R9 Summer Social Studies PD

It has truly been one of the greatest joys of my career to support such a passionate, dedicated community of educators. Over the past 4 years, I’ve been inspired by your commitment to students and the creative, meaningful ways you bring social studies to life. You’ve welcomed me into your classrooms, shared your passions, and inspired me every step of the way.

While social studies will always be my first love, I will be transitioning into a new role as part of the Teacher Incentive Allotment team at the ESC starting September 1st. To say this transition is bittersweet would be an understatement - you all hold a special place in my heart and always will. Though my day-to-day work will be shifting, please know that I’m still here—still cheering you on, and always happy to help however I can. You haven’t seen the last of me!

I’m delighted to introduce Chelsey Lerma, who will be joining the ESC as the new Social Studies Specialist beginning June 2nd and partnering with me until my final transition on September 1st. She brings great energy and a fresh perspective, and I can’t wait for you to meet her. Plus, you won't have too much trouble remembering her name! 😂You’ll find a note from her below—and I know you’ll make her feel just as welcome as you’ve made me feel every step of the way.

I hope to see many of you this summer at one (or more!) of our exciting PD sessions—we’ve got an amazing lineup to help you gear up for next year! Thank you again for allowing me to learn from you these past few years, and don't be a stranger!

Best wishes,

~Chelsea

chelsea.howells@esc9.net

Hi, my name is Chelsey Lerma and I am very excited to be joining the Region 9 team. I have 10 years of experience that includes teaching at the elementary and secondary levels as well as being an instructional coach for both elementary and middle school campuses. My husband and I are the proud parents of our daughter. We enjoy spending time making the most out of life’s little moments whether it be spending time with family, watching her play soccer, or traveling.

Click here or any of the images below for an interactive list of 2025 Social Studies Professional Learning at Region 9!

Explore strategies to build a culture and practice for facilitating meaningful, equitable conversations through viewpoint diverse civil discourse. Learn practical strategies and engage in activities that empower students’ individual voices while encouraging inclusive discussions to build safe and brave classroom spaces. Build skills through tabletop scenarios and peer discussion on how to manage unrehearsed moments. Learn to guide students through complex and often spontaneous discussions. Participants will work through real scenarios to develop applicable skills. Gain free content and professional development resources to support skills across content areas, along with leadership resources to support civil discourse implementation in your school community. This class will count as a 6-hour G/T update credit and is not paid for with G/T coop funds.

Click here to register.

Join Law-Related Education for the day and explore Article II of the Constitution and the Presidency. The workshop will focus on the creation and function of the Executive Branch and the expansion of presidential power from the founding period through the modern era. Examine the relationship of political parties to the presidency. Participants will enjoy both scholarly instruction and hands-on lessons and strategies that allow learners to engage with the content. Registration is free and lunch will be provided. Participants receive access to all materials upon completion of the course.

***Middle school breakout sessions will explore presidential power with a focus on domestic issues of the Early Republic and the Age of Jackson.

***High school breakout sessions will explore Article II by examining the debates of the modern presidency such as court packing and war powers as well as the implications of the electoral college.

***This class will count as a 6-hour G/T update credit.

Click here to register.

The Civil War was the result of decades of issues, ideas, and actions by individuals and groups, across a less than 100-year-old America. In this seminar teachers will explore the connection between emerging ideas about slavery and race, and a Supreme Court that contributed to the causes of the Civil War. This program will be conducted as a discussion, utilizing primary source documents as the only readings, and with the Professor facilitating the conversation, instead of lecturing or presenting. Registrants, therefore, are highly encouraged to read all the documents in advance and come ready with questions.

***Lunch Provided

***This class will count as a 6-hour G/T update credit and is not paid for with G/T coop funds.

Click here to register.

Want to strengthen your students' writing and analytical skills in social studies or ELAR? This session will introduce strategies for using primary sources to boost student engagement and writing abilities through concise activities. You'll explore ways to foster historical thinking and argumentation in a student-focused environment, with a focus on differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all learners. Walk away with ideas for incorporating document analysis and writing exercises into quick, impactful lessons that fit seamlessly into your daily curriculum, ensuring accessibility for all levels of students.

***This class will count as a 6-hour G/T update credit and is not paid for with G/T coop funds.

Click here to register.

