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MDCSS Spring Newsletter
MD Social Studies Connections, News, & PD Events
A Note From MDCSS President Kate Volpe
Re-Defining Social Studies
Since 2007, I have had the privilege to serve as a Social Studies classroom teacher. Over the past 17 years, I have seen 4 presidential policies on education, many reiterations of testing and graduation requirements, budget craziness, virtual learning, and so much more. Curriculums have continued to evolve and change, illustrating the thoughtfulness in our ability to reflect on the times--for which, I am incredibly grateful. What has not changed is my and my colleagues' commitment to doing this work, adapting to the changes (on all levels), and pivoting these last few years when everything changed. So it made sense to me for the National Council for Social Studies to revisit the definition of social studies. The new definition reflects the changing pedagogy practices and the commitment to continue to evolve the courses that we offer to our students. The new definition of social studies encapsulates the idea that our discipline is not a list of world leaders, dates, places, and times. But rather a study of how people, places, and events interact with each other and impact the future. It challenges students to think about the past, the consequences--both intended and unintended--and what that means for their future as they become global citizens. It highlights the importance of our role as a facilitator in helping students not only understand the content but what the events and people have meant to history and how to use that to make decisions for the future.
To accomplish this work, NCSS, local councils and teachers will use inquiry-based methods to understand and examine the human experience throughout history. Teachers will also bring in multiple instructional strategies that will center student learning. Social studies is not limited to history and government but will also consider the studies of geography, psychology, ethnic studies, financial literacy and more. Social Studies teachers will have students examine reliable sources, both primary and secondary, and teach students how to scrutinize the reliability of multiple sources. These skills will help students become actively engaged citizens of the world.
✨ SPECIAL MDCSS EVENT ✨
2024 MDCSS Spring Conference: Many Voices, One Maryland
Saturday, Apr 6, 2024, 09:00 AM
Crofton High School, 2291 Davidsonville Road, Gambrills, MD, USA
FEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
🍎 PRE-SERVICE TEACHER CONNECTION 🍎
Hey, New Social Studies Educators: Know Your Purpose and Embrace the Indispensable Role You Play in the Lives of Young Americans
Know your why, a concept popularized by Simon Sinek in his book, Start with Why, has now been asked of educators so frequently, it has become almost cliché. This is unfortunate because it is a critical element of defining one’s mission and ordering priorities in service of that mission. As emerging social studies educators, knowing your why or as I will refer to it in the remainder of this article, understanding the indispensable role you play in the lives of young Americas, will undoubtedly drive your professional mission, and thus order your priorities.
It has been more than a generation since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, which completely excluded social studies education and over a decade since the inception of the Common Core State Standards, which subordinated social studies to the literacy goals of the nation’s schools. This marginalization is represented in so many ways, not the least of which is the fact that many schools believe social studies is covered if students read a passage about Dr. King or a piece of informational text on the American Revolution.
Make no mistake, social studies is a key partner in achieving the literacy goals we have set for our children, and it is a partnership we should embrace. After all, when taught well and with sufficient time, research shows that social studies has among the largest impacts on improving reading comprehension scores (Rand Report1). Yet, as our discipline has sought a place at the academic table, we have often failed to embrace the indispensable value we play in the lives of young Americans. Simply stated, social studies is where we build strong citizens and create good neighbors.
