Webinar Archives
Past Webinars
IllinoisCivics.org is committed to providing educators throughout the Land of Lincoln with timely professional development to support educators with the implementation of the civics course requirements in middle and high schools.
Listed below are recordings of past webinars. Access upcoming events on the Professional Development Calendar.
Start with a Story: Inclusive History from Those Who Lived It with Retro Report
Join David Olson, Director of Education at Retro Report, for a look at the stories of history through the lens of first-person narratives. Examine issues of Japanese-American incarceration, immigration, and civil rights through Retro Report short films and classroom resources.
Reading Like a Historian to Teach Inclusive History with Dr. Joel Breakstone, Director of the Stanford History Education Group
Join the Illinois Civics Hub as we welcome back Dr. Joel Breakstone from the Stanford History Education Group to explore how SHEG resources can support the implementation of the revised Illinois social science standards and course mandates to examine America’s plural yet shared story. Aligned to Theme Three, We the People, in the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap.
Is Responsiveness to Student Voice Related to Academic Achievement?
Join the Illinois Democracy Schools Network as we welcome Dr. Erica Hodgin, Co-Director of the Civic Engagement Research Group at the University of California, Riverside. Dr. Hodgin is one of the co-authors of a recently published journal article highlighting the results of a two-year study to examine whether responsiveness to student voice is related to academic outcomes. This is the first large-scale study employing panel data to examine the relationships between responsiveness to student voice and academic performance. Proponents of student voice have long emphasized its benefits in terms of democratic values and respect for the full humanity of young people. Scholars argue these benefits may be particularly important for students from marginalized communities. This study indicates that there are academic benefits as well.
The Rigor and Relevance of Simulations of Democratic Processes
According to the Guardians of Democracy report, young people can practice citizenship by playing roles in simulations. Games and other simulations contribute to civic learning by allowing young people to act in fictional environments in ways that would be impossible for them in the real world. Games and simulations can be constructed so as to be highly engaging and motivating while also requiring advanced academic skills and constructive interaction with other students under challenging circumstances 34. Join Dr. Jane Lo, assistant professor of teacher education at Michigan State University, to learn more about her research around the use of simulations for civic learning in the classroom. Get your questions answered about how to create equitable opportunities for rigorous and relevant civic learning through simulations.
Inclusive History with Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
Illinois Holocaust Museum’s newest exhibition explores the June 1969 police raid of the Stonewall Inn as the flashpoint that ignited the modern gay rights movement in the United States. In the fifty years since the Stonewall Uprising, America’s LGBTQ population has struggled for equal rights and representation under the law. Learn how you can use the Rise Up exhibition to share the voices and tell the stories of this movement to support the Illinois Inclusive History requirement. Walk away with resources to enhance your current practice. This webinar is aligned to Theme 5 of the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap- Institutional and Social Transformation.
Exploring the Revised Illinois Social Science Standards
Educating for Democracy- Opportunities for High-Quality Civic Learning with CERG
Join Dr. Erica Hodgin, Co-Director of the Civic Engagement Research Group (CERG) based out of the University of California Riverside (UCR), and Dr. Leah Bueso, a postdoctoral scholar at CERG, to learn about their new resource website focused on providing educators with the tools they need to prepare youth to participate in a democratic society. The website Educating 4 Democracy offers a collection of videos and learning modules to help guide educators interested in learning how to provide high-quality civic learning opportunities to their students. With dedicated topic pages such as Civic Discussion & Deliberation and Civic Action, early and veteran teachers, leaders, and administrators alike will be able to take the civic development of their students to the next level. This webinar is aligned to Theme 1 of the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap, “Civic Participation.”
Teaching Civics Through Conversations in 3 Steps with Teach Different
In this webinar, you’ll learn a conversation protocol that teaches students how to think better, listen better and appreciate different perspectives in our politically polarized society. The protocol is implemented using Google forms and works in online, hybrid and face-to-face environments. Participants emerge with a practical tool to meet the intellectual and social-emotional needs of every student, AND promote equity through safe and meaningful conversations. Facilitated by Dan and Steve Fouts from Teach Different.
