Join educator and author Shawn McCusker (Becoming Active Citizens) for an inspiring webinar that empowers teachers to move students beyond research and into meaningful civic engagement. Explore practical strategies to help learners apply knowledge, take action, and become active participants in their communities—across all areas of the curriculum.

Register HERE



Civic education encompasses far more than what happens inside a classroom, and extracurricular programs can serve as meaningful paths to young people's civic learning and engagement.

To explore and expand the connections between afterschool programs and civic participation, CIRCLE partnered with The Afterschool Alliance and its Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM & Society (CYESS) on a new report: Improving Communities through Youth Civic Engagement in Afterschool Settings.

The report highlights the well-studied positive impact of youth civic engagement on young people and on their communities. It draws on CIRCLE data to identify a civic opportunity gap: The vast majority of youth want to have an impact on issues they care about and believe they have the potential to effect change, but fewer have the concrete knowledge and opportunities to take action. The report explores ways to strengthen connections between K–12 civic education and community engagement in afterschool programs, with the goal of building a more robust ecosystem for youth civic participation. It places special emphasis on the growing intersection of STEM and civic engagement.

The executive summary of the report states:

While K-12 civics education in schools and community engagement efforts in afterschool programs often operate independently, there is a growing recognition of the need to bridge this divide to create a more robust ecosystem for youth civic participation. Examples of exemplary programs and initiatives doing this work include the Illinois Democracy Schools (ISD) model, a school-wide approach that integrates community, family, and afterschool programming to strengthen democratic learning and foster student voice.

Read more and Explore the Toolkit HERE



The Constitutional Democracy Project, in collaboration with the American Bar Association Division for Public Education, invites educators, scholars, and practitioners to submit session proposals for the 2025 Annual Conference for Teachers in Civics, Law & Government. This one-day professional development conference brings together middle and high school teachers, civic education specialists, and thought leaders committed to strengthening democratic learning in the classroom.

This year’s theme, Guardians of Democracy: Law, History, & the Classroom, highlights the vital role teachers play in preparing students to be engaged, informed citizens. We are seeking dynamic presenters who will share strategies, resources, and ideas that empower educators to navigate challenging times and foster civic resolve in their students.

Session Details

• Length: 55 minutes
• Format: Interactive and engaging (not lecture-based)
• Audience: Middle school and high school teachers, as well as civic education professionals

Proposal Tracks

Your session should align with one or more of the following:

• Law & Government – Constitutional literacy, legal cases, student rights, simulations, civic action
• History in Action – Democratic struggles, social movements, historical turning points
• Classroom Practice – Inclusive strategies, inquiry-driven instruction, and discussion-rich learning

How to Apply: Submit your session proposal using this online form.

Deadline for submissions: October 3, 2025.



Start your September by exploring important topics in Holocaust history, as well as stories of survival and resilience during and after the Holocaust.

Echoes and reflections thematic, no-cost webinars enrich understanding of key subjects, while also providing practical tools to support effective classroom instruction and meaningful student engagement. Participants receive 1-hour continuing learning certificates for attending. 

Swastikas & Nazi Salutes: Teaching Symbols of Hate: The Nazis took full advantage of the power of images, adopting and manipulating symbols such as the swastika to excite and incite a nation. Jesse Tannetta, Director of Holocaust Content & Pedagogy with Echoes & Reflections, will offer historical background of Nazi imagery, classroom strategies on how to teach antisemitism without fostering it, and how images and gestures continue to be co-opted to foment antisemitism today.

Sept. 4, 2025 at 4 PM ET

My Friend Abe, A 90-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor: Abe Piasek was 13 years old in 1942 when he was taken from his family in Poland and forced to work in slave labor camps. Abe survived the war and eventually emigrated to the US. Steve Goldberg, a history teacher from Durham, NC, befriended Abe during the last year of Abe's life. Three days before he passed away, Abe asked Steve to "keep telling my story," a promise Steve has taken very seriously. Hear him share Abe's story through curated video clips of Abe’s public speeches, as well as personal interviews.

Sept. 9, 2025 at 4 PM ET

Rebuilding Jewish Life After the Holocaust:  Antisemitism unfortunately continued to impact survivors in the aftermath of the Holocaust. Kim Klett, Senior Echoes & Reflections Facilitator will explore ready-to-use activities to guide understanding of the effects of antisemitism on Jewish life after the Holocaust and about the diversity of Jewish life and culture following this tragedy and, in the world, today.

Sept. 15, 2025 at 4 PM ET

Did the Holocaust Take Place in Denmark?: Between October 1-2, 1943, German Nazi forces attempted to capture the more than 7,000 Jews of Denmark and deport them to their deaths. But something happened that foiled this plan almost completely, leading to almost all of the Danish Jewish community surviving the Holocaust. Yiftach Meiri, Yad Vashem educator, will explore this powerful moment in history that led to the rescue of the majority of Denmark's Jews.

Sept. 29, 2025 at 3 PM ET



Ruff Ruffman is BACK with this latest collection of videos that will help your students sharpen their media literacy skills and explore the ups and downs of using technology! Join Ruff and his friends as they tackle texting issues, analyze search engine results, challenge the creativity of a chatbot, issue commands to an AI voice assistant, and so much more! This uniquely comical collection will have your students exploring digital media in ways they haven't before.

Explore Collection



The digital world is moving fast. More and more, students are growing up in a world full of both possibilities and pitfalls. But kids and teens shouldn't have to face this moment alone.

Common Sense Media's brand-new Digital Literacy & Well-Being Curriculum helps students learn the key skills they need today as well as the habits and mindsets they need to make smart, safe, and confident choices as they grow.

Here's a quick overview of what's new:

• Expanded coverage with over 140 new lessons on the most relevant topics kids face today. From cyberbullying and online safety to AI literacy, the attention economy, and much, much more!
• Flexible teaching options: Use any lesson piecemeal, or follow the recommended year-long implementation plan for maximum impact.
• Engaging, play-based activities: Brand-new videos, interactives, and collaborative, hands-on games that get kids interacting with each other.
• Human-centered approach fosters meaningful interactions and peer connection.
• Practical support for teachers and schools: Free PD courses, implementation guides, and resources to smooth the transition to the new curriculum.
• Interactive family activities and resources, including the new "Carpool Conversations" podcast series.
• Backed by research, classroom tested, and created with input from teachers just like you.

 

Constitution Day is September 17. All educational institutions that receive federal funds are required to offer programming and resources about the U.S. Constitution that day, and there are lots of options.

Annenberg Classroom launched the Constitution Day Hub, which offers lessons and resources across a range of grade levels and subject areas. The Hub includes lessons from many different organizations. 

Check it out!



Patriot Day, also known as the National Day of Service and Remembrance, is observed each year on September 11 – the anniversary of the terrorist attacks committed against the United States on September 11, 2001, which resulted in 2,977 deaths. Joint resolutions of Congress passed in 2001 and 2009 establish this annual observance and request that the president release a proclamation each year, calling upon the nation to participate. 

Observance activities included in these annual presidential proclamations often include:

• Lowering of flags to half-staff 
• Observing a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. EDT 
• Encouraging local governments, organizations, and individuals to engage in acts of service, ceremony, and/or remembrance 

View resources below from: 

• 9/11 Memorial and Museum 
• US Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) 
• AmeriCorps 



September 15 through October 15, we recognize National Hispanic Heritage Month. During the four weeks, celebrations honor the heritage and contributions made by members of the Hispanic community. With great fanfare, celebrations sweep across Latin America, Central America, Mexico, and Chile commemorating each country's independence from week to week!

Check out the I3 Inclusive History calendar for resources to celebrate.



This school year, iCivics is here to help you get off to a strong start. Their back-to-school resources offer a wide range of engaging materials, including on-demand webinars, testimonials from fellow educators, and support for how We Can Teach Hard Things.

Explore Resources



At Sphere's "Back to School" webinar on August 19, a special web page debuted that houses the majority of their pedagogical publications, toolkits, and general resources. From the Sphere Primer to the Middle School Toolkit, you'll find access points to all of the civil discourse content here.

Check out This New Web Page



Happy New School Year! The Digital Inquiry Group (DIG) is excited to share 80+ new classroom-ready resources: Reading Like a Historian lessons, Beyond the Bubble assessments, Civic Online Reasoning materials, and Spanish language translations.

As always, these materials are available for free download.

Browse New Materials



Each month of the 2025-2026 school year, LFI/FJCC, along with our partners at C-SPAN Classroom, will be hosting 1-hour webinars on the 2nd Thursday of every month at 7 PM EST. These webinars will focus on one of the themes from our new Declaration Turns 250 lessons!

