The Social Studies Professional | November 4, 2025 | No. 458
NCSS President Tina M. Ellsworth, Ph.D, welcomes you to the November issue of the Social Studies Professional. We are just one month out from Hill Day 2025, followed shortly by the big event: the 105th NCSS Annual Conference! Register now.
Members Only: NCSS Hill Day 2025
We invite all members of NCSS to join us in Washington, D.C., on December 4 as we give voice to the important work of NCSS, the challenges social studies educators are facing, and the ways in which legislators can support us and our students.
This full day event (8 AM - 4 PM ET) will include informative sessions on advocacy best practices with Thorn Run Partners and the education policy landscape with iCivics. More information will be provided in November to registrants about how and when to schedule appointments with members of Congress.
The cost to participate is $25. Leave-behind materials, talking points, training, and public transit pass will be provided to all registrants. Register now.
The Power of We: How Inclusive Communication drives Climate Action
This free workshop from Climate Generation empowers educators to use inclusive communication to drive equitable climate action. Through interactive sessions, participants will learn to tailor climate messages for diverse audiences, center impacted voices, and connect science to real-world contexts to build more resilient communities.
Win a $5,000 Grant Through the Teaching America250 Awards
The Jack Miller Center will award one teacher in every state a $5,000 grant to carry out a special civics project next year related to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The Teaching America250 Awards will enable teachers to develop educational projects, field trips, or events to engage students in the semiquincentennial and the principles of the Declaration. The application form is open here until November 16, 2025. Any K-12 educator teaching in a school is eligible to apply.
The State of Modern Education: Teaching in a Time of Turmoil
Join the Middle States Council for the Social Studies and the National Women’s Foundation online for this panel discussion on November 18 at 7 PM ET. Attendees will explore strategies for teaching during challenging times, including creating brave spaces, adapting to current events, and supporting student well-being. Panelists include Dr. Shelina Warren, Shannon Saltzer Burghardt, Anton Schulzki, Jennifer Ingold, and Pamela Johnson. Register now and gain practical tools for fostering empathy and inclusion in your classroom.
Incorporating Diplomacy into Your Curriculum
Join the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) for these upcoming virtual workshop sessions, tailored to 6th to 12th-grade teachers. Register now.
Bringing Diplomacy to Life: NMAD Resources Overview
In this one-hour session, NMAD will share how to introduce and incorporate diplomacy into your curriculum with NMAD’s video products, classroom activities and lessons, and our diplomacy simulation program.
November 7, 2025, 12:00-1:00 pm EST
Expert Insights: Topics in Diplomacy
Topic: Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall Learn about how diplomats worked to advance U.S. diplomacy despite the presence of the Berlin Wall.
Sessions offered:
November 18, 2025, 2:00-3:30 pm EST
Open for Applications: 2026 James Madison Graduate Fellowships
The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation offers $24,000 James Madison Graduate Fellowships to individuals desiring to become outstanding teachers of the American Constitution at the secondary school level. Fellowship applicants compete only against other applicants from the states of their legal residence. As funding permits, the Foundation plans to offer one fellowship per state per year. Submit your application here by Monday, March 2, 2026.
