NCDPI K-12 Social Studies On-Demand Professional Learning Fall Sessions

Implementation of the K-12 Social Studies Standards has begun and the NCDPI Social Studies team will be releasing four on-demand professional learning sessions this fall. 

• The first on-demand professional learning session is on Using the Unpacking Documents. This recorded PD will allow social studies educators, curriculum leaders, and administrators to gain a better understanding of how to use the Social Studies Unpacking Documents as a tool to plan for, teach, and assess the Social Studies Standards.  
  • Webinar Recording: Using the Unpacking Documents 
    •  Password: Socialstudies!1 (case sensitive)

• The second on-demand professional learning session is on Using the Social Studies Strand Maps. This recorded PD will help you better understand the purpose for, the structure of, and some meaningful ways to use the Strand Maps. Those participating in this training module will gain a better understanding of how to use the Strand Maps as a tool to teach and assess the Social Studies standards. This module will focus on some of the most meaningful uses for the classroom teacher and the curriculum leader.  
  • Webinar Recording: Using the Social Studies Strand Maps
    • Password: Socialstudies!1 (case sensitive)
      
      
• The third on-demand professional learning session is an Introduction to Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RBT). This recorded PD will help you better understand the purpose of RBT, the difference between the Original Bloom's Taxonomy and the revised versions, how the RBT verbs were used in writing the Social Studies Standards, and the importance of using the RBT verbs to make instructional decisions. 
  • Webinar Recording: Introduction to Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RBT)
    • Password: Socialstudies!1 (case sensitive)
      

• The fourth on-demand professional learning session is on Integrating Inquiry and the Skills Indicators into your Classroom Instruction. This recorded PD will help you better understand what Inquiry is and the purpose of the Inquiry Indicators in the Social Studies Standards.  Those participating in this training module will gain a better understanding of how to integrate the NC Inquiry Indicators into instruction effectively.
  • Webinar Recording: Integrating Inquiry and the Skills Indicators into your Classroom Instruction
    • Password: Socialstudies!1 (case sensitive)

Resources

• Use this link to access various social studies related information that may be useful throughout the school year
• Use this new link to access the recorded session and other  K-12 Social Studies Professional Learning Resources and Tools

Professional Development from the North Carolina Council on Economic Education

The North Carolina Council on Economic Education (NCCEE) is offering no-cost professional development for elementary and middle school teachers.

Professional Development Self-Paced Courses for K-12 Teachers

ASYNCHRONOUS AT GOOGLE CLASSROOM

Are you going to be teaching the Economics and Personal Finance Course soon and have no idea where to begin? These asynchronous courses give ideas of what to expect and where to begin. Teachers who complete the course will receive a certificate for 10 hours of PD. Please note, this is not a substitute for a 40-hour EPF Institute, it is a preview.

Register to Attend 

• EPF Preview (10 hours) January 3-30, 2022 Are you going to be teaching the Economics and Personal Finance Coursesoon and have no idea where to begin? This asynchronous course gives an idea of what to expect and where to begin. Teachers who complete this interactive, self-paced course will receive a certificate for 10 hours of PD. Please note, this is NOT a substitute for a 40-hour EPF Institute. Teachers who have previously completed this course are not eligible to attend. This course is being offered via Google Classroom. There is no cost to attend but space is limited. Register
  
  
• Financial Planning 101 (5 hours) February 1-28 In this interactive, self-paced professional development session, you will learn everything you need to teach financial planning in the classroom and how to utilize the Personal Finance Challenge. Complete Financial Planning 101 for 5 hours of professional development credit, or pair with Economic Decision Making 101 for 10 hours equal to 1 CEU. This session is appropriate for middle and high school social studies and CTE teachers. Teachers who have previously completed this course are not eligible to attend. This course is being offered via Google Classroom. There is no cost to attend but space is limited. Register
  
  
• Economic Decision Making 101 (5 hours) March 1-30, In this interactive, self-paced professional development for high school teachers, you will learn everything you need to teach economic decision making in the classroom and how to utilize the National Economics Challenge. Complete Economic Decision Making 101 for 5 hours of professional development credit, or pair with Financial Planning 101 for 10 hours equal to 1 CEU. Teachers who have previously completed this course are not eligible to attend. This course is being offered via Google Classroom. There is no cost to attend but space is limited. Register
  
  
• Taxes 101 (5 hours) April 1-30 In this interactive, self-paced professional development, you will learn everything you need to teach taxes in the classroom. The course will include Q&As with qualified financial professionals and an introduction to the Turbo Tax Simulation tool. Complete Taxes 101 for 5 hours of professional development credit. Teachers who have previously completed this course are not eligible to attend. This course is being offered via Google Classroom. There is no cost to attend but space is limited. Register

There is no cost to attend these asynchronous courses but space is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. A certificate for completion of will be provided for CEU purposes.

