Good afternoon, friends! The upcoming virtual social studies conference is this weekend. Will you be joining us? As a reminder, be sure to check out our keynotes, and don’t forget to register here for the upcoming Florida Council for the Social Studies virtual conference as well! So let’s take a look at some more of Saturday’s fun!

Session: Introducing Inquiry in the Elementary Classroom: Equipping Young Student Historians!

Excite students by interacting with age-appropriate primary sources to grow a culture of inquiry. Create a thinking classroom where students work as junior historians by modeling a “historical mystery” replicated with other content and grades.

Session: Teaching Human Geography through Storytelling

Join the adventure! Explore the interaction of humans with the world, through the inspiring voices of National Geographic explorers.

Session: Digital Notebooking

Participants will learn some ins and outs (determined on what the group knows) of creating more interactive Google Slides for online learning.

Session: Transforming History Curriculum by Integrating Diverse Voices of America’s Past

Engage with strategies to integrate primary and secondary sources representing diverse voices in American History, leveraging library databases.

Register here for the upcoming Florida Council for the Social Studies virtual conference!!

Well, the conference is this weekend, so let’s take a look at some more sessions that might be of interest! Be sure to check out other previews here and here and here and also here. Please register and join us, and be sure to check out this preview of our two fantastic keynote speakers as well!

Remember that our theme for this virtual conference is

Please be sure to register and join us!

Session: Don’t Make Me Repeat Myself: Teaching Contextualization to Effect Change

This presentation uses primary sources and pedagogy to inform and inspire discourse about history. Using historical thinking skills, participants will experience how to perceive the past through a contextual lens to broaden perspective and effect change.

Session: Transforming History Curriculum by Integrating Diverse Voices of America’s Past

Engage with strategies to integrate primary and secondary sources representing diverse voices in American History, leveraging library databases.

Session: Grounded in the local: Rediscovering African-American History

During this session, Newsela will demonstrate the importance of using local experts and resources in your social studies courses – specifically, African-American History. Florida has a complex story to tell regarding African-American History, and that story should be told through the use of local historical resources and primary sources, to make the content come to life for students.

Session: Building Support Networks for Advanced Placement Teachers in Florida

Session for AP Teachers interested in participating in a support, sharing, leadership and communication network among AP teachers in social studies throughout the state. Teaching strategies will be discussed.

We will share some more sessions tomorrow. Until then, register today for what will be an excellent conference!

And now we take a look at some more interesting sessions! Be sure to check out other previews here and here and here and also here. Please register and join us, and be sure to check out this preview of our two fantastic keynote speakers as well!

Session: FLDOE Office of Assessment Update

This annual Conference message about the middle school Civics and high school U.S. History EOC Assessments will provide an overview of legislation and implementation, insights into the educator committee review process, and review of student performance data.

Session: The Franklin Project

Step Up America provides free lessons involving American History, Civics, Good Citizenship and many others through the Franklin Project. The Franklin Project is an interactive approach to giving our children effective lessons on the importance of our freedoms and introduce them to historical characters that made a positive difference in the foundation of our country. These lessons are given through a digital Avatar of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.

Session: Creating a community of caring citizens: social-emotional learning bell ringers

Participants will explore the significance of social emotional learning. Participants will engage in 5 social emotional bell ringer activities that can be enacted with materials most teachers already have and devote less that ten minutes to each task.

We will highlight more sessions soon! Remember that our theme for this virtual conference is

Please be sure to register and join us, and be sure to check out this preview of our two fantastic keynote speakers as well!

And today we take a look at some more interesting sessions! Be sure to check out other previews here and here and here. Please register and join us, and be sure to check out this preview of our two fantastic keynote speakers as well!

Session Title: Teaching Big Ideas in the Constitution
Charles M. Flanagan, The Center for Legislative Archives, The National Archives

Understanding the Constitution is essential to civic life, yet students often find this Charter difficult to read and comprehend. This session will introduce students to the Constitution by presenting educational resources that engage them in primary source-based exploration and discussion. The lesson, Teaching 6 Big Ideas in the Constitution enables students to decode the Charter in several ways including making a visual map of its articles. A second lesson, Constitutional Scavenger Hunt,includes techniques for using political cartoons to reveal major concepts in the Constitution.