Recently, I was asked to be on a panel discussing the value of social studies. I followed a couple of other speakers who discussed building strong citizenship skills. They were right, of course, and I immensely appreciated their comments. Still, as my turn came to speak, I recognized that preparing citizens really doesn’t mean that much to a lot of people. It frequently comes across as another cliché. So, let’s frame it in different terms. Every morning, students across America are asked to stand and recite the pledge of allegiance. Presumably, we ask this of our learners because we want them to internalize the principles espoused in the pledge. Most notably, the concept of, “liberty and justice for all.” What does liberty and justice for all mean? What does it look like in action? The pledge reminds us of the promises made by our founders. The promise to create a nation of the people, where all citizens enjoy “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happinesses.” These promises were aspirational because the founders certainly did not fully practice them in their time. Nevertheless, they described the nation we should aspire to be. And now, we understand the indispensable value social studies educators play in the lives of young Americans. We teach what is meant by “We the People” and all that is encapsulated in the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Of even greater importance, we ask our learners, “What does liberty and justice for all mean and what does it look like in action?” We challenge our learners to analyze the barriers to achieving these principles and evaluate how such barriers can be removed in pursuit of such lofty ideals. We also confront the fact that these values are not held by every citizen. Our learners must grapple with the fact that not everyone defines freedom or justice in the same way. We must ask our students what they make of these circumstances and what will we do to successfully navigate these conditions in a way that preserves and enhances our democracy. This is heady stuff, and it is not achieved by examining the writers craft of those who drafted the Declaration of Independence or framed the Constitution. To put a very fine point on it, these discussions and examinations happen in social studies and almost always only in social studies.
So, the next time you are asked for “your why,” consider the indispensable role you play in helping young Americas become active participants in the aim of achieving liberty and justice for all, while inspiring them with a sense of mission to achieve these ends.
1^ Rand Research Report, The Missing Infrastructure for Elementary (K–5) Social Studies Instruction, March 7, 2023 <https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA134-17.html>
Written by Scott McComb, Supervisor of Social Studies for Calvert County Public Schools and MDCSS Board Member.
🙌 CELEBRATIONS - COMING SOON 🙌
🌟🌟 MDCSS BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 🌟🌟
AMANDA VENABLE KRAMER
Amanda Kramer is currently the Museum Manager at Rose Hill Manor Parks and Museums in Frederick County. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in History from Washington College and a M. Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from George Washington University. She was a secondary social studies teacher for Frederick County Public Schools for 8 years during which she taught Ancient World History, 8th grade U.S. history, 9th grade U.S. History, Government, and Modern World History. Her current work at Rose Hill surrounds researching the lives of the enslaved and updating interpretation, educational materials, and field trips to reflect that research and interpret a more accurate understanding of Frederick County history and the legacy of slavery on its history. Amanda currently serves as the Membership Secretary on the MDCSS Board.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
FOR MARYLAND SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATORS
The following section features the latest Social Studies professional development opportunities and events happening throughout Maryland as well as upcoming virtual opportunities from organizations around the country.
🍀🍀 MARCH 🍀🍀
EVENTS & LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
MAR 1ST - DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR SUMMER PROGRAM - COST 💲💲150
2024 Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers
JUNE 12-17 OR JUNE 20-25, 2024
Location: Georgetown University Law Center Venue Information
Hosted by StreetLaw Inc.
APPLY NOW
The application is now open!
Each year we select 60 teachers from a pool of applicants to come to Washington for six days of educational activities that strengthen and expand instruction about the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Institute is funded by and delivered in partnership with the Supreme Court Historical Society.
Registration Fee
$150 registration fee includes all materials and most meals.
Please contact us at scsi@streetlaw.org with any questions about the Institute.
MAR 4TH - 7-8:30 PM - ONLINE CLASS SESSION
The History of Black Music - A Love Supreme
Hosted by The Zinn Education Project
On Monday, March 4, 2024, award-winning musicologist and music historian Guthrie P. Ramsey Jr. will discuss his book Who Hears Here?: On Black Music, Pasts and Present.
A Guggenheim Fellow and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr. is a music historian, pianist, composer, and Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Pennsylvania. Ramsey will be in conversation with Jesse Hagopian. Jesse teaches Ethnic Studies and is the co-adviser to the Black Student Union at Garfield High School in Seattle. He is an editor for Rethinking Schools, the co-editor of Teaching for Black Lives, editor of More Than a Score: The New Uprising Against High-Stakes Testing, and on the leadership team of the Zinn Education Project.
