September 2023- Social Studies Signal Newsletter

9/1/2023

Welcome Back to School!

The Office of Learning and Instructional Strategies extends a welcome back to Ohio’s social studies teachers and administrators for the 2023-2024 school year. The Department of Education’s Social Studies and Financial Literacy Consultants, Justin Leach and Linda McKean look forward to supporting districts, schools, administrators, teachers and staff through the upcoming school year.

Ohio educators can schedule a time to connect directly with Ohio's Social Studies and Financial Literacy consultants, Justin Leach and Linda McKean, using the Microsoft Teams Bookings linked below:

• Schedule an appointment with Justin Leach
• Schedule an appointment with Linda McKean

Update on Student Interactions with Peace Officers Model Curriculum

Under Ohio law, each city, local, exempted village and joint vocational school districts and community schools shall provide instruction on proper interactions with peace officers during traffic stops and other in-person encounters using this model curriculum. Ohio law requires districts to use the adopted model curriculum to plan instruction. Districts are not expected to move forward with instruction until after a model curriculum has been adopted.

During Spring and Summer 2023, a Working Group consisting of teachers, school administrators, law enforcement, driver education staff, legal rights groups and community members worked with the Department and the Ohio Department of Public Safety to revise the model curriculum based on a second round of public comments. 

The Department is working to finalize the draft with internal communications and legal reviews. Our team is also working to determine the updated adoption process under the new Department of Education and Workforce. Once that process is determined, the Department will share further details on our website and through the EdConnection and Social Studies Signal Newsletters.

American History and American Government End-of-Course (EOC) Exam Test Specifications

The Ohio Department of Education has a set of test specification documents, including descriptions of the assessment components and item types, assessment blueprints and item specifications. These documents are designed to help educators and the general public better understand the design of Ohio's State Tests. Test developers also use these documents to help guide the development of Ohio's State Tests for Social Studies.

• American History Test Specifications
• American Government Test Specifications 

Remember Requirement to Observe Constitution Day on Sept. 17

Each year on or around Sept. 17, schools nationwide observe the day in 1787 the U.S. Constitution was signed. Educational institutions receiving federal funding must plan an education program commemorating Constitution Day. Below are organizations with links to resources for Constitution Day:

• National Constitution Center
• National Council for the Social Studies
• National Archives
• United States Department of Education
• United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Center for Civic Education
• EDSITEment!

Funding Available for Supreme Court of Ohio Field Trips

Learn about the important work of the state’s high court and its historic home during a tour of the Supreme Court of Ohio. Grants are available to offset transportation costs so more schools can take advantage of the learning experience.

The Court will accept applications from Sept. 13 to Oct. 2 to underwrite travel expenses for school tours during the 2023/24 school year.

Grants are available to grades 4-12 for schools that receive state funding. Priority is given to schools with the highest percentage of students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program as reported by the Ohio Department of Education.

The grant amount is based on the one-way distance from the school to the Moyer Judicial Center in downtown Columbus. Funding is limited.

• Less than 25 miles - $200
• 26-50 miles - $300
• 51-75 miles - $400
• 76 or more miles - $500

For more information, please visit the Court’s website, email the Civic Education team or call 614.387.9223.

North Royalton High School Teacher Named 2023 Ohio State History Teacher of the Year

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History announced that Marilyn Orseno, Social Studies Teacher from North Royalton High School, has been named the 2023 Ohio State History Teacher of the Year. 

Eligible teachers must first be nominated by a colleague, parent or student to be considered for the award. Teachers must submit a resume, teaching materials and a letter of recommendation to be considered for the state award after receiving a nomination. History Teacher of the Year winners are selected by a committee of educators and education professionals in their state.

Nominate an Educator for a National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Annual Award

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) seeks nominations for their Annual Awards. NCSS invites educators to browse the awards, review the relevant criteria and nominate educators for recognition. Submissions are due Sept. 15.

• Elementary Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award
• Middle-Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award
• Secondary Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award;
• Award for Global Understanding given in honor of James M. Becker;
• Grant for the Enhancement of Geographic Literacy in honor of James F. Marran
• Larry Metcalf Exemplary Dissertation Award
• Exemplary Research Award
• Jean Dresden Grambs Distinguished Career Research Award
• Christa McAuliffe Reach for the Stars Award (FASSE)

Ohio Social Studies Review Seeks Manuscripts and Resource Reviews

The Ohio Social Studies Review is currently looking for manuscripts and resource reviews. Resource reviews share social studies educators' thoughts on a book, tool, software, movie, website or other resource in 1200 words or less, and to get published in an open-access and internationally indexed journal. Please see the call for submissions for more details, or contact Sarah Kaka, the Executive Editor at ossr@gmail.com with any questions.

