Join K-12 educators from across the State of Illinois as we explore how to prepare our youngest citizens for civic life across the disciplines K-12. 



Learn from leading civic education providers including:

• Amercian Bar Association
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice
• CivXNow
• Civic Education Research Group
• Chicago History Museum
• Constitutional Democracy Project
• Facing History and Ourselves
• Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
• Mikva Challenge
• Retro Report

Explore how ALL teachers are civics teachers across disciplines, with breakout sessions that include:

• Investigating Social Justice Issues in the Math Classroom with the Democracy Schools Network
• How to Create a School-Community Partnership with a Speaker Series featuring Glenbard Parent Series
• Embracing SEL Across the Curriculum with the DuPage ROE and Area 1 SEL Hub
• Media Literacy 101: Navigating the Digital Age with the Learning Technology Center of Illinois
• Learning to Teach with AI—One Small Bite at a Time with Shawn McCusker
• Water Quality: A STEM and Society Issue presented by the DuPage Regional Office of Education STEM Squad

The full-day Convening will be held on Thursday, September 28, from 8am–2:30pm at the DoubleTree Inn and Conference Center located at 3003 Corporate W Dr, Lisle, IL 60532.

Registration includes a light breakfast and box lunch.

Active members of the Illinois Democracy Schools Network and their K-8 feeder schools can register for FREE. Email Sue Khalaieff at skhalaieff@gmail.com for more information or use links provided in the June DSN newsletter. This is open to ALL educators ACROSS disciplines.

Non-DSN members can register HERE!

The I3 Steering Committee has published two resources to support implementation of the Illinois Social Science standards and course mandates.

Towards Inquiry and Inclusion in Social Studies Toolkit is available to support more inquiry-based and inclusive social studies teaching and learning experiences. Designed by Illinois teachers for Illinois teachers, Towards Inquiry and Inclusion in Social Studies has readings, resources, and planning templates to help start and sustain more inquiry-based and justice-centered social studies practices in Illinois classrooms. 

The Social Studies Network Website is designed to help educators learn more about I3 projects and to download important teaching and learning resources for K-12 social studies teaching and learning.

With its historic passage in April of 2021, the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History (T.E.A.A.C.H.) Act amended Illinois School Code, ensuring every public elementary and high school student in Illinois learns about the contributions of Asian Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States.

The Illinois Civics Hub is partnering with Asian Americans Advancing Justice to offer FREE PD hours to K-12 educators looking to deepen their own understanding of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) history as well as classroom resources to support cross-cultural education for all students in Illinois aligned with the revised social science standards.

Educators can click the links below to choose from the following webinar opportunities:

Teaching About the Asian American Experience: A Primer for Grades K-5

• August 10 from 9:00-11:00 a.m.(online)
• September 26 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.(online)
• October 16 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.(online)
• November 4 from 9:00-11:00 a.m.(online)
• December 4 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.(online)

Teaching About the Asian American Experience: A Primer for Grades 6-12

• September 27 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. (online)
• October 22 from 9 to 11:00 a.m. (online)
• November 14 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. (online)

Be sure to visit the Asian Americans Advancing Justice site for more resources to implement the T.E.A.A.C.H. Act.

Join the Constitutional Democracy Project for an engaging and informative two-hour Zoom session to delve into the blockbuster Supreme Court cases from the previous term and their aftermath. Our expert panel of legal scholars and constitutional experts will dissect the significant decisions that are shaping the legal landscape of our nation. Throughout this virtual event, we will explore the implications and repercussions of several blockbuster cases that have captured the nation's attention.

Presenters:

• Daniel A. Cotter, Howard & Howard
• Christopher Schmidt, Illinois Tech Chicago-Kent College of Law
• Steven Schwinn, University of Illinois Chicago Law
• Carolyn Shapiro, Illinois Tech Chicago-Kent College of Law  

Throughout the session, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in thought-provoking discussions. Don't miss this unique opportunity to gain valuable insights into the aftermath of last term's landmark Supreme Court cases.

Date: August 29, 2023

Time: 5–7pm

REGISTER HERE!

Join the News Literacy Project for a free webinar How to fact-check in the AI age to learn about the fundamentals of fact-checking and show you how to debunk false images and videos, both AI-generated and human-made. The webinar will take place at 6pm CT

The webinar will be led by the News Literacy Project’s Dan Evon and DeMario Phipps-Smith. Dan writes for RumorGuard™, which uses examples of viral misinformation to help people learn to separate fact from fiction. He previously was a reporter for Snopes, the internet’s oldest fact-checking site. DeMario leads news literacy training for adults around the country and has a background in digital media at various publications, including his hometown paper, the Chicago Sun-Times.

Don’t miss out – register now!

ContextUS is home to the core texts in the American political tradition. ContextUS provides free access to texts, translations, and commentaries so that everyone can participate in the ongoing process of studying, interpreting, and creating American political history.

ContextUS is a collaborative project between the Jack Miller Center and Sefaria. Both nonprofit organizations share a firm commitment to improve public knowledge of America’s founding principles and history. Our free tool is designed to use the best of 21st century technology to revive the ideas, texts, and traditions that laid the foundation for our free society.

ContextUS provides a platform for users to read texts, search concepts, and engage others in conversation. As its name suggests, ContextUS goal is to provide historical and philosophical context to modern political debates. In the age of internet misinformation, ContextUS brings Americans straight to the source.

