Effective July 1, 2023, HB 1273 amended the School Code and "provides that Constitution Day (September 17) shall also be a commemorative holiday."

The bill's Senate sponsor, State Sen. Erica Harriss (R-Edwardsville), explained to WCIA, "The Constitution was the fundamental document,” Harriss said. “It seems very important that our students would be familiar with that to be able to build on the rest of their civics education.”

Illinois' move supports federal law that designates September 17 as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (also referred to as Constitution Day). To commemorate the September 17, 1787 signing of the U.S. Constitution, Constitution Day will usually be celebrated on September 17. However, if September 17 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, your school may celebrate Constitution Day during the preceding or following week.

If you are looking for ways to celebrate Constitution Day in your school or classroom, here are some places to start:

• Explore iCivics and the Center for Civic education video series, Constitution EXPLAINED to teach your students about the text, history, and relevance of the U.S. Constitution. Videos are also avaialble in Spanish.
• Explore Retro Report's Citizen Nation: Developing Essential Civics Skills Collection. This new collection of six short videos and related resources is designed to empower students to participate confidently in civic life. In these videos, high school students teach essential strategies for civic engagement, critical thinking and respectful communication – skills with value beyond the classroom. The resources encourage students to express opinions thoughtfully, engage with people who hold differing viewpoints and understand their rights and responsibilities in a democratic society.
• The National Constitution Center has a number of online events and resources to support classrooms.
• Check out the Civic Renewal Network Constitution Day Toolkit with resoruces from various civic learning partners.
• You can also peruse the resource pages created by the:
• National Archives
• Library of Congress
• Department of Education

For more than a decade, iCivics has been a trusted provider for free, nonpartisan civic education resources. As they have grown into leading a nationwide movement to prioritize civic education, their new look and feel are intended to more accurately depict all the ways their work supports you and your students.

• The new Resource Dashboard allows you to effortlessly search through materials by grade and resource type. New and featured products are also easier to find now!
• The new Resource Guides offer planning and integration tools and teaching ideas to inspire knowledge, curiosity, and civic engagement in your students.
• The new student homepage is designed specifically for your learners and is packed with fun games, videos, and engaging activities to make learning enjoyable.
• For tips, check out the frequently asked questions. 

The Civics Hive is a NEW podcast that takes you on a journey through the intersection of civics and technology, preparing students for active civic engagement in the 21st century.

In each episode, hosts MJ Warden and Mary Ellen Daneels will explore essential questions with expert guests, including leading educators, tech innovators, and passionate advocates, all sharing their wisdom and experiences to empower you with the knowledge you need to make a difference.

This month's episode features Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. This essential question is addressed: "How can we engage youth in a meaningful way in the 2024 election?"

If you missed our past episodes, it's not too late to catch up on our thought-provoking discussions with:

• Award-winning author and EdTech Teacher Shawn McCusker who discusses the essential question, "Is AI good for Democracy?"
• Dr. Joseph Kahne from the Civic Engagement Research Group to discuss the question, "What does it mean to educate for a diverse democracy?"
• Joel Breakstone from the Digital Inquiry Group (formerly Stanford History Education Group or SHEG) to address the essential question, "How can students practice civic online reasoning?"

The News Literacy Project (NLP) recently debuted their Misinformation Dashboard: Election 2024. This free online resource collects examples of viral rumors, doctored images, conspiracy theories and AI-generated fakes. Election misinformation poses an existential threat to democracy, and individual fact-checks are not adequate to counter this danger.

The dashboard goes above and beyond by doing the following:

• Highlighting of-the-moment data.
• Analyzing common trends and topics within a larger context
• Featuring dynamic visualizations that quickly illuminate information
• Providing educators with real-time examples for the classroom and enhancing the understanding of journalists and researchers diving into election misinformation

Everything on the dashboard is interactive.Click on the two options at the top of the dashboard to explore election misinformation by theme or type. You’ll find examples of fabricated or manipulated content, false or misleading context and many forms of AI-generated deceptions. NLP is tracking the trends regarding election integrity, party platforms and the candidates themselves.

Check out the dashboard!

The National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) has launched GeoCircles, a free, monthly virtual PD opportunity for geography educators.

A GeoCircle is not your typical webinar. It’s an informal, organic discussion facilitated by geography educators, for geography educators. Each session focuses on participant-driven conversations where you can share your insights, seek advice, and discuss the latest trends in geography education without the constraints of formal presentations.