These online classes with people’s historians are held at least once a month (generally on Mondays) at 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET for 90 minutes. In each session, the historian is interviewed by a teacher and breakout rooms allow participants to meet each other in small groups, discuss the content, and share teaching ideas. We designed the sessions for teachers and other school staff. Parents, students, and others are also welcome to participate.
MAR 5TH - DEADLINE TO APPLY - SUMMER INSTITUTES
Each year, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funds summer institutes for teachers.
These are tuition-free opportunities for K–12 educators to study a variety of humanities topics. Stipends help cover expenses for these programs, which vary in length from one to four weeks. The deadline to apply is March 5, 2024. Visit the NEH website to browse all of the 2024 summer programs.
The institutes featured below are a few of the ones that could be of interest to people’s history educators.
Democracy & Education: A View from Detroit
Location: Detroit, MI
Date: July 15 – 26, 2024
Freedom Summer: 60 Years Later — A Landmarks Of American History Teacher Workshop
Location: Jackson, MS (available virtually)
Date: July 8 — 12, and July 22 — 26, 2024
Heart Mountain, Wyoming and the Japanese American Incarceration
Location: Cody, WY
Date: June 16 – 21, and June 23 – 28, 2024
The Homestead Steel Strike and the Growth of America as an Industrial Power
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Date: July 7 – 13, and July 14 – 20, 2024
LGBTQ+ Histories of the United States: Summer Institute for Middle and High School Teachers
Location: New York, NY
Date: July 8 – 19, 2024
Understanding Puerto Rican Migration and Community Building Through the Arts and Humanities
Location: New York, NY
Date: July 14 — July 27, 2024
Wilmington 1898: Geographies of Rage, Resistance, and Resilience
Location: Wilmington, NC
Date: July 8 – 19, 2024
MAR 6TH - 7 PM - ONLINE BOOK TALK - COST 💲15
AN END TO INEQUALITY: A RETHINKING SCHOOLS FUNDRAISER & BOOK TALK WITH JONATHAN KOZAL
Hosted by Rethinking Schools
Join Rethinking Schools founding editor Bob Peterson and executive director Cierra Kaler-Jones in conversation with Jonathan Kozol about his newest book, An End to Inequality: Breaking Down the Walls of Apartheid Education in America. This fundraising event supports Rethinking Schools to continue our mission of sustaining and strengthening public education through social justice teaching and education activism. Get tickets today!
MAR 6th - 7-8:30 PM - WEBINAR
Part 2 - A Brother & Sister in Terezin - The Story of Petr Ginz & Eva Ginzova
Hosted by Defiant Requiem Foundation
In this webinar, we will focus on one Jewish family from Prague to see how the events of the Holocaust changed their lives forever. Alexandra Zapruder, author of Salvaged Pages: Young Writers’ Diaries of the Holocaust, and Centropa, will present the story of the Ginz family, whose son Petr and daughter Eva were sent to the Terezín ghetto/camp outside of Prague. We will share excerpts from their diaries and Petr's extraordinary art and writing. You will return to your classes with resources for teaching about Petr and Eva, their lives during the Holocaust, and the particularly unique circumstances in Terezín. This is the second in a two-part series.
To register for Session II, click here.
MAR 6TH - 7-9 PM - ONLINE WORKSHOP
Hosted by Facing History & Ourselves
Join KQED and Facing History for a hands-on workshop exploring the pivotal role of young people in civic engagement and help them harness the power of audio storytelling to make their voices heard. This supportive, workshop-style session will introduce you to ready-to-use curriculum, audio creation tools, and other materials that can directly support your individual classroom needs.
Participants will walk away with planning tools for student-led civic action projects and receive a Certificate of Completion.
This workshop is most applicable for middle and high school educators.
This event will be hosted online via Zoom. Captioning will be provided during this workshop. Details for joining the Zoom meeting will be shared by email prior to the event. This event will not be recorded.
