All high school teachers in U.S. history, civics, and government classes are invited to participate in a special PD program offered by the Case Method Institute for Education & Democracy and Harvard Professor David Moss. The next session will be held on Friday, December 6, from 10am–4pm CT or, if you prefer a weekend, Saturday, February 1, from 10am–4pm CT.

The Institute has partnered with more than 4,000 teachers to bring the case method, a pedagogy used to strengthen critical thinking at leading professional schools nationwide, to over 250,000 high school students across the United States. Each case presents students with a historically rich narrative, leading to a key decision point and posing the perennial question: "What would you do?"

Led by a teacher's use of carefully designed questions, students engage in rigorous, evidence-based discussion and debate to draw out key concepts from the case. Teachers have described the case method as a "game-changer," a "transformational experience," and a "laboratory for citizenship." Extensive data shows significant benefits for students, including improved critical thinking skills and confidence with historical material, as well as increased civic interest and engagement. The Institute invites high school teachers to learn more in this flyer and to apply (to confirm eligibility) for either a live, Zoom-based workshop or our fully self-paced, asynchronous program at this link.  

For more information on the opportunity:

Video: About the Case Method Institute

Video: Professor Moss, on bringing the case method to high schools

Website: The "History of American Democracy" cases



The Bill of Rights Institute (BRI) debuted two new games for elementary classrooms: It’s About Time and Trails West. These games complement a new 3rd through 5th grade BRI curriculum that runs from the Colonial Era through Reconstruction. All of the lessons, slide shows, and videos are downloadable for free by clicking here.

If your elementary teachers need support in adding inquiry-based, content-area literacy instruction, please reach out to Scott Petri, Manager, Program Partnerships at spetri@mybri.org.



The News Literacy Project has retooled their web page on news literacy and artificial intelligence. The new page will focus on providing educators with free resources to teach about AI and the critical thinking skills students require to navigate AI's use and implications.

You can start with NLP's “6 Things to Know About AI” infographic, offering six news literacy takeaways to keep in mind as AI tools evolve.

Retro Report is committed to supporting and uplifting teacher voices. Educators from the United States and its territories can now apply as 2025 Retro Report Teacher Advisors. Candidates can apply to one, two or all of three groups that will help us respond to the needs of educators and students nationwide. 

• Our focus is on educators who plan to use Retro Report resources in 2025.
• To qualify, educators must be a middle school or high school teacher at a public, private, or charter school.
• We have a special interest in hearing from teachers of Social Studies, ELA/English, Science, Special Education, and Health,
• Stipends range from $75 to $500 

Apply by Jan. 8, 11:59 p.m. ET.

Join the ABA Division for Public Education and the Federal Judicial Center in Washington, DC for this unique teachers’ professional development using great federal trials as a lens to explore the judiciary, rule of law, and US Constitution throughout American history.

During Summer 2025, we will explore: U.S. v. Susan B. Anthony, the Flag Salute Cases (Gobitis v. Minersville and Barnette v. West Virgina Board of Ed) and U.S. v. Dellinger (the Chicago Seven Conspiracy Trial).

• When:  June 23–27, 2025
• Where:  Washington, DC (travel and lodging costs included)
• Questions?  Email catherine.hawke@americanbar.org with any questions.
• Application Deadline: February 1, 2025

APPLY TODAY!

Agents of Influence, a spy media literacy game, is looking for middle and high scool teachers to give feedback and participate in research studies. The game teaches critical thinking, content analysis, research, and communication—essential skills that form the foundation of 21st-century education. The game can be used across subjects including ELA, Social Studies, CTE, Library, and more.

$50-$250 per teacher, Dec. 2024–Jan. 2026 (different studies at different times)

Learn more and sign up here

Build critical thinking skills while sharing the presidents’ stories with your students through live interactive videoconferencing and primary source documents.

Whether you are a teacher, homeschool instructor, or curriculum planner of any kind, you can enhance learning for students as they analyze primary sources to learn about historic events and presidents like Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy directly from National Park Service rangers and presidential historians in this free, live, interactive webinar series, which runs January–April 2025. All programs are live at 10 a.m. CT and 1 p.m. CT on their scheduled day and applicable to students grades 4–12.

