Dear Colleagues,
Welcome back! As you welcome students back into your classrooms we are excited for your return and by the work you are doing to bring robust Social Studies education to your students across Washington State. While you are engaging students in thoughtful inquiry, developing critical thinking skills, providing context for your students to understand the world and civically engage - we are working hard to provide you with resources to support your work in the classroom. Please spend some time looking through the outstanding professional development opportunities provided in this newsletter and encourage your colleagues to subscribe to this newsletter.
Finally, we are looking to fill several positions on the OSPI Social Studies Cadre of Educators – look for a special edition of our newsletter with the Cadre application soon. The Social Studies Cadre consists of 35-40 educators (a minimum of three per ESD) who have both teaching experience and expertise in social studies education. The Cadre serves as a social studies teaching and advisory team for the state. Cadre members serve three year terms and meet monthly from September through June. More information about the Social Studies Cadre can be found here.
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Celebrate Constitution Day on September 17
The National Constitution Center Offers Free Resources to Commemorate this Historical Day
Constitution 101 Curriculum: High School Level: Constitution 101 is a 15-unit asynchronous, semester-long curriculum that provides educators with the tools they need to give high school students a basic understanding of constitutional text, history, structure and interpretation. Register here
Three great ways to bring the Constitution LIVE to your students: The National Constitution Center is now connecting LIVE to classrooms with programs available for the elementary level through college, and beyond. Learners of all ages can practice civil dialogue skills; apply critical thinking and active listening; and learn about the Constitution, and how it affects their lives.
Reserve your free copy of the 2022-2023 Civic Calendar! This year’s calendar will explore the 27 Amendments in 12 Months! Each month features beautifully designed informational graphics highlighting the freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights, the transformations of the Reconstruction era, the expansion of voting rights, the story of Prohibition (and its repeal), and other rights and freedoms, all granted by the amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
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NEH Offers Constitution Day Planning
On September 17, the National Endowment for the Humanities invites you to observe and commemorate Constitution Day, a historical day in 1787, when delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed this important document they had created. Read more about this observance.
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Accepting Applications Soon!
OSPI Social Studies department announces it will begin recruitment of open cadre positions across the state.
The OSPI Social Studies Cadre of Educators, established in 2010, consists of 35-40 educators who have both teaching experience and expertise in social studies education. The Cadre serves as a social studies teaching and advisory team for the state.
Review the rubric to prepare for your application. Look for our upcoming Special Edition for more information on how you can apply!
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Congratulations to James Nau of Lakeside School, Seattle!
OSPI is pleased to announce the Gilder Lehrman Institute Washington State History Teacher of the Year for 2022.
James Nau is a history teacher and presently the Upper School History and Social Sciences Department Head at Lakeside School in North Seattle. This year marks the beginning of his twentieth year in the classroom and his seventh at Lakeside. The materials that James submitted to the Gilder Lehrman Institute in response to his nomination for History Teacher of the Year were an outgrowth of a course he teaches titled, “Seattle: History and Culture.” The project he chose to share challenges students to respond to the question “How have identity and specific geography intersected to create community in Seattle?” using digital film archives as primary sources.
As a teacher, James works to foster connections both between students in his classroom and between his classroom and the wider world. In response to an application question of why teaching history is important for students today, James wrote, “Studying history is important because it compels us to engage with one another and reckon with our collective experiences across time. Understanding one another and our shared or distinct histories fosters mutuality and empathy. In this way, history, when conscientiously undertaken, teaches us to care about one another.”
Beyond his role at Lakeside, James and his wife Sarah are also proud Seattle Public Schools parents to their two children.
Visit GLI to see state winners of the 2022 National History Teacher of the Year Award.
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Free Weekly Parenting Class
A time for interaction, information, sharing, and learning from one another!
The Centralia Prevention Coalition is hosting a FREE Guiding Good Choices parenting class in partnership with Family Education & Support Services. The weekly class runs now through September 29 and is designed for parents & caregivers of middle school age children. See the flyer for more info.
Thursdays | 5:30-7:30 PM | Unity Center for Positive Living | Centralia
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Do you have a good story to share?
OSPI is seeking stories that recognize Social Studies educators doing good work in grades K-12. We encourage administrators and educators to submit stories of districts, schools, classrooms, or community organizations promoting Social Studies. Send your story to SocialStudies@k12.wa.us.