MAR 12TH - 6:30-8 PM - ONLINE PROGRAM
TWO FRONTS: WWII VETERANS OF THE GRIGGS SUPREME COURT CASE
Hosted by Museum & Archives of Rockingham County
MARC will be hosting our annual program celebrating the landmark 1971 U.S. Supreme Court case, Griggs v. Duke Power Co. This years program will focus on the experiences of African Americans during WWII and how those experiences influenced the Civil Rights Movement. It will dive into the publication, Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting WWII at Home and Abroad, with its distinguished author as our headline speaker, Professor Matthew Delmont. As well as shedding light onto research uncovered by Griggs Project local student interns.
The program will be free and hosted online. Register HERE to receive the event link.
MAR 16TH - 10 AM-4 PM - IN-PERSON MUSEUM EVENT
Harriet Tubman: The Women Behind the Legacy
Hosted by BANNEKER-DOUGLASS MUSEUM
84 Franklin Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
We are changing our name! Join us for this historic event as we honor the life and legacy of Maryland’s native daughter with this exciting name-changing ceremony. Program highlights include live art, special guest performances, a riveting keynote address and so much more. Be sure to join us as we “Turn Up for Tubman” on this very special day!
MAR 18TH - 7-8 PM - VIRTUAL INFO SESSION
Info Session: Teaching for Black Lives Study Groups - Sign Up
Hosted by The Zinn Education Project
Jesse Hagopian, Teaching for Black Lives co-editor and Rethinking Schools editor, will facilitate an informational session for educators who are interested in forming a Teaching for Black Lives study group in the 2024–2025 school year. Participants will hear from previous and current study group coordinators about their experience and impact. The session will include time to ask questions at the end.
The Zinn Education Project supports at least 100 Teaching for Black Lives study groups each school year. This is a free professional learning opportunity. Each group receives:
- Teaching for Black Lives book for each participant (up to 20), study questions, and a meeting facilitation guide
- Rethinking Schools magazine subscription for each participant (up to 20)
- Introductory workshop featuring one or more editors of Teaching for Black Lives
- Access to several invitation-only webinars and workshops (panel discussions on current events, curriculum workshops, campaign planning)
- Closing event featuring one or more special guests
- Access to a network of other study groups and social justice educators across the United States
- Dedicated administrative support for study group coordinators
Read more about the Teaching for Black Lives campaign.
MAR 19TH - 4:30 - 5:45 PM - VIRTUAL PROGRAM
ART AS RESISTANCE: CLASSROOM RESOURCES FROM THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT AND THE DEFIANT REQUIEM FOUNDATION
In this virtual program, The Defiant Requiem Foundation and The Butterfly Project will share resources to introduce teachers to the arts as a form of cultural resistance during the Holocaust. Teachers will learn about Jewish prisoners who sustained hope and endured adversity in the Terezín (Theresienstadt) concentration camp through music, visual art, and theater. They will gain access to lesson plans, films, and other classroom materials to help them bring this inspiring dimension of Holocaust education to their students. To register, click here.
MAR 23RD - 11:30 AM - 4 PM - VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
VIRTUAL Conference: Fundamentals - The OER Project Conference for Social Studies 2024
Hosted by the OER Project
Whether you’re a new teacher or a classroom veteran, we’ve got tools, lesson plans, ideas, examples, and instructional resources to help build your teaching practice. We’re also giving away thousands of dollars in prizes!
Join us on Saturday, March 23, for a half day of talks focused on foundational instructional practices viewed through a social studies lens that is also universally applicable across subject areas.
Check out the Agenda for details on the conference itinerary!
Learn more about our presenters on the Speakers page.
Clock hours available. Maryland teachers should fill out the conference participation verification form linked below. Please submit the completed form to fundamentals@oerproject.com to receive your CPD Completion for Credit form within 5-7 business days. Please add "Maryland" into the subject of your email.