***This is a virtual session via Zoom***

This session will focus on providing engaging Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF) resources to use with a personal finance curriculum. Teachers will have the opportunity to explore multiple resources available on the NGPF website.

Section 1: Introduction to NGPF

Section 2: 5 Resources in 50 Minutes: Investing

Section 3: AI in the Classroom: Finance Focus

*Note: This will be a virtual session with a focus on using resources from Next Gen Personal Finance. This session is for teachers that are teaching Economics, Personal Financial Literacy or the newly adopted PFL/Econ course.

Click here to register.

Join the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum educators in a professional development session geared to social studies and ELAR educators, counselors, and librarians in grades 6-12. Teachers will participate in a docent led and interactive Virtual Field Trip of the Holocaust/Shoah Wing of the Museum. Teachers will learn about best practices for teaching about the Holocaust and commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Week. Teachers will receive an overview of the Museum’s lessons and resources for teaching the Holocaust, Human, and Civil Rights.

***Light breakfast as well as lunch will be provided***

Click here to register.

Giddy up for an inspiring and action-packed conference designed to bring educators, administrators, and thought leaders together to explore the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in education. Education Round-Up: Saddle Up for Success is your opportunity to connect, collaborate, and cultivate new strategies that will drive student achievement and professional growth.

Dr. John Hodge will be our keynote speaker on Tuesday, June 17th (Day 1), and will share topics of resilience and student achievement for all students with participants! In the afternoon, participants can attend interactive workshops and dynamic discussions in Special Education, EB, Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Day 1 will provide participants with 6 hours of GT Update Credit.

Days 2 and 3 of the conference will provide valuable insights on effective teaching practices, technology integration, student engagement, and leadership development. Participants can attend interactive workshops and dynamic discussions on topics such as, Special Education, Emergent Bilingual, Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. There will also be vendor booths set up on these days.

Join us as we round up the best minds in education and saddle up for a future of excellence!

Day 1 (GT Update) June 17th - Register here

Day 2 June 18th - Register here

Day 3 June 9th - Register here

***This is a virtual session via Zoom.***

Did you know that the TEKS and traffic safety can be learned in the same lesson? Not only that but traffic law and mock trials can be combined with the TEKS from every core subject as well. The Texas Municipal Courts Education Center and Texas Law-Related Education/State Bar of Texas have created curriculum units that incorporate Texas traffic safety into engaging lessons for K-12 classrooms. These lessons use hands-on materials, interesting graphics, and easy to follow instructions. All teachers attending this session will receive, free of charge, ready to use materials, and curricula for use in the classroom.

Click here to register.

***This is a virtual session via Zoom***

Wondering if you can start a mock trial program in your classroom or school? Wonder no more - Municipal Traffic Safety Initiatives (MTSI) has created a systematic curriculum to assist you in beginning a mock trial program at your campus. The Texas Municipal Courts Education Center (TMCEC) and Law-Related Education (Texas LRE)/State Bar of Texas have created a mock trial curriculum that incorporates Texas traffic safety into engaging lessons, scripted and unscripted mock trials, and law-related activities for 4th-12th grade social studies and government classes! All lessons correlate to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). All teachers attending this session will receive, free of charge, hands-on materials, and curricula for use in the classroom.

Click here to register.

This professional development series will equip educators with essential tools to take Social Studies to the next level, leveraging standards to create compelling questions while exploring historical thinking skills. Participants will learn to design purposeful assessments using formative techniques and Claim-Evidence-Reasoning frameworks while addressing how to select appropriate primary and secondary sources. Educators will walk away with strategies to craft engaging learning experiences that foster deep understanding, civil discourse, and skill development in Social Studies classrooms.

Session #1 will help you build a foundation by connecting your academic standards to compelling questions. The first of three historical thinking skills (Causation) will also be explored.

June 30th: Click here to register.

Session #2 will center on creating opportunities that promote student understanding of the content and compelling questions by utilizing formative assessment techniques and claim-evidence-reasoning frameworks. The second of three historical thinking skills (Comparison) will be explored.

July 18th: Click here to register.

Session #3 will guide you in selecting and analyzing primary and secondary sources to encourage deeper inquiry and discussion. explore how to choose primary and secondary sources to facilitate learning along with strategies to support analysis. The final historical thinking skill of our series - Contextualization - will be explored.

