August 2022- Social Studies Signal Newsletter

7/20/2022

2022 Ohio Building Bridges Professional Learning Series Aug. 2-4

Connect virtually with the Department for the Building Bridges for Educators: The Heart of the Matter professional learning series on Aug. 2-4 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This online event will feature sessions across all academic content areas, with a focus on connecting people, ideas and possibilities to deepen student learning, engagement and motivation. The Department encourages educators, as well as parents and guardians, to attend.
 
Presentation highlights included the following:

• Welcome from Sherry Birchem, Director of the Office of Learning and Instructional Strategies (Aug. 2, 8:30-8:45 a.m.) 

• A word from the Interim Superintendent of Instruction, Dr. Stephanie K. Siddens  (Aug. 2, 3:30-3:45 p.m.) 

• Keynote speakers:

  • Kurt Russell, 2022 National Teacher of the Year and Oberlin High School Social Studies Teacher (Aug. 2, 8:45-9:15 a.m.)

  • Jeff Harr, English Teacher & Craig Foreman, Social Studies Teacher, Kent City Schools (Aug. 3, 8:45-9:15 a.m.) 

  • Stephanie Nowak, Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teacher Awardee (Aug. 4, 8:45-9:15 a.m.) 

Social studies sessions include:

• Teaching Complex History: Best Practices in Holocaust Education (Aug. 2, 9:30-11 a.m.)
• Developing Disciplinary Literacy Skills through Holocaust Education (Aug. 3, 10:45-11:45 a.m.)
• Teaching About Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks (Aug. 2, 2:30-3:30pm)
• Civic Education with Kids Voting Ohio  (Aug. 3-4, noon-5 p.m.)
• Ohio Social Studies Resource Fair (Aug. 2, 12:30-2 p.m.)
• OER Conference for Social Studies 2022  (Aug. 3-4, noon-5 p.m.)

Financial literacy sessions include:

• Introducing Ohio’s New Financial Literacy Requirements (Aug. 2, 11:15 a.m.-noon)

Educators can find all meeting information for the above sessions on the Building Bridges for Educators: The Heart of the Matter website.

Spring 2022 American History and American Government Exam Released Items Available

Released items from the spring 2022 administration of Ohio’s state tests for American History and American Government are available now in the Ohio State test portal. These items give educators insight into the kinds of questions students experience and can inform classroom instruction and assessment. Included with the released items are the associated scoring guides. Item release scoring guides contain each item’s alignment to the learning standards, answer keys, scoring rubrics, sample student responses, notes on scoring and rationales that describe why response options are correct or incorrect.

Ohio’s Curriculum Support Guide webinar series begins in August

Instruction Partners, in partnership with the Department, is hosting a five-part webinar series that will detail how to use the Ohio Curriculum Support Guide to help educators select, implement and sustain new, high-quality instructional materials.

Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement

Under Ohio law, students entering 9th grade on or after July 1, 2022, must earn one half credit of financial literacy as a graduation requirement.

• These students can use the one-half credit of financial literacy as a substitute for a one-half credit elective requirement or a one-half credit of mathematics required for graduation.
• The one-half credit of math cannot be Algebra 1 (or Math 1- if using an integrated approach), Geometry (or Math 2- if using an integrated approach), Algebra 2 or equivalent course, or Advanced Computer Science.
• Students who use Advanced Computer Science coursework in place of Algebra 2 or an equivalent course for graduation cannot use the financial literacy one-half credit as a mathematics graduation requirement. These students may use the one-half credit of financial literacy to satisfy a one-half credit electives requirement.  
• Students cannot use Financial Literacy as a social studies credit.

Ohio law states the study and instruction of financial literacy shall align with Ohio’s Financial Literacy Standards and Model Curriculum adopted by the State Board of Education in 2018 and 2019.  
 
The Department has also created a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) resource on the new financial literacy requirement.

