The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) is partnering with the Civic Life Project, a nonpartisan organization advancing youth civic engagement through the use of video storytelling. Join us on May 20 at 1:00 PM ET to learn how to bring filmmaking and video storytelling into your classroom! You will learn: About the Civic Life Project’s project-based lesson plans and curriculum which tasks students with creating a well-researched, empathetic, compelling, and balanced video about a civic issue they believe to be important. How to easily tailor the program to…

Why: Making the Case for Civics and Civics Seals Guardian of Democracy: The Civic Mission of Schools (2011) Research-based evidence of the decline in civic learning in American schools. Presents six proven practices that should be at the heart of every school's approach to civic learning. Also provides recommendations for education policymakers to ensure every student acquires the civic skills and knowledge needed for an informed, engaged citizenry. This report builds and expands on the findings of the Civic Mission of Schools report, published in 2003 by the Carnegie Corporation of New…

How can schools provide civic experiences for students that promote civic learning/knowledge? Guardian of Democracy: The Civic Mission of Schools outlines six proven practices of civic education: Provide instruction in government, history, law, and democracy. Incorporate discussion of current local, national, and international issues and events into the classroom, particularly those that young people view as important to their lives. Design and implement programs that provide students with the opportunity to apply what they learn through performing community service that is linked to…

May 5, 2022  As our nation comes together to celebrate and honor our dedicated, talented, and innovative teachers, we, a coalition of associations engaged in setting standards for educator preparation, reaffirm our commitment to the profession by supporting teacher preparation to ensure that educators are well prepared for the day-to-day challenges in K-12 schools. While much of teaching happens in front of students and apart from peers, it is the coordination, collaboration, and lifelong learning between teachers and across schools that make the teaching profession such a critical…

The nation’s largest social studies conference is back in-person! National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) is pleased to open registration for the 102nd NCSS Annual Conference, Revolutionary! Ideas and Actions Change the World. The NCSS Board of Directors and Staff are excited to welcome back social studies educators, administrators, and specialists from across the globe to our first face-to-face conference since 2019. The 102nd NCSS Annual Conference will provide: 500+ sessions to increase your professional development; A growing lineup of featured speakers and panels;…

Black history needs to be more than just a minor focus in one month of the academic year. Instead, it should be a driving force in the U.S. history curriculum. We believe that students should have opportunities to explore racial discrimination that African Americans have faced, as well as how they used their agency to overcome these obstacles. A systematic and holistic approach to U.S. history that embraces African Americans’ experiences offers students the opportunity to see that the pursuit of equity and justice has been an ongoing struggle.  In contemporary U.S. society, there are those…

Educators and administrators from the inaugural cohort of 1619 Project Education Network will share their processes for planning and implementing 1619 units in multiple grade levels and courses throughout the 2021-2022 school year. Their units engage 1619 Project resources and themes by aligning them with the existing standards and objectives for their social studies classes. Panelists will outline how they identified their unit topics and focus texts, strategies they engaged to support differentiation and critical thinking, and key takeaways from their experiences teaching their units. The…

Colorado Council for the Social Studies would like to invite you to a unique, in-person professional development opportunity this June! They have partnered with Nat-Geo and Ute Mountain Tribal Park for some very exciting events. Please see the details below. To access a detailed itinerary, please click here. For registration, click here.