This edition of The State We’re In: Washington is a civics/history textbook designed for elementary grades 3-5. It’s many colorful images, descriptive pictures and graphics not only enhance the text but demonstrate the ethnic and geographic diversity of our state. The book was produced by the League of Women Voters of Washington Education Fund and authored by Jill Severn.
Material Type: Textbook
This inquiry by Kristina Labadie, Evergreen Public Schools, is based on the C3 Framework inquiry arc. Third-grade students view the lifestyle and cultural development of Early Native Americans through the same lens of how lifestyles today have developed.
Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Unit of Study
BlackPast.org provides free access to documents, transcripts, timelines, videos, and lesson suggestions. With over 6,000 pages of information, BlackPast.org is the single largest free and unrestricted resource on African American and African history on the Internet today. Through this knowledge, the site aims to promote greater understanding to generate constructive change in our society.This resource highlights teacher-developed lessons for using BlackPast.org in the classroom and links to different sections of the BlackPast.org website.
Material Type: Lesson, Primary Source, Reading
In these short TED-style talks, Washington social studies educators share their thinking and experiences with colleagues in Washington state and around the world.
Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy
Holocaust education is history, literature, social studies, psychology, art, and so much more. By studying the Holocaust we learn the importance of speaking out against bigotry and indifference, promoting equity, and taking action. Studies show that Holocaust education both improves students' critical thinking skills and encourages "upstander" behavior: willingness to act upon civic awareness and confront hatred in all its forms. On this site you're going to find lessons that adhere to the requisite guidelines for teaching about the Holocaust and Genocide, with options for in-person and remote instruction. Each Overview Lesson includes:Historical summarySurvivor video clipsDiscussion questionsCommon Core State Standards addressed in that lesson
Material Type: Primary Source, Teaching/Learning Strategy
These Teacher Guides were developed by Washington educators to accompany the League of Women Voters of Washington's book The State We're In: Washington (Grade 3-5 Edition). Each chapter guide is aligned with Washington Social Studies Learning Standards and includes a launch activity, focused notes, text-dependent questions, and an inquiry lesson developed using the C3 Framework.
Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Unit of Study
The unit from Central Valley School District in Washington, is focused on the examination of geography in terms of “place.” Students dive into inquiry to answer the compelling question, What is unique about living in Washington? Through this question students will understand where and why people live in Washington State. Students will dive into the regions of Washington State and define it through many characteristics. Students will ultimately choose a region to become an expert on and communicate what makes that region unique. Each student’s performance task product will reflect choice and build upon student strengths according to their skill set.
Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Unit of Study
In this unit from Central Valley School District in Washington, students dive into inquiry, engaging with compelling questions to help learn about the culture of some of their tribal neighbors and the forces that brought change to the northwest: fur trade era and exploration. The module includes detailed teaching notes for planning and executing instruction, emphasizing close reading of complex texts and specific strategies for supporting students' evidence-based reading and writing. It provides clear requirements for student work, along with summative assessments, central texts, key resources, and protocols to facilitate learning.
Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Module, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Unit of Study
Educators need civics curriculum that informs and engages students. Teaching Elections in Washington State is written in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Washington teachers to do just that. For more resources visit: Civics Education | Washington Office of Secretary of State - https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/civics/ Elections and Voting Teaching Resources Toolkit | Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Module, Unit of Study
This inquiry by Melissa M. Kunert, Evergreen Public Schools, is based on the C3 Framework inquiry arc. This inquiry provides an opportunity for students to analyze the constitution as it pertains to life today. Becoming a responsible citizen in society is an important role that also requires education about how our constitution was first written and that changes can always be made in our world
Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Unit of Study
The inquiry helps students examine the responsibility of being a citizen both in the real world and the online world. In answering the compelling question “How is being a citizen online the same as being one in real life?” students will identify the attitudes and actions necessary to be a good citizen. The unit offers 12 lessons with formative performance tasks for educators to choose from depending on the age and needs of their students. Each provides students with opportunities to collect evidence and an understanding of how online behavior and boundaries are comparable to those necessary in the real world. At the end of the inquiry, students create an explanation and identify examples of the correlation between online and real life communities. Unit created by NCESD teachers: Sara Bedient, Sasha Dart, Brittany Jones, Krystina Nelson, Julia Spanjer, Keirstin Stansbury, Brittney Therriault
Material Type: Unit of Study
Here you will find links to Economics resources for grades K-12, curated from Smithsonian Learning Lab, Council for Economic Education (CEE), Econ Lowdown, EconEdLink, Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF).
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Game, Interactive, Lesson, Reading, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Textbook
Financial education resource collections suggested by Financial Education Public Private Partnership during their training sessions.
Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy
Use this rubric to review lessons and units with respect to the Washington State Social Studies Learning Standards and the Washington ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies Standards.
Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy
Washington state has developed a set of civics assessments that are multi‐stepped tasks or projects aligned to specific state standards, which target skills and knowledge necessary for engaged, informed citizenship.
Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy
These educational videos provide an invaluable resource on Ancient Nubia for Middle and High School Ancient World History and Geography teachers and students. The video content aligns with Geography, Economics, Civics, and Historical Thinking Social Studies standards across the nation. Key concepts and inquiry skills from each content area weave seamlessly throughout the videos and associated lesson plans. This unit overview document links to developed resources on the Archeology in the Community site.
Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Unit of Study
This unit on American Indians: By studying the regions of the United States and the cultures that live in each region, students are able to compare/contrast within regions and across regions how tribes used their environments, and their cultural and other contributions to American life. Note that the emphasis here is on broader groups of tribes for each region with some instruction on specific tribes representing each region. In no way is this case study approach to learning about one tribe meant to be generalized to all tribes of that region. We understand that each tribe was and continues to be unique in its culture, practices, lifeways, and traditions.
Material Type: Unit of Study
This inquiry by Karen Morley-Smith, Evergreen Public Schools, is based on the C3 Framework inquiry arc. Through shared reading, videos, articles, class discussions, reflections, and the study of natural rights and common good, students develop a rich understanding of the honey bee's role in the survival of life.
Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Unit of Study
This inquiry by Amy Johnson, Longview Public Schools, is based on the C3 Framework inquiry arc. The students will highlight the two primary sources then reflect. They will then do the Open Mind activity illustrating both points of view they learned from the primary sources, develop a three-event timeline and create a newspaper front page describing “What really happened March 5, 1770.”
Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Primary Source, Teaching/Learning Strategy
Tips and lessons learned from creating accessible documents. This is not an exhaustive list so please add your own guidance.
Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy
