As you prepare your students for the last months of the 24-25 school year, take some time to assess where students need to be by the end of year. Utilize some of the GaDOE resources to help preapre your students for their upcoming state and local assessments. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you as we get our students (and selves) across the finishline.

Got questions? Looking for resources? Have something to share? Take a moment to check in with your grade-level Google Classroom and collaborate with peers from across the district. I appreciate all teachers who have joined, contributed, and communicated via the Social Studies Google Classrooms. Please continue to use the Google Classroom to seek answers to various content-based questions/concerns, gather and share content-based resources, and receive updated news on various social studies initiatives.

Teachers, you may now access and administer your grade/course benchmark. I will leave these benchmarks avalaible through May. If you would like to re-assess closer to Milestones or the end of the year, please feel free to do so. If you have already assessed and would like to assess again later in the year, email me and I can duplicate a new copy for you to use. Remember, our goal is to see growth from the beginning to end. If students improved, you did your job. I have added a list of benchmark titles below. You will want to assign these assessments to your students if you have not administered a Spring benchmark.

8th Grade Achievement Level Descriptors

8th Grade Social Studies Test Blueprint

8th Grade Social Studies Assessment Guide

8th Grade Social Studies Assessment Practices

US History Achievement Level Descriptors

US History Test Blueprint

US History Assessment Guide

US History Assessment Practices

Don't forget that Progress Learning provides teachers access to a mock EOG/EOC within the assessment bank. You can use this assessment to go back and review standards that students may not remember or score well on. See the image below to ensure that you access the correct resource.

Are you looking for away to bring history to life? Check out the engaging chatbot that takes students directly to the source with the help of AI. School Ai offers a unique chatbot experience where students can speak and interview with famous historical figures. Click on the image below to give it a try!

To complement your lessons on the upcoming spring & summer holidays, check out these student-friendly videos that highlight the days/events we celebrate next.

NEW 5th Grade Teacher Notes. The REVISED fifth grade teacher notes have been uploaded in GaDOE Inspire. Click the Course Resources tab in first grade to find the Fifth Grade Teacher Notes under Course Wide Resources (see the screenshot below) or by visiting the direct link here

On Monday, March 17, the first-ever Coweta County National Civics Bee took place at the Nixon Centre for Perfoming and Visual Arts. This exciting event, sponsored by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber, aims to inspire young Americans to get involved in civics and make a postive impact in their communities.

Congratulations to this year's winners:

1st - Jackson Coleman; Smokey Road Middle School

2nd - Avery Moralle; East Coweta Middle School

3rd - Annabel Jewkes; Blake Bass Middle School

Runner Up- Ava Pamparp; Lee Middle School

Way to go and best of luck as you represent our county at the state competion in June.

If you are interested in me visiting your classroom with the VR Lab, please reach out via email. My calendar is booking quickly. I do have a cancelation list that I can add you to in the event that dates are booked up.

If you and your administrative team are interested in building your own VR lab at your school, please reach out to Andy Radil at Best Buy. He will create you a quote that will be submitted with your school's purchase request.

BestBuy Contact Info:

Meta Quest 2 VR Head Sets

Andy Radil (andy.radil@bestbuy.com)

Additionally, if you are interested in applying for a grant to secure VR Lab funding, please reach out to me. I will be happy to share my information with you so that you do not have to reinvent the wheel. My lab was purchased using funds from the GaDoe Opportunities Grant; however, this would be a great BRIGHT IDEAS GRANT idea.

In the image below, World History Students at ECHS are exploring Auschwitz as a part of their Holocaust studies.

The 1787 Prize is an annual essay contest hosted by the National Council for the Social Studies for high school students in grades 11-12 in observance of Constitution Day. It recognizes the best annual student essay on the subject of the U.S. Constitution’s past, present and future relevance. The submission deadline March 31, 2025. More information here.

Do you know an outstanding educator? The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is seeking nominations for 2025 National History Teacher of the Year. Each year we recognize first-rate K–12 teachers—from rural and urban districts, public and independent schools, teaching a wide variety of subjects—who find creative ways to bring history to life in their classrooms. The nomination process is fast, easy, and free. Learn more and nominate a teacher click here. The nomination deadline for this year's award is April 30, 2025.

Looking to connect with others in the Social Studies field? Utilize the links below to connect with various organizations that may provide expertise and resources to better your professional networks.

Connect with Georgia's virtual learning community for Social Studies

Georgia Council for the Social Studies

Georgia Council on Economic Education

Georgia Historical Society

Georgia WWI Commission

National Council for History Education

Newnan-Coweta Historical Society