Student Interactions with Peace Officers Model Curriculum Development Continues

Ohio law requires city, local, exempted village and joint vocational school districts and community schools to provide instruction on student interactions with peace officers within at least one course required for high school graduation. The first group of students expected to receive this instruction will be students entering grade 9 for the first time on or after July 1, 2022. Districts and schools determine locally which graduation courses include this instruction and the instructional time needed to provide the instruction established in this model curriculum.  

The Department continues to work with the Ohio Department of Public Safety and Advisory and Working Groups of educators, school administrators, and members from law enforcement organizations, legal rights groups and community members to revise and update the draft model curriculum based on the public comments received in Spring 2022.

New Ohio History Connection CEO Announced

In July, the Ohio History Connection board of trustees named Megan Wood, 41, of Worthington as the organization's next executive director and CEO, effective Aug. 1.
 
Wood, who has served as Director of Cultural Resources for the Ohio History Connection since 2019, is the first woman to lead the private, nonprofit organization established in 1885. The organization functions as the state's partner in preserving and interpreting Ohio's history, archaeology, natural history and historic architecture across a network of 58 sites, 1.8 million collections items and hundreds of exhibits.
 
Social studies educators can learn more about the Ohio History Connection's education programs on their website. 

Ohio Council for Law-Related Education 2022-2023 Program Dates

The Ohio Council for Law-Related Education (OCLRE) is excited to kick off the new school year and they plan on hosting in-person events again in the 2022-2023 school year. Educators can find the event calendar on the OCLRE website. OCLRE offers several engaging programs that support civics education in Ohio. These programs include:

• Middle School Mock Trial
• High School Mock Trial
• We the People
• Project Citizen
• Moot Court

Registration open for the Ohio Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference 2022

Registration is now open for the Ohio Council for the Social Studies' 2022 Annual Conference scheduled for October 14-15, 2022, at Capital University in Bexley, Ohio.

Registration open for the National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference 2022

Registration is now open for the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Annual Conference scheduled for December 2-4, 2022, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The NCSS Annual Conference will offer educators over 500 sessions, keynote speakers, clinics, tours, and other special events. 

2022-2023 Ohio History Service Corps Program Year Applications Open

Since 2010, the Ohio History Service Corps, an AmeriCorps program, has been working with local history organizations and communities in each of the Ohio Local History Alliance’s ten regions throughout the state. They provide coaching and training in completing activities suggested by the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH)’s STEPS program to help organizations become more effective and sustainable and help communities take the first step in historic preservation.
 
Ohio History Connection accepts applications for AmeriCorps Members to serve in the Ohio History Service Corps. They will select ten members to serve around the state. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the FAQ and Position Description before they apply.

History, the Past and Public Culture: Results from a National Survey

With funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Historical Association partnered with Fairleigh Dickinson University to develop and implement a national survey to assess public perceptions of and engagement with the discipline of history and the past. The 40-question survey explores the public's definition of the term "history," where audiences access history, which sources of history are perceived to be reliable, their historical learning experiences, attitudes toward historical revision, correlations between civic engagement and interest in history and the perceived value of history. The report provides as much survey data as possible for these topics in a user-friendly format, including over 150 charts illustrating our results. Complete raw survey data are available for those wanting to explore these topics more deeply. 
 
For a summary of the survey's results, please read "A Snapshot of the Public's Views on History: National Poll Offers Valuable Insights for Historians and Advocates" by Pete Burkholder and Dana Schaffer (Perspectives on History, 2021).
 
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.

The Ohio Department of Education is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws. To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Aleshia McNutt, ADA coordinator, at ADAaccommodation@education.ohio.gov or (614) 387-2200 (voice) no later than July 15. Justin Leach, Social Studies Consultant, Office of Learning and Instructional Strategies justin.leach@education.ohio.gov.

Linda McKean, Social Studies Consultant, Office of Learning and Instructional Strategies linda.mckean@education.ohio.gov.