Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.

Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. "Labor Day" was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City. In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states in the U.S. officially celebrated Labor Day. Further resources are below: 

U.S. Department of Labor - History of Labor Day

PBS - 7 Teaching Resources for Labor Day

Constitution & Citizenship Day is observed annually on September 17 (RCW 28A.230.170). The law requires the study of the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Washington state as a prerequisite for graduation from public and private high schools in Washington state.

Additionally, federal law enacted in December 2004 states: "Each educational institution that receives federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of such year for the students served by the educational institution..." to commemorate the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787. The federal law is included in Section 111 of Public Law 108-447 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005. The U.S. Department of Education provides additional information about the law.

Click here to view resources from the National Constitution Center.

The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States of America in 2001. That morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners scheduled to travel from the East Coast to California. The hijackers crashed the first two planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, two of the world's five tallest buildings at the time, and aimed the next two flights toward targets in or near Washington, D.C., in an attack on the nation's capital. The third team succeeded in striking the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense in Arlington County, Virginia, while the fourth plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania during a passenger revolt. The September 11 attacks killed 2,977 people, making them the deadliest terrorist attack in history.

Click here to learn more and examine resources from the 9/11 Memorial and Museum

September marks National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrated from September 15 to October 15. It honors all Latino and Hispanic Americans and their contributions to American culture. September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the commemoration because it is the anniversary of the Cry of Dolores (early morning, 16 September 1810), which marked the start of the Mexican War of Independence and thus resulted (in 1821) in independence for the New Spain Colony (now Mexico and the Central American nations of Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua) which became the Federal Republic of Central America.

Click here to examine some resources. 

Exciting New Election Curriculum!!!

There is no escaping THE ELECTION this fall. The presidential election may dominate the media, but it does not have to dominate your classroom. Teach with TVW is launching a new resource that will engage your students in their state elections, focusing on four Statewide Executive Roles: Governor, Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Public Lands Commissioner.

Students Ask The Questions:

In this suite of election lessons, students will learn about the roles of the executive branch, watch exclusive videos of the candidates, and participate in the media coverage of these important offices. To sign your students up to participate, visit the Voter Action page.

Don’t forget to sign up for their newsletter so you do not miss out on any opportunities!

Reform to Equal Rights traces evolving struggles across two centuries by people with disabilities for necessary resources for life and work, services, and political and civil rights. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based student investigation of policy, culture, media, social change, and activism, always emphasizing the actions, experiences, and voices of people with disabilities. Nearly 250 primary sources support inquiry. The curriculum highlights opportunities throughout for students to participate in inclusive civic engagement projects. Lessons integrate with common content: reformers, impacts of wars, immigration, changing roles of government, social movements, and civic engagement. Click here to learn more and access the free resources.

Welcome back! The Secretary of State’s Elections Division knows this is an important year for elections education. They're ready to serve your classrooms and answer the important questions you all have. They are excited to help with the following:

• September 16: Virtual voter registration training. Teachers and students are encouraged to attend. Request registration forms in 4 languages, or print your own in 23 languages!
• October 1: Student Mock Election opens. Request free “I Voted” stickers, and get recognized on our Mock Election map! https://www.sos.wa.gov/mockelection
• Request a classroom visit from our office. Message electionsoutreach@sos.wa.gov if you’re interested in a virtual or in-person visit this year. Near the end of October, they’re taking a week to visit central and eastern Washington, so contact us if you’re interested!
• Check out teaching materials and the OSOS/OSPI joint-created Teaching Elections curriculum guide, with lessons plans for you: https://www.sos.wa.gov/civics

Through an OSPI Open Educational Resource Grant, Educurious produced a unit focused on Civics and Advocacy. This unit begins by inviting students to tell the story of their community using artifacts from Washington's history. This allows them to reflect on shared values as well as how people have organized to advocate for those values. Then, students explore how rights are established in their community by analyzing the Washington State Constitution, the Puyallup Tribe Constitution, and the Treaty of Medicine Creek. Next, students investigate four different historic examples of how people have advocated for their rights and values in their community and choose one to research in further depth. In the final phase of the unit, student teams develop an advocacy campaign for a right that is currently being challenged. They conduct research on an issue of their choice, create and execute an action plan, and participate in an advocacy fair to campaign for change in their community. Finally, students draw on what they've learned to answer the unit driving question: "Why do people advocate for issues in their community?"

Click here to access this resource.

“It’s not just a day; it’s an experience” is the motto of the National History Day program, whose state-level affiliate program, Washington History Day, is administered by OSPI. 
“History Day” is a historical research program utilized in learning spaces across the state and nation, with components that include student-led research, project-based learning, and a three-tiered contest series. Around 2,000 Washington students in grades 6-12 engage with the History Day model for some or all of the school year.

To learn more about National History Day, Washington History Day, and how you might get involved…

• …visit the National History Day and Washington History Day websites.
• …read about the 2024-2025 national theme: Rights and Responsibilities in History.
• …engage with History Day’s educator resources and professional development. (National History Day’s extensive Guide to Student Research and Historical Argumentation and Finding, Analyzing, and Construction History: A Research Guide for Students feature contributions from Washington educators Jill Berge of Lake Washington School District and Bradley Liebrecht of West Valley School District 208, respectively!)
• …watch Washington History Day’s six-part webinar series, created in partnership with the Washington State Council for the Social Studies.
• …email State Coordinator, Hannah Tofte, to schedule an introductory one-on-one and discuss becoming a Washington History Day teacher and/or local volunteer.