July 30th: Click here to register.

In this session, we will build historical foundations using the important tool of storytelling. Participants will have the opportunity to hear those stories using free, online educational resources that can be differentiated for their own classroom experience. Educators will be asked to consider the stories that are told, retold, or not told, and examine how those factors contribute to the constitutional legacy of this time period. After exploring the historical contexts of the 14th Amendment and the Reconstruction era, participants will examine the text of the Constitution to determine how such an amendment impacted not just the late-1800s but also the rest of American history. These skills will allow students to interact with the document and evaluate the intentions and implications of all of the Reconstruction amendments across grade levels. ***This class will count as a 6-hour G/T update credit and is not paid for with G/T coop funds.

Lunch is provided.

Click here to register.

THIS IS A ZOOM ON JULY 14, 2025 FROM 9:00 AM TO 12:00 PM. This interactive session explores the use of primary sources—including texts, images, artifacts, and audiovisual recordings—to provide students with historical and geographical perspectives while fostering critical inquiry skills. The session focuses on the rich history of the Jewish American community, highlighting its contributions to American society and the multifaceted nature of identity. By examining early 20th-century Jewish immigration within the broader context of American immigration history, participants will analyze push and pull factors from 1880 to 1924 and gain insight into Jewish American life in Galveston, Texas, and New York City. Participants will gain strategies to deepen student engagement and improve instruction by mastering source analysis through case study exploration.

Click here to register.

Please note: this session is full, but please join the waiting list in case any spots open up!

Educators will explore effective strategies for teaching disciplinary literacy and primary source analysis to students with diverse learning needs, particularly those with language-based learning disabilities. Participants will gain hands-on experience with freely available scaffolded resources for the U.S. History and Civics/Government classroom. This professional development session combines a series of short-form documentary films along with resources from the Library of Congress to help students develop literacy, critical thinking and civic engagement skills. Coffee and lunch are provided, and participants will receive a $150 stipend upon completion of a pre- and post-session survey.

Click here to join the waiting list.

***This is a virtual session via ZOOM***

TX History: Participants will learn how to integrate historical and GIS maps from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) collections into classroom learning with a focus on Texas History. Those new to teaching, or those who would like to expand their students’ engagement with maps, will especially benefit. Where practicable, maps relevant to Wichita Falls and the wider region will be showcased. July 23 - TX History - Click here to register.

US History: Participants will learn how to integrate historical and GIS maps from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) collections into classroom learning with a focus on U.S. History. Those new to teaching, or those who would like to expand their students’ engagement with maps, will especially benefit. Where practicable, maps relevant to Wichita Falls and the wider region will be showcased. July 24 - US History - Click here to register.

***This is a virtual session via Zoom*** Our kids already can't write. Now, AI is writing for them across almost every digital platform they use. How do we make up for all the lost reps and preserve writing ability in an AI-infused world? In this Matthew McConaughey-inspired workshop (...lemme tell you somethin' about writin' brother), we’ll answer these questions with policies, strategies, and tools that make it easy and fun to embed high-quality writing practice in any content area.

Click here to register.

Target Audience: Social Studies, English Language Arts, and English as a Second Language, Bilingual or Dual Language Stakeholders- Teachers, District Administrators, Campus Administrators, Education Service Center Specialists, Parents, Professional Organizations

Session Description: The TEA social studies curriculum team will host two panelists from Texas school systems to share best practices for social studies instruction. The panelists will share insights on the connections between social studies and reading language arts, examining assessments and data related to the crossover between social studies and reading language arts in TELPAS and STAAR. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to participate in questions and discussions with members of the panel and the TEA social studies curriculum team.

Dates & Times:

• Wednesday, June 11, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (CT): June 11 Registration Link
• Thursday, June 12, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (CT): June 12 Registration Link

Both sessions will contain the same content. Multiple sessions will be provided to allow stakeholders multiple opportunities to attend.

Target Audience: Social Studies and English Language Arts Stakeholders- Teachers, District Administrators, Campus Administrators, Education Service Center Specialists, Parents, Professional Organizations

Session Description: The TEA social studies and English language arts team will share the K-5 Cross-Curricular Connections Tool for Social Studies and English Language Arts and Reading. The team will explain the different parts of this tool and share how this tool supports cross-curricular instructional planning. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to participate in questions and discussions with members of the TEA social studies and English language arts team.

