For nearly 50 years, the National Council for the Social Studies has presented the Carter G. Woodson Book Award to texts that accurately and sensitively depict the experience of one or more historically marginalized racial/ethnic groups in the United States. The award originated in 1974, named to honor distinguished scholar Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, the Harvard-trained historian whose scholarship and dedication to making Black History known and visible led to the eventual creation of Black History Month. Texts must be non-fiction, published and set in the United States, written for…

Using a modified ethnographic approach, this presentation takes social studies inquiry to another level of engagement by creating opportunities for students to connect the past directly to their lives. This next level of student engagement is created by introducing the participant to the methods for using anthropological concepts within a unit of study that explores connections in culture and social changes as they occurred in the past and how these same concepts are being affected in the present. The presentation is based on the Inquiry Design Model framework by creating a subset of…

The latest Septima Clark Book Award recipients shine a light on the stories of Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet; Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman in Congress; and numerous female athletes who shattered stereotypes.

This year’s Carter G. Woodson book picks include stories about Black heroes of the Old West, groundbreaking journalist Ethel Payne, and William Still, the “Father of the Underground Railroad.” 

The Educating for American Democracy initiative introduces an inquiry framework, or roadmap, organized around themes and questions to advance excellence in civic and history education. 

National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) conducted this Media Literacy Education Town Hall, October 29, 2020 in celebration of Media Literacy Week. The webinar delved deep into the vital impact of media literacy in social studies, and presented recommendations for incorporating media literacy skills. 

Young People are Talking about Politics, Whether or Not They're in our Classrooms: Why We Need to Help Students Navigate the 2020 Elections and Beyond, and How to Do So This webinar is intended to help K-12 educators consider the ways that they can engage students in inquiry and preparation to participate in the 2020 presidential election this November and civic life in the future—without starting from scratch or going it alone. Educators will be introduced to the work of the 17 nonprofit members of Teaching for Democracy Alliance (TFDA) and over 150 resources curated by the…

The following articles have been selected from our three main journals for K-12 teachers: Social Education, Middle Level Learning, and Social Studies and the Young Learner. These articles are grouped by topic for easy reference. Also included are recent current event responses that address racism and call for human rights education. NCSS Current Events Responses (2020)Teaching about Race and Racism in the ClassroomThe African American Struggle for Civil RightsSlavery and Its LegacyRacism and Discrimination against Black, Indigenous, and People of ColorHuman Rights EducationMiddle Level…

National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and National Council for History Education (NCHE) are proud to present a two-part professional learning series on teaching inquiry about race and democracy through the use of primary sources in K-12 social studies and history classrooms.  Each part of this program previews a chapter from NCSS’ forthcoming online methods texts, Inquiry and Teaching with Primary Sources to Prepare Students for College, Career, and Civic Life, and features a panel discussion with the chapter’s author and a history scholar, moderated by NCSS and NCHE leaders. …

For Black History Month, NCSS editors have curated this selection of articles and resources from Social Education, Middle Level Learning, and Social Studies and the Young Learner.