As a service to members of the Massachusetts Council and the wider social studies community, third party events may be posted in this calendar. Third party events are not endorsed by the MCSS board.
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Sharpen your skills, gain new techniques, and further your professional goals at the 2016 NCSS Annual Conference.
- Learn best practices and the latest research from experts and colleagues in social studies education
- Receive classroom-ready lessons
- Interact with nationally-known speakers and educators
- Share teaching strategies and solutions with peers
- Expand your professional network
- Discover the latest teaching resources, products and services in the exhibit hall
The culminating activity for the We the People: The Citizen & The Constitution program is a simulated congressional hearing in which students “testify” in front of a panel of judges acting as members of Congress. In addition to the simulated congressional hearings, some teachers, schools and districts choose to participate in the State and National Finals or the National Invitational. These additional learning opportunities can be exciting to many students and serve to further their understanding of the constitution and government.
Hearings
During the simulated hearings, students have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles through their testimony in front of a panel of judges. The entire class, working in cooperative teams, prepares and presents statements before a panel of community representatives acting as a congressional committee. Students then answer follow-up questions posed by the committee members. They will have the opportunity to evaluate, take and defend their position on a variety of historical and contemporary issues. In addition to the hands on learning experience the hearings offer, they also serve as an effective way for teachers to evaluate their student’s grasp of the material.
Resource Ready with the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition
Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. [Register here]
Casey Cullen and David Buchanan, Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition
One hour webinar
With the Covid-19 pandemic, the campaign for racial justice, climate change and so many other major issues of this moment in time the need to renew the social contract grows more urgent every day. Education plays a key role in making that happen. The Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition (MCLC) is here to support you in this critical work. During this session, representatives from the MCLC will highlight resources from many different organizations to build on the growing momentum for civics in Massachusetts schools. This session is for all educators seeking to establish new pathways for civic engagement in their district and looking to fortify old ones. Join us to learn more about the work of the MCLC and the resources available to make civics learning come alive in your classroom – whether it’s virtual or in person.