Registration Open for Ohio Council for the Social Studies 67^th Annual Conference

The Ohio Council for the Social Studies invites educators to attend their 67th Annual Conference at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center in Lewis Center on Oct. 16 and 17. The OCSS Conference is Ohio's largest gathering of social studies educators and offers workshops, sessions and time to meet colleagues from around Ohio. This year's conference theme is Shaping the Future: A New Era for Social Studies Education.

Pricing for the conference will increase after Sept. 15 as the conference's back-to-school pricing ends. Interested educators can visit the OCSS website for more information and registration information.

Registration Open for the 103^rd Annual National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Conference

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) is pleased to open registration for the 103rd NCSS Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, from Dec. 1 through 3 at the Music City Center. This year's conference theme is "Social Studies: Working in Harmony for a Better Tomorrow." Interested educators can register for the event.

Roma and Sam Kaltman Teacher Fellowship for Holocaust Educators

The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center offers an immersive learning experience for educators on Nov. 10-11 and Jan. 20 at Cincinnati's Union Terminal.

Join the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center's prestigious cohort of teacher leaders and apply to the Roma & Sam Kaltman Teacher Fellowship today. This learning opportunity starts with a two-day in-person experience in Nov. followed by asynchronous learning sessions on topics relevant to you and your classroom. The fellowship concludes with an in-person experience in January.

As educators learn and grow as part of a cohort of dedicated educators, they will leave with the foundational knowledge and best practices to teach the Holocaust to today's students. Beyond opportunities to hear from Holocaust survivors, learn from Holocaust experts and hone lesson plans, fellows will cultivate long-lasting professional relationships with special experiences, including a Shabbat dinner at the historic Union Terminal. Apply today to begin your journey as a 2023 Roma and Sam Kaltman Teacher Fellow.

2023 Ohio Council for Law-Related Education Mock Trial Conference

Join the Ohio Council Law-Related Education (OCLRE) for the 4th Annual Mock Trial Conference on Monday, Sept. 25. OCLRE will host the at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center in Columbus. Introductory and deep-dive options will be available for new and returning advisors.

The second day of the conference, Tuesday, Sept. 26, is for the introductory track only. OCLRE has designed this second day to complement the first day and for attendees to expand on what they learned and work through a simulated mock trial.

OCLRE also offers an option to sign up for recordings only for those who cannot attend in person. This option will give educators access to videos of the Day 1 sessions. OCLRE will make these videos available on Monday, Oct. 9.

Interested educators can register for the Mock Trial Conference on the OCLRE website.

Fall Teaching American History Seminars

TeachingAmericanHistory.org invites educators to participate in conversational seminars that explore themes in American history and self-government by studying original historical documents.

• Sept. 16: Native Americans and American Citizenship- IU CORG in Bloomington, IN
• Sept. 30: Westward Expansion- Johnston Farm and Indian Agency in Piqua, OH
• Oct. 7: Populists and Progressives- McKinley Museum in Canton, OH
• Oct. 14: Women in American History- Fischer Hall in Frankenmuth, MI
• Nov. 4: American Statesmanship before 1877- Kokomo High School in Kokomo, IN
• Nov. 7: The Federalist Papers and the Constitution in Ravenna, OH

Webinar Series: Rising to the Challenge: High-Quality Instruction in K-8 Social Studies

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and inquirED are hosting a fall webinar series called Rising to the Challenge: High-Quality Instruction in K-8 Social Studies. The four sessions include: 

• Sept. 7: The State of K-8 Social Studies
• Oct. 26: The Power of High-Quality Instructional Materials
• Nov. 9: Theory to Practice: Implementing High-Quality Instruction 
• Dec. 7: Tools for Identifying High-Quality Social Studies Instruction

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Shares New Ohio Financial Literacy Curriculum Guide

Designed to help educators and schools fulfill Ohio’s standalone financial literacy course requirement, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland developed a free Ohio Financial Literacy Curriculum Guide (High School Edition). The guide covers 18 weeks, or one semester, and divides content into 3-week-long units for six topics. The Federal Reserve has aligned lessons, activities, and other resources in the guide with Ohio’s Financial Literacy Standards and Model Curriculum for High School. This curriculum guide contains resources drawn primarily from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’s Econ Lowdown® economic education website, with additional material from the Cleveland Fed and other sources.

EVERFI Free Online Financial Literacy Resources

EVERFI offers free online financial education curriculum, training and support to K-12 educators. Their resources include lessons and resources designed for high school financial literacy instruction.

Census.gov’s Statistics in Schools Program Offers Resources

The U.S. Census Bureau's Statistics in Schools (SIS) Program shares resources to support social studies educators. Statistics in Schools (SIS) brings school subjects to life using real-world Census Bureau statistics to create materials for K-12 classrooms.

The resources in this newsletter are free and have been reviewed using the Department’s Social Studies resource filter against established criteria. Copies of the completed filter forms are available upon request. Inclusion in this newsletter does not represent a recommendation to use a resource. Many quality resources are available beyond those included here. Educators should use their professional expertise to determine the suitability of any particular resources for use in their districts, schools or classrooms.