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MAINE COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIESEVENTS |
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES Check out the links below for upcoming social studies professional development opportunities |
COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG'S BOB AND MARION WILSON TEACHER INSTITUTE - is currently accepting scholarship applications (including guaranteed at least one from Maine!) for its fully funded Summer 2026 onsite program, “Revolutionary Roots: Teaching Civic Engagement at 250”—a special program created in recognition of the 250th Commemoration. During the Teacher Institute, educators: Learn inside iconic Revolutionary-era spaces Engage with historians and historical interpreters
With less than one month remaining before applications close (February 2, 2026), we invite state leaders to share this opportunity through statewide educator communications or listservs. Educators and educator teams are also welcome to stay connected year-round through our newsletter, which highlights professional learning opportunities, classroom resources, and upcoming programs. We also have upcoming webinars we’re really excited about, and would love for you to share with teachers in your state including: “Behind the Scenes of The American Revolution: A Conversation with David Schmidt and Mary-Kate Lonergan” | February 10, 7:00 PM ET - Registration Link "Debating the Constitution: Strategies for Teaching Civil Discourse with Primary Sources" | February 24, 7:00 PM ET - Registration Link Join Joe Schmidt, Executive Director of K-12 Education at Colonial Williamsburg and co-author of Civil Discourse: Classroom Conversations for Stronger Communities as he demonstrates a classroom discourse strategy that connects teaching the constitution using primary sources with student dialogue. Participants will receive 1.5 professional development hours. We also welcome the opportunity to connect and learn how we can better support educators across your state. Please reach out to Lindsey Horner, Educator Outreach and Engagement Manager, with any questions or ideas for collaboration! Learn more & apply for the Summer Teacher Institute: Onsite Residential Programs Newsletter sign-up: Stay in Touch! ICIVICS EDUCATOR NETWORK - is a a community of civics, history, government, and social studies teachers from kindergarten to post-secondary education.The Educator Network is free and members receive sneak peeks of new resources, professional development opportunities, and a network of like-minded educators. The application for new members closes on January 12, 2026. Find out more here. NCSS WEBINARS - titled Power Up Your Instruction with Social Entrepreneurship Institute Instruction - Join to learn how social entrepreneurship seamlessly integrates across social studies grades and subjects, while optimizing student motivation to pursue their interests and passions in the classroom. A quick demonstration of how design thinking skills—creative, innovative, problem-solving skills—double as highly effective instructional strategies for teaching social studies and boosting engagement. Free, classroom-ready resources are included. This is a virtual event to be held on January 27, 2026 from 7:00 pm to 8:00. Find out more and register here. |
TRANSATLANTIC OUTREACH PROGRAM ("TOP") offers a transformative professional development opportunity for social studies educators in the United States and Canada. Participants spend 10 days in Germany visiting 2-3 German cities with 14 other social studies educators. This unique learning experience equips educators with new knowledge, strategies, and resources to enrich their classroom instruction with global perspectives and spark students’ interest in the world around them. The application deadline is February 1, 2026, for more information click here. MONTICELLO TEACHER INSTITUTE - is now accepting applications for the Monticello Teacher Institute. This is an immersive professional development program that provides social studies teachers the opportunity to research and study at Monticello and the Jefferson Library in Charlottesville, Virginia. For more information and to apply, click here. Applications close April 1, 2026. WE THE TEACHERS is a national fellowship designed to strengthen K–12 history and civics education by equipping educators with deep content knowledge, evidence-based pedagogy, and classroom-ready tools that connect America’s founding principles to civic life. The program is supported by a three-year, $2.8 million U.S. Department of Education grant and includes three connected components:
Participants will receive a $2,500 stipend and all lodging/participation costs are fully covered. Only be selecting two teachers from each state will be selected for this exciting, paid fellowship. Applications are open now and close January 31, 2026. For information and to apply, click here. NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER - Don't miss your opportunity to join fellow teachers from across the country for a weeklong, residential professional learning experience that blends rich constitutional content, innovative pedagogy, and a supportive community of peers. It will be an extraordinary moment to learn in Philadelphia, as the National Constitution Center proudly serves as an anchor of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Institutes are open to educators working with grades 5–12 at public, charter, independent, parochial, and other schools. The institutes