Visit the PDE Social Studies Archive
March 2026 | Volume VI, Number 3
Hello Everyone!
Women’s History Month
Women's History Month is an annual celebration dedicated to highlighting and honoring the contributions and achievements of women throughout history. Observed during March in many countries, this month serves as an opportunity to recognize and commemorate the accomplishments of women in various fields, including science, literature, politics, arts, and social activism.
Visit the National Women's History Museum website to learn more.
From The Gilder Lehrman Institute
Behind every turning point in American history, there are women whose courage, intellect, and perseverance made it possible.
This Women's History Month, the Gilder Lehrman Institute invites you to bring their stories into your classroom—and give your students history they won't forget.
They’ve gathered their best primary sources, lesson plans, and teaching resources spotlighting women who shaped the nation: from abolitionists and suffragists to wartime leaders and civil rights pioneers.
This March, explore
• Primary source documents written by and about women
• Ready-to-use lesson plans aligned to curriculum standards
• Essays and contextual resources to deepen your own knowledge
Thank you for the work you do to make history come alive. Here's to celebrating the women who made history—and the educators who teach it.
2026 Gilder Lehrman Institute History Teacher of the Year
Do you know an outstanding educator? The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is seeking 2026 National History Teacher of the Year nominations!
Each year they recognize first-rate K–12 teachers—from rural and urban districts, public and independent schools, teaching a wide variety of subjects—who find creative ways to bring history to life in their classrooms.
The nomination process is fast, easy, and free. Learn more and nominate a teacher by visiting the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History website.
The nomination deadline for this year's award is April 30, 2026
America’s Field Trip
Submissions due before 5:00pm PT on March 30, 2026.
America's Field Trip is back. Students in grades 3-12 are invited to participate in this year's contest by sharing their perspective about what America means to them. Winners will receive an unforgettable field trip experience to one of our nation's most iconic, historic, or cultural sites. Written or original artwork answering the question "What does America mean to you" is now being accepted. The deadline for submissions is 5:00pm (PT) on March 30, 2026.
Visit America's Field Trip - America250 to learn more.
From The National Constitution Center
14th Amendment
Wednesday, March 18 | 6:30 p.m.
During this session, participants will explore the 14th Amendment and the battles for equality in America. The scholar will examine the clauses of the 14th Amendment and the battle over their meaning from Reconstruction up until the present moment, highlighting topics such America’s first and second civil rights movements, the Constitution and women, and modern interpretations of the 14th Amendment. A member of the Center’s teacher network will share classroom-ready resources related to the 14th Amendment for teachers to implement in their own classrooms.
From C-Span Classroom
As teachers across the country begin reviewing for end-of-year or end-of-semester exams in the next several weeks, C-SPAN Classroom stands ready to help your students reflect on the key concepts, themes, people, places, and events that they have studied across social studies content areas.
This week, they kick off their seven-week review series with their World History resources. Organized in reverse-chronological order, the collection of World History resources now houses 150+ resources that span time and place, from the Bubonic Plague and the Spanish settlement of St. Augustine in 1565 to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster and Tiananmen Square. Explore each resource, and don’t forget to bookmark your favorites!
Upcoming from The American Historical Association
Wednesday, April 15, 3:00 p.m. ET
What Historians Should Know About Classical Education
Classical education has inspired many recent reforms and innovations in K-12 education and beyond. What is it, and why should historians care? Presenters approaching the topic with different perspectives and expertise will offer information and insights on the past, present, and possible futures of the U.S. movement, and how it is already impacting the landscape of K-12 and higher education.
Featuring Angel Parham (Univ. of Virginia), Jessica Richardi (Coastal Carolina Univ.), and Susan Wise Bauer (Well-Trained Mind Learning Services), this hour-long online event is free and open to the public. Can’t make it? Register anyway and view the recording on the AHA’s YouTube channel after the event.
From PBS Learning Media: Teach the Declaration’s Global Impact
Explore how the Declaration of Independence's impact extends beyond 1776 and the United States, continuing to inspire global citizens today.
Join PBS LearningMedia and the Museum of the American Revolution as they share new classroom resources for teaching the lasting influence of the American Revolution. Participants will explore how the Declaration of Independence’s impact extends beyond 1776 and the United States and continues to inspire global citizens today.
PBS LearningMedia will investigate the importance of the Declaration of Independence in the Revolutionary Era through the Ken Burns in the Classroom followed by a walkthrough of the Museum of the American Revolution's new exhibit, and a discussion of the Declaration's global impact. You will leave with a deeper understanding of the consequences and legacies of the Revolutionary Era and ideas for sparking curiosity within your students as they connect the past to the present.
Wednesday, March 25 at 7pm ET
Thank you for subscribing to the SAS Social Studies PLC and for all you do every day for the students in Pennsylvania!
Don McCrone
dmccrone@pa.gov
NOTE: Sites identified here have been reviewed by the content advisor; however, educators are advised to preview for appropriateness for their respective classrooms.