November is National American Indian Heritage Month. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.

Click here to learn more about this observance and don't forget to examine our John McCoy (lulilaš) Since Time Immemorial curriculum resources. 

Diwali begins on October 31 and goes until November 4. India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year, the Festival of Lights is a celebration of the victory of good over evil and light over darkness and marks the beginning of the new year for some Hindu groups. During Diwali, Indians light clay lamps outside of their homes, symbolizing the inner light that protects their dwellings from the darkness. The five-day holiday is as important in the Hindu religion as Christmas is in Christianity. And much like Christmas, Indians celebrate with prayer, feasts, and family gatherings. See resources below to learn more:

BBC - Resources for Diwali 

NYC Department of Education - Learning about Diwali 

The Day of the Dead (el Día de Muertos or el Día de los Muertos) is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember amusing events and anecdotes about the departed. It is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed, and is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage. See resources below to learn more: 

National American of the American Latino - Day of the Dead Resources

National Geographic Kids - Day of the Dead

Election Day in the United States is the annual day for general elections of federal public officials. It is statutorily set by the U.S. government as the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November.

For federal offices (president, vice president, and United States Congress) and most gubernatorial offices (all except for Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia), Election Day occurs only in even-numbered years. Presidential elections are held every four years, in years divisible by four, in which electors for president and vice president are chosen according to the method determined by each state. Elections to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are held every two years; all representatives are elected to serve two-year terms and are up for election every two years, while senators serve six-year terms, staggered so that one third of senators are elected in any given general election. General elections in which presidential candidates are not on the ballot are referred to as midterm elections. Terms for those elected begin in January the following year; the president and vice president are inaugurated (sworn in) on Inauguration Day, which is usually January 20.

Now is a great time to utilize the "Teaching Elections in Washington State" lesson plans and classroom activities from the Secretary of State. 

Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It began, and now coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are commemorated in other countries, marking the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. Resources are available below: 

PBS Newshour - Veterans Day Lesson Plan

Thursday, November 25th is Thanksgiving. Are you looking for classroom materials that teach about Thanksgiving in a culturally responsive manner? Please take a look at these online resources:

Teaching Thanksgiving in a Socially Responsible Way | Learning for Justice

National Museum of the American Indian | Smithsonian

Food & Culture of Pacific Northwest Natives | Teacher Resource (si.edu)

Since Time Immemorial Elementary Pathway 3 Giving Thanks | OSPI

New Elections Content for the Classroom!

Help your students understand the opportunities and complexities that the initiative process presents for WA State Voters with this latest episode in our Elections Explained Series!

• The Initiative Process VIDEO
• Initiative LESSON PLAN

The Elections Explained Series

Centered on WA State’s current 2024 election cycle, the Elections Explained series offers a comprehensive curriculum presenting the nuances of political campaigns, political endorsements, how the Top Two Primary works, and how to be an informed and effective voter. 

• Elections Explained Series - 15 short videos - On everything from redistricting to debates.

Each video in this series includes:

• Teacher's study guide & slide deck
• Student notebook & worksheet

All lessons are easily levelable for middle and high school classes, can stand alone as single videos to be used with existing curricula, or as part of the complete Elections Explained elections unit. 

Check out some of our other fun Elections resources:

• On The Issues - Election Edition - Student Driven Q&As with WA State Candidates
• Video Voters Guide For Students - Candidates share their positions on two issues they think students should pay attention to.
• Debate Bingo - The student playbook to get the most out of the 2024 debates
• The Nine Statewide Electeds -  Single class period lesson plans that showcase the roles and responsibilities of each position.

Join our Capitol Classroom Program in 2025!

We are taking waitlist sign ups for our FREE hands-on civics program that teaches students how to participate in the legislative process with direct guidance from their classroom’s very own volunteer lobbyist via bi-weekly Zoom meetings during the Legislative session - Capitol Classroom is fully customizable and flexible to meet your classroom's needs. Join one of our drop in Zoom meetings or email us to schedule an individual appointment: capitolcassroom@tvw.org

Learn how Capitol Classroom works, and sign up for one of the drop in Zoom meetings to get all your questions answered!

• What is Capitol Classroom?
• Sign up to join a drop-in information Zoom!

