Join Christina Ross, Director of Educating for American Democracy implementation at iCivics, and Mary Ellen Daneels, Director of the Illinois Civics Hub, on January 17 from 3:30–4:30 p.m. CT for a FREE webinar providing an overview of the new middle school U.S. History curriculum from iCivics that centers student voice and inquiry as the primary mode of learning.

Harmony in Our Story: An Overview of New Resources from iCivics for Teaching American History in the Middle Grades is appropriate for teachers, instructional coaches, and curriculum directors.

When: January 17, 2024, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. CT

Register through the DuPage ROE at: https://bit.ly/MIdHistory

Join the Illinois Democracy Schools Network on Thursday, February 15 from 4–5 p.m. CT for a FREE webinar with author and education influencer Shawn McCusker. We'll discuss Shawn's book, Becoming Active Citizens, winner of the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Gold Award for Education. 

Shawn is the Senior Director of Professional Learning at EdTechTeacher. He has 25 years of experience as a teacher and leader in public, private, and alternative schools. As an expert in technology integration, his lessons and student products have been featured in Educational Leadership and the Huffington Post. In 2006, he was recognized as a finalist for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2016, he was named a Top Trailblazing Educator on Twitter by eSchoolNews. He regularly appears as a keynote and featured speaker at conferences across the U.S.

Register for the webinar here.

Student Leadership Day inspires change-makers to build leadership skills, explore their roles as citizens, and develop a deeper understanding of the Holocaust, genocide, and other human rights issues. Students return to their communities with the tools and drive to promote acceptance and understanding. We invite you to nominate up to ten of your 7th and 8th-grade students to participate in this powerful day.

Ninety-eight percent of 7th and 8th-grade students agreed they better understand social justice and human rights issues because of Student Leadership Day.

“I loved hearing everyone's different perspectives, different problems different people are facing in their communities, and most importantly, ideas towards fixing them.” – 8th Grader from Lorca Elementary

Choose from two dates (both on-site at the Illinois Holocaust Museum)

• Wednesday, February 21, 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m. CT
• Thursday, February 22, 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m. CT

The nomination Deadline is Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 5 p.m. CT.

Nominate Your Students HERE.

The News Literacy Project is collaborating with Scripps News journalists to offer a virtual News Lite Camp on January 26 with sessions that focus on local news and its importance during local and national elections.

Some of the slated topics include:

• The role of local reporting in national election coverage
• Opportunities for creative newsroom-to-classroom partnerships
• Local news, social media, and sorting fact from fiction online: what local stations want teachers to know.

Like all of our popular NewsLitCamps, this event is open to educators across the United States. No matter where you are or what grade level or subject area you teach—if you’re a teacher, librarian, or other education professional interested in news literacy—you are welcome to attend.

Register TODAY!

The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University recently shared its poll of youth (ages 18-34) ahead of the 2024 presidential election, which highlights major trends in young people's political views and participation.

CIRCLE conducted the survey early on in the election cycle, when there is still time for campaigns and communities to take action, invest in young people, and address their needs. Crucially, it highlights critical differences by race, education, and rurality that shape the political views and engagement of the most diverse generations in American history.

Using survey data, CIRCLE also published an in-depth report that examines patterns in young people’s relationship to climate change and how it affects their civic and political engagement. CIRCLE's analysis identified four groups of youth whose connection—or lack thereof—to the climate issue can influence future efforts to engage them.

Explore the Full Survey Results

Read the Youth + Climate Report

Called “an indispensable guide to good citizenship in an era of division and rancor," New York Times bestselling author and former diplomat Dr. Richard Haass’ new book, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens, will be the focus of the NH Civics William W. Treat Lecture on Tuesday, February 6, from 10–11:15 a.m. Join Dr. Haass for a virtual discussion about what the American people can do, both individually and collectively, to ensure our democracy not only survives but thrives.

This virtual event is free to the public, but pre-registration is required. 

The William W. Treat Lecture Series has reached thousands of participants over the years with noted civic leaders discussing key issues of the day in locations throughout the state and online.

REGISTER HERE.

Join the Choices Program and Retro Report to explore resources from both organizations about the Vietnam War era. From Choices, you'll walk through the readings, lesson plans, and videos that are part of the new unit called The Vietnam War: Origins, History, and Legacies. Retro Report will present their lesson plans entitled Vietnam War: Agent Orange and How the U.S. Has Treated Wartime Refugees, both of which are free. Mimi Stephens from the Choices Program will lead the webinar along with David Olson from Retro Report. 