Session Title: Slavery & Freedom in Savannah: Reinterpreting History with Virtual Learning
Experiences

Explores the complexities of slavery and freedom in the antebellum South through the lens of the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters in downtown Savannah. Participants will learn about the connections between the institution of slavery and the global economy and discover how one city can teach us about society and culture before the Civil War. Resources include interactive elements like primary source letters and images, navigable maps, videos, and a virtual walking tour!

Session Title: Founding Civics: Bringing America’s Founding Principles into the classroom

A discussion with three Florida social studies teachers and the Jack Miller Center about using primary sources to discuss the big ideas in American political history and bringing those conversations to students.

We will highlight more sessions soon! Remember that our theme for this virtual conference is

Please be sure to register and join us, and be sure to check out this preview of our two fantastic keynote speakers as well!

And today we take a look at some more interesting sessions! Be sure to check out other previews here and here.

Session Title:  Founders and Finance: Teaching Hamilton, Jefferson, Franklin, Economics & Personal Finance

Participants learn about a series of videos teaching about banking through the eyes and words of 3 influential founders: Hamilton, Jefferson, and Franklin. New, original videos and lessons are included.

Session Title:  Why and How to Teach Religion in the Classroom

Teaching students about religion is essential for understanding history and for building understanding in our diverse society, but often teachers are reluctant. This session will provide teachers with the evidence and confidence to tackle this sometimes-controversial topic.

Session Title:  Civics in Real Life: Resources for Virtual Instruction

Some of the most difficult classroom topics for educators to address are current events. How do we approach this news in a way that connects to our content while also allowing opportunities for both discussion and engagement? Participants will have the opportunity to engage with conference sponsor The Lou Frey Institute/FJCC’s new Civics in Real Life resource.

We will highlight more sessions soon! Remember that our theme for this virtual conference is

Please be sure to register and join us, and be sure to check out this preview of our two fantastic keynote speakers as well!

Good afternoon, friends! Today we bring you two more sessions for the upcoming virtual social studies conference in Florida. As a reminder, here are some other excellent sessions, and be sure to check out our keynotes! As a reminder, don’t forget to register for the upcoming Florida Council for the Social Studies virtual conference as well! 

Session Title:  Egrets, Economics and the Environment: The Case of Killer Hats

In the early 20th century, a pound of bird feathers was worth more than an ounce of gold. Birds such as egrets and blue herons, many inhabiting the Everglades, were almost driven to extinction due to the demand of the millinery trade. Participants will learn about the women’s crusade against “killer hats” and how Florida stood at the forefront of the movement creating the Audubon society, America’s first national wildlife refuge (located in Florida), and the landmark law protecting bird species today. Classroom ready ideas that will be shared will include cartoon and photograph analysis and how to view environmental issues through the tools of economics and primary source documents

Session Title:  Living Through Hell:  Making Bold Trouble

The presentation will focus on the true story of Jan Karski, a member of the Polish Underground during World War II, who—with his eyewitness reports—alerted the West about the ongoing slaughter of the Polish Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland. The presentation will utilize the award-winning graphic novel “Karski’s Mission to Stop the Holocaust” to illustrate important points.

Session Title: Still Here: Black History through Contemporary Art

Showcasing and juxtaposing the works of three African Americans, history will come alive with photos from the Civil Rights era, posters from the Blank Panther movement, and visual art from contemporary society.

We will highlight more sessions soon! Remember that our theme for this virtual conference is

Please be sure to register and join us, and be sure to check out this preview of our two fantastic keynote speakers as well!

Good morning, friends! As a reminder, don’t forget to register for the upcoming Florida Council for the Social Studies virtual conference! Today’s post highlights some of the excellent sessions you will have the opportunity to attend.

Session Title:  A Fresh Perspective: Finding Sunshine in Dark Times

Traditional history curricula have a scope and sequence that seems focused on conflict. This session challenges participants to extend that learning-yes, there has been conflict through time, but what about collective advocacy? What about civic responsibility? What about the quiet heroes who fearlessly made choices to move the greater good forward? Those stories should be braided in to mainstream instruction in order to inform students that advocacy and action are not new cultural ideologies but rather stable qualities that have been a part of our human story.