For more information, or to view the upcoming schedule, click HERE!

PBS News Hour Classroom stayed busy this summer getting ready for an exciting year with new features that include: 

• Election coverage, including a NEW season of Student Reporting Labs' On Our Minds podcast series, with this season focused on young people and the election!
• A NEW major expansion of Journalism in Action coming in the next month! 
• Exciting new opportunities for teachers of ALL subject areas to train their students to solve problems using invention!
• As you put finishing touches on your fall plans, don't forget to check out their Daily News Lessons that touch on all subject areas, from civics to STEM and the arts.

With voter registration deadlines for Illinois hitting in October, High School Voter Registration Week is the perfect time to ensure seniors who will be 18 prior to the November election are registered and ready to vote.

The Civics Center works to make voter registration part of every high school in America. The Civics Center launched High School Voter Registration Week in 2019, and this year it will be Sept. 23-27.

Depending on the state, even Sophomores and Juniors may be able to pre-register. If they can’t vote this November, we can get them ready for the next one! We offer comprehensive support in setting up voter registration drives in schools during this High School Voter Registration Week and beyond. The Civics Center has put together a toolkit so you can help spread the word to high school students and teachers in your networks.

GET THE TOOLKIT



The Retro Report Civic Engagement Challenge submission portal is now open. Retro Report is asking students age 13-18 to spotlight civic issues they are passionate about by creating an essay or 90-second video. Judges will select 10 entrants to receive $500. Students can submit entries until Oct. 13. 

• Learn more about how your students can enter and view the rules here: bit.ly/civicengagementchallenge. 
• Would you like posters for your classroom? Choose from the designs in our Challenge Toolkit. 
• Show students the videos created by Civics Unplugged Teen Ambassadors. 

Did you know that Retro Report is committed to helping teachers make Civic education engaging and relevant to current events? In addition to this Civic Engagement Challenge, also in the works are a television series that will premiere on PBS on Oct. 8 about the We The People competition, skill-based videos, and dozens of free resources for teachers. 

Explore Retro Report's Civics Resources Now

Read, Inquire, Write is a process that structures routines for inquiry, student talk, and argument writing through a set of disciplinary literacy tools in middle school Civics, Geography, World History, and U.S. History. Read, Inquire, Wirte recently unveiled updates to their website, featuring improved navigation and content. Highlights include:

• A revamped section on Inquiry Structures & Tools to support inquiry teaching and learning in social studies with our investigations or other content.
• Updated Resources for Bi/Multilingual Learners, with revised materials for bilingual students in Spanish/Engligh and Arabic/English.

Visit Read.Inquire.Write. today to experience the new and improved site!

Know a new teacher? Are you looking for resources to enhance your practice in community building and setting up your classroom? Whether you’re entering your first year or supporting new teachers in your community, Edutopia has curated more than 50 articles and videos to set you up for success. Everything is organized into sections like “Community Norms and Classroom Management” and “Getting Into the Right Frame of Mind.”

Check it out

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 choose from the following webinar opportunities:

• For Elementary Level: October 9, 2024: 4:30-6:30 p.m. via Zoom
• For Secondary Level: September 12, 2024: 4:30-6:30 p.m. via Zoom

The Constitutional Democracy Project’s Professional Development Conference for Teachers in Civics, Law, and Government is a one-of-a-kind working conference that brings together teachers, professors, lawyers, judges, civic leaders, cultural institution scholars, civic education specialists, and others to highlight best practices for teaching young people awareness of the law, the legal system, and their rights and responsibilities as engaged citizens.  

This year’s Annual Conference for Teachers in Civics, Law, and Government will focus on the theme of “Navigating Controversy: Empowering Educators in Challenging Times.” The keynote speaker for this event is Dr. Diana Hess, former Dean of the University of Wisconsin's school of education and the leader of The Discussion Project, which has, since its founding in 2017, provided intensive professional development on how to create more engaging and inclusive classroom discussions.

Interested in submitting a conference proposal?

Visit the CDP website for more information.

Help the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) make the 10th Annual U.S. Media Literacy Week (October 21-25) the most impactful yet! Throughout the week, NAMLE unites educators, students, organizations, and community members to celebrate and promote media literacy.

Whether enhancing your curriculum, advocating in your community, or spreading awareness, there's a place for everyone. Together, we ensure media literacy is widely taught and highly valued as an essential life skill. Register as a participant now to access all NAMLE-hosted events, including the Media Literacy Resource Showcase and Awards Ceremony.