Designing Discussion As Inquiry with Dr. Paula McAvoy
Join the Illinois Democracy School Network as we welcome Dr. Paula McAvoy, Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education, N.C. State University for a timely webinar exploring best practices in using current and controversial issue discussions in the classroom. Dr. McAvoy will share attributes of a good discussion, using discussion as inquiry, as well as answering participant questions. Walk away with a deeper understanding of practices aligned to the Pedagogy Companion of the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap that embraces a commitment to learn about and teach full and multifaceted historical and civic narratives with a focus on inclusion and equity in both content and approach.
Civic Online Reasoning in Science with Dr. Joel Breakstone
Scientific misinformation abounds online. Join Dr. Joel Breakstone, Director of the Stanford History Education Group, to learn how to improve students’ ability to evaluate scientific information on the internet and incorporate Civic Online Reasoning in the classroom.
Avoiding the Rabbit Hole- Teaching Concepts in Conspiratorial Thinking with the News Literacy Project
Conspiracy theories are becoming part of mainstream discourse and public awareness. From political to pandemic-related beliefs to older ideas such as the Earth is flat, we are finding that more and more of our friends, family, and loved ones believe at least one conspiracy theory. How do we teach students to avoid conspiracy theories without actually teaching them the specifics of such false beliefs? John Silva- Senior Director for Professional Learning at the News Literacy Project joins the Illinois Civics Hub for a timely session to explore the psychological and cognitive factors behind conspiratorial thinking, including the role of fears and anxiety, cognitive dissonance and biases, motivated reasoning, and institutional cynicism. We will discuss the ways in which conspiracy theories exploit our emotions as well as fill our emotional needs. As part of this session, we will outline essential learning objectives and concepts and provide instructional resources for integrating these concepts into the curriculum, including our free, interactive lesson which is part of the Checkology® virtual classroom.
The Inclusive Democratic Classroom
Join Laura Tavares, Program Director for Organizational Learning and Thought Leadership at Facing History and Ourselves to explore design and teaching strategies that foster the practice of Constitutional Democracy and student agency across the disciplines. Walk away with strategies aligned to the Pedagogy Companion of the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap that uses both content knowledge and classroom leadership to model the constitutional principle of “We the People” through democratic practices that promote civic responsibility, civil rights, and civic friendship in the classroom. This webinar is hosted by the Illinois Democracy School Network.
Expanding Civic Learning Across the Disciplines
Join Dr. Shawn Healy, Senior Director, Policy and Advocacy at iCivics, to explore what schools can do to implement civic learning across disciplines (CLAD). Learn how different states and districts are approaching this work aligned to the new DSN indicators and Educating for American Democracy Roadmap.
What are the responsibilities and opportunities of citizenship and civic agency in America’s Constitutional democracy?
Join Illinois Civics and Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center IHMEC for a webinar that teaches civics through history to prepare students for participation in our constitutional republic. Explore resources from IHMEC that you can use to enhance your classroom practice to help students address the essential question, How can I participate? Walk away with tools and strategies aligned to the Illinois Social Science standards, 6-8 and 9-12 civics course requirements, and the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap, Theme 1, Civic Participation.
What values, virtues, and principles can knit together ‘We the People’ of the United States of America? Bill of Rights Institute
Join the Illinois Civics Hub and our Civics Learning Partners at the Bill of Rights Institute for a webinar that shares both strategies and resources to help classrooms explore, What values, virtues, and principles can knit together ‘We, the People’ of the United States of America? Walk away with ideas aligned to the proven practices of civic education embedded in the Illinois 6-8 and 9-12 civics course requirements and the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap. Educating for American Democracy Roadmap, Theme 3- We the People
How Has the Role of the Executive Branch Changed Across our History? with the National Archives Foundation
Join the Illinois Civics Hub and Dr. Charles Flanagan, Outreach Supervisor for the Center for the Legislative Archives at the National Archives, to explore how to use online resources to teach about the development of U.S. foreign policy from the Age of Imperialism to the Cold War. The webinar will feature two eBooks and a classroom lesson highlighting 20th Century changes in America’s relationship to the world. The eBooks present political cartoons showing the evolution of U.S. foreign policy, from the Monroe Doctrine to America as a global leader. The cartoons also provide the context for Congress, the President, and the War Powers, a lesson examining the changing balance of power between the legislative and executive branches as America rose as a superpower. Walk away with new ideas and tools to enhance your current practice aligned with Illinois Social Science standards and the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap, Theme 6- A People in the World.
