My name is Jessica Torres and I serve as the ESC Region 12 Social Studies content specialist as well as the Continuous Improvement Liaison. 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 the new year finds you prepared to be uncomfortable. Kind of strange to wish someone discomfort, but honestly, it's when we are at our best. Uncomfortable pushes us to think differently, innovate, and consider true priorities. Over the past two years, I am sure you have been uncomfortable in some way, whether personally or professionally. How have you used that discomfort to grow and better yourself?

"Whatever makes you uncomfortable is your biggest opportunity for growth." - Bryant McGill

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).

TEA Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division have received confirmation from the Assessment Division of TEA that the USCIS citizenship questions will NOT be included on the 2022 US History EOC test, except as possible field-test items. As you know, field-test items do not count in students’ scores. The timetable for implementation of USCIS citizenship questions was interrupted by the pandemic. We now expect to have them as operational items on the US History EOC test no sooner than spring of 2023.

The SBOE is still accepting applications to serve on social studies TEKS review workgroups. There is a particular need for applicants with experience/knowledge in the high school psychology and sociology courses as well as the identified courses below:

There is a special need for work group applicants with experience teaching the following courses:

• Ethnic Studies: African American Studies
• Ethnic Studies: Mexican American Studies
• Government
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Special Topics in Social Studies
• Social Studies Research Methods
• World Geography

Should you have experience in one of the above courses and wish to participate, you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Initial workgroups will begin convening as early as this month. The application is available at https://tea.texas.gov/academics/curriculum-standards/teks-review/2021-2022-social-studies-teks-review.

Applications received will be submitted to SBOE members for review throughout the process. Questions regarding the application or TEKS review process may be sent via email to teks@tea.texas.gov.

From Social Studies Success: How are you reviewing vocabulary today? Try a Mix-Up! Write the definitions on the board, pass out different terms to kids and challenge them to match the correct definition. Vocabulary instruction doesn’t need to be difficult. It needs to be intentional and repetitive. #teach For more great resources like these follow @SSSuccess1 on Twitter!

"A bend in the road is not the end of the road...unless you fail to make the turn." - Helen Keller

The Big Idea

Rarely do we achieve our goals by following the exact path we set at the beginning. Instead, we experience twists and turns, confront the unexpected and learn to adapt along the way. Unforeseen events sometimes inspire us to refocus and change our goals. Other times, we ignore distractions, push through and continue along the path with the original goal firmly fixed in our mind. We never really know when it is best to adapt our plans or when we should maintain focus in the midst of uncertainty.

Step One: Claim

According to social activist Helen Keller, you have to be adaptable when things don't go the way you expect.

Step Two: Counterclaim

You have to be committed to your path and never stray.

Step Three: Essential Question

How do you know when to adapt your goals?

Teach Different uses conversations to teach people how to think with claims, counterclaims, and essential questions. Like this activity? Check out https://teachdifferent.com for more!

I've been diving into a new book, 50 Strategies for Cognitive Engagement, and I'd like to devote a section in each newsletter to think about thinking. Oftentimes educators tend to misidentify the level of instruction that they are using to engage students in higher levels of thinking. If we understand our levels better then we are able to better select strategies at various critical-thinking levels. Last month we started with Thinking at the Remember Level, let's continue to Thinking at the Understand Level.

At the Understand level, students begin establishing new connections with the content. There are seven cognitive processes associated with the Understand level:

• interpreting
• exemplifying
• classifying
• summarizing
• inferring
• comparing
• explaining

Today let's expand on three of them:

1. When interpreting, students convert information from one form to another. For example, use a primary source image to explain what an upcoming unit may be about. (Convert pictures to text)
2. With exemplifying, students must understand an existing concept and then find and suggest another example of that concept. For example, after teaching students about a specific primary source type, i.e. map, instruct them to look through the textbook to find a similar example for that same unit or a unit already covered.
3. When classifying, students categorize information or items based on similar characteristics. For example, instructing students to sort new vocabulary into categories based on connotation, or meaning.

Take a moment and evaluate the tasks you ask your students to complete. Thinking about the three cognitive processes shared, how often are students thinking at the Understand level. What do student responses from this level teach us? Each month we'll take a look at a different level and what we can do to increase cognitive engagement in our classrooms.