• JAN 14: NASA: The Beginning of a New Frontier, Eisenhower Foundation
• JAN 16: An Old and Haunting Dream: Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Popular Imperialism, The Hermitage & Theodore Roosevelt Center
• JAN 21: The First 100 Days: FDR Set the Benchmark, Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
• JAN 23: The Constitution and Presidential Powers, National Archives and Records Administration
• JAN 30: Camping and Tramping in New York, Maine, and North Dakota: Theodore Roosevelt’s Changing Concept of Wilderness, Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library & Theodore Roosevelt Center
• FEB 4: The Unexpected Presidencies, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum and Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library
• FEB 11: Before and After: Capturing Presidents through Portraiture, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
• FEB 13: Talk, Text, and Televise: Communication in the White House, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, & Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library
• FEB 18: Vote & Be Counted!, Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library
• FEB 20: A Crusade for Peace: Eisenhower and Korea, Eisenhower National Historic Site
• FEB 25: Two Days in Texas, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
• FEB 27: The Tuskegee Airman, Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
• MAR 4: Lou Henry Hoover: Challenging Conventions Since 1898, Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
• MAR 6: The Saxton House Tour, First Ladies National Historic Site
• MAR 11: Frontier Adventures, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NHS and Lincoln Boyhood NM
• MAR 13: 202 Years of Presidential Connections, Governors Island National Monument
• MAR 18: The Cold War and the Carter Administration, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library
• MAR 20: A Monumental Legacy: The Story of Grant's Tomb, General Grant National Memorial
• MAR 25: Lincoln's Lasting Words, Ford's Theatre and National Mall and Memorial Parks
• MAR 27: From General to Citizen: Washington's Resignation as Commander in Chief, George Washington's Mount Vernon
• APR 1: Leadership in a Time of Crisis: The Oklahoma City Bombing, Clinton Presidential Library and Museum
• APR 3: President Grant and Civil Rights, Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site

DISCOVER MORE & REGISTER TODAY

The Medal of Honor Foundation invites you to a FREE Professional Development workshop on March 18, 2025 being held at the Education Center at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL. This workshop is appropriate for all 6th–12th grade administrators, teachers, counselors, and coaches. The PD will focus on the Medal of Honor Character Development Program (CDP). The purpose of the CDP is to instill in students the confidence to overcome obstacles and make a difference in their community. 

The CDP features extraordinary military and civilian stories which provide students with real-life examples of what it means to live with character. The lessons are appropriate for classroom, homeroom, athletics, MTSS / RTI, SEL, and extra-curricular settings. All attendees will receive a workbook with more than 50 lessons that focus on the Core Values of Courage / Commitment / Citizenship / Sacrifice / Integrity / Patriotism; training on how to implement the program in the classroom; and access to more than 130 Living History video interviews with Medal of Honor Recipients and Citizen Honors Awardees. 

The workshop is free to attend, includes a complimentary lunch, and we cover the cost of substitute teachers. Additionally, graduate level extension credit will be available through the University of San Diego. Additional information about the credit will be provided at the workshop.

By using the living histories of our Medal of Honor Recipients and Citizens Honor Awardees, our goal is to teach students that ordinary people can meet great challenges and make the world a better place.

This video tells you a little bit about the CDP and its impact on students.

Register Here!

Feel free to contact training@cmohs.org if you have any questions.

The impact of educators supporting one another is invaluable. That’s why you will love the iCivics Educator Network, a community of civics, history, government, and social studies teachers from kindergarten to post-secondary education.

The Educator Network is free to join. As a member, you will receive exclusive sneak peeks of new resources, professional development opportunities, and participate in a network with like-minded educators. You’ll support one another so you can be as effective as possible in the classroom—and have fun while doing so!

Benefits of Joining the iCivics Educator Network:

• Monthly virtual Educator Network meetings where you’ll connect with others and discuss pedagogy and teaching ideas
• Collaboration with other teachers as part of a vibrant and supportive community
• Monthly email newsletter full of learning opportunities and resources
• First access to new iCivics resources, special events, pilots, and other experiences
• Opportunities to share your teaching experiences with national and local media.