What different perspectives are there on how our geographic, social, economic, and political landscape changed over time and on the benefits and costs of those changes? Examining Redlining and its Impacts with the Chicago History Museum
Join the Illinois Civics Hub and the Chicago History Museum to explore how classroom inquiry around redlining can be used to help students examine how to take issues to informed action. Walk away with new ideas and tools to enhance your current practice aligned with Illinois Social Science standards and the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap, Theme 2- Our Changing Landscape.
How Can We Ensure Our Sources of Information About Contemporary Debates and Possibilities are Accurate and Fair? with the Stanford History Education Group
Join the Illinois Civics Hub and Dr. Joel Breakstone, Director of the Stanford History Education Group SHEG, for an informative webinar on how to combat misinformation with research-based strategies that teach students across the curriculum how to evaluate information that affects them, their communities, and the world. Learn how to weave the SHEG resources into your current practice to prepare students for college, career, and civic life.
How does the Constitution change formally and informally? with the ABA Division for Public Education
Join the Illinois Civics Hub and the American Bar Association Division for Public Education as we explore the role of the amendments, both formal and informal, to make a more perfect union. Get connected with free resources and strategies to enhance your current practice aligned with the Illinois Civics course requirements for grades 6-8 and 9-12 and the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap, Theme 5- Institutional & Social Transformation.
Using Essential and Supporting Questions in Curriculum Design- Illinois Civics Hub
At the heart of inquiry, is the use of essential and supporting questions in curriculum design. Prepare for your summer curriculum project with strategies and resources to enhance your practice in facilitating student-centered inquiry across the social sciences. Walk away with ideas and FREE resources aligned to the Pedagogy Companion of the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap
Civics in Real Life- Lou Frey Institute
Some of the most difficult topics for educators to address in the classroom are current events. How do we approach current events in a way that connects to our content while also allowing opportunities for both discussion and engagement? This webinar will share virtual resources that can be used to address current events from a civics lens. The Lou Frey Institute will discuss its Civics in Real Life series, a weekly series that uses civics concepts to explore current events in a one-page, student-friendly, image-rich text. This includes hyperlinks to related content and a closing activity that encourages reflection and engagement. The webinar session will discuss ways in which this resource can be integrated into both face-to-face and virtual instruction while also discussing the use of the free Civics360 content platform as a means of building foundational knowledge through a virtual resource.
Honoring AAPI Heritage: Reflecting on History to Inform Action
In this webinar, participants will have an opportunity to reflect on AAPI History and discuss the recent rise in hate crimes against the Asian American community and explore opportunities for students to take informed action. Karen Korematsu, Founder and Executive Director of the Fred Korematsu Institute will provide a historical grounding for our conversation and will then transition into a webinar with invited guests to explore recent current events and legislation that would require Asian American history in Illinois. This webinar is aligned to Theme 1- “Civics Participation” and Theme 3- “We the People” from the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap found at https://www.educatingforamericandemocracy.org/the-roadmap/7themes/
Invited guests include: Grace Pai, Director of Organizing, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Senator Ram Villivalam, co-sponsor of HB0376 Jay Mehta, Teacher, Wheaton North High School
A User’s Guide to Democracy With Hannah and Nick from Civics 101 Podcast
Join Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy, host and executive producers of the Civics 101 podcast for a discussion of their book, “A User’s Guide to Democracy.” Learn about what inspired them to write the book, lessons learned about our constitutional republic and how to address common misconceptions about our republic. Walk away with ideas and resources to enhance your classroom. Participants need not read the book prior to attending the session.
An Introduction to the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap
Join the IllinoisCivics.org team for an overview of the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap, a cross-ideological effort to strengthen civic and history education for all K-12 students. Learn more about the national landscape of civics education and how the EAD Framework, pedagogy guide and aligned resources can strengthen K-12 civics and history instruction in your district.
How Congress Works- The National Archives Foundation
Join Dr. Charles Flanagan, Outreach Supervisor for the Center for the Legislative Archives, to engage with resources that have students collaborate to complete an oversized board game/flowchart in a lesson illustrating the process of how a bill becomes a law, and analyze historic congressional documents to identify what happens at each step along the way.
