The Social Studies Corner

Social Studies Team,

I hope you’ve all had a great start to the school year! I’ve enjoyed getting out and visiting with several of you in your classrooms already. In this September newsletter, we’ll be covering Upcoming Workshops, Freedom Week, Video of the Month, Community Opportunities, Civics Updates, TEKS Revision News, and America 250 Opportunities. Now that we have last year’s STAAR data in hand, please reach out if you would like me to pull a report for your campus or district. I’d be happy to visit with you over Zoom during your conference period to dig into your results, identify trends, and talk through areas where I can help support you this year. I hope you all have a fantastic September! Coaches, good luck with the season!

I’m excited for another great year of supporting Social Studies educators across the region!

If you have any other questions or concerns contact me at

(325) 675-8688 or at mgalle@esc14.net.

Celebrate Freedom Week coincides with Constitution Week, established by the U.S. Congress to encourage all Americans to learn about the Constitution. Both Celebrate Freedom Week and Constitution Week focus on September 17, the date in 1787 when delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution.

Each year, during the week that includes September 17, Texas schools honor Celebrate Freedom Week (TEC § 29.907) to highlight the values and ideals on which the United States was founded as well as the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the founding of the country. Students learn about the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights. Students also examine the relationship between the ideas in these documents and subsequent American history.

Check out this video featuring the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia! I think this place often gets overlooked by the average tourist, but it is absolutely worth exploring.

Use Freedom Week as an excuse to check out the Constitution Center’s Online Museum Experience. (See Link Above) Exploring Signers’ Hall is one of my all-time favorite museum experiences, and their online resources are a great way to bring some of that experience into your classroom.

My Bonus Video is actually a repost, but I think it deserves another look! Since Freedom Week gives us an opportunity to dive into our Founding Documents and other influential primary sources, the U.S. Mint’s America 250 coins are a fun way to connect history with something students can actually hold in their hands. Keep your eyes open...you might just find one of these coins in the wild!

Looking for a fun way to mix history, art, and a little friendly competition this fall? Buffalo Gap Historic Village is hosting its 2026 Scarecrow Festival, and participating classes can receive a scarecrow frame, a lesson on the history of scarecrows in West Texas and America, and up to $75 per teacher for materials! Completed scarecrows are due by October 28 and will be displayed at the Village from October 31–November 7. This could be a great excuse to get creative while sneaking a little local history into your classroom! Click the PDF below for more information.

The Texas Citizen Bee is a great opportunity for students in grades 9–12 to put their knowledge of U.S. history, the Constitution, Supreme Court cases, civic values, and current events to the test! Students begin at a regional competition, with regional winners advancing to the State Citizen Bee in Austin—where student prizes reach $5,000. Whether you have one student or a whole group ready for the challenge, there is no limit to the number of students a sponsor can register.

Start studying, start competing, and see how far your students can go!

Learn More & Register for Texas Citizen Bee

The most recent communication we received from TEA regarding the Civics stipend is as follows:

"Based on this review timeline and the rollover of the fiscal year, please communicate to teacher attendees that they can expect to see their civics training stipend in their October or November paycheck from their local school system."

The newly adopted social studies TEKS have staggered implementation dates.

Kindergarten - Grade 5: 2030-2031 School Year

Grade 6: 2031-2032 School Year

Grade 7 and Grade 8: 2032-2033 School Year

High School Courses: 2033-2034 School Year

Click the SBOE image below to explore key details about the revision process, including the approved framework, topics, and implementation timeline.

• Are All the TEKS Changing: Yes. All K-12 Social Studies Courses are being revised.
• What is the New Framework: In short, grades 3–8 will follow a chronological sequence, with each grade level covering a designated time period through the study of Texas, U.S., and world history.
• Will 8th Grade Still have STAAR: The SBOE is referring to this as an 8th Grade Capstone. This assessment will likely draw on key concepts from Texas history taught across grades 3–8 and will be administered as beginning, middle, and end-of-year (BOY, MOY, EOY) assessments.
• What about 11th Grade U.S. History: 11th Grade U.S. History will continue to include an End-of-Course (EOC) assessment; however, it will now cover content from colonization through the 2000s. To support this expanded scope, the TEKS have been significantly streamlined.
• Personal Finance: This course will take the place of the required economics course and will apply to students entering 9th grade beginning in the 2026–2027 school year.

As we look ahead to the nationwide celebration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, I’ll be using this section of our newsletter to share opportunities for you and your students to get involved. Throughout the year, I’ll highlight contests, projects, and prize opportunities connected to America 250 that can bring history to life in your classroom and give students a chance to showcase their creativity and learning. Be on the lookout for updates. You won’t want to miss ways for your students to engage in this once in a generation event!