The Washington State Civic Learning Council has created a scholarship program to provide financial grants and support to educators and students participating in high-quality civic education programs at the national, state, tribal and local government level. 

Grants will generally be awarded between the range of $250 to $1000. Grants will be considered in excess of these amounts, contingent on availability of funds and strength of application. Eligibility is open for a wide array of personnel involved in education, including educators, leaders of after-school programs, parent-teacher associations, home school organizations, individual students, nonprofits, and community organizations.

For more information and a link to the application, click here.

The Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation is an organization that provides grants for educators to teach anti-hate initiatives, respect, and kindness to students nationwide through Holocaust education. The grant allows educators to teach their students about the Holocaust – empowering them to learn how the lessons of the past can lead to kindness, respect, and inclusion in our society today. Each grant is capped at $1,000. The grant can be used to purchase educational materials, such as books for the classroom; help fund experiences, such as subsidizing the cost of transportation to a museum; help cover speaker fees for survivor speakers; or to bring programming into the school, such as traveling museum exhibits. The grant application portal is now open! Teachers who teach 4th to 12th grade are eligible to apply.

To be added to their list and be notified when the grant portal opens, please email ann@mshefoundation.org.

OSPI is excited to host a set of trainings and professional learning experiences to support Civic Education in Washington State. The goal of these offerings is to increase teacher's knowledge and skills to effectively engage students in civics education, and ensure students have a basic understand of how governments work and know their rights and responsibilities to be prepared to exercise them. These trainings are free to attend and include clock hours. Below are our initial offerings: (More to come!)

1.  Future Voters Requirements and Resources with the Secretary of State Education Division. - Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 from 4-5pm. Click here to register on pdEnroller
2. The What and Why of Social Studies: K-5 with Dr. Terry Beck. - Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024 from 4-5pm. Click here to register on pdEnroller. 
3. Six Proven Practices for Effective Civic Learning with Teach Democracy. -  Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 from 5-6pm. Click here to register on pdEnroller. 
4. Improving Civic Discourse: Bring local politics into your classroom with TVW. Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024 from 4-5pm. Click here to register on pdEnroller.
5. What Are You Talking About? Defining Terms in Media Literacy with Lesley James, OSPI Media Literacy and Digital Citizenship. Monday, Oct. 7, 2024 from 4-5pm. Click here to register on pdEnroller.

In addition, there following experiences are available:

• Washington State Council for Social Studies Fall Conference "Civil Discourse in the Classroom: Cultivating Respectful Dialogue" - Saturday Oct. 12, 2024. Click here to learn more and register. 
• Washington State Student Mock Elections hosted by the Washington State Secretary of State. Coming Mid September! 

Take advantage of these engaging opportunities to learn more about the many ways to engage in civic education. If you have any questions, please contact Andrew Miller, the Associate Director of Social Studies at andrew.miller@k12.wa.us. 

Join historian Tracy Lai and art historian Melanie King for an in-depth discussion of the recent University of Washington Press publication Resisting the Nuclear: Art and Activism Across the Pacific. Utilizing the text as the basis of our discussion, we will approach this series through the perspectives of impacted peoples and communities, activists, and artists responding to nuclear technology, warfare, fallout, and their legacies.

Program requirements

Participants are required to join at least 3 of the 4 sessions. In advance of each session, a brief assignment will be submitted to the program leaders. It is expected that everyone joining the live Zoom sessions will have completed the required reading in advance of joining as we will engage in discussion of the assigned readings.

Program benefits

• A physical copy of the book Resisting the Nuclear: Art and Activism across the Pacific.
• Online Resources.
• Free Washington State OSPI clock hours.

All details and registration link here.

WSCSS is thrilled to gather at Chinook Middle School on October 12, 2024 for a day filled with inspiring sessions, engaging discussions, and the opportunity to connect with fellow educators who share your passion for social studies. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the field, this conference promises to be a valuable experience.

Theme: This year's theme is "Civil Discourse in the Classroom: Cultivating Respectful Dialogue." As educators, fostering an environment where civil discourse thrives is more important than ever, especially in light of the upcoming election season.

Sessions: Choose from more than 15 dynamic learning sessions that will provide valuable learning you can take back to your classroom. You can view our preliminary presenter list and session descriptions here: WSCSS Fall Presenters & Sessions

Click here to register and learn more. You registration includes a light breakfast, lunch and up to 6 clock hours. 

Dream big with the OSPI Outdoor Learning Grants! Students across the state are benefitting from these PK-12 grants for Educational Service Districts, school districts, and schools.

• Do you need gear, training, planning time, equipment, or resources to build an outdoor learning area?
• Would you like to partner with a community-based organization, but need funding to support their services?
• Project examples from last year include outdoor classroom seating, school gardens, stormwater projects, salmon habitat restoration projects, and more! 

Applications are open now in Education Grant Management System (EGMS). Look for Form Package #357. Check out the Outdoor Learning Grant webpage or contact Sheila Wilson if you have any questions about your application. (sheila.wilson@k12.wa.us).