MAR 23RD - 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM - ONLINE WORKSHOP
SNCC Learning Toolkit Workshop: Art & Culture in the Civil Rights Movement
Hosted by the National Civil Rights Museum and SNCC Legacy Project
With the generous support of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the SNCC and Grassroots Organizing: Building a More Perfect Union discussion series focuses on SNCC’s grassroots community organizing and its relevance to ongoing efforts to build a more just, inclusive, and sustainable society. This workshop features SNCC veteran, Judy Richardson, Dory Lerner with the National Civil Rights Museum, and humanities scholar, Emilye Crosby. In-person attendance will be held at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. Register today!
MARCH HERITAGE MONTHS & OBSERVANCES
IRISH-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY - MARCH 8TH
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade MARCH 25TH
International Day of Transgender Visibility MARCH 31
🌷☔ APRIL ☔🌷
EVENTS & LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
APRIL 3RD - DEADLINE TO APPLY - C-SPAN 31ST ANNUAL SUMMER TEACHER FELLOWSHIP - REMOTE - JULY 1-26 - PAID $1,000 STIPEND
C-SPAN’s 31st Annual Summer Teacher Fellowship
Join the C-SPAN Education Team this summer and make an impact throughout the country!
Work remotely with us from July 1st through July 26th to develop new educational resources that will be hosted on the C-SPAN Classroom or StudentCam websites and used by teachers and students across the United States! Selected fellows will each receive a $1,000 stipend for their time and effort! Find more information on the C-SPAN Classroom website.
Applications are due by Friday, May 3rd. Submit your application today:
- FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION (Google Form).
Questions? Email us at Educate@C-SPAN.org.
APRIL 7TH - 7-9 PM - VIRTUAL & IN-PERSON (D.C.) WORKSHOP
BLACK POWER LEARNING TOOLKIT WORKSHOP
Hosted by SNCC Legacy Project
The SNCC and Grassroots Organizing: Building a More Perfect Union discussion series focuses on SNCC’s grassroots community organizing and its relevance to ongoing efforts to build a more just, inclusive, and sustainable society. Featuring SNCC veterans Courtland Cox, Jennifer Lawson, and Judy Richardson, and humanities scholar Emilye Crosby. This workshop will be held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. Register today!
APRIL 8TH - 7-8:30 PM - ONLINE CLASS
Black Patience: Performance, Civil Rights, and the Unfinished Project of Emancipation - Register
On Monday, April 8, Julius B. Fleming Jr. will introduce the role of Black theater in the Black Freedom Struggle and the concept of “Black patience.” In conversation with educator Jessica Rucker, he will discuss:
- Black theater as a space in which Black people rehearsed and staged Black freedom and liberation,
- The role of Black theater and Black theater workers in the successes of the Civil Rights Movement and how they helped engage a base of Black people who might not have otherwise embodied Black freedom through activism and organizing,
- The term “Black patience” to name the ways time is weaponized against Black people by forcing them to repeatedly perform waiting as a criteria for their freedom,
- How Black patience “maps a racial history of time” — a concept that teachers can use to introduce the importance of and demand “freedom now.”
APRIL 9TH - 7-8:30 PM - WEBINAR
WHAT THE FACT? FINDING THE TRUTH IN ALL THE NOISE
Hosted by the National Humanities Center
Media Literacy; Digital Literacy; Information Literacy; Misinformation; Disinformation
Seema Yasmin (Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Stanford University)
April 9, 2024
Advisor: Changa Bey, NHC Teacher Advisory Council
“Fake news” is one of the most pressing and intractable problems of our times. But discussions about misinformation and disinformation often dwell in the problem space and perpetuate feelings of hopelessness and pessimism. In this evidence-based webinar, Dr. Seema Yasmin highlights the tools we can teach to equip young people with the skills needed to separate fact from fiction. Drawing from her book What the Fact?!, which is a solutions-oriented navigation guide for young people, Dr. Yasmin will tell the story of false information over the ages and show how learning the strategies used to manipulate and deceive can provide “mental immunity” against falling for lies.
