Social Studies Insider
January 2021
Happy New Year!
Social Studies Digital Resource Tools
New to the List this Month: Goose Chase App
Goose Chase is a free app that allows teachers to develop scavenger hunts for students. Teachers create prompts that surround content and then assign teams to each class period. Students will automatically be assigned a team and will work together to complete the scavenger hunt. Students will use their smartphones, iPods, or other personal devices with camera access to participate and complete the scavenger hunt. If you are interested in receving a set of system retired smart phones, please contact Dr. White and we will get you a set.
Teaching the Inauguration
GPB Education: Inauguration Day Resources for Pk-12
The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Presents: Classroom Economist
Attention 6th and 7th Social Studies Grade Teachers:
I have worked with GCEE to secure free year-long GimKit Pro accounts for teachers who register and attend our first socially distanced face to face GCEE workshop. Despite the awesome GimKit subscription participants will receive, you won't want to miss this special event as GCEE shares some exciting ways to teach the sixth and seventh grade Georgia Standards of Excellence while promoting engagement and enduring understanding. We will focus on economic systems around the world during this special Saturday session of professional learning. It will be fast-paced and fun with loads of resources you can start using immediately in your classroom. The workshop will be held at the Nixon Center in Newnan on Saturday, January 23, 2021 from 8 am to 11:30 am. Teachers will leave the workshop with a copy of all lesson resources, a paid GimKit Pro subscription for your classroom, and a $10 Chickfila Gift Card for you to grab lunch on your way home. There is no registration fee, and all resources used will be shared at no financial cost to the participants or their school system. There is a limit of 25 attendees who are Coweta County middle school teachers. Please use this link to register.
Newnan Coweta Historical Society Scholarship Program
For the third consecutive year, the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society (NCHS) will be awarding a $10,000 scholarship to a Coweta County student intending to pursue a college education with a history or history-related major or minor.
The Newnan-Coweta Historical Society is now beginning to take applications for its annual $10,000 scholarship awarded to a local student in good standing. The scholarship will be issued at a rate of $2,500 per year, paid in installments per semester or quarter depending on the institution’s’ system.
The NCHS scholarship is intended to promote the study of history and history-related fields. History helps us understand change, society, and community, and the study of it creates well-rounded, skillful citizens. This specific scholarship is an investment in the Newnan and Coweta community and its future and serves to promote the Historical Society’s goal of preserving and protecting local history.
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be a Coweta County resident in their senior year of high school and in good standing to graduate. Students from public school, private school, home school, and virtual school are all eligible to apply. Applicants must intend to pursue history or a history-related field as an area of study. The mailing deadline for applications is February 28, 2020. Applications must include: a completed and signed application form, official transcripts and available aptitude test scores; letter of acceptance from college/university (if received); three letters of recommendation; and a one-page personal statement. A followup interview may be requested by the NCHS staff and Scholarship Committee.
For more information or questions concerning the application process, please call the NCHS offices at 770.251.0207 or email executivedirector@newnancowetahistoricalsociety.com
Download an application here: 2020 NCHS Scholarship Application
Jimmy Carter Historic Site - Presidents Day 2021 Contest
A Journey of Excellence: The Extraordinary Life of President Jimmy Carter
1. Students are invited to submit an essay, poem, or piece of art on the Life and Legacy of President Jimmy Carter.2. All entries will be judged on originality, creativity and use of theme.
3. Essays should be the original work of the student and no more than 500 words.
4. Poetry should be original work of the student. There is no limit on length
5. Student artwork must be original. Computer-generated and copyrighted images will not be accepted. The original artwork can include a written message. Artwork should be no bigger than 8.5x11.
Essays, poems and artwork must relate to the theme, "A Journey of Excellence: The Extraordinary Life of President Jimmy Carter"
- First through third place award certificates will be presented for each grade level (K-12th), in each of the three categories.
- Grand prize winners will be chosen from each category in the following four divisions; K-2nd, 3rd-5th,6th-8th, and 9th-12th. Grand prize winners will be invited to participate in a virtual event hosted by the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site on Presidents Day, February 15, 2021.
- Students can submit work in more than one category.
- The attached entry form MUST be included for each student to be considered for judging.
Students in online classrooms may participate. Parents, please identify your child's school, grade, and teacher when sub-mitting work.
Entries can be mailed or submitted digitally to:
marle_usry@partner.nps.gov or Marle.Usry@doe.k12.ga.us
Attention Elementary Social Studies Teachers:
Elementary Social Studies Curriculum Meeting:
Teachers, we will not meet this month. Our next scheduled meeting is for teachers Grades 3-5 on February 18. The meeting will be held virtually and a link will be sent out the week of the meeting.
Grades 3-5 S3Strategies Record Log:
Click on this link to record your weekly strategy gained from the S3Strategy Workshop.
Integrating Social Studies into your ELA/Reading Lessons Made Easy
Located within the GA DOE Teacher Notes, teachers can find a list of standards connected books that can easily be integrated into your ELA/Reading lessons.
For Kindergarten access, Click Here.
For 1st Grade access, Click Here.
For 2nd Grade access, Click Here.
For 3rd Grade access, Click Here.
For 4th Grade access, Click Here.
For 5th Grade access, Click Here.
Attention Middle School Social Studies Teachers:
Middle School Meeting:
There will not be a meeting this month. Our next meeting will be held on Feb. 4, 2021 via Google Meets. The meeting will be held virtually and a link will be sent out the week of the meeting.
Grades 6-8 S3Strategies Record Log:
Click on this link to record your weekly strategy gained from the S3Strategy Workshop.
Attention 6-7th Grade Teachers:
Please check the Professional Learning for All section and register for our special GCEE Saturday Event!
Attention 8th Grade Teachers:
Be on the lookout for a special 8th Grade GCEE Saturday Event coming soon. I tentatively have February 27 on the calendar. More information will be coming soon!
Attention High School Social Studies Teachers:
Grades 10 & 11 S3Strategies Record Log:
Click on this link to record your weekly strategy gained from the S3Strategy Workshop.
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 Specialists
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.
Professional Learning for All
Around the World in 8,000 Seconds: GCEE Saturday Event Grades 6 & 7
Join GCEE as we share exciting ways to teach the sixth and seventh grade Georgia Standards of Excellence while promoting engagement and enduring understanding. We will focus on economic systems around the world during this special Saturday session of professional learning. It will be fast-paced and fun with loads of resources you can start using immediately in your classroom. Each participant will receive:
- a copy of all the lesson resources
- a paid, extended subscription to Gimkit Pro to use in your classroom
- a $10 Chick-Fil-A gift card
There is no registration fee, and all resources used will be shared at no financial cost to the participants or their school system. There is a limit of 25 attendees who are Coweta County middle school teachers.
*We will be adhering to a strict infection prevention protocol. We will require the wearing of face masks, staggered entrance/dismissal, social distancing, and assigned seats in the meeting location. This will not negatively impact the enormous amount of fun you're going to have on this day. It's just to keep you and those around you safe.
Want to Register? Click Here
Saturday, Jan 23, 2021, 08:00 AM
The Donald W. Nixon Centre for Performing and Visual Arts, Lower Fayetteville Road, Newnan, GA, USA
Network Connectors
Connect with Georgia's virtual learning community for Social Studies
Georgia Council for the Social Studies
Georgia Council on Economic Education
Comments, Concerns, Questions?
Please contact Phil Sykes, Social Studies Content Specialist, with any questions comments, or concerns.
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