This month’s webinar will be on August 14 at 7 PM EST. Participants will walk through how to use the new resources and offer implementation suggestions. 

C-SPAN Classroom and various content experts & scholars will join the webinar series as the months continue. 

Register for the August 14 webinar



We are on the road to America's 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026! In preparation, we are providing new tools to highlight the events of the American Revolution. Register for From Subjects to Citizens: The Roots of American Self-Government Remote Training on Tuesday, Sept. 16. 

The remote training is designed from our new curriculum, Building a Self-Governing People, to highlight key events, people, and ideas of the American Revolution to help students build DBQ skills, like thesis writing and primary sources, and connect the Founding principles and civic virtues to students' everyday lives. 

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025

Time: 7-8 PM EDT



Register Today

250 years ago, the Declaration of Independence was the spark that ignited a new nation.

This year, you have a once-in-a-teaching-lifetime opportunity to ignite a spark in your students with the Civic Star Challenge—and win from a $200,000 prize pool for you and your school.

The challenge empowers you to make the Declaration's core themes—like natural rights, the social contract, and the pursuit of happiness—truly resonate. We provide flexible resources, engaging activities, and thoughtful reflections designed to fit seamlessly into your existing curriculum.

Participating is as simple as 1-2-3!

1. Engage: Use adaptable lesson plans and activities to teach the powerful themes of the Declaration.
2. Share: As your students complete activities, submit a simple form to showcase their participation.
3. Win: There are four drawing cycles, and every submission is a chance to win. The more you teach and submit, the more chances you have to win!

Let’s make history together! The submission deadline for the first prize-drawing cycle is October 31, 2025. Get started by choosing the theme you will teach first in your classroom.

Start the Challenge

KQED launched new GenAI PD courses two weeks ago and more than 100 teachers have already jumped in! Keep your media literacy skills current with this fast-moving technology and start a course today. They are free, short (~3-4 hours each) and self-paced so you can fit in this essential learning when it works best for you. Browse the GenAI course catalog or enroll in one of our courses today:

• Outsmart AI to Spot Misinformation and Evaluate Sources
• Break Through AI Bias to Analyze and Create Media
• Partner with GenAI to Elevate Authentic Student Voice

Find out more!



2025 Illinois Council for the Social Studies Fall Conference

Harper College, Palatine, Illinois

Friday, October 17, 2025



REGISTER HERE



On Oct. 20, 1973, President Richard Nixon ordered the firing of Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor overseeing the Watergate investigation. The order followed Cox’s insistence that Nixon comply with a court ruling and turn over secret Oval Office recordings. Two senior Justice Department officials resigned in protest rather than carry out the order, and the confrontation, known as the Saturday Night Massacre, put the future of the investigation into doubt.

This new eight-minute short doc examines the episode through the eyes of a prosecutor who witnessed it, Richard Ben-Veniste. The accompanying lesson and student activity are a great fit for Civics & Government courses examining the powers of the Executive, and U.S. History courses analyzing key events from the Watergate scandal.

Subjects: Civics/Government, U.S. History

Grade Level: 8-12

Access New Resources

Artificial intelligence is already shaping how students consume information — and how they determine what’s true. This back-to-school season, empower your students to spot AI-generated content and think critically about the information they encounter with free classroom resources from the News Literacy Project.

The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit, supports all Illinois educators — whether middle or high school, science, ELA or social studies — with free resources to develop students’ foundational news literacy skills. NLP’s Checkology® virtual classroom features interactive lessons, infographics, and classroom-ready activities that explore news media bias, misinformation, and AI’s influence on social media algorithms.

To get started, explore NLP’s Back-to-School Toolkit, which includes the News Literacy Starter Pack, “AI or Not?” lesson plan, and engaging resources like Daily Do Nows and the “6 Things to Know About AI” infographic. All materials are free — simply register for and log in to Checkology to access the full collection. (And new this year: Checkology is now available on Clever for seamless district-wide integration!)

Checkology’s summer maintenance period ends Aug. 5 and all features described here will be available starting Aug. 5. 

On Wednesday, Sept. 17, celebrate Constitution Day with BRI! Our Constitution Day resources will include segments for Middle and High School U.S. History, Government and Civics, and Elementary Social Studies.

New videos and viewing guides will premiere in the weeks before Constitution Day followed by four new videos that will premiere exclusively on Sept. 17.

Sign Up for Constitution Day Resources