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. The website includes:

• Inquiry to Inclusion Toolkit
• Instructional Videos on YouTube
• History Under a Minute TikTok Videos
• What's Going On Podcast

This Wednesday, the National Social Studies Supervisors Association is hosting Christina Ross, Director of Implementation for Educating for American Democracy for a webinar titled, "Harmony in Our Story." In this afterschool webinar, Christina will focus on civics best practices and will highlight the new iCivics US History curriculum. 

The webinar will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, November 1, starting at 6:30pm. Join via this link.

Agents of Influence, a spy game that teaches critical thinking, is looking for pilots and research participants. You will receive between $150–400 for participating in the different studies that run between November and January and get access to the game for free for the year after. If you’re interested, you can learn more and sign up here: https://www.agentsofinfluencegame.com/educators/

The goal of the Illinois Holocaust Museum Student Leadership Day is to increase awareness about the Holocaust, genocide, and human rights, and to help participants think about lessons we can learn from the past.

This year’s program will particularly highlight the Museum’s special exhibition “I’ll Have What She’s Having:" The Jewish Deli. The museum invites you to nominate up to ten of your students in grades 9–11 to participate in this powerful day.

• Ninety-six percent of high school students who attended last year felt they had a better understanding of human rights and social justice.

• “My biggest takeaway from participating in this event is that we, especially as young people, need to ensure our voices are heard because it is the only way we can better our community.” –High School Student

Choose from two dates and formats:

ON-SITE PROGRAM at Illinois Holocaust Museum, 9603 Woods Drive, Skokie IL 60077, Wednesday, December 6, 9am–2:30pm CT

VIRTUAL PROGRAM on Zoom, Thursday, December 7, 11:30am–3pm CT

Nomination Deadline is November 15 at 5pm CT.

Nominate your students TODAY!

As events continue to unfold in the Middle East, a number of organizations have come forward with classroom resources to support navigating current events in real time.

• PBS Newshour has a hub to help you follow the latest developments.
• EdWeek published a collection of resources on How to Talk About the Israel-Hamas War.
• The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center shared the following resources in a recent newsletter:
• How to talk to your children about conflict and war (UNICEF): Eight tips on how to approach the conversation with children and provide them with support and comfort.
• Handle With Care: Supporting Young People During Crises (Learning for Justice): People are continuously struggling to respond when traumatizing events occur in our communities, across the country, and around the world. For families, educators, and community members who must respond to the needs of children as a traumatizing event unfolds, we’ve gathered recommendations and resources to support you.
• How do I talk to my kids about violence in the news? and Explaining the News to Our Kids (Common Sense Media): Knowing how and when to talk with kids and when to listen can help. Get age-appropriate ideas for talking and listening.

The Illinois Civics Hub has also curated resources to Help Classrooms Respond to Tragedy and Violence.

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.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum Education Department invites you to join them on Election Day, Tuesday, November 7, for Exploring the Diverse Voices of 9/11, a free, virtual PD for educators offered from 10am–12pm (ET). We welcome all educators whose schedules allow them to participate.

During this two-hour workshop, attendees will take an interactive, live virtual tour of the Museum and discover classroom-ready strategies and resources that explore the experiences of diverse groups of people affected by 9/11, including those who were young at the time of the attacks.

This workshop is appropriate for 3rd–12th grade educators and will be conducted over Zoom. New York State educators are eligible for two hours of CTLE credit. Register today to secure your spot. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to [email protected].

Please join Facing History & Ourselves for professional learning in person this fall. Our industry-leading 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 to 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.

Democracy at Risk: Holocaust & Human Behavior: November 1-2, 2023

8:30am-3pm CT

Discover new strategies for teaching about the Holocaust and contemporary antisemitism to foster civic engagement, ethical reasoning, critical thinking, and empathy. In today's world, questions of how to best build and maintain democratic societies that are pluralistic, open, and resistant to violence are more relevant than ever and central to the work of Facing History and Ourselves. Seminar participants will study the fragility of democracy in Weimar, Germany, the ensuing Holocaust, and the legacies of this history through an in-depth case study. This approach will invite you and your students to wrestle with profound moral questions dependent on ethical reasoning, critical thinking, empathy, and civic engagement—all of which are critical for sustaining democracy. We will also explore how learning about the choices people made in the past help guide our choices today. Who should take the course? 6th–12th grade US history, humanities, and English/Language Arts teachers and curriculum specialists. This program is presented by the Chicago Facing History and Ourselves team and the Jewish Education Program of Facing History and Ourselves.

