Opportunities for Tennessee Social Studies Teachers

The following announcements about professional development programs, study abroad opportunities, and other items are provided as a service to our members.  Inclusion on our website is in no way an endorsement by the Tennessee Council for the Social Studies.

For questions to our Tennessee Department of Education, please contact Kadie Patterson at kadie.patterson@tn.gov or 615-253-6031.
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Ms. Patterson is the Coordinator of Social Studies for the TN DOE.  She will be glad to assist you with questions or concerns about Social Studies standards, textbooks, curriculum, and other issues in Social Studies.

National and State Organizations, Standards, and Curriculum
  • Teaching about the Federal Budget: A curriculum about the federal budget, national debt and budget deficit called Understanding Fiscal Responsibility developed by Teachers College Columbia. Includes lessons and materials. http://teachufr.org/
Resources from Federal and State Governments, Museums, and Organizations
You will find many resources for teaching at these sites, arranged by subject.

Government Tennessee
Economics History Geography
Contests and Projects
Following are links to organizations that sponsor project competitions for students. Even if students don't actually participate in the contest the ideas make great classroom projects. Check on the webpages for great teaching tips and resources.
  • National History Day 2015 Theme: Leadership and Legacy in History. Students select a topic related to the annual them and conduct research using primary and secondary sources. Students present their research in one of five ways: a paper, an exhibit, a performance, a documentary, or a web site.
  • We The People - Through the use of high quality resources, upper elementary and high school students learn about the constitution and develop civic competence. The students participate in a simulated congressional hearing.
  • Project Citizen - This program helps students become involved in projects in their local communities by promoting competent and responsible participation with government at all levels. Like the We The People program it is sponsored by the Center for Civic Education. There are also correlations to the Common Core Literacy and Social Studies standards available at this link.
  • National Geography Bee - Sponsored by the National Geographic, many students across the country participate at local, state, and national levels.

Other Resources

  • Meet Mr. Lincoln - Dennis Boggs presents an enlightening, informative, and educational look at the life of the 16th President as it might have been told by Abraham Lincoln himself.
  • EducationDegree.com - An expansive interactive directory of teacher education degree and certificate programs.
  • Teacher.org - "a website for teachers by teachers. Since great educators are always needed, we aim to continuously inform and encourage aspiring and current teachers."
  • HSTRY, an AASL Best Website for Education in 2015, is offering free professional development this year! This PD aims to increase student engagement and is relevant to teachers across content areas and grade levels. PD can be by webinar or on-site. Just fill out the interest form and we'll get your district scheduled: http://bit.ly/HSTRYPD
Experience is what the Transatlantic Outreach Program is all about. Since 2002, TOP has sought to find the best and most qualified social studies and STEM educators and give them the opportunity to experience contemporary Germany in the most dramatic way possible: in person.

From Berlin to Frankfurt, from Stuttgart to Munich, from Hamburg to Kiel, from Dresden to Schwerin, and from Weimar to Leipzig, each corner of Germany is sampled through sight, sound, touch, and taste!

Please follow the steps below to begin your TOP journey!

Summer 2016 Opportunities

Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People NEH Summer Institute

FUTURE NCSS CONFERENCES

2016
Washington, DC
December 2–4, 2016
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Headquarters Hotel—Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel

2017
San Francisco, California
November 17–19, 2017
Moscone West
Co-Headquarters Hotels—InterContinental San Francisco and
San Francisco Marriott Marquis

2018
Chicago, Illinois
November 30–December 2, 2018
Hyatt Regency Chicago

2019
Austin, Texas
November 22–24, 2019
Austin Convention Center
Headquarters Hotel—JW Marriott Austin

2020
(100th NCSS Annual Conference)
Washington, DC
December 4–6, 2020
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Headquarters Hotels—Washington Marriott Marquis and
Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel

2021
Minneapolis, Minnesota
November 19–21, 2021
Minneapolis Convention Center
Headquarters Hotel—Hilton Minneapolis