As an organization that values democracy, we want - and depend - on your participation in the coalition. One of the key ways to do that is to offer your suggestions on events coming up this year and on our strategic plan for the next three years.

The renewal of our strategic plan, in particular, offers a chance to reflect on our many successes together as well as to decide what priorities will determine the direction of our work in the coming years. We have started discussion on this topic at recent meetings and will return to it again in the coming months. Please take a few minutes now to offer your suggestions.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Let’s keep the momentum going for improved civic education and democracy!

MCLC Event 1

CS4 Pre-conference session

Tuesday 11/19/24, during the school day

MCLC is collaborating with DESE to showcase initiatives by a number of programs at schools/classrooms in the Boston area. Group sizes are estimated to range 10-12. Topic areas:

• DESE’s Investigating History Curriculum
• Civics Action Projects and Strategic Partnerships
• Civics in the Elementary Grades

MCLC Event 2

The Civics Renewal Network and The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate Welcome Reception for Educators

Thursday 11/21/24, 6:30- 8:30pm

The Civics Renewal Network and The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate invite you to attend a welcome reception for educators. Please join us at the Kennedy Institute for an evening of food, fun, and community. MCLC will have a table available for members to display information and resources. 

MCLC Event 3

RevSpaces/MCLC social event

Friday 11/22/24, 6pm doors open, 7pm program starts

RevSpaces has graciously invited MCLC to co-host a social event to highlight the importance of civic education, progress made in Massachusetts and continuing work here. Although some plans are still tentative, we expect that there will be a high profile speaker and other public officials attending. 

MCLC Event 4

Civics Projects Showcase

Saturday 11/23/24, morning

MCLC is collaborating with DESE to offer a showcase and discussion of student civics projects (20-30 projects) identified from the student showcases held this spring and examples of teachers’ work.

2) Help plan Civic Learning Week.

Join the planning for Civic Learning Week 2025: March 10-14, 2025

In-person events for National Civic Learning Week will take place at the Hoover Institute in CA this year (sign up for updates on the site). Here in Massachusetts, we have launched the planning for local sessions. 

• If you’d like to join the planning meetings, please contact david.buchanan@icivics.org.

• Please take a few minutes to offer any suggestions that may help to guide the planning for MA Civic Learning Week this year on our Planning Padlet.

• For reference, see our Civic Learning Week 2024 - Final Report.

4) Share these election resources.

Please help us share the following MCLC and MCSS resources for teaching and learning about the election: 

• Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies (MCSS) has developed the 2024 Presidential Election, a full set of resources, including guidance on handling controversial issues related to the election.

• MCLC Resources to Support Educators for the 2024 Election and Beyond, includes webinars and trainings by MCLC member organizations as well as other teaching resources.



• The League of Women Voters in collaboration with MCLC has developed the High School Voter Registration Resource, designed as a toolkit to support districts in establishing high school voter registration programs. 

5) Provide your input.

Please provide input on the following:

• Updating your resources on the MCLC site
• Please check the resources you have posted on the MCLC Resources page.
• Note any changes on the Review of MCLC Resources sheet by Wednesday, October 30.

• Next Member Meeting: November 12, 2024, 3 - 4pm.
• See the Member Input Form 2024-25 for the draft agenda and to also submit topic requests

• Newsletter events
• Want some help publicizing an event, resource or other announcement? Submit info on events or announcements via the Submit My Event form. 

Free Civics Pathways Professional Learning Opportunity

Interested in free, flexible civics professional learning for yourself or educators in your district? School year 2024-25 DESE Civics Pathways offerings are now available! All of the PD offerings are co-designed and co-facilitated by Massachusetts teachers for Massachusetts teachers, and PDPs are available for completing Pathways sessions. This fall, our live online interactive workshops and self-paced online modules will focus on facilitating the Massachusetts student-led civics project in grade 8 and high school. 

• Interactive Virtual Workshops begin on September 26 and include topics such as an introduction to the student-led civics project, managing difficult conversations, and supporting English Learners with student-led civics projects.



• Self-Guided Online Modules open on November 12 and can be completed at your own pace; they cover topics such as conducting research, connecting with stakeholders and decision-makers, and reaching a wider audience. 