APRIL 10TH - 7 - 9 PM - VIRTUAL SCREENING & PANEL CONVERSATION
ACCOMPANYING: THE JOURNEY OF STAUGHTON AND ALICE LYND—A DOCUMENTARY VIEWING & PANEL CONVERSATION
Hosted by University of St. Thomas - Leadership Center for Social Justice
Join the Leadership Center for Social Justice and the Justice and Peace Studies program at the University of St. Thomas as we view a documentary about the life of Quaker activists Staughton and Alice Lynd. Accompanying: The Journey of Staughton and Alice Lyndis a documentary by Catherine Murphy that covers the Lynds’ remarkable partnership in social justice struggles over seven decades, including Staughton’s time as director of the SNCC Freedom Schools and their opposition to the Vietnam War. After watching clips from the film, enjoy a panel discussion about the Lynds.
The Panelists
We are delighted to announced that Alice Lynd will be joining us through Zoom as will our three expert panelists:
- Marcus Rediker—Marcus Rediker is the Distinguished Professor of Atlantic History at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Zoharah Simmons—Dr. Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons is a human rights activist, a scholar of women in Islam, and faculty member in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida, Gainesville.
- Catherine Murphy—An independent producer, Catherine Murphy focuses primarily on social documentaries. She has field-produced films like Saul Landau’s, Will the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up? and Eugene Corr’s From Ghost Town to Havana. Catherine also served on Gay Cuba’s production crew and subtitled Stealing America by Dorothy Fadiman, Jaime Kibben’s The Greening of Cuba, and Out and Refusenicks by Sonja de Vries.
Rev. Dr. Ry Siggelkow, director of the Leadership Center for Social Justice, is moderating the event. East Side Freedom Library, Maestra Productions, and the Justice and Peace Studies Program at the University of St. Thomas are co-sponsors. REGISTER HERE
APRIL 23RD - 7-8:30 PM - WEBINAR
Armenian Genocide, Armenian Identity, and Life in the United States
Hosted by the National Humanities Center
Armenian Genocide; Crimes Against Humanity; Ethnic Identity; Humanitarianism
Bedross Der Matossian (Professor of History and Hymen Rosenberg Professor in Judaic Studies, Department of History, University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
April 23, 2024
Advisor: Jessica Friday, NHC Teacher Advisory Council
This webinar will deal with the history of the Armenian Genocide and the way in which it shaped the Armenian identity in general and that of Armenian Americans in particular. It will provide educators ample tools to understand the impact of genocide on survivors, the US role in the humanitarian efforts, identity formation, and the struggle of Armenians for recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the US.
APRIL HERITAGE MONTHS & OBSERVANCES
SCOTTISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH - APRIL 6TH NATIONAL TARTAN DAY
NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK APRIL 7TH - 13TH
🐝💐 MAY 💐🐝
EVENTS & LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
MAY 1ST - 5:30 PM - IN-PERSON GALLERY TALK
Hosted By Smithsonian American Art Museum
Join senior curator Virginia Mecklenberg for a highlights tour of SAAM's exhibition Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice. Painted in the mid-1940s, these images honor the stories of African American historical figures who worked to bring peace to the world while facing the realities of racism, oppression, and violence. Learn more about the backgrounds of “Fighters” such as Marian Anderson, Frederick Douglass, and Paul Robeson.
Image Credit: William H. Johnson, Harriet Tubman, ca. 1945, oil on paperboard, 28 7⁄8 x 23 3⁄8 in. (73.5 x 59.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.1146
MAY 6TH - 7-8:30 PM - ONLINE CLASS
Part of the Teaching the Black Freedom Struggle Online Class Series
Hosted by Zinn Education Project
On Monday, May 6, 2024, philosophy professor Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò will discuss his book Reconsidering Reparations which takes on reparations and distributive justice with wide implications for views of justice, racism, the legacy of colonialism, and climate change policy. Táíwò will be in conversation with Cierra Kaler-Jones and Jesse Hagopian for this event in the Teach the Black Freedom Struggle online series, hosted by the Zinn Education Project. Register now!
