Another Free PD

 Free registration is now open for the Smithsonian's 2026 National Education Summit.

This free in-person and online multi-day event will be held July 14–16, 2026.  It is designed to unite leading voices in education under the theme "Together We Thrive: Towards a More Perfect Union." Four session tracks will equip you with classroom-ready ideas as we prepare for the United States’ Semiquincentennial in 2026.

Sessions led by talented Smithsonian educators will explore relevant themes at the intersections of art, culture, history, and science, relating to four learning strands: 

• Cultivating the Power of Dialogue
• Designing STEAM Solutions for Civic Challenges
• Leveraging the Arts as Civic Voice
• Placing History in Context

A Professional Development Certificate of Achievement will be given to all attendees. (And if you send me yours, I'll get you certificate for an OPI Renewal Unit). 

P.S. If you haven't yet completed our year-end survey, please don't forget to do so! I rely on the Teaching Montana History community for ideas and inspiration, and the posts in which I compile your recommended lessons and strategies are my favorite to write and most of your favorites to read. Plus, you may win a prize.

Summer Listening Suggestions

 Thank you to those of you who have taken our end-of-the-year survey! There are still two prizes left to give out so if you haven't had a chance to tell us what you think of Teaching Montana History and to share your favorite lesson plan or teaching strategy, please do so through this link..

One of the questions we asked was what you'd like to see more of, and several of you said podcast recommendations. You are in luck!

Laura Dukart from Wibaux wrote in to recommend The Obit Project, "a story-driven podcast about the lives of real Montanans after they die."

Michelle Pearson, from Two Geeky Teachers, shared a list she created of dozens of recommended podcasts to help you become a better educator, from "10 Minute Teacher Podcast" to a long list of podcasts to use with students. You can find her entire list of recommended summer listening here.   

Both Michelle and Laura were responding to my call for recommendations. If you have book, podcast, or other recommendations for summer, please send them my way and I'll share them out! And meantime, don't forget to complete our end of the year survey!

P.S. If you are changing schools, please re-subscribe using your new address! We'd hate to lose touch.

 

Happy 250 Birthday, USA

The Montana 250 Commission has been busy looking for ways to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US including a lot of educational programming. They've funded the Civics Bee competitions, National History Day, prizes and teacher training, and traveling exhibits. They've also worked with OPI to sponsor the Seal of Civic Literacy and the Montana Challenge. If you teach middle school or high school and didn't have your students participate in any of these programs this year, consider them for next year!  

Seal of Civics Literacy and Montana Challenge

I especially want to draw your attention to the Seal of Civic Literacy and the Montana Challenge. 

The Seal of Civics Literacy is only open to high school students. 

To receive the Seal, students must

• complete the OPI's version of the U.S. Naturalization (USCIS) test with a score of 80% or higher.
• complete the required .5 credits of Civics courses during high school as approved by the Board of Public Education.
• EITHER perform 40 hours of community service OR perform 20 hours of community service while also passing the Montana Challenge test created by the Montana Historical Society and the Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers.

This spring, 161 students took the naturalization test but only 62 were awarded the seal. I'd love to double this number in December, so start thinking about how to incorporate this into your government classes in the fall! (Find out more about the Seal of Civic Literacy--including links to study guides--here.)

The Montana Challenge is open to any student grades 6-12. It was the brainchild of the Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers, who wanted a test of Montana history, geography, and government knowledge modeled on the US citizenship test. This spring, 414 students took the Montana challenge and 128 passed, winning a $25 gift card from the Sons and Daughters. They have provided funds to purchase another 150 gift cards in December 2026 for students who pass the test. (If more than 150 kids pass, they will be distributed by random drawing.)  Put this on your calendar for fall semester as well (no gift cards in 2027!) Here's more information about the program. 

Represent Montana in Washington, DC

A big national initiative to recognize the anniversary is the Great American State Fair. Windfall is looking for people (especially teachers!) to staff the Montana Pavilion. They are paying $30/hour plus travel, accommodation, daily per diem, and transportation in/around DC are provided. 

They are hiring nine staff for each of the following date ranges:

• Wave 1: Travel dates 6/23 and 6/30; booth dates 6/24-6/29 (6/24 will be on-site training)
• Wave 2: Travel dates 6/29 and 7/6; booth dates 6/30-7/5
• Wave 3: Travel dates 7/5 and 7/11; booth dates 7/6-7/10

Learn more and apply here.

Lesson Plans for the Anniversary

The Montana 250 Commission gathered a bunch of lesson plans to improve civics education and teach students about the history of the revolution, including this Montana Office of Public Instruction lesson plan, The Declaration of Independence and the "merciless Indian savages".  As you begin to plan for next year, check out their Civics Education Resources.

P.S. If you haven't completed the end of year survey, please do so! 

Summer Is Coming!

 

Thinking Ahead

If you are changing schools, please re-subscribe using your new address! We'd hate to lose touch.

Also, it's time for my annual end of year survey, where I ask teachers to share their favorite lesson or strategy. Participation has been down the last few years, and I think that's a shame because y'all do really cool stuff and other teachers should know about it. So--I hope you'll take a moment to share with us your favorite lesson plan, strategy or resources. Teacher recommended strategies, lesson plans, and other resources (whether created by MTHS or by someone else) are reliably readers' favorite posts to Teaching Montana History. I’d also appreciate your feedback on the services and resources MTHS.

Would you be willing to take an online survey? If so, click here. We'll be offering prizes to the 13th, 23rd, and 32nd person to submit a response, so there are lots of chances to win.

Summer Reading

Do you have any books to recommend to colleagues (on pedagogy, history, IEFA, or Montana)? Send them my way and I'll compile a list to share.