All participants will receive a complimentary six-month Digital Editions license to the Choices Program’s Vietnam War unit. All Retro Report lessons are freely available.

The ISBE Standards and Instruction team recently released guidance and resources pertaining to the revised Illinois Learning Standards for Social Science. These resources will enable Illinois educators and students to delve deeper into the social sciences to open new avenues for exploration and inquiry-based learning. The standards emphasize the importance of critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical communication skills. These can provide a framework for education to prepare students for future college and career success. 

ISBE encourages educators to explore the new resources, which were developed in collaboration with University of Illinois faculty, and to incorporate them into their teaching. The resources include the required Illinois Mandated Units of Study for Social Science, a tool kit to support more inquiry-based and inclusive social studies teaching and learning experiences, instructional videos on connecting with community, inclusive and inquiry-based pedagogy, and curricular best practices. 

The most recent guidance document for the Illinois Learning Standards for Social Studies standards was posted on November 15, 2023, and the resources can be accessed through the Illinois Social Studies Network. Please contact the Standards and Instruction team at standards@isbe.net if you have questions.  



Last month, the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Mobile Museum of Tolerance (MMOT) launched its first in-classroom experience of Combat Hate: A Digital Media Literacy Workshop  at Huntley High School (2017). (Read more about that event here.) Combat Hate combines the research expertise of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the educational pedagogy from the Museum of Tolerance. Combat Hate has been such a popular workshop on board the MMOT that they are now offering this dynamic workshop that engages students in critical thinking for decoding and rejecting online hate in the classroom.

Combat Hate has been operating for the past eight years in Los Angeles and New York City and has reached more than 20,000 students. This program is designed for grades 6-12 and is aligned with Illinois SEL and media literacy standards. During this 45-minute workshop, students are challenged to interpret real-life examples of online identity-based hate speech, analyze their real-world impact, and develop an action plan for speaking up against online hate in the future.



For any school interested in the program, please contact Jacqueline Carroll at the Mobile Museum of Tolerance or submit the form on their website.

Join the ABA Division for Public Education and the Federal Judicial Center in Washington, DC for a 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 the Summer of 2024, participants will explore Amistad, U.S. v. Gaiteau, and the Rosenberg trials.

When:  June 24–28, 2024

Where:  Washington, DC (travel and lodging costs included)

Questions?  Email catherine.hawke@americanbar.org for any questions.

Click here to find out more and apply!



Join the Constitutional Democracy Project for an exciting professional development opportunity to empower educators in Illinois, particularly those serving in underserved communities, and prospective teachers, with dynamic and inclusive resources on American government, history, and civic engagement. We provide the tools and knowledge to not only meet but exceed Illinois' inclusive history and civics instruction requirements. 

Become a part of our program to make a real impact in the classroom and shape the next generation of informed, active citizens!

The Constitutional Democracy Project, along with their partners (American Bar Association Division for Public Education; DePaul University's School of Education; Loyola University's School of Education; the University of Illinois Chicago's History Department; and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science); as well as National Certified Teacher Mary Ellen Daneels and Curriculum Specialist Laurel Singleton, are conducting the program with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The first teacher professional learning cohort begins with a summer institute on June 10–14, 2024 in Chicago, OR on July 22–26, 2024 in Springfield. If you are a pre-service teacher, or a teacher in grades 6–12 working with underserved populations, you could be eligible! 

Participants receive stipends, hotel accommodations, a plethora of free r esources, and rich opportunities for professional learning with scholars and expert teachers.

• Cost: FREE
• CPDU Credits: 30+
• Applications due by April 1, 2024. 

For more information, contact Dee Runaas, Project Director, Constitutional Democracy Project.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY.

Emerging Narratives and Technologies in Social Studies

2024 Illinois Council for the Social Studies Spring Conference 

University of Illinois-Springfield 

April 12, 2024

The Illinois Council for the Social Studies invites session proposals for the ICSS Spring 2024 Conference, being held on the campus of the University of Illinois-Springfield on Friday, April 12, 2024. 

In addition to the “traditional” call for session proposals, ICSS is working to integrate a wider diversity of voices into the ICSS Conference. We invite applicants from all levels of social studies to apply to present on our theme or other important topics in the social studies profession. Participant and vendor registration will open mid-February.

For more information, visit the proposal submission site.