Forgotten No More, African American Service Men & Women of WWII

Presented by National Museum of the Pacific War

Grade: 4-7

Cost: FREE

Date: February 11

Time: 10:00 a.m. CST

Celebrate Black History Month 2022 by joining the National Museum of the Pacific War and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum as they recognize the struggles and contributions of some of the estimated one million African Americans who helped the United States achieve victory in WWII. Participants will hear about individuals and groups such as Dori Miller, U.S. Major Charity Adams, the Montford Point Marines, the Tuskegee Airmen, and more.

Since declaring independence from Great Britain, African Americans have stepped forward to defend our nation. By serving, they hoped that their devotion and love for the United States would bring acceptance as citizens and gain the same rights and privileges as other Americans.

RECORDING - Can't join us live? No problem! You will be sent a link to access the recording within 1-3 business days AFTER the live program. NOTE: The posted recording date/time is for registration purposes only.

Dear Teachers,

We are always striving to serve you better and, in light of changing practices during the pandemic, we know your needs are evolving. National History Day is partnering with Ed.D. students at The George Washington University and Ford's Theatre to learn from YOU what makes a great historical learning resource. Teachers of history are invited to complete this 10-minute survey. Please submit your responses before February 16, 2022.

If you choose, after completing the survey, you can be entered into a raffle for one of ten $50 Amazon gift cards. Thank you for your time and for sharing your thoughts,

National History Day

Texas LRE is excited to share an opportunity for teachers in our region to apply to attend a Trainer of Trainers session this coming summer. Law-Related Education and Law Focused Education, Inc. will sponsor two civic trainer sessions in the summer of 2022. These institutes will create a cadre of educators to serve as LRE ambassadors and train educators in their regional service center areas.

Elementary Educator Training - July 10-14, 2022

Middle School Educator Training - July 17-21, 2022

One teacher from each of the twenty regional service center areas in Texas will be chosen to attend. Teachers will be selected based on the strength of their application and will need to be existing classroom teachers, have between six to fifteen years of experience, and be comfortable teaching other adults.

Both training sessions will be held in Austin, Texas. Educators selected will be provided a travel stipend [up to $400], hotel accommodations [Sunday - Wednesday nights], meals and all materials. The attached flyer has additional information. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1swdipWAliY1ummORtOhaolryROFASwEa/view?usp=sharing

Teaching the Civil Rights Movement

Tuesdays • January 25 and February 1, 2021 • 5:15–6:30 pm CT

These webinars will offer a nuanced understanding of the civil rights movement, incorporating significant primary documents from a number of the movement’s major figures. The first webinar will consider the traditional historical understanding of the movement, providing a broad overview before complicating the story. The second webinar will focus on Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet,” and Fannie Lou Hamer’s testimony before the 1964 Democratic National Convention’s credentials committee, considering each document's presentation of American democracy. Both webinars will highlight the most important takeaways for middle and high school students.

Teaching U.S. History with Primary Documents, 1963–2000

Wednesdays • January 26–March 2, 2022 • 5:00–6:15 pm CT

Each weekly webinar will cover a document that is crucial to understanding U.S. history in the final decades of the twentieth century: the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the Pentagon Papers, the House Articles of Impeachment for Nixon, a document relating to the 1977 National Women’s Conference, and Reagan’s “Evil Empire” speech. Each webinar will focus on one of these documents, addressing both its context (how it came to be and its impact/significance) and its actual contents (the most important things for teachers to know and share with their students).

Teaching the Transformation of Texas, 1930–1945

Mondays • January 31–February 28, 2022 • 5:00–6:30 pm CT

This webinar series will offer teachers insight into the profound changes that remade Texas during the 1930s–1940s as the Great Depression, New Deal, and World War II collectively transformed it from a region of rural farmers into a modern, urbanized state. Team-taught by a historian and two master teachers, the sessions will provide a collection of curriculum materials geared toward bringing innovative perspectives into the classroom.

Teaching Reconstruction

Tuesdays • February 8 and 16, 2022 • 5:00–6:15 pm CT

The two webinars will offer a nuanced understanding of how Reconstruction reunited a war-torn nation, destroyed chattel slavery, and remade the American state against a backdrop of racial terrorism and radical economic upheaval. These webinars will explore how teachers can turn cutting-edge historical research into classroom-ready pedagogy. Particular emphasis will be placed on key questions, terms, and primary sources to share with students.

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

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

Instructional Leadership/Continuous Improvement Liaison

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