Apply by January 3

Consider introducing your students not only to critical history of indigenous peoples of the United States but also to the contemporary issues facing Native American communities today. 

News Hour Classroom has launched a NEW case study on our site, Journalism in Action. The case study uses materials from the Library of Congress to examine the ways the press has covered the lives of indigenous Americans both in the past and in the present. The case study is a good way to introduce students to critical concepts of media literacy, such as learning to ask, "Who is telling the story?" and "Who is the intended audience?" 

You can find some of News Hour Classroom's related history and civics content here. 

DoSomething.org has a number of programs for youth, ages 13-25. With our various offerings, DoSomething is looking to provide the next generation with resources and access to opportunities that support them in gaining skills to tackle the issues that matter most to them.

• (STEM) The Greenprint (November 12, 2024–March 31, 2025) A program to support GenZ in learning about the Green Jobs sector and leveraging STEM to tackle the climate crisis. Participants will get inspired by five eco-leaders who are tackling the climate crisis in different ways, learn about essential green jobs skills, and design their own eco-friendly job while leveraging STEM for the planet. Incentive: $2,500 scholarship and an opportunity to be featured in an online magazine!
• (Road Safety) Offline Mode ( October 1, 2024–February 28, 2025) Participants take the Offline Mode pledge to commit to making behind-the-wheel a no phone zone. Incentive: $1,500 scholarship
• (Environment) Talking Trash (Sept. 16–March 31st, 2025) Participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to improve recycling in their community! Incentive: Volunteer Credit and $1,000 scholarship 

Invest in your own learning: Like our students, we are awash in online content that seeks to influence our feelings and actions, and it can sometimes be difficult to tell what’s fact and what’s fiction. KQED Teach has two courses for K-12 educators to strengthen your ability to check the facts and identify bias--and teach your students to do the same. 

• Evaluating Online Sources: Checking Facts and Identifying Misinformation
• Analyzing Media Messages: Bias, Motivation, and Production Choices

Spark critical thinking in your students

These Above the Noise videos explain complicated topics in a friendly way that grade 6-12 students are able to understand and relate to their own experience.

• False Equivalence: Why It's dangerous to look at “both sides” of an issue when one side is not based on legitimate facts. 
• Why Do Our Brains Love Fake News? Learn how confirmation bias makes people susceptible to misinformation.
• Can You Change Someone's Mind on Social Media? Yes, sometimes you can change someone’s mind online. Learn techniques for replacing debate with dialog that can transfer into real life. 

Street Law has a number of opportunities for teachers to deepen their practice, participate in a community of practice, and be recognized for their service.

• Since 2005, Street Law has honored extraordinary classroom teachers through its annual Classroom Champion Award. Nominate yourself for this prestigious award, and help Street Law showcase how you use our materials to engage students in civic and law-related education. The winner (and one guest) will receive a FREE trip to Washington, DC, to attend the Street Law Awards Gala on April 30, 2025. The application deadline is January 17, 2025. Nominate Yourself or a Colleague.
• Street Law is seeking middle and high school teachers to serve in the second cohort of our Teacher Amicus Group, helping to refine Street Law curricular materials and professional development by sharing their feedback and expertise. Special education and middle school teachers, particularly those from rural areas, are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is December 15, 2024. Learn More.
• Calling all secondary social studies teachers to apply for the 2025 Supreme Court Summer Institute. Join Street Law in Washington, DC, for this once-in-a-lifetime professional development opportunity about the U.S. Supreme Court, its cases, and Street Law’s student-centered strategies. The application deadline is March 1, 2025. Apply Now.

Join the Illinois Civics Hub in 2025 for professional development to enhance your classroom practice. Presented in partnership with the North Cook Intermediate Center, each offering is aligned with the Illinois course mandates and standards. These workshops will be in person at the North Cook ISC in DesPlaines, IL.