The Civics Pathways are developed and facilitated by Massachusetts teachers with the support of DESE, Project Zero and the Democratic Knowledge Project at Harvard University, iCivics, and Emerging America at the Collaborative for Educational Services. For questions, email civiclearning@gse.harvard.edu.

DESE and Data on Teaching Media Literacy

Media Literacy Now (MLN) and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are working on a research project to help educational leaders and policymakers evaluate best practices in media literacy education for elementary and secondary schools. As part of this project MLN would like to gather information on which teachers/ districts are teaching the Advanced Supplemental Curriculum 9-12 News/Media Literacy Standards [NML].  

MLN would like to gather this data to better understand where these standards are being taught and what if any insights and feedback those districts teaching them can provide. Please feel free to respond directly to Kyra Brissette if you, your school district, or other contacts teach this curriculum.

Student-led Non-partisan Civics Project Showcases

DESE currently plans to host four showcases this year. Dates and locations to be announced later in October.

104th NCSS Annual Conference

November 22-24, 2024

Boston, MA



Join us at the NCSS Annual Conference and meet with thousands of social studies educators, administrators, and professionals from across the country to inspire your usage of best practices and rejuvenate with others in the social studies profession. You will leave the conference with strong strategies for delivering instruction that engages students, the best ways to advocate for the most pressing issues of social studies education, and a network of colleagues to support you throughout the year.

Conference highlights include:

• Hundreds of content-rich sessions
• Renowned speakers and education experts
• Learning opportunities at Boston institutions

10th Annual U.S. Media Literacy Week

October 21-25, 2024

Free

Inspired by Canada’s Media Literacy Week, the annual U.S. Media Literacy Week is hosted by the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE). The mission is to highlight the power of media literacy education and its essential role in education all across the country. U.S. Media Literacy Week calls attention to media literacy education by bringing together hundreds of partners for events and activities around the country. The theme for U.S. Media Literacy Week celebrates one of the five components of media literacy’s definition each day of Media Literacy Week: Access, Analyze, Evaluate, Create, and Act.

https://mlw.namle.org/

MA K-12 Climate Change Challenge: Free Kickoff Workshops

November 14 & 15, 2024, 7:50-3:00 PM

Nipmuc Regional High School, Upton, MA

Join us for the launch of the Massachusetts K-12 Climate Change Challenge - a groundbreaking initiative to empower our students in shaping a sustainable future. Request your free ticket today.

From elementary "Climate Detectives" to high school data analysts, this innovative program engages students at every level in tackling real-world climate challenges.

November 14th: K-5 Educators

• Keynote Speaker: Massachusetts Deputy Climate Chief Jonathan Schrag

November 15th: Middle & High School Educators

• Keynote Speaker: UMass Boston Professor Robert Chen

Teaching Honest History: A Discussion with Lindsay Chervinsky & Barbara McQuade

Thursday, November 21, 1pm

Old South Meeting House

In today's world, teaching history honestly is essential for fostering a strong democracy, especially amidst the flood of disinformation we encounter daily. Revolutionary Spaces invites you to attend Teaching Honest History on Thursday, November 21, at the Old South Meeting House.

Join us for a captivating discussion with acclaimed authors Lindsay Chervinsky and Barbara McQuade. Dr. Chervinsky is historian of the presidency, political culture, and government whose latest book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic, was published in September. McQuade, a legal scholar and MSNBC analyst, recently published Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America, which examines how disinformation infiltrates society and offers practical solutions for countering it and upholding the rule of law.

Part of the James Otis Lecture Series, this event is free and open to all thanks to the generous support of the Lowell Institute. Doors open at 12:30 PM, and the program starts at 1:00 PM.



Pre-register now to reserve a complimentary copy of the authors' books. A limited number are available so be sure to secure your spot for the event and book signing!

Citizen Nation, PBS series on We The People

This four-part documentary series is an inspiring coming-of-age story that follows teenagers from across America as they face off in the nation's premier civics competition. Culminating in a championship showdown in the nation’s capital, high school students with diverse personal and political backgrounds grapple with critical questions about democracy.

Want some help publicizing an event, resource or other announcement? MCLC can help. Submit info on your event or announcement via the Submit My Event form