Session Title:  306:  African-American History: A Digital Resource/BINAH: Antisemitism Prevention and Holocaust Education

Learn about 306: African-American History a digital resource to teach about the influences and contributions in science, academia, music, and the arts as core contributions of American life. This resource is provide cost-free through the EVERFI portal in partnership with the Florida African-American History Task Force. 

Learn about BINAH: Building Insights to Navigate Antisemitism & Hate a digital resource to help address and teach about Antisemitism and the Holocaust provided cost-free from The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and EVERFI.

Session Title:  Covid’s Economic Impact and the Government’s Response

Learn about two lessons in a package of seven on the economic crisis brought on by Covid-19 and the Government’s response to the dramatic dive in national output that resulted.  The lessons answer questions like: Why hasn’t the economic impact been felt equally?  What are the different roles of the federal and state governments?  What are the long-term implications of the response on the national debt?  This session will provide a survey of these lessons, highlighting the topical relevance and the formatting features that fit into any teaching circumstance.  They will be supported by an array of interactive resources that teachers will be excited about.  These lessons will be available on EconEdlink in early 2021 and this presentation will be the first time teachers statewide will get a preview.

We will highlight more sessions later this week. Remember that our theme for this virtual conference is

Please be sure to register and join us, and be sure to check out this preview of our two fantastic keynote speakers as well!

Good morning friends! We hope that you have enjoyed our webinars on the 1920 Ocoee Election Day Riots and on the Inauguration. We are excited to announce our February webinar, and we hope that you can join us!

Click here to download the flyer and here to register!

Join us on February 17th at 3pm EST (an in-service day for most districts in Florida, but this WILL be recorded!) for our third webinar, Using SOURCES to Examine Blockbusting. In this webinar, Dr. Scott Waring and Dr. Tina M. Ellsworth will explore the concept of blockbusting and walk through using the SOURCES framework Download the flyer to share, and please register here!

We hope that you can join us for what is sure to be a positive and engaging learning experience!

Friends in the social studies, it’s always important to seek opportunities to network and grow in our learning, and an opportunity nears soon! On February 20, 2021, the Florida Council for the Social Studies will be hosting its first ever virtual conference! This conference, rescheduled after a delay caused by COVID-19, features a number of excellent sessions and opportunities for connecting, and over the next couple of weeks, I will be highlighting some of the more exciting sessions! But first, FCSS is excited to announce its two keynote sessions that connect to the conference theme: Living Through History: Making Good Trouble.

Dr. Charles Flanagan of the National Archives Center for Legislative Archives

To celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the 19^thamendment, hear FCSS keynote speaker Dr. Charles Flanagan highlight the impact this amendment has had on American society. “In Their own Words: Women’s Petition’s to Congress,” will highlight never before seen documents housed in the Archives for teachers to utilize with their students when they teach this important amendment.

Joseph Schmidt, Maine Department of Education

Courageous Conversations about Contentious Topics – If we don’t actively engage students in contentious conversations that our society is currently struggling with then what type of citizens are we preparing them to be? If we abdicate our responsibility as educators and school districts, then we cannot be surprised when we have people who struggle to engage with others both online and in person and I think most people agree that our society needs help in being better about that. That is why we need to allow them to practice this is a safe environment, because right now the environment outside of our classrooms is not a safe place to practice disagreeing with each other.

Register now for the conference, and be sure to check back here often to learn more about the sessions!

Good morning, friends. It has certainly been quite a couple of weeks for those of us who work in civic education, has it not? To address some of the events that have happened recently, and the sometimes complicated concepts that have been in the news, we have created three resources for you in our Civics in Real Life series. Each of these resources allow you to discuss current events with students in a manner that encourages deeper discussion and without a particular partisan stance. These take a ‘just the facts’ approach to historical and civics concepts and ideas. Click on each title to access the document.

Sedition
What is the line between peaceful protest and the threat of sedition?

The 25th Amendment
How is presidential power and succession addressed by the 25th Amendment?

Impeachment
What is the purpose of impeachment and how does it work?

Be sure to check out the rest of the supports provided through our series. It is updated weekly, so be sure to check back often!