Digital Well-Being and Citizenship
In 2019, Antioch Community High School (ACHS) embarked on a journey to incorporate digital well-being and citizenship practices and spread them to staff and students. With goals of taking a positive perspective, promoting human interaction, and incorporating student voice and decision making, #ACHSDigiCit was born. This webinar will explain how ACHS approached school climate through this process and will highlight some of the activities used to promote positive human interactions through digital formats and support a sense of belonging for students and staff alike.
Is it Time to Reset the System of Checks and Balances?
Dr. Steven D. Schwinn, Professor of Law at the UIC John Marshall Law School, explores this question to preview his upcoming book on the separation of powers.
Civics Across the Curriculum: Kick-Off Panel Discussion
Explore the intersections of civic learning, vision and leadership, and school climate for our work.
Local Journalism and the Citizens’ Agenda
Reporters from WBEZ discuss how they approach covering local elections, combating “fake news”, and engaging communities in setting policy coverage in the Citizens’ Agenda initiative.
The Electoral College: Is There a Better Way?
Explore Electoral College history, workings, and calls for reform. Get connected with free classroom resources aligned to the Illinois civics course requirements to teach about the Electoral College in your classroom.
IllinoisCivics.org Book Club: Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein
The IllinoisCivics.org Civics Instructional Coaches discuss the impact of polarization both in society and in the classroom. Learn how educators are addressing the challenges and opportunities of partisanship during the 2020 election and beyond.
The Great Debates with the Museum of Broadcast Communications
Explore the museum’s online resources for teachers and students to explore different aspects of media coverage of presidential candidates, debates, and elections. The museum’s new online materials cover historical debates and candidates as well as provide guidance for how to help students navigate the interplay of media and candidates in this election cycle.
Engaging Student Voice When Teaching Remotely
Student-centered inquiry is at the core of emerging learning standards that span across the curriculum. New educational initiatives from the state of Illinois require students to explore topics including gender, orientation, race, religion, abilities, immigration, civil rights, and more. Learn research-based best practices in creating a safe environment for student participation in addressing the most essential questions facing our communities, in person, or at a distance.
Understanding How the Government Works: Judicial Review
Judicial review is the power of courts to decide the validity of acts of the legislative and executive branches of government. The U.S. Constitution does not explicitly mention judicial review, but it is a constitutional concept that shapes our republic. This webinar will explore the current application of judicial review and deliberations over this power of the courts. Participants will be connected to free resources to enhance their classroom practice aligned to the Illinois Social Science standards and civics mandate. This webinar features Steven D. Schwinn, professor of law at the University of Illinois Chicago John Marshall Law School, where he teaches constitutional law, comparative constitutional law, and human rights.
Understanding How the Government Works: Popular Sovereignty
In this election season, the constitutional concepts of popular sovereignty and constitutional republic are in clear view. Explore both of these concepts and current events that explore the initiative to expand the access of “we the people” to the ballot box. Participants will be connected to free resources aligned to the Illinois Social Science standards and civics mandate.
Understanding How the Government Works: Separation of Powers
Separation of powers and checks and balances are important concepts in our constitutional republic. In this webinar, participants explored the balance of power in both our state and federal governments and analyzed current examples of both constitutional concepts in action. Get connected to free resources aligned to the Illinois civics content standards and civics mandate for classroom use.
Understanding How the Government Works: Limited Government
Explore the constitutional concept of limited government and the tension between individual rights and the common good in our everyday lives. Get connected to free resources to enhance their current practice aligned to the Illinois Civics mandate.
Teaching Inclusive History with the Chicago History Museum – Challenging the Status Quo: Activist Women in Chicago
Discover how women have organized to challenge the status quo. Join the Chicago History Museum to explore what the vote did and did not accomplish and for whom, learn the various issues that led women down the path to fight for voting rights, and see how that activism continued beyond suffrage.
Using SCOTUS Cases to Teach Inclusive History with the ABA
Join the Illinois Civics Hub as we welcome the American Bar Association Division for Public Education to walk through how SCOTUS can be used to teach inclusive history relating to the Inclusive Curriculum Law (LGBTQ), the TEAACH Act, and the contributions of faith traditions to U.S. History.
