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.

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Have a Great Summer

This is my last Teaching Montana History Post for the season (unless something great comes up that I feel the need to share.) I hope you have a great summer. And if you are traveling through Helena, please stop by and say hi. Remember: Admission to the Montana Heritage Center is always free (and we're open Saturdays and Sundays, though you won't see me).

Summer Recommendations 

Last week I shared listening recommendations--enough to keep you busy all summer. Here are some other recommendations of things to do and to think about. 

Learn more about multiple perspectives. When I first moved to Montana 31 years ago, I was a typically uninformed Midwesterner, especially about Indigenous history and culture. "Army Allies or Tribal Survival? The 'Other Indians' in the 1876 Campaign" by Colin Calloway, which focuses on the Crow and Arikara scouts who fought with the Custer was the first article that really helped me internalize Essential Understanding #1 (There is great diversity among the twelve sovereign tribes of Montana...)

The Montana Historical Society Press published the essay in Legacy: New Perspectives on the Battle of Little Bighorn, which I just learned you can access for free through Internet Archives. What brought this article to mind was a symposium Little Bighorn College held recently to mark the 150th anniversary of the Great Sioux War. One thing that jumped out at me from the Bighorn County News article about the symposium is Professor Emeritus Dale Old Horn's determination to set the record straight that the Crow who fought with the U.S. government were not "race traitors." Instead, "they were determined to survive an ongoing invasion of tribes from the east." This short article could be a great bell-ringer or an addition to a DBQ that brings in another perspective on the war besides those typically talked about: The US government and the Lakota and Cheyenne. 

Visit Montana State Parks. In partnership with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Montana 250 Commission created an exhibit describing what life was like in specific places of Montana in 1776. Individual banners from this exhibit will be displayed at nine state parks: Montana Wild in Helena, Flathead Lake State Park, Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, Bannack State Park, Travelers’ Rest State Park, Chief Plenty Coups State Park, First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Makoshika State Park, and Pictograph Cave State Park. Go check them out.

Join in History and Culture Celebrations. Here are just a few!

Share best practices. Yes, this is another plea for you to take time to answer my survey. I learn so much from your responses, and other teachers do too! (And I still have prizes available.) 

However you spend your summer, I hope it is restorative, energizing and loads of fun! See you next fall. 

P.S. If you are changing schools, make sure to re-subscribe using your new address. 

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Monday, June 1, 2026

Professional Development and Mentoring

 

Land, Leadership, and Legacy: George Washington and Montana Identity Teacher Institute

August 5 (Helena) OR August 7 (Billings)

At this FREE workshop, teachers will have the opportunity to hear from historical scholars about George Washington’s agricultural leadership, the 1880 visit by Chief Plenty Coups to Mount Vernon, and the modern-day connection to Montana’s apple orchards. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn the importance of Indigenous perspectives in shaping regional identity and history. Educators will walk away with ready-to-use resources and insights to help students think critically about the connections between the land, leadership, and legacy of George Washington and make meaningful connections to Montana’s history and the present day. 

Attendees earn 6 OPI Renewal Units and MUST teach in a formal K-12 classroom or school setting.

Learn more and find link to register:

Building Wilderness Conservation Lesson Plans: A Weekend Workshop at Smoke’s Barn

Dates: September 12 & 13, 2026 (Saturday and Sunday) from 10am-4pm each day

Location: Smoke Elser’s Barn @ 3800 Rattlesnake Drive in Missoula, Montana

Cost: Free! A $500 reimbursement will be paid to each participant who completes the entire involvement experience after the final lesson plan is submitted to our Educational Administration at MCE. Lunch and snacks (Saturday and Sunday) and dinner Saturday will be provided. 

Renewal Units: 12

Hosted by Montana Conservation Elders and Teaching Primary Sources of the Library of Congress.

This weekend workshop brings together educators and leaders from Montana’s wilderness and conservation community (including author Rick Bass and legendary packer Smoke Elser) to collaboratively create high-quality, place-based lesson plans and classroom activities.

Selected participants will learn to access and use primary sources and educational materials from the previously created Montana Conservation Elders Educational Materials, Library of Congress, University of Montana Special Collections, Montana Historical Society, The National Archives, Arthur Carhart Foundation, and the Montana History Portal (which will offer a mini-workshop during the conference).

Qualified Applicants are: K–12 teachers, Tribal colleges, teacher preparation programs, Park Service educators, museum educators, and key stakeholders to work with noted experts to build lessons focused on wilderness conservation and Montana history.

Apply by June 10.

For more information contact Cheryl Hughes / cherylhug@gmail.com / 406-240-4380

Historical Thinking through Student-Driven Research

August 11-12, Great Falls College-MSU. FREE with TRAVEL STIPEND

Want to engage your class with student-driven research projects using primary sources? Want to promote more historical thinking and critical analysis? Join teachers from across the state as Lynne O’Hara, deputy director of education for National History Day and former Philadelphia public schools social studies teacher, teaches you how to facilitate student research, analyze sources, and think historically. Think of it as a two-day “doing history” bootcamp.

Eligible Applicants:

  • Teach 4th-12th grade in Montana
  • Can commit to teaching student-driven historical research projects using primary sources in the 2026-2056 school year
  • Can commit to attending BOTH days of the August 11-12 summer institute from 9 am to 4 pm at Great Falls College-MSU.

Successful Applicants will receive:

  • Meals during the workshop
  • Lodging
  • Travel stipends
  • 12 OPI renewal units

Learn more and find link to apply here.

MentorMT Is Hiring Mentors

MentorMT offers grade- and subject-aligned mentoring for new or underprepared rural teachers, helping them build effective pedagogy and content knowledge in their grade level and discipline. Over 100 K-12 teachers will be matched with mentors next year.

The ideal mentor is an active (or eligible retired) Montana K-12 teacher with:

  • expertise in content and pedagogy for your grade/subject
  • 5+ years of experience in teaching or special services
  • Experience with and empathy toward rural education (teachers, students, schools, communities, & resources)
  • Selection and matching criteria include subject-area and grade-band compatibility, geographic location, school type, and unique applicant skills and experiences

Does this describe you? Learn more and apply today!

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, June 5, 2026.

And Speaking of Mentoring...

Don't forget to complete our year-end survey to share your favorite strategies and lessons with the Teaching Montana History community (and maybe win a prize.)  

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