What's in the Mix for 2026?

Navigating the Midterm Elections with Dr. Shawn P. Healy

As the 2026 midterms approach, Senator Dick Durbin's pending retirement toppled dominoes throughout Illinois. The Lieutenant Governor and several US House members are among the contenders to replace him, providing opportunities for political upstarts in their respective districts. Plus, Governor Pritzker seeks a third term–while positioning himself for a presidential promotion two years later.

The stakes could not be higher in Washington, where Democrats seek a congressional check on the Trump Administration, or Springfield, where fiscal constraints continue to challenge state lawmakers.

Come learn about the current state of play just months before the Illinois Primaries in these contests and others down the ballot. Leave this webinar equipped to engage students in conversations about these candidates and prevailing issues, navigating public opinion polling and political advertising, and developing an excitement about and commitment to informed voting in this and future elections.

Register for this FREE webinar here.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute Announces Partnership with the Lincoln Presidential Foundation

K–12 teachers are invited to apply for a weeklong professional development seminar on Abraham Lincoln, hosted by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the Lincoln Presidential Foundation at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois, July 19–24, 2026.

The Reframing Lincoln Seminar: Myth, Memory, and Changing Narratives will explore Lincoln’s life, leadership, and evolving legacy through topics such as emancipation, civil liberties, and Black citizenship. The seminar is open to up to 30 educators. Applications are due March 6, 2026, with participants notified in early April.

To learn more about the Lincoln Presidential Foundation partnership and the Reframing Lincoln Seminar, click HERE.

Exclusive PD for Grade 3–5 Teachers: July 26 to July 31, 2026

We the Teachers National Civics Seminar: Declaration of Independence and Founding of the United States

Location: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Yorba Linda, California

Lead Scholar: Denver Brunsman, George Washington University

This weeklong, in-depth professional development seminar for up to 30 educators teaching grades 3–5 is an immersive experience that brings together 20 local teachers from the Yorba Linda area and 10 educators from across the country to deepen their understanding of the nation’s founding documents and ideas—and to translate that scholarship into classroom practice.

Learn More

Virtual Grad Course this Spring with Xavier

Xavier University is offering a virtual graduate course this spring on the "First American," Benjamin Franklin. The course will be taught by Professor Mack Mariani and will explore Franklin's political and economic thought through his essays, letters, and publications. 

Classes will run from January 12 through April 27 and will meet synchronously on Mondays from 7–9 pm ET. There will also be one-hour small group meetings each week based on availability.

The course is tuition-free for active teachers and offers three graduate credits for successful completion. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about Xavier's Graduate Certificate in the American Founding and Constitution, please contact Mack Mariani at marianim@xavier.edu.

Learn More and Apply

A250 Declaration Decoders from Bill of Rights Institute

The Bill of Rights Institute is introducing an escape-room style classroom activity designed for middle school classrooms that decodes the Declaration of Independence and its references throughout time.

Declaration Decoders transforms traditional DBQ exercises into an interactive, puzzle-driven experience. Students step into the role of historians, helping curate a museum exhibit for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Through both physical and digital elements, students will explore the links between the Declaration of Independence, the Seneca Falls Convention, the Gettysburg Address, Theodore Roosevelt's New Nationalism Speech, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech.

A250 Declaration Decoders will be FREE in 2026 but with limited availability. Complete the interest form linked below for the opportunity to receive it in late February! 

Complete the Form

A Brand-New Classroom Game from Common Sense Education

What's AI, and what isn't? In today's media landscape, kids need to know! Two Truths & AI is a fun digital literacy game for grades K–12 that teaches students to spot AI-generated content and develop important media literacy skills.

Through an engaging 60-second challenge, students try to distinguish between real and AI-generated movie posters. It's a fun way for students to test their AI detective skills, while also building their critical thinking muscles.

Use this fun new game to help your students:

• Learn to spot AI-generated content by noticing visual clues
• Explain their reasoning through thoughtful analysis and discussion
• Think critically about the digital images they see

Best of all, this new game is 100% free for educators everywhere!

Try it today

Join the Monthly Conversations with the Freedom Corridor

Join the Freedom Corridor for a series of free online talks by local & national historians.

The Freedom Corridor is a network of museums, sites, and scholars uplifting the traditions of freedom seeking across the region.

For more information, visit: http://publish.illinois.edu/freedomcorridor

Professional Development Opportunity for History, Government, and Civics Teachers from Harvard Case Method Institute

The Case Method Institute (CMI) is offering free professional development for high school U.S. history, government, and civics teachers.

