Social Studies Insider
November 2019
District Collaboration and Social Studies Updates:
Interested in Co-Teaching? Need Help Planning?
Social Studies Digital Resource Tools
New to the List this Month: PowToon.com
Captivate... Engage... Explain! Utilize PowToon's platform to create short animated video presentations to cover specific course content. Additionally, students can generate free student accounts and create their own presentations over course material. PowToon is compatible with the Chromebook and is easy to use. Please reach out if you have any questions!
Looking to Add Literary Elements within your History Class?
Lit Trips are downloadable files that mark the journeys of characters from famous literature on the surface of Google Earth. Along the way, placemarks with pop-up windows contain "just in time" resources including relevant media, thought-provoking discussion starters, and links to supplementary information about "real world" references in that portion of the story. Our focus is on creating engaging and relevant literary experiences for students.
Click on the button below to explore.
Honoring Our Veterans
Spotlighting Excellence:
Coach Giacone is currently in his second year at Northgate High School teaching economics and coaching varsity football where he serves as the Assistant Head Coach focusing on NCAA student-athlete recruitment and team-wide academic progress and support. Coach “G” has worked at five different high schools over the past fifteen years. He has taught classes in U.S. History, World History, Government, and Economics. While coaching football over the past 15 years at the high school level he has served as a staff assistant, Defensive Coordinator, and Head Coach. Prior to high school teaching and coaching, Coach “G” spent six years in collegiate athletics, with his last four years being at Georgia Southern University serving as an assistant coach and recruiting areas in Georgia and South Carolina. When he’s not teaching and coaching, Coach Giacone enjoys spending time with his wife and kids and being part of the Northgate community.
Attention Elementary Teachers:
Kindergarten Teachers:
Looking for great resources to help teach the holidays to your students? Need additional resources and teaching strategies to provide engaging social studies lessons to students? Give Georgia Public Broadcasting's & PBS Learning's educational resources a look. Click on the following link to access the "All About the Holidays"
Grades 3-5 Gallopade Translate Feature:
Do you have students who need translation assistance? Click on the following link to access specific instruction that will guide you to translating the Clickbook into various languages for students. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L2DLp5jVnCoaPNBanuMdgEw1aCgixZoJGm-KSdE4v_I/edit
Grades 3-5 Accessing Your Students' Gallopade Written Responses within Clickbook:
Looking for a refresher on how to access your students' written responses within the Clickbook platform? Click on the following link for a video tutorial: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vw8HzfWllZ5nE2GJNoA7oVhcwukVSCro/view
Revving Review:
Please don't forget to utilize the Revving Review strategies showcased at last year's 5th grade workshop. If you find yourself using a strategy and/or resource, please send photos or tag me in your class tweet.
Elementary Curriculum Meeting Info:
I will be meeting with 3-5th grade social studies teachers on November 19th. Nessa McClure will redeliver several resources, strategies, and tools gained from the GCSS Conference in Athens.
Attention Middle School Teachers:
Additional professional development opportunities are located within the section titled Professional Development for All.
Revving Review:
Please don't forget to utilize the Revving Review strategies showcased at last year's 8th grade workshop. If you find yourself using a strategy and/or resource, please send photos or tag me in your class tweet.
Holocaust Traveling Exhibit
The Museum of History & Holocaust Education provides temporary traveling exhibits for schools, libraries, & other community and educational centers. The exhibits provide context for some of the more complex stories of World War II and the Holocaust taught. Click here for more info.
Do you have students who need translation assistance? Click on the following link to access specific instruction that will guide you to translating the Clickbook into various languages for students. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L2DLp5jVnCoaPNBanuMdgEw1aCgixZoJGm-KSdE4v_I/edit
Accessing Your Students' Gallopade Written Responses within Clickbook:
Looking for a refresher on how to access your students' written responses within the Clickbook platform? Click on the following link for a video tutorial: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vw8HzfWllZ5nE2GJNoA7oVhcwukVSCro/view
Middle School Meetings Info:
Please look at your calendars and plan to join fellow district middle school social studies teachers each month for "middle grades tailored" professional learning. This is a great opportunity to communicate, collaborate, and create consistency across the district. Meeting locations will be held at WERZ, Central Office and begin around 4 pm. Our next meeting will be held November 20th, and will be co-led by Jeff Welch. He will be sharing some of the resources and strategies gained at the GCSS Conference in Athens. See you then!
Attention High School Teachers:
Additional professional development opportunities are located within the section titled Professional Development for All.
Active Classroom: Potential High School Digital Resource
Are you looking for predeveloped resources, activities, and assessments? If so, consider signing up for Active Classroom's FREE 30-day trial. The platform will give all social studies content areas access to predeveloped powerpoints, primary resources, images, maps, activities, and assessments that can be used to supplement your classroom instruction. If you sign up for the FREE trial, please contact me and let me know your thoughts. I am actively looking for a digital resource that can be acquired by the district to support the needs of all high school teachers and students. If interested in registering for a FREE 30-day trial, click the link below.
https://go.socialstudies.com/active-classroom-30-day-free-trial-1
Civic Engagement Diploma Seal Program
Please begin advertising this program to students. Last year, East Coweta High School honored several seniors who accomplished the criteria required in order to gain diploma endorsement. I would love to see more Coweta students gain this recognition.
Criteria and Application Information
Grade Level/Course Specific Professional Learning with Virtual Specialist:
Introducing a new Free online professional learning community exclusively for Georgia educators. The Georgia DOE has created course and grade level specific Professional Learning Communities, led by Virtual Specialists, where educators from across the state can connect with each other to share experiences, resources, lesson plans, and instructional activities. For access, Click Here.
Start your EOCT Spiral Reviews Now:
It is never too soon to begin embedding spiral review. The EOC's will be here before you know it. Get a jump start on reviewing with your students. Click Here to access the DOE Georgia Milestone's EOC Review Guides for U.S. History and Economics.
Network Connectors
Connect with Georgia's virtual learning community for Social Studies
Georgia Council for the Social Studies
Georgia Council on Economic Education
Professional Learning for All
GCEE Financial Literacy for Middle Grades
FYI: Substitute Costs will be reimbursed and lunch will be provided.
Want to register? Click Here
Thursday, Nov 7, 2019, 08:30 AM
Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA, USA
GCEE Decostar Factory Tour and Workshop (Grades 6-12)
FYI: Substitute Costs will be reimbursed and lunch will be provided.
Want to register? Click Here
Monday, Nov 18, 2019, 08:30 AM
Carrollton, GA, USA
Comments, Concerns, Questions?
Email: phillip.sykes@cowetaschools.net
Website: https://sites.google.com/cowetaschools.net/cowetasocialstudies/home
Location: 167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA, USA
Phone: 770-254-2800
Twitter: @Syked4SS