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January 2026 | Volume VI, Number 1

 

 

Hello Everyone!

New from Gilder Lehrman

Gilder Lehrman has recently launched its Citizenship Challenge. The Challenge offers students in Grades 3-12 the chance to suggest edits and additions to the nation's citizenship and naturalization exam.

This contest helps to augment the efforts of Gilder Lehrman to provide resources to students, educators, and families about Citizenship in America. These resources include interactive practice tests, premade Kahoots, and a video library including scholar and educator videos, and premier lesson plans.

Students, teachers, or parents can submit student entries here by 10:00 p.m. ET on Friday, March 13, 2026, to be considered for the prize. A jury of master teachers recruited by GLI will review the entries and select the finalists. The winners will be determined by a panel composed of members of GLI’s Student Advisory Council. Entries will be evaluated for their creativity, accuracy, and quality of argumentation. Students’ work will be reviewed and judged at their respective grade levels (Grades 3–8 and Grades 9–12). Winners will be notified and announced in May 2026.

We the Teachers Fellowship at William & Mary
This year-long fellowship brings together 100 educators from across the country to examine the nation’s founding ideals through historical and civic discourse. Participants receive a $2,500 stipend and work directly with historians, scholars, and museum professionals on the William & Mary campus in Williamsburg, VA, for a week in July. The fellowship is a collaboration between NCHE and William & Mary. Applications are open through January 31, 2026.

From The National Council for History Education

The Space Age on the Space Coast
NCHE invites K–12 educators to apply for this NEH Landmarks workshop focused on the political, cultural, and scientific history of the Cape Canaveral region. Sessions will be held July 12–17, 2026 OR July 19–24, 2026. Applications are due March 6, 2026.

Upcoming NCHE Webinars
NCHE continues to offer free webinars for history educators. Registration links are available on the NCHE website.

NCHE Conference – Montgomery, Alabama (March 26–28, 2026)
NCHE’s annual conference will take place in Montgomery. This year’s theme is Diasporas: Histories of Movement and Cultural Exchange. Here is a link to register!

History's Habits of Mind Resources

Explore NCHE’s newest History’s Habits of Mind resources. Free, classroom-ready materials that support historical thinking through primary sources and diverse historical topics.

From C-SPAN Classroom: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service 

According to the U.S. Department of the Interior: “the third Monday in January, the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service (MLK Day) is the only federal holiday that is also designated by Congress as a national day of service.”

As you prepare your students to spend time giving back to their local communities on January 19th, consider using the following resources to have them reflect on Dr. King’s accomplishments and legacy.

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s Newsletter

Subscribe to the HSP monthly newsletter to receive instructional resources, webinars, and access to their content collections.

 

New from The Pennsylvania Council for Social Studies

The Fall 2025 issue of the Social Studies Journal is Available Now!

PCSS is excited to share the Fall 2025 edition of the Social Studies Journal (SSJ), published by the Pennsylvania Council for Social Studies

 

From The Economist Educational Foundation: Topical Talk

Ready to start inspiring classroom discussions?  This year, bring real-world context to your teaching.

The Economist’s Topical Talk lessons help students develop essential critical-thinking, oracy and communication skills, media literacy and cultural capital.

Topical Talk lessons are created by experienced teachers in collaboration with journalists at The Economist to combine deep educational knowledge with world-class journalistic expertise.

Adaptable activities support students to be skeptical about media stories and value the importance of evidence in an age of misinformation and fake news.

From Echoes and Reflections

Teaching About Antisemitism After the Holocaust

 

Examine this persistent form of hate through historic and contemporary framing, designed to build student knowledge, critical understanding, and skills for intervention. Course Dates: February 2-March 1.

Course Details:

  • Three interactive modules; approximately 7 hours to complete.
  • Proceed at your own pace each week, be supported by an instructor, and enjoy interaction with other educators.
  • Complete all three modules for a 7-hour certificate.
  • Final module includes additional time to complete optional final project for a 10-hour certificate.
  • Graduate credit available through the University of the Pacific.

    Black History Month

    February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Below are some resources to support classroom instruction:

    • Celebrate Black History Month from the National Museum of African American Culture and History.
    • Black Washington from the Washington State Historical Society.
    • Black History Month from the History Channel.

      The Pennsylvania Department of Education’s updated Media Literacy Toolkit is now available

      In his second budget address, Governor Josh Shapiro charged the Department of Education and our Office of Commonwealth Libraries with developing resources to help schools incorporate information literacy into all aspects of learning so that our youngest Pennsylvanians have the skills to navigate the world around them. As more and more Pennsylvanians turn to digital sources for news and information, it’s more important than ever that students be equipped with the skills to discern between fact and fiction online. Information literacy is a vital component of the high-quality academic standards taught across the Commonwealth. These new resources will not replace those standards. Rather, they provide tools that schools can use to enhance existing lessons and empower the next generation of Pennsylvanians.

       

       

      A250 Declaration Decoders from Bill of Rights Institute

       

      The Bill of Rights Institute is introducing an escape-room style classroom activity designed for middle school classrooms that decodes the Declaration of Independence and its references throughout time.

       

      Declaration Decoders transforms traditional DBQ exercises into an interactive, puzzle-driven experience. Students step into the role of historians, helping curate a museum exhibit for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

       

      Through both physical and digital elements, students will explore the links between the Declaration of Independence, the Seneca Falls Convention, the Gettysburg Address, Theodore Roosevelt's New Nationalism Speech, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech.

       

      A250 Declaration Decoders will be FREE in 2026 but with limited availability. Complete the interest form for the opportunity to receive it in late February!

       

      Thank you for subscribing to the SAS Social Studies PLC and for all you do every day for the students in Pennsylvania!

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.

Visit the PDE Social Studies Archive