Dates & Times:

• Tuesday, July 15, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (CT): July 15 Registration Link
• Wednesday, July 16, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (CT): July 16 Registration Link
• Thursday, July 17, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (CT): July 17 Registration Link

All sessions will contain the same content. Multiple sessions will be provided to allow stakeholders multiple opportunities to attend.

The Law-Related Education (LRE) Department of the State Bar of Texas serves as a catalyst to advance law-related and civic education programs throughout the state. They offer both in-person and virtual professional development opportunities. Dates, locations, and registration information for these free events can be found on their website.

In 2025, Humanities Texas will hold in-person and online programs for classroom teachers covering topics in U.S. history, government, Texas history, and English language arts.

To learn more and to apply to participate, please see the Humanities Texas Upcoming Institutes web page or click here to apply.

Eligibility:

Passionate educators who teach social studies in grades 4-8 and are making a difference in the lives of students, we are looking for you! This opportunity is for teachers new to the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution curricular program and professional learning. Open to teachers in all states.

This opportunity is also available to pre-service teachers who will be doing student teaching in 2025-2026.

Click here to learn more!

Join the Dallas Historical Society us for this free, two-day Professional Development Conference, presented in partnership with the Harry W. Bass Jr. Foundation. Learn from leading Texas historians and exemplary classroom instructors. Improve your content knowledge and sharpen your teaching skills at the beautiful and historic Hall of State. Attendees will earn 12 CPE Credits. Questions? if you have any questions, please CLICK HERE to contact our Director of Education.

Breakfast & lunch will be provided both days. Registrants will receive gift bags and be eligible for door prizes.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

$20 Registration fee

About

The Sphere Summit aims to restore a spirit of civil, constructive, and respectful discourse and engagement and to return facts, analysis, and research to primacy as the vehicles for discussion and debate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Summit should I apply for?

Both Sphere Summits for 2025 are open to all educators and administrators in grades 5–12. New this year, each Summit has a unique theme. The first Summit’s theme is “Freedom, Rights, and America’s 250th” while the second Summit’s theme is “Cultivating Curiosity, Openness, and Civil Discourse in Every Classroom.”

Educators from across all disciplines and subject areas are eligible to apply. Groups of educators from the same school are particularly encouraged. Each Summit will offer distinct programming to meet the needs of both middle and high school educators as well as educators teaching either on grade level or advanced courses like AP or IB.

Please see the 2025 dates above and apply for the Sphere Summit which best works with your schedule.

LBJ Library

2313 Red River St, Austin, TX 78705

Link to Register

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson said, “At times, history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom. So it was at Lexington and Concord. So it was a century ago at Appomattox. So it was last week in Selma, Alabama.”

At that moment 60 years ago, Johnson was calling on Congress to pass one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. History: the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In this two-day workshop, we will honor the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act by exploring the history of voting rights from the first shots at Lexington and Concord to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Because, as Johnson says, “The history of this country in large measure is the history of expansion of that right to all of our people.”

The workshop is open to K-12 educators and any and all those who impact student learning. The workshop will combine cutting edge scholarship about history and law with engaging curriculum and pedagogical tools to bring that history to life.

Registration for this program is $30 and closes July 11, 2025 at 11:59pm CST. Registration includes classroom resources, breakfast and lunch each day, and 16 hours of CPE credit.

Conference dates: October 30 - November 2, 2025

TSSSA: Thursday October 30

#TXCSS2025: Friday, October 31 - Sunday, Nov. 2

Conference Location: Embassy Suites by Hilton and Convention Center

1. Conference Registration Opening Soon!
2. Reserve your TXCSS 2025 hotel room @ the Embassy Suites, 7600 John Q. Hammons Drive, Frisco TX 75034. The room rate for #TXCSS2025 closes October 14, 2025.

Link to Conference Site

Click here for more!

1836 Project Brochure

Region 9 ESC

#GCT #iCivicsEducator #MIE #GridGuide #EdPuzzleCoach

Email: chelsea.howells@esc9.net
Website: https://www.esc9.net/564748_3
Location: 301 Texas 11 Loop, Wichita Falls, TX, USA
Phone: 940-397-8106
Twitter: @ChelseaHowells9