Youth as Solutions is creating a generation of citizens who are passionate about making a positive impact in their schools and communities, addressing community health, educational equity, and environmental justice issues. Apply to join Youth as Solutions and bring the service-learning experience to your classroom or program this school year! 

As part of Youth as Solutions, you'll get access to: 

• FREE, high-quality professional development and coaching
• Connection to a community of change agents
• $250-$1,000 Grants for project expenses and team celebration
• National recognition via our website and social media
• The tools to empower youth leadership and youth voice, making learning interesting and engaging for your young people
• And SO much more!

Learn more about additional requirements, eligibility, and benefits. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. CST Wednesday, September 13, 2023. Empower your young people this school year by joining Youth as Solutions, and apply early. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis!

LEARN MORE & APPLY NOW!

The iCivics bite-sized PD playlist is the perfect companion for your summer learning. These three to four-minute videos are a great way to discover resources you haven’t used before and to get ideas for how to incorporate them into your lessons.

Here are just a few of the information-rich videos…

Using Infographics in the Classroom

Learn more about our infographics and how to pair them with other resources or use them as a stand-alone lesson with the help of accompanying Teacher's Guides.

Why and How to Teach with Games

Discover how to teach around games with the Game Sandwich and learn how to make the most out of our games with our Extension Packs which include activities for before, during, and after a game.

Teaching Media Literacy

Learn how to teach media literacy with our resources that help students use, analyze, create, reflect, and make sense of media messages through a guided process of inquiry.

Michelle Morales, president of Woods Fund Chicago, will join the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute for a virtual conversation on August 3 at 10am CT.

Ms. Morales is a national leader in educational philanthropy and educational justice. Prior to joining the Woods Fund, she led the Illinois chapter of the Mikva Challenge, a leading youth development civics organization.

Register to join us. If you have any questions for the speaker, send the Paul Simon Institute an email; they may ask them during the live conversation.

This online program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Register Now

Cognitive distortions, aka thinking traps, are basically exaggerated or irrational negative thought patterns that can lead us to believe things that aren’t necessarily true. This episode from Above the Noise from KQED, breaks down some common thinking traps, provides tips to manage them and helps answer the question: How can I stop myself from falling into negative thinking traps? 

This episode was co-produced with Common Sense Education in collaboration with Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Find the full video as well as the lesson plan to engage students in discussion on PBS LearningMedia.

Retro Report's new lesson plan and accompanying student activities encourage students in grades 6-12 to compare the experiences of refugees in the U.S. across different time periods. Students will follow a process to create a found poem that synthesizes their understanding of the theme and main idea of the video. They will practice skills related to the structure of language and use of words to convey meaning. 



These resources are appropriate for social studies and ELA classrooms. They were created by Kim Yates, a high school ELA instructor and a member of Retro Report's Council of Educators.

Bessie Coleman was an American aviator in the early 20th century. Facing discrimination in America, Coleman went to France to earn an international pilot’s license. While abroad, she learned aerial stunts along with parachuting and performed at various air shows. As a public speaker, she supported Black aviation and intended to teach future generations about aviation. Bessie Coleman is portrayed by Daisy Century of American Historical Theatre.

• Date: Thursday, August 17, 2023
• Time: 11am ET/10am CT
• Location: Virtual

REGISTER HERE

This program is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation.

The Illinois Civics Hub has partnered with the Lou Frey Institute at the University of Central Florida to provide educators the opportunity to earn their microcredentials in the proven practices of civic education embedded in the middle and high school civics course requirements in Illinois. Courses include:

• Current and Controversial Issue Discussions—Learn from academic experts Dr. Diana Hess & Dr. Paula McAvoy as you explore the purpose, role, and function of discussion strategies as pedagogical tools to equip young people to be engaged citizens. This course will enhance the practice of educators with strategies and resources to create a classroom climate in which there are equitable opportunities for ALL students to engage in dialogue about essential questions across the curriculum.

• Simulations of Democratic Processes—Learn from academic experts Dr. Walter Parker & Dr. Jane Lo as you explore how democratic processes and procedures occur as part of the regular functioning of government, in each of the three branches of government, and at each level of government. This course will guide you through the purpose, planning, and implementation of three simulations: town hall meetings, legislative hearings, and moot courts.

• Informed Action through Service Learning—Learn from academic experts Dr. Joseph Kahne and Jessica Marshall as you explore the purpose, role, and function of informed action through service learning as a pedagogical tool to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be active members of their community. In this course, you will interact with strategies and tools you can use in your classroom to support student-centered informed action through service learning.

• NEW: Constitutional Democracy as Content and Practice—Learn from academic experts Dr. Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Dr. Shawn P. Healy, and Dr. Bonnie Laughlin Schultz as you explore how the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap can help teach constitutional democracy as both content and practice across disciplines K-12.

Registration information is available on the Guardians of Democracy homepage. Those who successfully complete the 5-week online course will earn a Bronze Certified Guardian of Democracy Educator badge via Badgr and the University of Central Florida Center for Distributive Learning.

Participants can earn 15 PD hours through the DuPage Regional Office of Education for an additional fee.

There are three strands of courses for each proven practice of civics education. Graduate credit is available through the University of St. Francis for completing all three courses. For more information, please visit the Guardians of Democracy homepage.