Social Studies Network
Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV
Welcome...
For questions, please contact:
Shannon Smith
Educational Consultant - ELA
Professional Development Opportunities
Our colleagues from Teaching American History are returning! Join us in Grove City for a day scholarly conversation, professional development, and classroom resources. The registration links are active and will close a month prior to the event. Please use the links below to register. 10 Act 48 Hours will be awarded for each seminar attended.
Social and Cultural Effects of World War I
March 10, 2025
8:30 am - 2:15 pm
Lunch is provided.
America in WWII: Strategies and Plans
April 1, 2025
8:30 am - 2:15 pm
Lunch is provided.
Winter 2024 Resources and Updates
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Announces 2024 Pennsylvania History Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Pennsylvania Social Studies educator Joseph Daniels II from The Westtown School in West Chester PA for being named the 2024 Pennsylvania State History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History! The History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honor exceptional American history teachers from elementary through high school.
Reform to Equal Rights - Disability History Curriculum
Reform to Equal Rights traces evolving struggles across two centuries by people with disabilities for necessary resources for life and work, services, and political and civil rights. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based student investigation of policy, culture, media, social change, and activism, always emphasizing the actions, experiences, and voices of people with disabilities. Nearly 250 primary sources support inquiry. The curriculum highlights opportunities throughout for students to participate in inclusive civic engagement projects. Lessons integrate with common content: reformers, impacts of wars, immigration, changing roles of government, social movements, and civic engagement.
From the OER Project: Teaching with Maps
Maps are more than just places on a page—they’re the fields on which history takes place. OER Project’s teaching with maps page showcases a new lesson plan loaded with activities to get students thinking about the uses and limitations of cartography, plus instant access to their archive of political and thematic maps.
From America250: America’s Field Trip is Back!
Submissions are now being accepted for the 2025 America’s Field Trip contest, which gives students an opportunity to celebrate and commemorate America’s Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Students in grades 3 through 12 are invited to share artwork or an essay answering the following prompt: What does America mean to you?
Beginning in the summer of 2025, all first-place awardees will be able to participate in a field trip with one parent or guardian to one of our nation’s most iconic historic and cultural sites!
Deadline for all submissions:
April 16, 2025 at 5 PM ET
Awardee notification:
Awardees will be notified in late April / early May 2025
2025 Field Trips:
July and August 2025
Want to see how the first year of America’s Field Trip went? Check out the highlights!
Be sure to follow and stay up-to-date with America250 on social media and add info@america250.org to your safe senders list to ensure you receive all contest updates.
From The American Historical Association
The AHA has published American Lesson Plan: Teaching US History in Secondary Schools, a groundbreaking journey through curriculum mandates and classroom practices in our nation's public schools. The report summarizes the results of the most comprehensive study of secondary US history education undertaken in the 21st century.
Their research was launched in 2022 in response to the contentious debate over how our schools teach history. The diverse perspectives on those controversies shared one crucial element in common: a lack of evidence. The resulting report, which is available in full on their website and as a downloadable PDF, provides an unprecedented view of the full picture of middle and high school US history instruction across the country.
New From Facing History and Ourselves
This Toolkit created by Facing History and Ourselves, offers tools and strategies to help teachers organize discussions on current events in their classrooms. Designed for teachers who are just getting started addressing current events with their students—or who are looking to learn new strategies for engaging students in discussions about the news or controversial topics—begin by exploring the resources in the toolkit.
National Constitution Center Scholar Exchange
The National Constitution Center will be hosting Scholar Exchanges throughout the 2024-2025 school year. The Scholar Exchanges give students the opportunity to discuss constitutional topics with a lawyer, judge, or constitutional scholar and their peers from around the country, Sessions are free and open to classes ranging from elementary school to college.
New from PBS LearningMedia: WHAT is Media Literacy and HOW Can Simple Shifts Center It?
Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication.
Teach media literacy in your classroom and help your students learn to combat misinformation, empower them to ask questions, think critically, and create media in a variety of formats. This article, written by middle school teacher Mary Kate Longergan, introduces three easy-to-implement shifts you can make to help center media literacy within your classroom.
