A Note on Links: When reading back posts, please be aware that links have a short half-life. You can find working links to all of the MHS resources on our Educator Resources Page.

Monday, October 3, 2022

Meet me in Helena for the MFPE Educators Conference

 I’m getting ready for the MFPE Educator Conference, where I’ll be presenting “Social Studies Skills” on Friday, October 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. I hope to see you there—if not at my session at the MTHS booth in the exhibit hall.

I hope you are planning on attending. The conference has a great line-up this year. I'm particularly excited for Denise Juneau's keynote on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. There are a lot of sessions on media literacy/telling truth from fiction, all of which looked great--too many to detail here. And lots to satisfy Lewis and Clark enthusiasts. Check the program! Here are a few other sessions that caught my eye.

Thursday, October 20, 8:00 a.m. - 8:50 a.m.

Adding Complexity to Literary Analysis and Social Studies Instruction

Presented by: Tamra Stambaugh

Add complexity to your ELA and social studies instruction using evidence supported frameworks to guide questioning and analysis. Differentiate questions and promote higher level thinking. After discussing each framework, be ready to write your own differentiated questions and to apply the strategies.

Digital Storytelling with PBS Finding Your Roots

Presented by: Nikki Vradenburg

Get hands-on training using curriculum and tools from the popular PBS program, Finding Your Roots. Learn to implement digital storytelling with students using clips and lessons from the show. Bring a laptop or Chromebook to get the most out of this session and come ready to be inspired!

Heart Mountain Japanese Relocation Center

Presented by: Armand Lohof

At this overview of the World War II history of the Japanese American Relocation Center in Wyoming, we will cover not only the camp during the war, but also the reaction of the internees.

Thursday, October 20, 9:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.

Teaching Native Literature: Context for Bridge-building

Presented by: Jessica Jones

This presentation lays groundwork for sensitively approaching Native literature via the Essential Understandings. Topics include forced boarding schools, removal and reservations, cyclical trauma, survivance, humor, and celebration. Slideshow overviews creation stories, early songs and testimonies to novels, Native Renaissance, and contemporary poetry. Emphasis placed on tribal specificity and regional diversity.

Thursday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

Teaching about Montana’s Chinese Communities

Presented by: Mark Johnson

Middle and High School Social Studies teachers, learn the deep history of Chinese Montanans, their struggles, connections back to China, contributions to the region’s development, and how they kept the culture alive in Montana. This session features new research on the topic with lesson plans for grades 6-12.

Thursday, October 20, 11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

Exploring Indigenous Resistance and Resiliency using the Inquiry Design Model

Presented by: Erin O'Reilly

We will use the Inquiry Design Model( (IDM) to explore how inquiry-based learning can shape your social studies classroom. We will use strategies for pairing anchor text with primary and secondary sources to engage in inquiry-based learning, specifically, exploring Indigenous resistance and resiliency to colonization and cultural genocide throughout history. (Material Fee - $30.00)

Thursday, October 20, 11:00 a.m. - 12:50 p.m.

Your Montana Primary Source Resource Montana Memory Project

Presented by: Jennifer Birnel

The Montana Memory Project is a digital repository of thousands of items including many primary source documents. Learn how to use this website to search for relevant content - including teacher-created exhibits, and how to save your favorite items for later use and share this content with students.

Thursday, October 20, 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.

IEFA & Social Studies Standards K - 5 Resources

Presented by: Mike Jetty & Zach Hawkins

The new Social Studies Standards provide educators with an excellent opportunity to integrate IEFA in K-5 Social Studies instruction. This interactive workshop will provide hands-on demonstrations of instructional materials and methods for meeting the new standards.

Thursday, October 20, 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.

Russell for Learning: Educational Resources from the C.M. Russell Museum

Presented by: Melissa Werber

Join C.M. Russell Museum’s Education Coordinator, Melissa Werber, as she shares strategies, tools, and resources for arts integration in the classroom. (This presentation is also offered Thursday, 4:00 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.)

Teaching Tough Topics

Presented by: Sandra Oldendorf

Discuss tough topics to teach from U.S. history and current events such as voting rights, racism, sexism, immigration, colonialism, and westward expansion. Explore the rationales for teaching these topics. Participate in engaging strategies (such as PBS Story Corps, adolescent literature, media literacy) that address these topics from multiple perspectives.

Thursday, October 20, 2022 2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.