Teachers learn to use Harvard-developed case studies that place students in the role of historical decision-makers, bringing key moments in American democracy to life. Participants receive access to 23 U.S. history cases, a new case on Ancient Athens, complete teaching materials, and ongoing support—all at no cost. Educators can join a live Zoom workshop on January 24 or start immediately through an on-demand option.

Learn more and sign up at cmi.org/getinvolved.



January Online Courses

from Echoes and Reflections

Confronting the "Final Solution": Teaching the Holocaust with Care and Courage

“The Final Solution of the Jewish Question” was the Nazi policy to murder all of the Jews. Explore primary resources and responsible pedagogy to teach this difficult topic with confidence in the classroom.

Course Details:

• One module; 5 hours to complete in total – no cost.
• Proceed at your own pace, be supported by an instructor, and enjoy interaction with other educators.
• Complete all activities for a 5-hour certificate.
• Graduate credit available through the University of the Pacific.
• Course Dates: January 5-18, 2026 



REGISTER

Examining the Holocaust and World War II

Through the film The U.S. and the Holocaust, examine America’s response to one of the greatest humanitarian crises of the twentieth century and its role in World War II.

Course Details:

• Three modules; 7 hours to complete in total – no cost.
• Proceed at your own pace, be supported by an instructor, and enjoy interaction with other educators.
• Complete all three modules for a 7-hour certificate.
• Graduate credit available through the University of the Pacific. 
• Course Dates: January 12-February 8, 2026

REGISTER

Register now for the Winter 2026 session of Teaching With and About Native Americans

Register now for the Winter 2026 session of Teaching With and About Native Americans—a 10-week professional learning opportunity beginning January 15, 2026, offered by Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy.

This program supports Illinois’s updated U.S. history requirements by preparing educators to teach about Native Americans’ roles in Illinois, Tribal sovereignty, and self-determination. Participants will build skills to create inclusive learning environments, explore Tribal diversity and governance, understand key eras of federal Native policy, and use research-based strategies to respectfully integrate Native perspectives across subjects.

Learn more and register at: Teaching With and About Native Americans.

Youth Lack Community Connections That Are Critical to Civic Engagement: New Report from CIRCLE

Civic life is tied up in young people’s social and community lives, and understanding how youth are building community is vital for mapping pathways to civic participation and belonging. In this recent analysis, we highlight a crisis of connection: Half of all young people never or rarely spend time in person with their community, and only 16% of youth do so often or very often. That has a major impact on their civic engagement.

Some key findings:

• Youth who didn’t vote in 2024 were 14 percentage points more likely to say they rarely/never spend in-person community time.
• 70% of youth who spend in-person community time often/very often believe in their ability to make a difference, compared to just 39% of youth who rarely/never do so.
• Youth who are struggling financially are less likely to enjoy in-person community time, adding a layer of disconnection to economic concerns that already serve as a barrier to youth voting.

Access full report HERE

Historic Natural Disasters, 1700s–Today: New Lesson and Interactive Map from Retro Report

Hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and heat waves. Natural disasters happen all over the world and can lead to loss of life, population displacement, infrastructure damage, and harm to the environment. Understanding how and why these events occur helps improve response and mitigation.

A new interactive map gives students context on the causes, effects, and long-term impacts of disasters across the globe since the 18th century.

Retro Report’s new middle school lesson and activity, Exploring Natural Disasters, prompts students to:

• Reflect on their knowledge and curiosity about natural disasters

• Identify connections between natural disasters and Earth’s makeup

• Interact with primary sources, videos, and scientific data

• Analyze tools and techniques that government agencies use to monitor and prepare



Subjects: Earth Science, Geography, World History, and Global Studies

Grade Level: 5–8

ACCESS NEW RESOURCES HERE

FREE Webinar with Center for Civic Education

Ring in the new year with the Center for Civic Education's (CCE)next America 250 webinar, 60-Minute Civics: The Constitution as a Living Document: Progress or Departure?, on Wednesday, January 7.

Discuss whether the Constitution should evolve with the times or be interpreted strictly as the Framers wrote it. CCE invites you to explore the Framers’ views on constitutional change, the rise of originalism, and how these perspectives influence today’s Supreme Court decisions. Participants will also examine how Americans continue to debate the Constitution’s meaning and its application to contemporary challenges and consider how differing interpretive approaches shape law, policy, and civic life in the 21st century.

Are you a We the People teacher?

This webinar connects directly to We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution, Units 4 and 5, and will enhance your classroom practice.