National Geographic Society is officially back for Year 2 of the Slingshot Challenge, where youth from around the world can share their ideas for "slingshotting" our planet forward! Nat Geo is challenging 13–18-year-olds to create a one-minute video sharing their solutions to our current environmental problems. A selection of entries will be eligible to receive funding for up to $10,000. Participation is free of charge.

Nat Geo is accepting submissions until February 1, 2024. Nat Geo is also offering a series of virtual support sessions for students to meet with National Geographic Explorers to ask questions and workshop their ideas and challenge solutions.

Visit www.SlingshotChallenge.org to learn more about the Slingshot Challenge, and check out the Slingshot Challenge Resource page here to sign up for information sessions, utilize user guides and toolkits, and review Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Since 2005, Street Law has honored extraordinary classroom teachers through its annual Classroom Champion award. The select few educators given this award represent the best of the best in civic and law-related education.

This includes teachers like you who build civic agency and advance justice in your classroom every day.

The winner (and one guest) will receive a FREE trip to Washington, DC, to attend the Street Law Awards Gala on April 25, 2024. They will also join an exclusive and impressive line-up of previous honorees from around the country.

Please consider nominating yourself (or a colleague). Doing so provides a window into your classroom, allowing others to see the impact of Street Law materials and strategies in action.

The application deadline is January 10, 2024.

Nominate Yourself or a Colleague.

Please join Facing History & Ourselves for professional in-person learning this winter. Facing History's professional learning experiences are designed to share practical tools that support classroom instruction and build inclusive school and classroom communities. Teachers who attend will receive resources that are aligned with Illinois state standards and the Teaching American History mandates. They support educators in making shifts towards inquiry-based learning. Educators will get access to resources to create engaging learning spaces for everyone and receive tools for facilitating classroom discussions connecting history with today. Facing History & Ourselves offers Illinois clock hours or certificates of completion for full participation.

Choices in Little Rock: An Approach to Teaching the Civil Rights Movement: January 30–31, 2024, 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. CT

Examine the choices made during the 1957 desegregation of Central High School. Learn new ways to engage students in this history and connect it to civics lessons today.

In 1957, nine black teenagers faced the threats of angry mobs when they attempted to enter Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The desegregation of Central High School ignited a crisis that historian Taylor Branch describes as “the most severe test of the Constitution since the Civil War.” Examine this key moment in U.S. history and learn new ways to engage students in the issues raised by the American Civil Rights Movement and their implications today through critical analysis, reflection, and civil discourse. Who should take the course? Sixth through twelfth-grade educators and curriculum specialists who teach US history, civics, humanities, and English/Language Arts.



Illinois State University Department of History and Social Sciences Education, McLean County Museum of History, and ROE #17 present the 2024 History Symposium- It's Not About the Answer: Using Social Studies to Ask Big Questions on Friday, February 2, 2024, from 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at Illinois State University Bone Student Center in Normal, Illinois.

Disciplines represented: History (US & World), Government, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, & Geography

Grade levels: Pre-K, Elementary, Middle, and High School

The Call for Proposals is open until December 3, 2023. While proposals for sessions aimed at any aspect of teaching pre-K, elementary, middle, and secondary history, and the social sciences are welcome, the symposium recognizes the importance of sessions around this year's broad theme of Using Social Studies to Ask Big Questions.

Consider submitting a proposal and register today.

The 2024 MyImpact Challenge is now open for submissions! The Bill of Rights Institute launched their national civic engagement contest on September 11, the National Day of Service, to continue the legacy of 9/11/2001.

The My Impact Challenge website contains the contest guidelines and a six-lesson curriculum that helps students design a locally targeted service project. 

Students ages 13–19 can submit Community Service Projects for a Change for a chance to win up to $10,000. A complete submission contains a project report, a principles essay, and photo or video documentation.  

The contest submission deadline is May 20, 2024. 



With its historic passage in April of 2021, the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History (T.E.A.A.C.H.) Act amended the 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, and to gain 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:

For Elementary Level

• January 30, 2024, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
• March 14, 2024, 4:30–6:30 p.m.

For Secondary Level

• February 27, 2024, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
• April 24, 2024, 4:30–6:30 p.m. 

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



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 facilitating current and controversial issue discussions.

In this asynchronous 5-week course offered on Canvas, participants will 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.

The course begins January 8, 2024. Participants will complete one module per week and can expect to spend 2–3 hours per week on coursework.

Registration information is available on the Guardians of Democracy homepage. Those who successfully earn a Bronze Certified Guardian of Democracy Educator badge via Badgr earn 15 PD hours. Members of the Illinois Democracy Schools Network can also earn a $300 stipend.

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.