The Student Climate Assembly (SCA) curriculum equips students with the knowledge and skills to engage meaningfully with climate change by integrating social studies and science for a holistic understanding of its social, economic, political, and environmental impacts. It aligns with Washington state civics standards, teaching students about government structures and local climate action plans. Through critical analysis, recommendation writing, and advocacy, students learn to influence climate solutions.

Key themes include civic engagement, climate justice, governmental responsibility, scientific understanding, and tribal perspectives. These elements empower students to participate in democratic processes and advocate for inclusive, effective climate policies. Click here to see the resources in OER Commons. 

With Election Day quickly approaching, our Campaign 2024 Featured Resources site provides C-SPAN Classroom video resources explaining the various aspects of the election process for candidates vying to become the next President of the United States.

• Resource: C-SPAN’s Electoral College Map Poster (For Digital Access - PDF)
• Resource: C-SPAN’s American Presidents Timeline Poster (For Digital Access - PDF)
• Presidential Election Process: Highlights resources that outline the ten main steps of the presidential election process, from primaries and caucuses on through to the inauguration.
• Campaign Advertisements and Strategy: Includes analyses of campaign ads, along with some of the most popular presidential candidate ads from the 20th and 21st centuries.
• Political Parties: Outlines what political parties are and what they do.
• Campaign Finance: Explains the rules and regulations that presidential candidates have to follow regarding fundraising.
• Media Coverage and Polling: Details the role of the media during presidential elections and how to read and interpret polling data

The Bill of Rights Institute announces the soft launch of it’s new Elementary (Grades 3-5 curriculum). The units span from the Colonial Era to the Civil War and are based on the science of reading. Featuring primary sources, Lexile-leveled readings, and ideas for inquiry, these lessons are free and available to everyone of the Bill of Rights Institute’s website. Videos, PowerPoints, and paper-based games are included to engage your young scholars in high-quality Social Studies instruction. Contact Scott Petri, Manager, Program Partnerships if you are interested in additional information or trainings for your teachers. Email: spetri@mybri.org.

Plans are already underway for the commemoration of the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.  Washington State has established an official state committee to plan events and activities, and recently launched the official America250 WA website.

Visit America250WA.org to get the latest news and helpful resources to plan and participate in commemorative activities.  We are asking organizations around the state (education, libraries, history, arts, cultural, government, Tribal, businesses, community, etc.) to join the America250 WA team and sign up as a partner to help us truly make this a statewide observance.

For more information about plans for the 250^th in Washington, please contact info@america250wa.org.

Teachers, Classroom toolkits and free ‘I Voted’ stickers are now available! We invite you to bookmark the Mock Election webpage (below). Choose the regular ballot featuring US Presidential and State Executive candidates, and an energy initiative, or the alternate ballot with favorite State Cryptids and cell phone usage in classrooms.

When you order free ‘I Voted’ stickers from us, you’ll be sent a quick, 2-minute web form to highlight your classroom on the statewide Mock Election dashboard. This year, classes will see how their statistics measure up to last year and understand in real time how elections may have different participation rates.

Finally, invite us to your classroom! Request a virtual or in-person presentation from the Secretary of State’s Elections Division. Contact us at electionsoutreach@sos.wa.gov. This year, we’re planning a small tour of central and eastern Washington at the end of October, so be sure to contact us if you’re interested!

Visit the Mock Election page here for more information: https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/mock/about-student-mock-election.aspx

Submissions due before 5 p.m. ET on April 16, 2025

America's Field Trip is back! Students in grades 3-12 are invited to participate in this year's contest by sharing their perspective about what America's means to them. Winners will receive an unforgettable field trip experience to one of our nation's most iconic, historic, or cultural sites. Written or original artwork answering the question "What does America mean to you" are now being accepted; the deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. (ET) on April 16, 2025.

America's Field Trip - America250

Form Package #892

The civic education travel grant program is created to provide travel grants to students participating in statewide, regional, or international civic education competitions or events. Applications for this grant are accepted from districts. As such, educator-level applicants will need to coordinate with their school district EGMS account-holder to submit their application.

Apply for this grant opportunity and learn more through EGMS

FP #892 Application Due Date: December, 5, 2024. 11:59pm

Questions? Contact Hannah Tofte.