Middle States Council for the Social Studies Awards
Each year the Middle States Council for Social Studies sponsors numerous awards to recognize the outstanding work by social studies teachers, student teachers, and school programs. We are currently seeking nominations for the following awards. Nominations for these awards may come from classroom teachers, professors, supervisors, principals, and local or state council members in the Middle States region. The deadline to submit a nomination online is December 22, 2024.
For more information about these awards, please get in touch with Mr. Kevin Wagner, MSCSS Awards Chair, at wagnerk1973@gmail.com
Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers
Street Law is now accepting applications for its 2025 Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers.
You could be one of 60 secondary social studies educators selected to strengthen and expand your instruction on the Court and its cases!
- Gain unrivaled access to a stellar lineup of SCOTUS experts and advocates
- Learn innovative strategies to teach about current and historical cases
- Hear decisions announced in the courtroom and attend a special reception at the Court (Court schedule permitting)
- View last year's Institute agenda
- Application deadline: March 1, 2025
The Institute is funded by and delivered in partnership with the Supreme Court Historical Society.
From PBS LearningMedia: Native American Heritage Collection
Take a look at Indigenous art, history, and culture as told through the historians, artists, students, and scientists in this featured resource collection.
Resources for Native American History Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. The National Archives, Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian have curated resources and lesson plans to enhance your classroom practice. Keep this site bookmarked to find ways to integrate Native American History throughout the year.
For more resources to teach inclusive history per the Illinois mandates, check out our Inclusive History Toolkit.
Calling All High School Students! PennDOT Announces Eighth Annual Innovations Challenge!
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced its eighth annual Innovations Challenge, which encourages students to use their problem-solving, creative and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world transportation challenges in a competition among their peers. The Innovations Challenge is open to all students in grades 9-12, regardless of their school’s learning model.
For this year’s challenge, students are asked to develop a cost-effective, innovative solution that can help PennDOT more effectively increase awareness of seat belt safety and change behavior to improve roadway safety.
For complete Innovations Challenge details, visit www.penndot.pa.gov/innovation and scroll down to select the blue Innovations Challenge tile box. The submission deadline is Jan. 31, 2025.
Please share this information with all faculty members and encourage all eligible students within your school to participate.
For questions or more information, email PennDOT’s Bureau of Innovations at DOTInnovations@pa.gov.
Back to Survival Toolkit
Welcome Back! Please check out the following resources to supplement you back to school instruction. Reminder, Act 35 reporting is due on October 4, 2024!
This site provides free resources - including over 65 videos on constitutional concepts and Supreme Court cases as well as games, lesson plans, timelines, downloadable books, a glossary, and a Constitution guide.
Annenberg Classroom – Resources For Excellent Civics Education
Act 25 of 2024
On June 17, 2024 Governor Shapiro signed into law Act 25 of 2024, amending the Public School Code of 1949 – requiring school entities to observe a moment of silence on the September 11 2001 anniversary. The Pennsylvania Department of Education is working on supporting schools to implement Act 25 and will provide appropriate curriculum resources and other materials to be posted in the SAS portal in the coming months.
From the National Constitution Center
Recapping the Supreme Court’s 2023-24 Term. Now that the Supreme Court term has ended, the Court has issued a series of decisions in many blockbuster cases. Sarah Isgur of The Dispatch and Marcia Coyle of The National Law Journal join Jeffrey Rosen to review the Supreme Court’s most important decisions from this term thus far.
US Senate Youth Program Information for PA Educators
Now in its 63rd year, the United States Senate Youth Scholarship Program offers an outstanding opportunity for exceptional student leaders. Here in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) works collaboratively with the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils (PASC) to administer the program.
Sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the program features an all-expense paid, week-long program (March 1-8, 2025) in Washington, D.C., as well as the award of a $10,000 collegiate scholarship to each of two student delegates from each state. More information regarding this program can be accessed at United States Senate Youth Program More information regarding the process in Pennsylvania can be found at What is the United States Senate Youth Program?. You may also read the attached letter for more information as well.