MAY 7TH - 6PM - VIRTUAL WORKSHOP - COST: 💲15
Unpacking the Social Justice Standards - Register Here
Hosted by Learning for Justice
Description: This interactive, virtual professional development will introduce participants to the Learning for Justice Social Justice Standards. After exploring available resources, participants will leave with an understanding of how to authentically incorporate the social justice standards into their daily practice. This session is ninety minutes and delivered via Zoom.
Objective: Participants will deepen their understanding of the social justice standards as a way to create and sustain classroom and school environments that honor diversity, equity and justice.
Topics: The Learning for Justice Social Justice Standards and Essential Questions
This workshop is open only to K-12 educators responsible for lesson planning. Participants may include:
- Current K–12 teachers, administrators and counselors.
- Pre-service K-12 teachers.
- Educators who teach or coach K–12 teachers, administrators and counselors.
MAY 7TH - 7-8:30 PM - WEBINAR
Hosted by the National Humanities Council
Richard Hornbeck (V. Duane Rath Professor of Economics and Neubauer Family Faculty Fellow, Booth School of Business, The University of Chicago)
The 1930s American Dust Bowl was an environmental catastrophe that greatly eroded sections of the Plains. Impressions of the Dust Bowl have been shaped by literature, photography, and individual stories. This webinar discusses how we can use large-scale data to characterize the Dust Bowl and draw lessons for understanding how society adapts to environmental collapse and episodes of population displacement and environmental refugees.
The Dust Bowl immediately, substantially, and persistently reduced agricultural land values in more-eroded counties relative to less-eroded counties. Contrary to popular accounts, there was limited adaptation of agricultural practices. The economy adjusted predominantly through large population declines, creating archetypal “Dust Bowl migrants”—refugees from environmental collapse. Dust Bowl migrants were “negatively selected,” in years of education, compared to other migrants who were “positively selected.” Dust Bowl migrants had lower incomes than natives in their destinations, which is reflected in popular impressions. The data indicate strikingly modest impacts of the Dust Bowl on average wage incomes in 1939, however, which contrasts with the Dust Bowl’s large and enduring impacts on agricultural land. This episode illustrates how quantitative research in economic history can draw on historical “shocks” to draw general lessons about economic forces.
This webinar is cosponsored by the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, OK.
MAY 8TH - 5-7 PM - IN PERSON WRITING WORKSHOP
WRITING WORKSHOP INSPIRED BY "BRILLIANT EXILES: AMERICAN WOMEN IN PARIS"
Hosted by National Portrait Gallery
Free Event - Registration Required
Join the National Portrait Gallery for an interactive creative writing workshop that explores the exciting stories of expatriate American women artists, performers and cultural innovators in Paris. Participants will gain inspiration from the exhibition “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939,” which features portraits of Josephine Baker, Isadora Duncan, Zelda Fitzgerald, Loïs Mailou Jones, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Anaïs Nin, Gertrude Stein, Ethel Waters and Anna May Wong.
Through creative writing exercises, we will develop new, experimental texts that blend genres and forms. Open to writers of all levels and genres, ages 18+.
MAY 13TH - 7-8:30 PM - ONLINE DISCUSSION
Hosted by SNCC Legacy Project
With the generous support of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the SNCC and Grassroots Organizing: Building a More Perfect Union discussion series focuses on SNCC’s grassroots community organizing and its relevance to ongoing efforts to build a more just, inclusive, and sustainable society. More information coming shortly. Register now!
MAY HERITAGE MONTHS & OBSERVANCES
ASIAN AMERICAN &- PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH
JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH
NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY - MAY 7TH - TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK - MAY 6-10
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY - YOM HASHOAH - MAY 5TH (ANNIVERSARY OF WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING)
VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY (WW II) - VE DAY - MAY 8TH
ARMED FORCES DAY - MAY 18TH
MEMORIAL DAY - MAY 27TH
ONGOING EVENTS & LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
VIRTUAL SESSIONS - MONDAYS - 7-8:30 PM
ASL interpretation provided.