Student Leadership Board 2022-23 - Apply Now!
Developing Compassionate Leaders through Education and Action
Get involved and make a difference! Meetings are via Zoom or hybrid. Applications are open to students anywhere in Washington, grades 7-11.
Future SLB Members apply now! | Deadline: Thursday, September 15
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Americans and The Holocaust:
In-Person in Spokane & Virtual
A two-day program offered in-person at Gonzaga University in Spokane, and virtually. Clock hours available. Offered in conjunction with the exhibit "Americans and the Holocaust" on display at Gonzaga University, Spokane. Exhibit is from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. See details and register.
September 7: History Unfolded: What Americans Knew about the Holocaust via Newspapers
September 8: American Responses to the Holocaust
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Teaching the Holocaust: A 10-Part Series
Join the Holocaust Center for Humanity and the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, in partnership with Echoes & Reflections, for a NEW 10-part interactive asynchronous Holocaust educator professional development, October 3 - December 12.
Topics include: Pedagogy, Antisemitism, Nazi Germany, Ghettos, Using Movies to Teach, Resistance, Rescue, Liberation and Return to Life, Social Justice and the Legacy of the Holocaust.
Starting Oct. 3 | 20 Clock Hours | Register for this free Asynchronous Course
It's Back to School Time!
Parents: Help Your Kiddo Return to the Classroom With These Resources
Find information on easing transition jitters, managing kids’ tech use, getting involved in the school, and more. Edutopia Resources for Parents
This past school year was unusual. But with students heading back to school, there's a lot we can do to bolster our children’s feelings of confidence and security as they head into a new year. Here are ways to get in the back-to-school mindset and cope with any anxieties or emotions. PBS Back to School
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Resources for Teaching About 911
The National Education Association (NEA) offers a collection of lessons and resources that will help provide context for examining events before, during, and after the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.
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New for 2022-23 School Year!
An asynchronous option for teaching the WA State Legislature to high school and middle school civics classes!
Engage your students with a guided tour of policy making centered on real issues from the 2022 legislative session.
- Built on the C3 Framework and aligned with State Standards.
- Conveniently available within our community forum.
- Get an insider's perspective from a working lobbyist.
- Features highlights from actual public testimonies and floor debates.
- Fits into 10-12 class periods, organized in weekly lesson plans.
- Fully customizable as downloadable Google Docs.
Learn more at: www.TeachWithTVW.org
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SHEG Offers Plethora of Free Social Studies Materials
Stanford History Education Group (SHEG) provides free materials and upcoming webinars to enhance the classroom experience. Explore 161 Reading Like a Historian lessons, 138 Beyond the Bubble history assessments, and 83 Civic Online Reasoning activities, all available for free.
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2022 WSCSS Fall Conference Call for Proposals
THEME: Our first return to an in-person Conference is certainly cause for celebration. This year's theme will focus on Celebrating Social Studies. This gathering will focus on recognizing the relevance and significance of our discipline as highlighted these last few years, and to celebrate the essential work of our social studies educators across the state.
INCLUDED: As a part of that appreciation, WSCSS would like to offer free conference registration for the session presenter (and up to one co-presenter).
DEADLINE: Saturday, October 1 | Submit your proposal here!
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Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
The National Council for the Social Studies suggests the following resources for your classrooms:
- The National Endowment for the Humanities has lesson plans and resources for teaching about Hispanic Heritage Month
- The Library of Congress has created a primary source set containing images, audio, maps, and lesson plan ideas for bolstering lessons on Hispanic Heritage
- Bolster a Hispanic Heritage classroom discussion or lesson plan with the United States Census Bureau's stories, population data, and trade figures
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Identidad y Fronteras: Borders and Identity is a bilingual educational resource based on research and documentation from the 1993 Smithsonian Folklife Festival program and explores culture along the United States-Mexico border
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Apply Now for the Kip Tokuda Memorial Grant!
Form Package #969
The Kip Tokuda Memorial Civil Liberties Public Education Program is created to do one or both of the following:
- Educate the public regarding the history and the lessons of the World War II exclusion, removal, and detention of persons of Japanese ancestry through the development, coordination, and distribution of new educational materials and the development of curriculum materials to complement and augment resources currently available on this subject matter; and
- Develop videos, plays, presentations, speaker bureaus, and exhibitions for presentation to elementary schools, secondary schools, community colleges, and to other interested parties.