are Sunday – Friday. Stipends are offered to cover a portion of travel and lodging costs. Some lunches and dinners are also provided during the institute. iApplications are due January 23, 2026. To apply click here. Also, don't miss out on the free virtual programs: Monthly Sessions - 90-minute sessions that serve as introductions to the U.S. Constitution that explore methods for constitutional teaching and pedagogy from experienced practitioners and scholars. Topics this year will focus on the 250th anniversary theme. Learn more Learning with NCCEd: Protocol Edition - 60-minute sessions that provide an opportunity to explore classroom-ready instructional protocols designed to bring the NCC’s educational framework to life. Learn more NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES- is now accepting applications for a variety of summer institutes, virtual and onsite. Examples: America's Forgotten Founders: The Revolutionary City of Philadelphia, The Ancient Olympics and Daily Life in Ancient Olympia: A Hands-On History, The Homestead Steel Strike and the Growth of America as an Industrial Power, and 250 Years of Teaching with Maps, Applications close on March 6, 2026 for all 2026 programs at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Click here for specifics on programs and application information. |
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT Check out the links below for upcoming social studies opportunities |
Colby Model UN Club is organizing a high school Model UN conference at Colby College on March 7-8, 2026. The conference will have no registration fees, and is open to all high schoolers around Maine regardless of any past experience with Model UN and related activities. The Colby Model UN Club is happy to work closely with schools to ensure the conference is accessible to interested students, including help with arranging transportation to Colby. For any questions about the conference, Model UN, or to express interest, please reach out to Zubair Hossain (mzhoss28@colby.edu) The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce is participating in the National Civics Bee! To enter, Maine middle schoolers (grades 6–8) are invited to submit a short essay by Feb. 3, 2026, sharing their best idea about using Civics to improve and strengthen their community. The top 20 essays advance to a live state competition hosted by the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, based in Waterville. The state champion will represent Maine at the National Civics Bee® in Washington, D.C., competing for prizes — including a $100,000 grand prize All applications must be submitted by Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Time. Visit www.nationalcivicsbee.org for the latest news on the application portal, entry deadlines, and resources.
Give your students the chance to share their ideas for solving real-world challenges! The World of 8 Billion student video contest invites middle & high schoolers to propose sustainable solutions to Energy, Economics, or Wetlands in a creative 60-second video. The deadline for student submissions is March 4, 2026. |
Join the Civic Star Challenge: A groundbreaking initiative from iCivics and the Bill of Rights Institute. Engage your students with the legacy of the Declaration of Independence. Discover recommended resources and suggested activities to seamlessly integrate the key themes of the Declaration of Independence into your curriculum, regardless of subject.Teach the themes throughout this school year for more chances to win over 400 incredible prizes. Click here for more information and to join. Cycle 2 Essay entries are due by January 31, 2026. NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IS IN NEED OF JUDGES - t’s the start of the NHD contest season and the annual call for judges begins! Registration is easy and you can participate in multiple contests. Click the link(s) below for the contest you want to judge, go to “create an account” at the top left, choose “judge” in the dropdown menu, and follow the instructions. It’s that easy. As you register, consider which categories you might be interested in judging. You may request a specific category that aligns with your profession or interests. If you do not choose a specific category, one will be assigned for you. Before the contest (Roughly 3 weeks prior) you will receive your judging assignment, this will include names and contact information of your fellow judges within your team and further instructions and information on the category you will be judging. Here are the links (Presque Isle is not available yet). Please take note of when judge registration closes. Southern Portland Contest Judging: Registration Closes February 13, 2026 Contest: March 7, 2026 at the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education and the University of Southern Maine. Central Bangor Contest Judging: Registration Closes March 6, 2026 to be held March 28, 2026 at John Bapst Memorial High School. Northern Presque Isle Contest Judging: Registration Closes TBD University of Maine State Contest Judging: Registration Closes April 10, 2026 to be held May 2, 2026 at the University of Maine to host the northern regional and state contests, respectively. |
Maine Council for the Social Studies is an affiliate council with the National Council for the Social Studies
| Maine Council for the Social Studies is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. P.O. Box 618 Westbrook, ME 04092
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