You may contact Dr. Felix Yerace, the Pennsylvania Coordinator for the Hearst Foundation, for more information, at senateyouth@pasc.net or at 412-221-4542 x603 as well.
Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation Grant
The Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation is an organization that provides grants for educators to teach anti-hate initiatives, respect, and kindness to students nationwide through Holocaust education. The grant allows educators to teach their students about the Holocaust – empowering them to learn how the lessons of the past can lead to kindness, respect, and inclusion in our society today. Each grant is capped at $1,000. The grant can be used to purchase educational materials, such as books for the classroom; help fund experiences, such as subsidizing the cost of transportation to a museum; help cover speaker fees for survivor speakers; or to bring programming into the school, such as traveling museum exhibits. The foundation has hosted several teacher resource webinars to introduce educators to a multitude of programming that is available nationwide. The grant application portal opens in mid-August. Teachers who teach 4th to 12th grade are eligible to apply.
To be added to their list and be notified when the grant portal opens, please email ann@mshefoundation.org.
Tools for Discussing Current and Contested Public Issues from Street Law
In the cacophony of modern discourse, where social posts and sound bites often drown out thoughtful reflection, the art of engaging in thoughtful, deliberative discussions presents an opportunity for change.
Unfortunately, handling these important conversations in the classroom is filled with challenges that understandably deter some educators. The fear of controversy and stepping on ideological landmines can paralyze even the most dedicated teacher.
Street Law recognizes this struggle and provides a lifeline—a toolbox of proven curricular materials designed to structure and ignite meaningful conversations.
Let’s Brief the Chief! New Game from iCivics
iCivics recently debuted Brief the Chief, their newest game created in partnership with The White House Historical Association. Your students take on the role of the ultimate presidential advisor as they navigate iconic moments that define American history.
Strategize with President Thomas Jefferson on securing the vital Port of New Orleans during the Louisiana Purchase or navigating the trade relationship with the newly independent Haiti.
Brief President Abraham Lincoln as he crafts the Emancipation Proclamation or addresses the situation in Fort Sumter.
Advise President Lyndon B. Johnson as he considers the complexities of a potential 1968 reelection run or how to strengthen voting rights amid marches in Alabama in 1965.
With a focus on listening and contextualizing, Brief the Chief introduces students to the variety of voices that influence the president. Throughout the game, students practice interview-based decision making and evidence-based reasoning without being responsible for outcomes.
Along with providing pre- and post-activities and a teacher guide, the Brief the Chief Extension Pack will support you in deepening learning with a one-pager on each scenario and bios on each person.
Native Knowledge 360
Native Knowledge 360° (NK360°), by the National Museum of the American Indian, provides educational resources and teacher training that incorporate Native narratives, more comprehensive histories, and accurate information to enlighten and inform teaching and learning about Native America.
Let’s Go! Virtual Field Trips from PBS
Let’s Go!, an original series from WNED PBS, offers adventure to young, curious learners through behind-the-scenes virtual field trips. Come along with our host Chrisena as she interacts with experts and visits exciting sites throughout Western New York. Let’s Go! is perfect for educators, kids, their caregivers, and anyone who loves to explore! Each episode is accompanied by several activities that can be completed in the classroom or at home. Activities are directly related to the field trip site and provide many cross-curricular opportunities. This curriculum was designed with students ages 7-11 in mind but is easily adaptable for those younger and older.
This Day in History
Discover what happened with History’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births, and notable deaths each day, delivered right to your inbox.
From The National Constitution Center: Rights Around the World
What rights does the United States share with other countries around the world? At least 32 separate rights are found in the U.S. Constitution; explore which other countries have adopted similar rights using this interactive resource.
Spring 2024 Resources
Combating Media Bias – Allsides
Allsides. Everyone is biased — and that's okay. There's no such thing as unbiased news. But hidden media bias misleads, manipulates, and divides us. So, everyone should learn how to spot media bias.