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. Our final offering for the fall is below: 

1. Climate Integration and Civic Action with Lori Henrickson, OSPI Climate Science Integration. Monday Oct 28, 2024 from 4-5pm. Click here to register on pdEnroller. 
2. Media Literacy in Secondary Social Studies Classrooms with Lesley James, OSPI Media Literacy. Monday Dec 3, 2024 from 4-5pm. Save the Date!
3. Future Voters Requirements and Resources with the Secretary of State Education Division. - Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 from 4-5pm. Click here to register on pdEnroller - Encore due to popular demand!

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. 

In this immersive 3-day workshop hosted by the Holocaust Center for Humanity and Densho, following an introductory Zoom presentation by Naomi Kawamura on November 7th open to all who are interested, participants will explore the dynamics of cultural memory, what influences our collective understanding of history, and how memory is shaped by diverse experiences, perspectives, and contexts. There are follow-up, in-person workshops on November 8, 9 and 10. Participants will delve into the memorialization of the Holocaust and the Japanese American wartime incarceration to explore how and why different communities remember the past, how memory can contribute to individual and group identities, the role of museums, memorials, and archives in preserving and transmitting memory, and the intersections of historical traumas. 

This program is open to the public, with priority consideration given to educators for the in-person component as space is limited. Washington state teachers will earn one clock hour for attendance at the Zoom presentation on November 7th, and up to 18 hours for participation in the workshop.

Click here to register and learn more. In addition, you can learn more about free PD opportunities from the Holocaust Center for Humanity by clicking here. 

Now in its eighteenth session, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in collaboration with the Seattle University School of Law is offering teachers grade 5-12 a unique opportunity to learn about the U.S. Constitution, federal judiciary, and issues of civil rights, federal-state courts, and federal criminal law. The institute is highly interactive.

Teachers will attend actual proceedings, as well as be questioned in a simulated jury selection process. Judges who hear the cases you read about in the news will be faculty along with long-term law-related education expert Margaret Fisher to help translate this content into lessons immediately usable in the classroom.

Eligible applicants: Forty teachers grades 5-12 teaching in any of 19 western counties of Washington* who did not participate in a prior Judicial Institute.

Dates and times: Program starts at 8 a.m. on June 30 and ends on July 2 at 3 p.m. A group dinner is scheduled for Tuesday, July 1, 2025.

Location: U.S. District Court, 700 Stewart St., 19^th floor, Seattle, WA 98101.

Clock hours: 23 clock hours available from Seattle University School of Law at no cost to teachers.

Cost: No registration fee, breakfasts and lunches provided on June 1-July 2, group dinner provided on July 2, parking is provided, and hotel rooms at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seattle are provided for the nights of June 29, 30 and July 1, 2025. Change from past years: single occupancy rooms are available for all participants at no cost.

Applications are available on Google forms. (https://forms.gle/uCmWCTrXo3EwRHtv5)

Selection: Based on time of application and geographic diversity.

More information: Margaret Fisher, Seattle University School of Law, fisherm2@seattleu.edu or 206-501-7963.

All Washington educators are climate educators!  Exploring climate literacy and climate change can happen in all classrooms.  Climate is not exclusive to science-specific standards.  All K–12 educators can integrate locally relevant, community-focused climate literacy to support the diverse learners in their classrooms. 

Overview: 

• This professional learning opportunity is FREE for Washington Educators (including books and 15 Clock Hours available (9 Equity, 6 STEM)
• There are whole group synchronous sessions and small group sessions scheduled by each group. 
• Each team will have the opportunity to choose from various books available for each book study term.  2024-2025 Book Options
• Books are available on a first-come, first-served basis. OSPI will mail books to school locations of educator teams. Educators will be allowed to keep their books after the book study is concluded.

Click here to view the flyer and more information about how to register. 

The US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) just published its new 2024 Climate Literacy Guide.

The guide aims to promote greater climate literacy by providing this educational and communication framework of principles and concepts. This guide is written with educators, communicators, and decision-makers in mind. It may be helpful in structuring curricula; assessing gains in people’s knowledge and understanding; stimulating dialogue among people with different interests, skills, and perspectives; and informing climate-related decisions and policies.