Student Opportunity

The National History Academy has need-based full and partial scholarships (including covering travel costs) for students interested in participating in "a unique pre-college program that inspires students to understand the foundations of American democracy and the responsibilities of citizenship through experiential learning."

"Based in Middleburg, Virginia near the nation's capital, the Academy uses the surrounding historic landscape as an outdoor classroom, immersing students in key moments of U.S. history where they unfolded. Through case studies of pivotal events and a parliamentary debate program that connects past to present, students develop a deeper, more active understanding of democracy. This summer, the four-week residential program will welcome 90 talented students from across the country from June 28 to July 24."

Interested students can apply through this link [nationalhistoryacademy.org]. You can also explore our website here. [nationalhistoryacademy.org] 

Create an ornament to be displayed in D.C. and/or learn more about Montana's Constitution

 

Sum Up Montana in a Christmas Tree Ornament

Looking for a fun end-of-the-year project? This year's National Christmas Tree is coming from US Forest Service Region 1, which included Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota, and the Forest Service is recruiting 10,000 hand-made ornaments to send to the capitol. Specifically, they are looking for: 

6,500 Small Ornaments for Indoor Trees

• Must be 4-8 inches in size
• Decorated front and back
• Lightweight and colorful!
• Express what makes Montana special (flora, fauna, state symbols, iconic landscapes, Indigenous nations, history relating to the forest or the theme "over the rivers and through the woods,” for example, Lewis and Clark expedition)

3,500 Small Ornaments for Outdoor Trees

• Must be 9-12 inches in size
• Decorated front and back
• Lightweight, colorful and durable for outdoor weather conditions!
• Express what makes Montana special (flora, fauna, state symbols, Indigenous nations, history, especially relating to the forest or relates to the theme “Over
  the rivers and through the woods”

50 Tree Skirts

• Skirts should have a diameter of 5 to 8 feet
• Slit needs to be included
• Center hole must be 6 inches

Ornaments may NOT include names (including sports teams or school names), divisive or offensive content, or political or religious words or symbols.

Ornaments must be double-sided. Do not worry about stringing up the ornaments (the Capitol architect has a special wire for that), but feel free to punch a hole. 

You can find more details about the rules and some inspiration in this folder. Note that this material all refers to Idaho, because that's where it was created, but they want Montana contributions too!

Mail your ornaments to Liz Burke, 2880 Skyway Drive, Helena, MT, 59602 before July 31 and she will deliver them. 

Billings Workshop on Teaching Montana's Constitution, June 14-16, 2026

There is still space available for grades 6-12 teachers in Teaching Montana’s Constitution: A Summer Workshop for Educators. Educators attending this free workshop will be offered lodging, a travel stipend, and 12 OPI Renewal Units. Learn more at the Friends of the Montana Constitution website.

Scholarships to the Montana History Conference

 

Save the Date!

The 53rd Annual Montana History Conference, "Culture Keepers, Catalysts, and Cowboys: Exploring Billings and Eastern Montana" will be held September 24-26, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Billings.

Keynote speakers will include historian Paul Hedren, author of Sitting Bull's War: The Battle of Little Big Horn and the Fight for Buffalo and Freedom on the Plains; Crow Tribal Preservation Officer Aaron Brien, and first-person interpreter Mary Jane Bradbury as Evelyn Cameron.

Renewal units will be available for both the Thursday educator workshop and all conference sessions and tours. (Check here after July 1 for more details.) We hope you’ll consider attending!

As in past years, we will be offering travel scholarships for both teachers and college students.

About the Schedule

Thursday, September 25

Scholarship recipients will be required to attend a half-day educator workshop on Thursday led by Melissa Hibbard and focused on historical thinking skills. They will then have the opportunity to participate in a walking tour of Billings, a workshop on sugar beets in Montana, or a workshop on writing and publishing. 

A welcoming reception Thursday evening at the Billings Depot offers the opportunity to listen to western folk musicians John and Joanna Lowell and see two pop-up exhibits, one on historic maps and the other on “The Montana Tapestry: People and Places from 1776 to Today.” 

Friday, September 26    

Whereas the Thursday educator workshop includes a combination of content and teaching strategies, Friday focuses exclusively on content, with presentations on a range of Billings and Eastern Montana history topics, from two photographers who documented the Crow to the history of 4-H and early Yellowstone River Exploration. For those willing to miss sessions, there are also several tours offered on Friday, including architectural tours of Billings, a walk through Mountainview Cemetery, and a tour of two historic cemeteries.

Saturday, September 27 

Saturday morning brings more focus on content, including talks about the myth of Chinese tunnels, biographic warrior writing, ski-jumping and racing in Northeastern Montana, and more. An optional behind-the-scenes architectural tour of Billings' historic buildings closes out the conference on Saturday afternoon.  

About the Scholarships

Funded by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, the scholarships consist of full conference registration plus up to $400 in travel/expense reimbursement. All teachers and students in Montana’s colleges and universities are eligible to apply (residents of Billings and the vicinity are eligible for the conference registration scholarship but not the travel reimbursement). We will also be offering scholarships to cover the registration fee for teachers who only wish to attend the Thursday workshop.

Teacher recipients of the full scholarship must attend the entire conference, including the half-day Thursday’s Educators Workshop and the Saturday sessions (afternoon tours are optional). Student recipients must commit to attending all day Friday and Saturday but are also welcome at Thursday workshops.

Preference will be given to

• Billings area teachers
• Teachers and students from Montana tribal colleges
• Teachers from Montana's on-reservation schools
• Students from Montana community colleges and four-year universities
• Teachers from Montana's rural, under-served communities.

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. June 14, 2026. Awards will be announced on Friday, June 26, 2026. Applying for a scholarship is quick and easy. Apply online.