Explore how key SCOTUS cases can be used to implement the revised social science standards and history and civics course mandates. Aligned to Theme 5 of the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap- Institutional and Social Transformation
The History Wars: Past and Present with Dr. Bonnie Laughlin Schultz
Join the Illinois Civics Hub as we welcome Dr. Bonnie Laughlin- Schultz, Professor of History at Eastern Illinois University, for a timely webinar that provides an overview of how the United States has grappled with how to teach about constitutional democracy and our nation’s history over time to help us make sense of the current debates over social studies instruction. Join us as we grapple with how classrooms have worked to address the essential question, How shall we LIVE together?
Civic Learning Across the Disciplines: Celebrating Our Successes in the Democracy School Network
Join the Illinois Democracy School Network for an interactive discussion with network members who engaged in projects in the 2021-22 school year to improve cross-discipline civic learning experiences and organizational culture. Learn how they deepened their practice DSN elements such as discussions, simulations, student voice, design/teaching strategies, school climate, community partnerships, vision/leadership, and more.
Teaching for Informed and Equitable Voting with CIRCLE and CERG
Join faculty from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University and the Civic Engagement Research Group at the University of California Riverside in this interactive session that will focus on the critical role that school leaders and teachers across grade levels and content areas can play in promoting informed and equitable voting as well as preparing youth to participate in democracy. We will help participants learn about trends in youth voting, inequalities in turnout, and misconceptions about youth engagement. In addition, we will connect participants to resources and models for teaching about elections and voting so that they can identify approaches that will fit in their own context and align with other core priorities. Finally, participants will explore examples of how teachers across the country created high-quality lessons that promote informed and equitable voting.
Exploring Revisions to the IL Social Science Standards
In this webinar, participants will explore the context, scope, and implications of the revisions to the Illinois Social Science Standards to be implemented in the 2022-23 school year. Participants will collaborate with others as they engage in professional inquiry to incorporate these revisions into their practice.
Understanding the Proven Practice of Service Learning with Dr. Joe Kahne
We live in a time of heightened political and civic activity among young people, especially young people of color. Digital technology and social media provide near-universal and constant access to varied forms of engagement. Join the Illinois Democracy School Network for a conversation with Dr. Joseph Kahne, theTed and Jo Dutton Presidential Professor for Education Policy and Politics and Co-Director of the Civic Engagement Research Group CERG at the University of California, Riverside. Professor Kahne’s research focuses on the influence of school practices and digital media on youth civic and political development. Get your questions answered about the proven practice of service learning and how to engage young people with inquiry that leads to informed action.
Introduction to the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap
Join our first session of the EAD Series for an introduction to the Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy (EAD) and what it means to be an EAD Teacher! This introductory session will provide those new to the EAD Roadmap with a foundational understanding of the seven themes, five design challenges, and six pedagogical core principles. For those familiar with the Roadmap, you’ll have the opportunity to hear from Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Newhouse Director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE), and Valencia Abbott, a high school history teacher deeply involved the EAD Educator Task Force.
Using Constitutional Law to Understand Academic Freedom with Dr. Steven D. Schwinn
Join Dr. Steven D. Schwinn, Professor of Law -UIC School of Law, for an examination of academic freedom in the classroom using both judicial precedents, current events, and pending cases that could shape this topic in the future. Deepen your understanding of how the First Amendment applies to students and educators.
Resources Aligned to the Proven Practices of Civic Education
Join the Illinois Civics Instructional Coaches as they share their favorite FREE resources aligned to the 6-8 and 9-12 civics course mandates as well as the new Educating for American Democracy Roadmap. Collaborate with others as you sharpen your saw and prepare for powerful civics in the 2021-22 school year.
Classroom Simulations: Do This, Not That
Simulations of Democratic Processes are a proven practice of civic education that builds student knowledge of the institutions that support our republic as well as skills and dispositions for civic participation. Learn how to prepare, implement and reflect on manageable simulation experiences. Walk away with free resources and strategies to enhance your classroom practice aligned with the 6-8 and 9-12 civics course requirements and the Educating for American Democracy Pedagogy Companion.
Equipping Students to Take the L.E.A.D. Through Service Learning
In this interactive session, explore how to design a curriculum to equip students to be responsible, participatory, and justice-oriented members of their community. Get connected with cross-curricular resources to provide meaningful and manageable service learning opportunities in your classroom aligned with the 6-8 and 9-12 civics course requirements and the Educating for American Democracy Pedagogy Companion and Roadmap.