Democracy for Kids, K-8
The Democracy for Kids program is designed for elementary and middle school kids. Resources include reading lists and discussion questions from children's books tied to basic themes of civics. C70 also developed STAR Cards, which are decks of cards with prompts that are perfect for morning meetings. They are free to obtain and easy to use.
If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Justin Villere jvillere@seventy.org to learn more.
Can We Talk?
Can We Talk? is C70’s effort to combat polarization and social isolation. It aims to equip students with the skills to have productive dialogue with other students from different backgrounds and life experiences on a range of issues. There are 12 different lesson plans, from 15-40 minutes in length. Before doing a lesson, it would be helpful to first introduce students to the ground rules for productive dialogue. C70 is running a statewide event on April 25th, where students can interact with others who come from different backgrounds or life experiences. They'll practice the skills they are developing here.
Contact Justin Villere jvillere@seventy.org to learn more.
From the OER Project: Womens’ Achievements Throughout History
Women in Science: Breakthroughs
Use this lesson plan to explore women's achievements in science during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Students will meet luminaries like physicist Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu and Henrietta Leavitt, and even get a little working knowledge of astrophysics that will help them put their breakthroughs into context. Illuminate them!
Women in Han China and Medieval Europe
The experiences of women have varied widely across time and geography, but how different was life for women between twelfth century Han China and western Europe during the medieval period? Read up on China and Europe, and then tackle this comparison activity with your class!
Looking for more resources? Check out the OER’s women in history page! If you've already used some of these resources, or have questions for your fellow teachers, drop by the dedicated Community thread to share your thoughts. It's a great place to get support and expand on these topics.
New From PBS
Explore What's New in the Election Central Collection
With the 2024 Presidential elections just around the corner, it’s important to start talking with your students about voting and elections and why they are essential parts of our democracy. Brush up on civics 101, keep up with 2024 election news, study the history and process of elections, explore the media’s role in coverage, and encourage civic participation in your classroom with their updated collection of videos, activities, and fun lesson plans.
The Civics Center
The Civics Center’s mission is to make voter registration part of every high school in America. The Center estimates that only 30% of 18-year-olds are registered to vote.
Half of US teens can preregister at age 16. Another 20% can do so starting around 17. Of the remaining 30%, most have time to register during their senior year. High school is the time and place to get it done! Educators have an important role to play in welcoming young people into our democracy and instilling a lifelong interest in voting and good citizenship. Learn more about what the Center can offer you.
TVW Civics Champions Pilot
Teach with TVW (the educational arm of TVW) is working on a new project to increase youth engagement in our political system and improve youth voter turnout by increasing awareness of our PCO and precinct system through high school & community college civics classes. Teach with TVW is creating nonpartisan lesson plans and activities for our teachers to adopt and use.
The Civic Champions project is looking to build a coalition of folks who are interested in engaging young people and strengthening democracy! We are seeking enthusiastic educators willing to pilot our nonpartisan lesson plans and activities before the end of the school year. Thank you for considering this opportunity. Your involvement is crucial in empowering the next generation of informed and engaged citizens. Please see the flyer and email Chirag Vedullapalli (chiragdart@gmail.com) if interested.
Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation Grant
The Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation is an organization that provides grant opportunities grants for educators to teach anti-hate initiatives, respect, and kindness to students nationwide through Holocaust education. The grant allows educators to teach their students about the Holocaust – empowering them to learn how the lessons of the past can lead to kindness, respect, and inclusion in our society today. Each grant is capped at $1,000. The grant can be used to purchase educational materials, such as books for the classroom; help fund experiences, such as subsidizing the cost of transportation to a museum; help cover speaker fees for survivor speakers; or to bring programming into the school, such as traveling museum exhibits. The foundation has hosted several teacher resource webinars to introduce educators to a multitude of programming that is available nationwide. The grant application portal opens in mid-August. 4th to 12th grade teachers are eligible to apply.
To be added to their list and be notified when the grant portal opens, please email ann@mshefoundation.org.
From The Pennsylvania Council for Social Studies
Check out Founding Forward!
