My name is Jessica Torres and I serve as the ESC Region 12 Social Studies content specialist as well as the Assistant Director for Continuous Improvement. The purpose of the newsletter is to provide resources specific to social studies content, general instructional tools, resources, updates, and professional development opportunities that are beneficial to all.

I hope that you are taking time this summer to relax. I know that many of you use this time to learn and plan. Whichever you are doing, it will benefit students in the long run. - it is a small improvement.

The ancient Greek poet Hesiod on small improvements:

“If you add only a little to a little and do this often, soon that little will become great.”

As always, if you ever need assistance or have a question, please do not hesitate to contact me via email (jtorres@esc12.net) or social media (@owl_b_torresedu).

It's one thing to read about history in a book or even see pictures. But to physically be present on the grounds where history has been made, touch actual historical documents, and stand in awe on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial has Copperas Cove junior high and high school students stating that seeing history come to life are lessons they will forever remember.

S. C. Lee Junior High seventh grade Texas History teacher Pamela Knutson started planning

the trip in early 2020 prior to the pandemic which put the trip on hold for more than two years.

“The purpose of the trip is to help students get hands-on experience about the history they study in the classroom, having the students see that the people and places were real, not just in textbooks,” Knutson said. “Seeing the places and documents that will be or were studied bring these things to life. The goal is that this trip will encourage more learning in the future.”

With the assistance of a historical guide, students and staff visited the capitol, Washington

Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and

more.

Copperas Cove Junior High U.S. History teacher Samantha Moss said the trip is a once-in-a-

lifetime experience for most students. “Students got to be outside of the classroom and learn about their nation's history in a more hands-on way. Students smiled and cried as they walked in the same steps as the founding fathers, stood in front of the most famous American landmarks, and learned more intimate details regarding how the nation was shaped,” Moss said. “They were able to see these things first-hand, not just on a PowerPoint, and garner a different love for learning without the pressure of an exam. Being able to take their learning outside of the classroom and see the impact it has truly made is the biggest benefit of this trip.”

Students encountered learning lessons at visits to each historical site discussing its significance and how it affected change in America. “The trip put a spotlight on how the enslaved population of America is the foundation and backbone of today’s America,” Copperas Cove High School student Roman Garcia said. “It highlighted the good and bad of the events that took place and how they affected the American people. It shows how each historical event that’s happened has been an opportunity to learn and build from and how the American people have done just that to adapt evolve and make America what it is today. It gives me a newfound inspiration to adapt to any hardships and to be better to people as anyone and everyone can change the course of history in any way they wish.”

There are some critical holidays/celebrations in the social studies world that occur during the summer months, i.e. Juneteenth and Independence Day. How do we ensure that students understand the importance of these dates? How can we embed aspects of both of these holidays in our curriculum throughout the year?

Friends of the National World War II Memorial will host its 7th Annual Teachers Conference in-person and online from July 18-22. Teachers may choose to attend daily in Washington, DC, or to attend virtually via livestream.

Themed “Untold Stories of World War II,” the application is available to educators here: https://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/summer-teachers-conference/application

Due to ongoing public health concerns, this year's conference will not include the housing arrangements of past conferences. Each day's programming will run from approximately 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET in Washington, DC, and teachers may choose to attend each day in-person or via livestream.

If you would like to participate in this year's Teachers Conference,

apply here by no later than Friday, June 24th.

Webinar Series: The Global Rise of Disinformation in Times of Conflict
June 20-23, 2022 | 6-7:30pm CDT
Virtual Events
In this virtual event series, teachers will engage with award-winning journalists and digital education resources to explore the relationship between disinformation, misinformation, and conflict environments across the globe. Register for one or more webinars here.

I am so excited to be part of the #sschat moderator team! I would love to have you join us for a great conversation via Twitter each Monday evening. Need help getting started with Twitter chats, reach out to me and I'll walk you through the steps. All of the Twitter chats are archived for future reference using Wakelet. Check them out here ->> https://sschat.org/archives/

Check them out here:

Volume 1 (2018-2019) Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 Issue 4 Issue 5 Issue 6 Issue 7 Issue 8 Issue 9 Issue 10

Volume 2 (2019-2020) Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 Issue 4 Issue 5 Issue 6 Issue 7 Issue 8 Issue 9 Issue 10 Issue 11 Issue 12 Issue 13

Volume 3 (2020-2021) Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 Issue 4 Issue 5 Issue 6 Issue 7 Issue 8 Issue 9 Issue 10 Issue 11 Issue 12

Volume 4 (2021-2022) Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 Issue 4 Issue 5 Issue 6 Issue 7 Issue 8 Issue 9 Issue 10

Special Editions: Celebrate Black History - Celebrate Women's History - 9/11 Remembered - Holocaust Remembrance Week - Memorial Day - Constitution Day - Juneteenth

Assistant Director for Continuous Improvement

Social Studies Content Specialist

ESC Region 12

o: 254-297-1284

Email: jtorres@esc12.net
Website: https://www.esc12.net/page/ge_socialstudies
Location: ESC Region 12, West Loop 340, Waco, TX, USA
Phone: 254-366-3856
Twitter: @owl_b_torresedu