Navigating Difficult Classroom Conversations: Strategies for Engaging Students in Current and Societal Issue Discussions
Learn how to enhance your classroom practice of engaging students in civil discourse face to face or at a distance. Learn how to curate the right question, prompt, and strategy to meet your learning targets. Walk away with new ideas and tools to enhance your current practice aligned with standards and the Educating for American Democracy Pedagogy Companion.
Sorting Facts from Fiction: What Districts Can Do Combat Misinformation in the Current Culture Wars
Many of the current media narratives around equity and civic learning in school provide both opportunities and challenges for school leadership as we enter into the new school year, post-pandemic on the eve of a midterm election season. What can districts do to combat misinformation and create a school climate to help students, staff and the community navigate the brewing “culture wars?” Join Dr. Darlene Ruscitti, and the Illinois Civics Hub at the DuPage Regional Office of Education as we explore proactive measures administrators can take to create a supportive school climate for all stakeholders. Learn how to sort facts from fiction from leading experts in school climate, civics, news literacy, and social-emotional learning. Confirmed panelists include Dr. Maurice J. Elias, Dr. Jonathan Cohen, Dr. Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Dr. Shawn P. Healy, and Peter Adams.
Creating a Collaborative and Reflective Climate for Inquiry
Student-centered deliberations and inquiry are at the core of civic learning across the disciplines. Learn research-based best practices in creating a safe environment for student participation in addressing the most essential questions facing our communities. Walk away with free resources and tools to enhance your current practice aligned to the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap Pedagogy Companion, the Illinois 6-8 and 9-12 civics course requirements, SEL competencies, and the Illinois Social Science standards.
Making Thinking Visible
Do you want resources to help you know what students are thinking? Experience an inquiry utilizing metacognitive strategies from Harvard University’s Project Zero Visible Thinking Toolkit that can be used for both formative and summative assessment. Walk away with free, ready-to-use critical thinking protocols aligned to the Educating for American Democracy Pedagogy Companion. Appropriate for all grade levels.
Building Better Rubrics for Student Feedback
Standards implementation requires new thinking about how assessment can be used to support student growth. One of their key questions when building a curriculum based on the standards is “how will we give students and stakeholders meaningful feedback that goes beyond measurement but enhances learning?” Engage with resources, templates, and strategies to create rubrics for performance assessment tasks in social studies. Walk away with new ideas and tools to enhance your current practice aligned with standards and the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap.
Using Performance Assessments in Social Studies
Standards implementation requires new thinking about assessment. One of the key questions when building a curriculum based on the standards is “how will we know students have learned it?” The current standards require students to engage in content, disciplinary literacy practices, and inquiry. Educators have identified the need to create assessments where students can demonstrate competency in these areas. This workshop will introduce educators to strategies to build classroom performance assessment tasks aligned to standards where students get opportunities to demonstrate what they are learning. Educators will walk away resources, tools, templates, and strategies to create their own classroom performance assessment tasks aligned to the Educating for American Democracy Pedagogy Companion
What is Constitutional Democracy? with iCivics
Join the Illinois Civics Hub and our Civics Learning Partners at iCivics for a webinar that shares both strategies and resources to help classrooms explore, What is Constitutional Democracy? Walk away with ideas aligned to the proven practices of civic education embedded in the Illinois 6-8 and 9-12 civics course requirements and the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap.
Let’s Build an Inquiry!
Inquiry design is at the heart of the Illinois K-12 Social Science standards. Experience resources to build your own classroom inquiry lessons. Walk away with ideas and resources aligned to both the Illinois Social Science standards and the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap.
Voting Rights, Election Laws, and the Courts
Join Dr. Steven D. Schwinn, professor of law at UIC-John Marshall Law School, for an overview of current issues related to voting and elections pending in the court system. Get connected to resources about voting rights and election reform to discuss in your classroom to support #CivicsInTheMiddle
Civics Across the Curriculum: Schoolwide Commitment to Civic Learning
This webinar will provide a brief overview of how Grayslake Central High School embeds civic learning into social studies, math, and life fitness courses. A panel discussion with various departments will follow with specific examples of what they are doing in learning areas across their school.
Civics Across the Curriculum: L.E.A.D. with Service Learning
Learn about approaches to service-learning that allow students to take the L.E.A.D. (Learn, Engage & Explore, Authentic Action, Demonstrate Learning). Collaborate with your DSN colleagues who are participating in the IllinoisCivics.org Service Learning Facilitator Initiative and earning their micro-credentials in service-learning through designing and facilitating cross-curricular opportunities for informed action.
Understanding How the Government Works: Federalism
Federalism is one of the basic principles of our U.S. Constitution but a complex concept to understand. When the Framers created the Constitution, they not only established a system of checks and balances to separate power within the government, they also divided authority between local, state, and national governments. Explore how federalism works and impacts our lives. Get connected with free resources aligned to the IL Social Science standards and civic mandates to enhance your own classroom practice.
Understanding the Illinois Civics Mandates
Unpack the Illinois Civics mandates for middle school and high school civics. Questions are answered about course content and implementation requirements. Explore a civics audit to analyze your current curriculum for compliance. Get connected with your regional civics instructional coach to help you prepare all students for college, career, and civic life.
Understanding the Proven Practice of Current and Controversial Issue Discussions
The new Illinois civic education requirements prescribe that students discuss current and controversial issues in the classroom. Learn research-based best practices in creating a safe environment for student participation in addressing the most essential questions facing our communities. Learn strategies to engage students in current and controversial issues discussion to enhance your current classroom practice. Explicit connections will be made to the Illinois Social Science Standards, Social Emotional Learning, the Common Core State Standards, and the Danielson Framework.
Understanding the Proven Practice of Simulations of Democratic Processes
The one-semester civic education requirement for Illinois prescribes that students engage in simulations of democratic processes to acquire and practice important disciplinary content, aptitudes, and habits. Get free resources that support both short and long-term gameplay, simulations of civic practices, and role-playing. Explicit connections will be made to the Illinois Social Science Standards, the Common Core State Standards, and the Danielson Framework for Effective Teaching.
Understanding the Proven Practice of Service Learning
The Illinois Social Science standards and Civics mandates provide a pathway for students to engage in informed action to address essential questions facing their community. Learn how to design and assess service learning projects. Get free resources to support the new civics requirement and standards implementation.
Teaching Civics through History with the National Archives
Explore how primary sources can be used to teach civics through history. Get connected with free materials to enhance your curriculum. This webinar features Dr. Charles Flanagan, Outreach Supervisor for the Center for Legislative Archives in the National Archives and Records Administration.
#CivicsInTheMiddle Book Club: Fault Lines in the Constitution
A discussion of Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights and the Flaws that Affect Us Today by Levinson and Levinson.
A School-Wide Approach to Centering the Lived Experiences of Students
Democracy School leaders explore examples of schoolwide strategies that support belonging and inclusion and create conditions for educators to do the transformative work that is necessary to ensure that our schools can be places that center relationships.
Teaching Civics Through History: Lessons from the Holocaust
The Illinois Civics Mandate, newly expanded to include grades 6-8, provides ample opportunities to draw from the lessons of history to teach students how to be informed, engaged citizens. In this workshop, participants explored the systematic efforts undertaken in Nazi Germany to strip Jewish citizens of their civil, economic, and political rights. Examine how this methodical dehumanization exploited and deepened divisions in German society in the years prior to World War II, and consider what actions ordinary people took to resist—and what factors led others to remain bystanders. Explore how to bring the lessons of the past into the present. Where do we see opportunities today to get involved to protect rights that are being threatened, and what positive actions can students take to address the essential question, “What role do individuals and institutions play in confronting injustice?”
Creating Safe Inclusive Space for the LGBTQ+ History Requirement
Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, the state of Illinois will require public schools to teach the role and contributions of LGBTQ+ people in Illinois and US history. As educators, this presents an opportunity to incorporate new narratives and resources into our efforts to give the past meaning for our students. In this workshop, participants explored oral histories as essential tools in teaching the LGBTQ+ experience and develop strategies to help students develop both a historical and a human understanding of this complex history. Experience free resources and lesson plans that have students explore the essential question, “How should we live together?” Explicit connections will be made to the Illinois Social Science Standards and Civics requirements, Social Emotional Learning Competencies, and the Danielson Framework for Effective Teaching.