Learn More and Register

Family Financial Fun Nights
for Elementary Students and their Families

Attending families from Title 1 schools receive a $20 Food Lion Gift Card.

Elementary Teachers: Are you interested in engaging your students' families with finance industry volunteers to complete interactive activities that are fun and educational? This is a great PTA event or an opportunity to engage parents.  All activities for the remainder of this calendar year will be virtual. The first 3 teachers to schedule a Family Financial Fun Night for a Title 1 school will receive a $100 stipend. You help us schedule it, we do the rest!

For more information on this program, please contact Stephanie Cales.

Veteran's History Awareness Month

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 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.  

Did you know that North Carolina is the 4th largest state in the nation in the number of school-aged military dependents of active-duty personnel? North Carolina is also home to over a quarter-million children of military retirees or veterans in every county in the state. Currently, there are more than 22 million Veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Let us all thank and honor them in November.

For more information and to access additional resources, please view the Veterans' History Awareness Month flyer or visit the Social Studies Google Sites to help you and your students honor veterans. They can be used during this Veterans’ History Awareness Month or throughout the year.

NC History Day Opportunities

WeVideo for Schools Available for National History Day Teacher and Students

NC History Day is excited to announce that it can provide online video editing software to National History Day documentary students (and their teachers) this school year.  WeVideo for Schools is COPPA- and FERPA-compliant making it safe and secure students.  Teachers have access to monitor student work and make class videos of their own. The cloud based platform will allow students to work on documentary projects on multiple device types, switch between schoolwork locations, and help group projects work together even if remote. Students do not need to be competition track to use the platform as long as they are using it for History Day projects at the class or school level. 

Teachers can email karen.ipock@ncdcr.gov to find out more and get them and their students set-up with access.

Sacrifice for Freedom®: World War II in the Pacific Student & Teacher Institute

National History Day is now accepting applications for the Sacrifice for Freedom®: World War II in the Pacific Student & Teacher Institute. Sponsored by the Pearl Harbor Historic Site partners, this exceptional opportunity provides travel for 16 student/teacher teams from across the country to study World War II in the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawai’i, in summer 2022.

To learn more or to apply, please visit: https://www.nhd.org/sacrifice-for-freedom-pacific. 

Interested teachers and students must submit the application form by midnight ET on Monday, November 29, 2021.

The NC International Education Week: Student Showcase

The COVID-19 Pandemic has given us an opportunity to rethink and redesign education and NCDPI wants to acknowledge all the ways our NC students and educators are studying global education in the digital age.  The North Carolina International Education Week: Student Showcase has provided students an opportunity to share their interest and understanding of global issues, global perspectives, and cultural awareness through various projects, presentations, or work samples. 

Below are the submissions from this year:

• “Dia De Los Muertos'' – Howard E. Winkler Middle School
• “What is Culture and Why Is It Important?” - Doris Henderson Newcomers School
• “Expressing the World Using Scientific Notation” - Howard E. Winkler Middle School
• “Dandiya - Indian Stick Dance” - Pinewood Elementary School

To access the Student Showcase videos, visit: https://sites.google.com/dpi.nc.gov/k-12-sci/international-education-week/student-showcase-2021

NCCSS Outstanding Social Studies 

Teacher of the Year

Each year the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies (NCCSS) recognizes exemplary teaching in the field of social studies.  But, did you know that 7 out of 10 North Carolina social studies teachers let this opportunity to be recognized for their outstanding work and excellence in the classroom go unnoticed?  

As a social studies teacher you may be nominated by an individual; preferably a principal, supervisor, fellow teacher, or a group.  You may even nominate yourself.  The Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award is presented in March, at the NCCSS annual state conference.  

Give teachers across the state a chance to witness many of the things that make you a great teacher.  Show us why so many students and colleagues think you are such a dynamic and inspiring social studies teacher. 

Apply today!

Requirement Information

TOY Application 

The Global Educator Digital Badge

Words of Wisdom from Global Educator Digital Badge Earners

The Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) provides an opportunity for educators to focus their professional development on developing their own global context and understanding of how to integrate global education throughout curricula. It also provides the opportunity to build global competency in students. 

Some educators, who have earned the NCDPI Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB), are have shared their thoughts on the benefits of getting the badge and how it has impacted their teaching. 

A video of the GEDB Recipients sharing their words of wisdom can be viewed using this link.   

For more information on the Badge (SBE Policy, FAQs, Process Flyer, Implementation Guide, MOA), please visit the website or contact NCGlobalEducation@dpi.nc.gov.