Free Judicial Institute for Secondary Teachers at the U.S. District Court in Seattle
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in collaboration with the Seattle University School of Law is offering secondary school teachers a unique opportunity to learn about the U.S. Constitution, federal judiciary, and issues of civil rights, federal-state courts, and federal criminal law.
Professional Development Opportunities from the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation
The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation is offering Character Development Program classes in Oregon and Washington, as well as summer workshops for teachers at Valley Forge.
Eagle Eye Citizen Gets Civics Students Interacting With the Library of Congress' Primary Sources
Eagle Eye Citizen engages middle and high school students in solving and creating interactive challenges about Congress, American history, civics, and government with Library of Congress primary sources in order to develop students’ civic understanding and historical thinking skills.
Kids to Parks Day National School Contest
NPT is once again hosting the Kids to Parks Day National School Contest to help educators engage their students with their local parks. This national contest is open to all Title I schools in the United States (grades pre-K through 12). Classes can receive funding for a KTP event at a park or public land/waterway in their community.
Breaking News! Choices Program Offering Pre-Conference Workshop Before the WSCSS Spring Conference in Skamania
Teachers across the country use units from the Choices curriculum to invigorate their inquiry units and get their students thinking deeply about the important decisions that create history. We at the WSCSS are very excited to have them offer our first ever Pre-Conference Workshop on Friday, March 9th, before the official opening of our Spring Conference at the Skamania Lodge.
Free K-6 Civics Standards Modules from the National Literacy Project
Two years ago, the National Literacy Project began a collaboration with several school districts in Florida and the Literacy Design Collaborative to develop a set of modules that addressed all of the K-6 civics benchmarks within a literacy-rich framework.
You can access any or all modules at two places: the NLP website and the LDC Core Tools website (search for the NLP Civics Collection). These modules are open source, and you may modify them, post them, share them, or copy them.
Teacher Workshop – Building the Transcontinental Railroad: The Chinese Experience
Celebrated as a technical marvel in its day, the first transcontinental railroad was constructed from 1863 to 1869, due largely to the contributions of Chinese workers who cut through the mountains and deserts of the American West. Thousands of men migrated from China to seek fortunes in the gold mines of California but, instead, mainly found work building the transcontinental railroads. They experienced racism, lower wages, and difficult working conditions.
This workshop focuses on art and curriculum resources to incorporate this often overlooked history of Chinese laborers into the classroom.
The Workshop Includes:
- Guided tour and discussion of the artworks and related history in Zhi LIN: In Search of the Lost History of Chinese Migrants and the Transcontinental Railroads
- Training to utilize Storypath Curriculum “The Transcontinental Railroad: The Chinese Experience from Golden Mountain to Golden Spike”
- Storypath curriculum unit provided, including teacher handbook and reproducible handouts.
- Lunch and beverages included
- 4 Clock Hours from PSESD
Come Explore Islam in the World and in Your Classroom at the WSCSS Winter K-8 Conference
Register now for the K8 conference! You'll start the day with Professor Kayaoglu, who will present Islam 101 to all attendees. Break out sessions will feature discussions on Muslims in America, books and other research materials on Islam, and a women's panel led by Terese Saliba. Then, we'll have a midday panel by teenage refugees, who will speak to what teachers need to know about the refugee children in our schools.
ULTIMATE CIVICS ACTIVATING MY DEMOCRACY TEACH-IN for EDUCATORS
Ultimate Civics is taking a bold step beyond ordinary civics to fill a critical gap in civics education. They’re helping teachers show kids the difference between democracy in principle and democracy in practice, using hands on activities that encourage real-life civic engagement.
Notes from Co-President Carinna Tarvin
Here's what's going on back here, behind the scenes.
Help Us Build Bridges! Call for Proposals for our Spring Conference at the Skamania Lodge
If you have a unique body of knowledge, a great lesson, a unit you've perfected over several years, or a connection to a program that will help your colleagues become better, smarter, and/or more efficient educators, pitch us your idea!
Register for the Spring Conference in Skamania and get the Early Bird Discount!
We are so excited to be upgrading the spring conference and retreat to a new resort location for 2018! Visit the beautiful Columbia Gorge, avoid the mountain passes, and meet and build connections with new friends from across the state and across state lines!
The early registration and meals fee for the three day Spring Conference at Skamania Lodge is is $250 per teacher, or just $225 per teacher (priced at cost!) if your district sends 4+ teachers or if you are presenting a session at the conference. These discount rates are only in effect until the end of 2017, so register now!
The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball
Teachers are invited to participate in an evening conversation with Dori Jones Yang about her latest book, The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball. In addition to writing several books, Yang previously worked as the foreign correspondent for Business Week in Asia. In this book, she weaves a historical fiction illustrating the life of Chinese boys sent to the U.S. in the 1870s for an American education.
World of 7 Billion Video Contest
Back by popular demand, the World of 7 Billion student video contest helps you bring technology and creativity into your middle and high school classes. The contest challenges your students to create a short video connecting world population growth and one of three global challenges: Advancing Women and Girls, Feeding 10 Billion, or Preventing Pollution.
The WSCSS Social Media Team Needs Your Help!
We are assembling a Social Media Team, and we would love any level of commitment that you are willing to make. There are all kinds of jobs that need to be done.
See You At The Fall Conference!
Teaching the Truth at the WSCSS 2017 Fall Conference
October 7, 2017
Edmonds-Woodway High School
Attendee Registration - LATE REGISTRATION OPEN
This fall, meet with other Social Studies educators, future educators, university faculty, and staff at the Fall WSCSS Conference. Attend great sessions focused on current methods and the latest content by some of the best teachers from around the state.
Start the day with a bang with old colleagues and new friends, learning about ways of teaching students to ferret out the truth with our 2017 keynote speakers, UW Professors Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West as they share their thoughts on Calling BS in the age of Big Data!
Regular registration for the fall conference closed on October 2nd. Late registration is now open, and will remain open until the day of the conference. Food orders have been placed, so you will need to pack your own lunch.
See you on Saturday!
Join the WSCSS Social Media Team!
We are assembling a Social Media Team, and we would love any level of commitment that you are willing to make. There are all kinds of jobs that need to be done.
Hot Off the Presses! The 2017 Fall Conference Program Is Here!
The 2017 Fall Conference Program is ready!
Creative Civic Engagement Strategies for Youth
This full day session will focus on creative civic engagement strategies for community partnerships and youth programs.
