibility requirements in the link below.If you have any questions about the NCCSS Student Teacher of the Year Award contact: Tom Daugherty by email: 

• Click here for the STOY nomination form
• Student Teacher of the Year Program Information

2018  Teacher Grant Program

Classroom teachers are essential to the presentation of social studies content and skills to our state’s students. The North Carolina Council for the Social Studies (NCCSS) provides grants of up to $1,000 to help teachers make an even greater impact in their classroom, school district, and community through innovative social studies programs.

Who Can Apply: Grants are available for currently employed, licensed classroom teachers in North Carolina in grades K–12. Applicants must teach social studies (i.e., individually as a course, on an interdisciplinary team, as an elective in a social studies department, etc.)  Applicants must be a current member of the NCCSS. For information about becoming a member, go to: http://ncsocialstudies.org/membership/.  

Please access the form below to start the application process.

Grant Application

K-12 Social Studies Resources

K-12 Social Studies Essential Standards Wiki 

NCDPI's K-12 Social Studies Essential Standards Wiki website is a resource designed especially for educators to assist in the preparation of moving to the K-12 Social Studies Essential Standards. The North Carolina K-12 Social Studies Essential Standards are available, along with a number of other resources such as the Instructional Toolkit components and professional development material. 
 

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Sign-Up for Remind Today!!

NCDPI- Social Studies is proud to announce that we are able to communicate with social studies educators through http://www.remind.com. 

What is Remind?

•   A FREE web and app based communication tool that can connect North Carolina educators to the NCDPI- Social Studies Team
• Fast, easy, convenient and effective way for NCDPI- Social Studies Team to communicate the most recent social studies related legislative updates, resources, events, announcements, webinars, opportunities, etc.
• NCDPI- Social Studies Team can send or receive messages via text or email to help update, remind, 
  connect, and/or communicate last minute changes
• Flip phone, IOS, or Android compatible
• Won’t clog inboxes
• Everyone’s contact information stays private because cell number and/or email address are not shown to users
• Joining only takes seconds: Text @bc8e8c to the number 81010 OR CLICK here