Educating for equity and working toward educational justice

Presented by: Denise Juneau

While “equity” has become a scary word for some politicians, educators understand that working toward educational justice is their calling. And that means educators must commit to dismantling inequitable practices and policies, provide culturally-responsive and rigorous content, and ensure quality opportunities for every child. It’s going to take all of us to ensure that the Montana public education system does not retreat from the progress it has made in Indian Education for All, access and opportunity to a quality education in every community, meaningful educator licensure, and more. Public schools have always been political battlegrounds. There is perennial controversy around what content is taught, who is teaching, what types of reform works, who governs, what gets measured and assessed, what books get read, and what words can be said in classrooms. Despite today’s political conflict and strife, it’s time to unapologetically and courageously TEACH.

Thursday, October 20, 2022 3:00 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

Q&A with Denise Juneau

Presented by: Alex Rosenleaf & Bruce Wendt

A follow-up to the MCSS keynote session with Denise Juneau where participants can ask questions.

Thursday, October 20, 2022 3:00 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.

Proficiency-Based Education: The Inquiry Design Model and MT SS Standards

Presented by: Hailey Hancock

The Inquiry Design Model (IDM) is one blueprint teachers can use to develop lessons that align to the new SS standards. Teachers will be introduced to the IDM, explore sample lessons, analyze proficiency scales, to see how IDM may align with proficiency-based education, and teachers will create their own lesson.

Friday, October 21, 2022 9:00 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.

Socio-Demographic Data Resources for Montana

Presented by: Dave Ritts

The Decennial Census and American Community Survey (ACS) programs within the U.S. Census Bureau provide the most comprehensive sources of socio-demographic data for the State of Montana. This presentation will describe how the data is collected, available geographic areas (ex. county) and tools for viewing and downloading the data.

Friday, October 21, 10:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

Historical Mashup: Bridging the past to the future.

Presented by: April Wills

In this session we will explore artifacts and primary sources, dive into new technology ideas, and discuss some classroom tested activities that are engaging and fun! We will focus on MT History, IEFA, and American history. Join us for a session built around fun, wonder, and active learning.

IEFA Tools For All Teachers

Presented by: Ronald Buck

Having trouble teaching IEFA in your classroom? Join us to learn about free lessons and resources that are easily implemented into your classroom. You will see how these lessons are implemented in a classroom. Join us for a tutorial on using resources from the Montana Historical Society in your class.

Friday, October 21, 2022 11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

IEFA & Social Studies Standards 6th-12th Resources

Presented by: Mike Jetty & Zach Hawkins

The new Social Studies Standards provide educators with an excellent opportunity to integrate Indian Education for All in 6-12 Social Studies instruction. This interactive workshop will provide hands-on demonstrations of effective instructional materials and methods for meeting the new standards.

Friday, October 21, 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.

MCSS Business Meeting (and food!)

Come join MCSS for a meeting about the business of our organization, the state of Social Studies education, and the consumption of yummy food!

Friday, October 21, 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.

IEFA in the ELA Classroom

Presented by: Stephanie Swigart & Matthew Bell

The Montana ELA standards include specific requirements to implement IEFA, but it can be challenging to select high-quality, vetted materials and then implement them meaningfully and responsively. Build familiarity and confidence with embedding IEFA into your ELA curriculum.

Friday, October 21, 2022 1:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.

What’s a critical Social Studies educator? Standards, Content, and Identity

Presented by: Hailey Hancock & Melissa Walker

“How do we know what we don’t know?” We will provide strategies to engage in teacher self-reflection, activities to guide your students in unpacking challenging Social Studies content, and to foster a culturally relevant Social Studies classroom. Finally, we will connect to the new MT SS standards.

Friday, October 21, 2022 2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.

Using Historical Documents to Discuss Race

Presented by: Bruce Wendt

Good teachers help students connect themes of yesteryear with current issues and to challenge current perceptions no matter in history, science, literature, or mathematics. Come discuss how ideas of race permeate and affect myriad classroom discussions. A list of sources will guide conversation.

Friday, October 21, 2022 3:00 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.

Social Studies Student Researchers: Supporting Student-Led Community Inquiries

Presented by: Marcie Reuer and Scout Sutton

This session describes and provides examples of community inquiries for Social Studies students from 4th grade to graduate level college courses. Community inquiries have students perform research to answer questions of personal curiosity about their communities.

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