As a new SCOTUS Term approaches, Street Law is keeping a close eye on potential SCOTUS in the Classroom cases.

In the meantime, Street Law has updated several of last Term’s cases to include summaries of the decisions.

• City of Grants Pass v. Johnson
• O'Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier
• Smith v. Arizona
• Trump v. Anderson
• Trump v. United States

Each SCOTUS Term, Street Law selects the most classroom-relevant, student-friendly cases as the SCOTUS in the Classroom Cases. Teachers are encouraged to conduct moot courts the same week the case is argued, giving students the opportunity to follow discussion and analysis in the news and listen to or read a transcript of the actual oral arguments.

Concerned about how to engage students in Election 2024 conversations in your classroom? Join KQED for their Sept. 17 workshop, Teacher to Teacher: Tips for Teaching Election 2024, and hear from three classroom teachers in politically diverse communities on how they are empowering students to share their voice as part of the democratic process.



The Civics Collection on PBS LearningMedia is designed to support students as they acquire civic knowledge, develop civic understanding through applied historical and present-day examples, and engage and participate in civic affairs.

The Collection covers six key organizing topics including the foundations of American constitutional democracy, the structure of our government, the Constitutional amendments and interpretations, citizens’ rights and responsibilities, social and economic policy, as well as power and influence in the U.S. government. Each resource in the Collection is accompanied by teaching tips to guide teachers on how to best integrate the Collection into their curriculum, along with discussion questions that challenge students to reflect on the media.

In addition, independent student activities focus on civic knowledge and skills that include identifying and applying civic knowledge, building media literacy, engaging in civil discourse, analyzing civic engagement, understanding the lawmaking process, and assessing American democracy. Every single resource is grounded in one or more of this nation’s founding documents.



We all know that creating civil, brave, and reflective classroom spaces is important. Common Sense Education has curated some resources to create a classroom where students can feel seen, appreciated, and encouraged:

These tools can tap into what's actually happening for students and spark connection (Grades K–12):

• Sanford Harmony Game Room
• Closegap
• The Compassion Project
• Along
• You can use portfolio tools like SpacesEDU to curate and highlight student work.
• Using offline activities for creativity, reflection, giving back, and more can offer those crucial opportunities to see different dimensions of your students. (Grades K–12)
• Sometimes students who are feeling resistant—and perhaps taking it out on you—just need that extra extension to let them know you see them beyond their struggles. A graphic organizer like this one from Understood.org could be a compassionate way to get underneath resistance. And you can highlight successes with an accomplishments box! (Grades 2–5)
• An Authentic Approach to Discussions About Well-Being walks you through a lesson about how media and tech fit one's values and outlines ways to help you connect with students around these common issues. (Grades 6–12)
• Use media to talk about AI and its evolution, which we're all witnessing in real time! (Grades 2–12)
• Start discussions using Common Sense Tools and Trends newsletters on current topics in media and tech. If you're getting this newsletter, you get those, too, but here's the one from August, just in case!



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.

Navigating Controversial Topics in Today’s Digital World

The Illinois Council for the Social Studies conference provides opportunities to contribute to the professional dialogue through session presentations and networking with colleagues across and beyond Illinois. ICSS invites presentations from all areas of social studies, particularly sessions that explore one or more of these areas of immediate interest.

The ICSS Fall Conference engages practicing PK-12 social studies teachers, preservice teachers, university faculty, social studies researchers, and concerned citizens. Participants will explore a variety of topics and sessions that are pertinent to social studies students and teachers in the field across grade levels and social studies content areas.

• Conference date: Friday, October 11, 2024
• Conference location: Harper College, Palatine, Illinois

Visit the ICSS webiste for more information

How Shall We Live Together? Promoting Civility and Civic Engagement Across the School System

Join the Illinois Democracy Schools Network for a day of learning about civic learning ACROSS the disciplines as we delve into how ALL educators can prepare students for college, career, and civic life. Registration includes parking, a light breakfast, and lunch.

Members of the Illinois Democracy School Network can attend for FREE with a grant from CivXNow. Use this link to register.

Not sure if your school belongs to the Democracy School Network? Use this link to peruse a listing of Illinois Democracy Schools.

Non- Democracy School Members can register for a fee of $50 through the DuPage Regional Office of Education at this link.

*Questions? Please contact Sue Khalaieff at skhalaieff@illinoiscivics.org.

Visit the Illinois Civics Hub website

for a detailed agenda and breakout descriptions