Our friends at the Union League Legacy Foundation and at Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge have merged together to form Founding Forward, a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity. The new program is the result of a merger between these two organizations, founded in 1947 and 1949 respectively, united based on their long-standing partnership and shared values. Together as Founding Forward, they will combine their greatest assets and strengths to become the leading voice and institution in civic education.
Founding Forward’s work is guided by a belief in the importance of the founding principles established by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Founding Forward educates and inspires the leaders of today and tomorrow to carry these principles forward.
PA Civics
PA Civics is a coalition of former elected officials and nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations with a mission to support, promote, and expand civics education in Pennsylvania.
The coalition's membership has almost doubled over the last year, which has resulted in more high-quality teaching resources, professional development opportunities, and educational events for educators to use.
PACivics.org is continually updating; it now contains seven different teaching and learning pathways that are aligned to the Pennsylvania state standards and the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap. Mix and match these free resources to fit any age group and grade level from Pre-K to College.
November 2023
Supports for Teaching the Israel-Hamas War
Israel-Hamas War Resources Guide
Support for Classroom Discussion on the Israel-Hamas War
Terrorism and Violent Extremism (United Nations)
Resources for Teaching about Israel and Gaza
Processing Attacks in Israel and the Outbreak of War in the Region - Facing History & Ourselves: “Help students process violence, terror, and the loss of life in the wake of attacks in Israel and Israel's declaration of war against Hamas.”
How to talk to your children about conflict and war – UNICEF: “8 tips on how to approach the conversation with children and to 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: “Even when we're struggling, our kids look to us for answers. Knowing how and when to talk with kids—and when to listen—can help. Get age-appropriate ideas for talking and listening.”
New from the OER Project – The Skill of Historical Sourcing
Sourcing and history are an essential pairing, much like peanut butter and jelly. Use these engaging lessons on the Roman Empire, the Mongols, and the Black Death to teach your students the skill of historical sourcing.
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Shares New Ohio Financial Literacy Curriculum Guide
Designed to help educators and schools fulfill Ohio’s standalone financial literacy course requirement, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland developed a free Ohio Financial Literacy Curriculum Guide (High School Edition). The guide covers 18 weeks, or one semester, and divides content into 3-week-long units for six topics. The Federal Reserve has aligned lessons, activities, and other resources in the guide with Ohio’s Financial Literacy Standards and Model Curriculum for High School. This curriculum guide contains resources drawn primarily from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’s Econ Lowdown® economic education website, with additional material from the Cleveland Fed and other sources.
Free American History Resources for K-12 Students from Gilder Lehrman
The Gilder Lehrman Institute offers numerous free programs and activities designed to make history come alive for K–12 students.
They include programs such as History U, the AP US History Guide, Transcribe!, scholarship opportunities, and other resources. The Institute invites educators to explore ways students, teachers and parents can engage with the Gilder Lehrman Institute resources.
iCivics Releases New Constitutional Compromise Interactive, Online Game
Constitutional Compromise challenges students to find a way forward for a young nation as disagreements mount. iCivics designed the game to engage students in the ideas discussed at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and discover how compromises one might make today compared to those made by the 55 delegates.
Retro Report Shares Advanced Placement United States History Resource Collection
RetroReport has released an Advanced Placement (AP) United States History collection that includes more than 75 films to meet the needs of teachers and students. Most of these Retro Report resources fit with Periods 7 through 9 of the AP course and are organized by topic.
Street Law Summer Institute Applications Now Open
Street Law is now accepting applications for its 2024 Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers.
You could be one of 60 secondary social studies educators selected to strengthen and expand your instruction on the Court and its cases!
Gain unrivaled access to a stellar lineup of SCOTUS experts and advocates
Learn innovative methods to teach about current and historical cases
Hear decisions announced in the courtroom and attend a special reception at the Court (Court schedule permitting)
Application deadline: March 1, 2024
Artificial Intelligence
Annenberg Classroom
This site provides free resources - including over 65 videos on constitutional concepts and Supreme Court cases as well as games, lesson plans, timelines, downloadable books, a glossary, and a Constitution guide.
Annenberg Classroom – Resources For Excellent Civics Education