Apply through EDS or Review the Profile for more information about this grant opportunity.
FP #969 Application Due Date: Monday, October 17 | 4:00 PM
Questions? Contact kari.tally@k12.wa.us
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Register for The Constitution Explained Virtual Launch Event!
The Center & iCivics are launching a series of brief videos exploring key concepts of the Constitution! Learn how to bring this robust resource into your classroom during this free virtual event.
September 12 | 5 PM PST (7 PM ET) | Register Now!
Accessibility in Open Educational Resources
A series of 3 no-cost Academies Designed to Build Capacity in Educator Teams
ISKME and CAST’s National AEM Center invite teams of educators to learn how to use accessible Open Educational Resources (OER) to make learning more equitable and bust the barriers to learning that millions of learners experience every day. This opportunity is free to educators and you can watch an explanation here.
The series will consist of six 90-minute webinars with activities between each. The series is split into three levels that have two sessions per level. Each of the six sessions will feature Accessibility and OER experts, resources and group breakout work time.
- 101 - Fundamentals of Accessibility and OER on Sept. 27th and October 4th - 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT
- 201 - Adapting and Creating Accessible OER on Oct. 11th and October 18th - 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT
- 301 - Curating and Evaluating OER for Accessibility on Oct. 25th and Nov. 1st - 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT
Apply as a team by September 13th. If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Soriano (msoriano@cast.org) or Joanna Schimizzi (joanna@iskme.org).
PBS Hosts Ken Burns Documentary The U.S. and the Holocaust
PBS works with OSPI to create one hour events to feature resources available to educators. The first one is geared toward middle and high school. This session highlights the Ken Burns Documentary The U.S. and the Holocaust.
Wednesday, September 14 | 3:30-4:30 PM | Register here
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Lou Frey Institute Presents:
Carter & Clinton: The Middle East Peace Process
Join Us Online As We Kick Off: Learning with the Libraries. Presenters include Josh Montanari, Education Specialist for the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, and Kathleen Pate, Education Specialist for the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum.
September 20 | 1 PM PST (4 PM ET) | Register Now
Western States Civics Coalition Presents:
Session One: Teaching About Voting
Welcome back to school! The Western States Civics Coalition (WSCC) is gearing up for their first session of the school year, Teaching About Voting.
September 22 | 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM PT | Free and Online
The Western States Civics Coalition was created by state social studies leaders to combine resources and ideas across states in order to provide professional development options for teachers. They've developed a monthly series of 1.5-hour sessions. Check back here for future sessions.
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WSCSS SAVE THE DATE!
Let's Celebrate Social Studies Together
Mark your calendars! The 2022 WSCSS Fall Conference is back in-person at the Gates Discovery Center in Seattle.
Saturday, November 5 | 9 AM - 3 PM
More info coming soon!
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2023 NCHE Conference Coming Soon
Freedom From, Freedom To
Salt Lake City, UT
The National Council for History Education invites proposals on the theme “Freedom From, Freedom To” for the 2023 National Conference. All proposals will be evaluated on the basis of their intellectual content, their ability to engage the audience, and their overall contribution to the teaching of history. We encourage sessions that address world history and those that consider how history teachers make specific contributions to diverse learners and to civic life.
Submit a Proposal | Submission Deadline: September 26 | More info can be found here
Conference Date: March 23-25, 2023 | Early Bird Registration
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Media Literacy & Digital Citizenship Ambassadors Pilot Program
The OSPI Media Literacy & Digital Citizenship Program is now accepting Requests to Participate from Washington State K-12 teachers and teacher-librarians who want to join the Ambassadors Pilot Program cohort for the 2022-23 school year.
Participants will develop their Media Literacy & Digital Citizenship instruction and leadership skills through a series of synchronous virtual sessions with guest presenters, synchronous PLC sessions, and asynchronous activities that help them reflect on their learning and make plans for implementation. Free clock hours and other perks will be available.
Requests to participate are due by 4:00 pm, September 30. Decisions about the cohort will be made by October 10.
For more information, please read this handout, watch this informational session recording, or contact Lesley James, OSPI Media Literacy & Digital Citizenship Program Supervisor, lesley.james@k12.wa.us.
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