• Friday, January 17, 2025, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM CST: Let's Talk! Creating Conditions for Civil Dialogue in Our Schools- Join colleagues from across all academic disciplines in an engaging, outcomes-based professional learning experience. Learn and practice strategies to foster productive civil dialogue in our classrooms and school communities, both face-to-face and online. This learning model will allow you to share and teach these strategies to your colleagues
• Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM CST: Engaging Student Voice for Inquiry (K-5)- Is responsiveness to student voice related to academic success? Research from the University of Chicago declares YES! In this interactive session, experience strategies to engage student voice to support inquiry as the primary mode of learning. Get connected to FREE resources to harness student voice in formative and summative assessment to enhance your practice.
• Thursday, April 10, 2025, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM CST: Engaging Student Voice for Inquiry (6-12) - Is responsiveness to student voice related to academic success? Research from the University of Chicago declares YES! In this interactive session, experience strategies to engage student voice to support inquiry as the primary mode of learning. Get connected to FREE resources to harness student voice in formative and summative assessment to enhance your practice.
• Monday, May 5, 2025, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM CST: Let's Talk! Creating Conditions for Civil Dialogue in Our Schools (6-12)- Join colleagues from across all academic disciplines in an engaging and outcomes-based professional learning experience. Learn and practice strategies to foster productive civil dialogue in our classrooms and school communities, both face-to-face and online. This learning model will allow you to share and teach these strategies to your colleagues.

The Illinois Civics Hub is also offering a virtual Administrator Academy on Teaching Inclusive American History - Implementing the New Illinois History Course Mandates (AA3931). Participants can take the academy for academy credit or PD hours. Three hours will be done asynchronously in advance, and three hours will occur in person on Thursday, April 17, 2025 from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM.

In 2026, the United States will mark our Semi-quincentennial: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Today’s young people are the leaders, innovators, and thinkers who will shape the next 250 years—and it’s important their voices are heard as we commemorate this historic milestone.

America’s Field Trip is a new contest that invites students across the country in grades 3–12 to be part of America’s 250th anniversary by sharing their perspectives on what America means to them—and earning the opportunity to participate in unforgettable field trip experiences at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.

Students may submit artwork, videos, or essays in response to the contest’s prompt: “What does America mean to you?”

Twenty-five first-place awardees from each grade level category will receive free travel and lodging for a 3-day, 2-night trip to a select historical or cultural site where they will experience one of the following:

• Tour of the Statue of Liberty in New York
• Tour and hike at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Montana
• Weekend at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado
• Unique tours at the National Archives or the Library of Congress in Washington, DC
• Special tours at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, or the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC
• Exploration of America’s iconic financial capital, New York City, with private tours of Federal Reserve Bank of New York Museum and Learning Center and The Bank of New York Mellon, the country’s oldest bank
• Trip to the National Parks of Boston with a special visit to the USS Constitution and a sunset cruise to Spectacle Island
• Candlelight tour at Fort Point at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge
• Costumed roleplaying experience at American Village in Alabama

Second-place awardees will receive a $500 cash award. The teacher associated with the top scoring student submissions in each grade level category will receive a $1,000 cash award.

Visit the America's Field trip Site for more details and complementary lesson plans.

How can you build engagement around civics and foster a proper understanding of American citizenship? Introduce your students to the MyImpact Challenge!

MyImpact Challenge is a civic engagement contest and curriculum provided by the Bill of Rights Institute (BRI) to create a robust understanding of citizenship and incentivize students to become active in their communities now! To participate, students must have an active civic engagement or service-based project. Students will learn how their projects align with constitutional principles through the contest. To submit a project, students must:

• Write an essay detailing how their project furthers a BRI Civic Virtue or Founding Principle
• Complete a report describing how their project works
• Provide photographic or visual documentation of their project

Each MyImpact Challenge submission has the potential to win up to $500 in teacher prizes. Students can win up to $10,000 in student prizes.

The deadline to enter MyImpact Challenge is May 18, 2025, 11:59 PM. 

Share MyImpact Challenge



The first draft of the 2025 Summer Social Studies Professional Development opportunities spreadsheet is now available. As you take a peek, anything that is NOT highlighted is currently open.

There are SO many great opportunities for next summer!

Many thanks to Stefanie Wager at the Iowa Department of Education for creating this calendar and updating the spreadsheet as more opportunities open.

The Illinois Civics Hub has partnered with the Lou Frey Institute at the University of Central Florida to provide educators the opportunity to earn 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. Please note that due to some changes in our funding, the Democracy School Network will no longer be offering a stipend to participants.

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.