America 250 Content from Sphere

If you haven't been on the Sphere content page lately, you are missing out! The Sphere team is continuing the release of America's 250th content and publications. Here are a handful connecting SS, ELA, Economics, and Human Progress:

• Democracy Through Literature
• Grievances and the Declaration of Independence
• Economics and the American Founding

Much more is headed your way, so stay tuned and look for both the release dates and complementary content-focused webinars in the new year.

Sphere America 250 Content

Illinois Inclusive History Calendar

Check out the Inclusive History calendar for resources to commemorate state observances and monthly history themes. The January calendar includes resources to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, and Fred Korematsu.



Paid PD Opportunity

Teach Different Certificate Program

Teach Different, in partnership with the Illinois Institute of Colleges and Universities, has secured funding through an Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) grant to certify a select group of Illinois social studies teachers in the Teach Different Conversation Method.

Teach Different provides a research-based, structured conversation framework using essential questions, claims, and counterclaims to spark meaningful dialogue, promote critical thinking, and strengthen emotional resilience.

What’s Involved?

• Complete Teach Different’s 8-week remote certificate program. This training includes two Zoom sessions, with the remainder of the work focused on applying the method in your own classroom and receiving feedback through an online platform. Click here for more detailed information on the program.

Why Participate?

• Receive professional training on how to start and manage classroom conversations.
• Receive 15 CPDUs of recertification credit.
• Earn one graduate credit from the University of St. Francis. (Teacher covers $100 cost.)
• Gain membership to an online professional learning community of educators around the country who are using the Teach Different Method.
• Earn a $250 stipend payable upon completion of the program and no later than June 30, 2026.

Spots are limited. Sign up HERE for either the Winter or Spring Cohort.

Questions? Email Frank Houston, Program Coordinator at frankhouston@illinoisinstitute.us.



Volunteer for NCSS 2026 in Chicago

NCSS 2026 needs you!

In preparation for the 2026 National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference, we are looking for volunteers to help make this a wonderful experience. We need volunteers to organize and provide logistics before and during the conference. The 2026 NCSS Conference will be held on December 4-6 at the Hyatt Regency Center in Chicago.

Those who volunteer on the Local Arrangements Committee may qualify for free or discounted conference registration contingent on the number of hours you serve.

Explore opportunities serve on this Google Form!

Plan Your Summer 2026 Summer PD

Opportunities for summer travel and professional development are starting to be shared. Check out this comprehensive list of summer opportunities from organizations like Gilder Lehrman, Founding Forward, Sphere, and more!

Many thanks to NCSS past-president Stefanie Wager for creating and updating this list.

iCivics Educator Network Applications Now Open!

The Educator Network is free to join. As a new member, you will receive exclusive sneak peeks of new resources, professional development opportunities, and a network of like-minded educators.



The application deadline is January 12, 2026. Apply now.

Residential and Online Professional Development Opportunities from Colonial Williamsburg

Online PD

The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute of Colonial Williamsburg is excited to offer online workshops for teachers that cover a wide range of historical topics. Teachers who attend these online programs gain access to Colonial Williamsburg collections, curricula, and staff—all from the comfort of their home! Many of these programs include an interactive element and provide the opportunity to discuss resources and activities with educators from across the nation.

Learn More

Summer Residential PD

The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute is excited to offer weeklong, immersive residential programs every summer that give educators the opportunity to dive into the history of colonial and revolutionary America. In honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Teacher Institute is offering a special, one-time program immersing elementary and secondary teachers in the people, places, and ideas that ignited independence and continue to inspire civic life today.

Colonial Williamsburg offers weeklong programs most weeks throughout the summer, with participants arriving on Sunday and departing on Friday. Applicants can indicate their preferred week(s) when completing the application. Please note that participants for location specific cohorts have specific dates they must attend.

Apply Here

ISBE Guidance for History Mandates

ISBE's Standards and Instruction Department is pleased to announce the upcoming release of comprehensive, culturally responsive instructional resources designed to support the revised Illinois Learning Standards for Social Science. 

This initiative represents a major step forward in ensuring every K-12 student in Illinois experiences a rich, inclusive education that authentically reflects the diverse histories and perspectives of all communities, including Indigenous/Native Americans, Asian American Pacific Islanders, Latin/o/x peoples, those with religious and spiritual affiliations, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with special needs/disabilities. The complex histories of Holocaust and genocide survivors also are examined.

The 2026 National Civics Bee

Winter Guardians of Democracy Microcredential Courses