US History: A New Approach to Teaching the Reconstruction Era

December 12–13, 2023, 8:30am–3pm CT

Participants will learn a new approach to teaching the Reconstruction Era in a way that connects this history to American identity and students’ own lives and the choices they make today. How does society rebuild after extraordinary division and trauma, when the ideals and values of democracy are most vulnerable? The Reconstruction Era, most commonly viewed as the period from 1865 to 1877, was a monumental struggle for freedom and democracy in the face of violent backlash. The study of the Reconstruction Era in American history is essential to an understanding of citizenship and democracy in the United States today. You will learn to teach about the Reconstruction Era using an inquiry-based approach that helps students connect this history to their own lives, to current and societal issues, and to the choices students make today. Who should take the course? 6th–12th grade US history, civics, humanities, Ethnic Studies, and African American History teachers and curriculum specialists

Choices in Little Rock: An Approach to Teaching the Civil Rights Movement: January 30–31, 2024, 8:30am–3pm 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? 6th–12th grade US history, civics, humanities, and English/Language Arts teachers and curriculum specialists

EYPC program is a civic-engagement that guides youth to bring positive local policy change to their communities. During EYPC, you and your young people will:



1. Identify the change that students or the youth community desires
2. Learn about the workings of local governing bodies
3. Engage friends, neighbors, and business leaders in the efforts
4. Communicate with elected officials to enact change

Want to learn more? Visit the EYPC website and register for their upcoming online training on November 15th from 9:00 a.m. to noon. You will:

1. Acquaint yourself with the EYPC program, including planning and building readiness for EYPC.
2. Gain proficiency in the contents of the EYPC Program Manual and all supplementary materials.
3. Hone your ability to carry out EYPC activities through role-play simulations.
4. Develop an understanding of how to customize the EYPC program to align with the specific requirements of your community.
5. Depart from the training session inspired and ready to put the EYPC program into action within your community!

Register for the Training

Why did the Chicago City Council need to exonerate a cow in 1997? For more than a century, the cow in question had been accused of kicking over a lantern that started the Great Chicago Fire. But even though this myth was debunked in 1893, it became ingrained in local lore—partially because the cow belonged to the O’Leary family. The combination of historic distrust of Catholics and rise in anti-Irish sentiment made this impoverished family the perfect scapegoat for the disaster.

The National Archives Foundation sets the record straight in it's latest newsletter.

Subscribe to the Archives Experience Newsletter to get connected to inquiry-based lesson plans to enrich your classroom. Peruse past issues on the Archives Experience landing page.

The News Literacy Project is teaming up with the National Institute for Civil Discourse and the League of Women Voters to host Productive Conversations Without Confrontation, a webinar that will offer strategies for productive, civil conversations–especially when discussing misinformation.

Experts from the three organizations will talk about how and why misinformation manipulates emotions and exploits biases, provide strategies for civil conversation, offer resources to help productively debunk falsehoods, and discuss ways to help your community find reliable election information.

Register here to join at 7pm ET/4pm PT Thursday, Nov. 16.

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 8am– 3:30pm 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.

What do you get with a library of more than 4,000 lessons, videos, and activities, the ability to collect and share resources via various playlists, and the functionality to truly reach your students with courses and assignments, including thousands of self-check questions?

You get the Bill of Rights Institute's fully integrated website! It is available to you 24/7 to help provide top-notch civics education to your students, and it is completely free to use. All you need to sign up is your email address! This video shows you how to register for and use the BRI website. You can also take BRI with you through our official app, which is available for free download in the Apple App Store and Google Play.

The Barat Foundation is excited to share that they are offering every Middle School free access to the online Our American Voice ® (OAV) Civics curriculum.

Please visit the site, register, and view the lessons. 

This OAV initiative is supported by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and a recent grant from the State of Illinois State Senate under the leadership of State Senator Don Harmon.

The OAV Civics Curriculum aligns with the Illinois middle school civics requirements and recommendations from numerous national organizations for effective civic education. The OAV Middle School Civics Curriculum builds the civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for good citizenship of middle school students (grades 5-8). OAV also empowers teachers to develop those citizens of tomorrow.

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 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 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:

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

• November 4 from 9–11am (online)
• December 4 from 4:30–6:30 p.m.(online)

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

• 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.

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.