SELECT MONDAYS - 11-11:45 AM - LIVE VIRTUAL SESSION (AGES 3-6)
Hosted by the Smithsonian National Postal Museum
Join educators from the National Postal Museum for live, interactive story time. Designed for children ages 3-6, but all are welcome!
Mondays at 11:00 (EDT) National Postal Museum educators will read stories aloud and lead related activities in a Zoom meeting for children and their caregivers. Explore a range of postal-related topics and more! Sessions will be interactive and last approximately 45 minutes. Caregivers are expected to be present with children for the duration of the program.
NOW THROUGH NOV 7TH - FREE ONLINE COURSE
EDX COURSE: FOUNDATIONS FOR TRANSFORMING TEACHING AND LEARNING ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS
Hosted by National Museum of American Indian's Native Knowledge 360
Free | Registration required
In this course, learners will join the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian to explore the impact of problematic narratives of Native Americans on U.S. society and education and learn ways to recognize and share more complete narratives both inside and outside the classroom.
In addition, learners will explore Native Knowledge 360° (NK360°), the National Museum of the American Indian's national initiative to inspire and support transformative teaching and learning about Native Americans.
This course, based off a three-part live webinar series, is designed for education professionals who are new to incorporating more complete narratives about Native American histories, cultures, and contemporary lives into their teaching. Educators whose primary teaching focus is social studies, English language arts, or library sciences and who work with students in grades 4–12 are encouraged to enroll. Homeschoolers, parents, and others looking for digital educational resources about Native Americans can also register.
✨ RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT ✨
DocsTeach
For Teachers, Students, and History Explorers
Access thousands of primary sources — letters, photographs, speeches, posters, maps, videos, and other document types — spanning the course of American history. We're always adding more!
Borrow from an ever-expanding collection of document-based activities created by the National Archives, and teachers around the world. Copy and modify activities for your students.
Create your own activities using the online tools. It’s as simple as: (1) selecting a tool, (2) choosing your primary sources, and (3) customizing instructions. Learn more >
Recorded Mini-Webinars
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SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATOR RESOURCE BANK
Click the Link or Download the File Below:
Social Studies Educational Resource Bank
This curated list of K-12 Social Studies educator resources contains descriptions and clickable links to a wealth of tools and content for lesson planning, activities, specific content, and pedagogy. The bank is a living document, so check back frequently for updates. Is your go-to Social Studies resource missing form the bank? Please share your find with your colleagues by emailing the link to the resource to Ashley Curtin, curtina@calvertnet.k12.md.us.
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
Please refer to this MDCSS Newsletter to stay up-to-date on MDCSS news and positions. Additionally, the PD Bulletin section contains opportunities to continue your professional and personal learning throughout the school year. This newsletter will circulate quarterly via an emailed Smore link to support your development as a Maryland Social Studies Educator, Curriculum Partner, and Life-Long Learner.
- Emailed seasonally, EVERY QUARTER.
- Use the Table of Contents on the Left Margin and click on Section Titles to avoid scrolling and navigate quickly to other sections of the newsletter.
- All PD opportunities listed are FREE unless denoted by💲and the listed cost.
- Any PD opportunities that offer MSDE CREDIT will also be highlighted for easy reference.
- All PD opportunities can also be found on the embedded calendar located on our MDCSS website's homepage.
Maryland Council for Social Studies Information
We are Proud to be an Affiliated Council of the National Council for the Social Studies!
The Maryland Council for Social Studies (MDCSS) is dedicated to the promotion and support of social studies education in Maryland and the United States. MDCSS works to build a community of social studies educators in the state of Maryland, and through this network advance cultural understanding, respect for human differences, and an appreciation of diversity. MDCSS provides high quality professional development and instructional resources for Maryland social studies teachers and works to recognize excellence in social studies instruction at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.