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This update includes reminders for K-12 Social Studies and information from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). We encourage everyone who receives this update to share it with others who may not be subscribed to our listserv. If you would like to receive Social Studies Updates, please sign up using the following link: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCSBE/subscriber/new?qsp=CODE_RED
Connect with the K-12 Social Studies on
Instagram and Facebook!
We’re excited to announce that the NCDPI K–12 Social Studies team now has NEW social media channels! Follow us for the latest updates, professional learning opportunities, classroom resources, and stories highlighting the incredible work of educators and students across North Carolina.
Follow K–12 Social Studies Here:
Plus, stay connected with our
Character Education and Global Education Initiatives
Follow Character Education Here:
Follow Global Education Here:
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PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Save the Date: International Education Week Professional Development
Saturday, November 15, 2025 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
International Education Week (IEW) began in 2000 as a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, celebrating the benefits of education and cultural exchange around the world. In North Carolina, IEW is championed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and its Global Education Steering Committee. Together, they highlight and support the work of educators who foster global competence, cultural understanding, and civic responsibility in classrooms across our state.
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The focus of this year's event is
"Shaping the Future: Climate, Science, and Social Movements in a Changing World,"
Date: Friday, November 15, 2025
Location: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill- Howell Hall
Audience: This workshop is for ALL K-12 educators, regardless of content area or grade level.
Theme: “Shaping the Future: Climate, Science, and Social Movements in a Changing World”
As a part of International Education Week, the Global Education Steering Committee and Area Studies Centers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University have partnered with the Area Studies Centers at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University to provide professional learning opportunities and resources that expand educators’ knowledge of global issues and enhance classroom instruction- all of which reinforces North Carolina’s Global Education policies and recognitions, including the Global Educator Digital Badge and the Global Ready School and District Designations.
Bonus: Attendees will also receive two free tickets to the Southern Skies presentation celebrating Indigenous Latin American astronomy at UNC-Chapel Hill Moorehead Planetarium!
Earn 5 PD hours by attending this in-person workshop!
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INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
November is Veterans' History Awareness Month in North Carolina
On June 28, 2017, Governor Roy Cooper signed into law, An Act To Establish Veterans’ History Awareness Month In November. This law intends 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.
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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 to help you and your students honor veterans. They can be used during this Veterans’ History Awareness Month or throughout the year.
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AWARDS, GRANTS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
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Contest for Students: Budgeting in 2025: Plan, Save, Thrive!
North Carolina students are invited to showcase their creativity and financial smarts in the statewide “Budgeting in 2025: Plan, Save, Thrive!” contest.
Open to grades K–12 across all public, private, charter, and home schools, this competition encourages students to explore what budgeting means today through essays, visual art, videos, posters, or creative writing.
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Regional winners will advance to a statewide showcase, with top entries honored at a celebration event in early 2026. Prizes include scholarships and recognition on the NC Department of Public Instruction website and social media.
Submissions are due by December 15, 2025—don’t miss this chance to inspire the future of financial literacy!
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Would you like to Apply for the Gilder Lehrman History: Teacher of the Year Award?
The 2025 Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year Award honors exceptional elementary and secondary school American history teachers (including state and local history). The 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.
Nominations for the Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, colleagues, and supervisors may nominate K-12 teachers for the award.
Key Deadlines for 2026 Nominations
Deadline for 2025 nominations: April 30, 2026
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OFFICE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING: NEWS & UPDATES
Subscribe and Connect with each Area in the Office of Teaching and Learning
Do you want to stay up to date on the latest news, opportunities, resources, standards updates, etc., from one or more of the NCDPI Office of Teaching and Learning content areas?
Sign up today to receive newsletters and announcements from the area(s) or topic(s) of your choice.
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Disclaimer Statement
Because North Carolina is a local-control state, all curricular decisions are approved at the local level. Prior to implementing any of the materials, teachers should follow appropriate policies and procedures to have content vetted and approved by their school and district leaders.
The links on this resource could bring you to third-party websites, owned and operated by independent parties over which NCDPI has no control. Any link you make to or from these 3rd Party Websites will be at your own risk. Any use of these 3rd Party Websites and any information you provide will be subject to and governed by the terms of the 3rd Party Website, including those relating to confidentiality, data privacy, and security.
Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing, NCDPI is not in any way associated with the owner or operator of any of the 3rd Party Websites or responsible or liable for the goods and services offered by them or for anything in connection with such 3rd Party Websites. NCDPI does not endorse and makes no warranties, representations, or undertakings relating to the content of any 3rd Party Website.
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