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.

 

Montana Stories for Kids

 Allen M. Jones, Montana's current poet laureate, has a challenge for kids ages 7-12: Write a story that's less than 300 words based on an interview with a family member, then send it to him to read.

Because he's a writer, not a historian, he proposes that students write their stories in first person. He has great prompts: "Tell me about a problem you had when you were growing up or when you first moved to Montana." "Was there something you really wanted that you couldn't have?" "Did you ever do something that you shouldn't have, and then try to get out of trouble?"

Many of his questions focus on problems--to create a narrative arch. "What choices did you make that led you to having your problem?" "How did you finally manage to solve the problem?" 

Here's the flier he's created with sample questions and instructions. 

If you are intrigued by this assignment but want to focus on non-fiction, check out the user guide Oral History in the Classroom Mini Footlocker for inspiration. Or Unit 4, Part 3, Lesson 2 of Montana: A History of Our Home, which asks students to interview a family member about their immigration history. (See p. 217 of the teacher's guide or p. 30 of the PDF.)

Teaching Montana's Constitution: A Free Summer Educator Workshop

 Teaching Montana’s Constitution: A Summer Workshop for Educators will bring together Montana teachers for an in-person professional development opportunity focused on incorporating the story of Montana’s Constitution in their social studies, history, ELA, and/or government curriculum.

Fast Facts

• Dates: June 14-16, 2026
• Place: MSU Billings Campus
• Renewal Units: 12
• Cost: FREE! Lodging, two meals per day, and travel stipend provided
• Target Audience: Middle and High School social studies and ELA teachers
• Registration link: Register - Teaching Montana’s Constitution

Learn More

Organized by the Friends of the Montana Constitution, a statewide nonpartisan nonprofit, this workshop assembles constitutional experts, historians, retired public servants, and current educators to dive deep into the history of Montana’s unique 1972 Constitution and the people who wrote it. Teachers will leave the workshop not only with new materials and resources, but also with new strategies for incorporating Montana history and government into their classrooms in exciting and engaging ways.

• Session Topics Include:
• A primer on Montana’s Constitution
• Stories of the delegates to the 1972 Constitutional Convention including C. Louise Cross
• The role of judges
• The history of MT in the 1960’s & 1970’s
• Montana Constitutional Law
• How Article X led to Indian Education for All
• Understanding the initiative process and the role of the legislature, and more!

Presenters Include: Betsy Griffing, retired adjunct Professor of Montana Constitutional Law and Civil Rights Litigator; Pat Cotter, retired Montana Supreme Court Justice; Constance Van Kley, Assistant Professor with the Alexander Blewett III School of Law; Emily Cross, Billings Attorney and Granddaughter of constitutional convention delegate C. Louise Cross; Brad Faulhaber, Gov’t and Criminal Law Teacher with Sidney Public Schools; and Susan Fox, Retired Legislative Services Director.

Sponsors: This workshop is organized by the Friends of the Montana Constitution with support and funding from the Montana 250 Commission and the Montana Historical Society.

Questions?

Contact: Julia Gustafson, Coordinator, coordinator@montanaconstitution.org or 406-422-2920.

Montana's Constitution

 

Bring a Virtual Guest Speaker into Your Class for Montana Constitution Day

On March 22, 1972, all 100 delegates to the Montana Constitutional Convention signed a new constitution for the State of Montana. And just as we celebrate Constitution Day in the U.S. on September 17 to commemorate the September 17, 1787, signing of the United States Constitution, the Friends of the Montana Constitution are calling on Montanans to commemorate our State Constitution every year on March 22 – Montana Constitution Day!

Because March 22 falls on a Sunday this year, they've moved their programming to Friday, March 20, when they will host a livestreamed lecture by the Honorable Anthony Johnstone, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, wo will present “The Montana Constitution in Time” with an introduction from Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice Cory Swanson.

Judge Johnstone’s presentation considers the development of the Montana Constitution over time in relation to the 1889 Montana Constitution, the U.S. Constitution, and other state and national constitutions. Your class is invited to tune in online via Zoom at 10:30 a.m., March 20:  https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/89140933494. 

Resources to Teach about the Montana Constitution

MTHS has a number of resources to help teach about the Montana Constitution, including lesson plans, a chapter dedicated to its creation in Montana: Stories of the Land, and a 23-minute video with discussion questions. You can find links to all of these resources here. 

Not Everyone Is a Fan of Montana's Constitution

I was interested to see this article in the Montana Free Press, talking about a meeting held by Mountain States Policy Center to discuss rewriting the constitution. Voters weigh in on whether to call a new constitutional convention every 20 years. The issue will next appear on the ballot in 2030. 

What Do You (and More Importantly, Your Students) Think?

Montana's 1972 Constitution is relatively short and easy to read. It's also relatively easy to amend. I wonder if, after reading it, your students would support calling for a constitutional convention to rewrite the entire document, passing amendments to change portions of it, or if they think our founding document is fine the way it is.  

Nominate someone for a Heritage Keeper Award

The Montana Historical Society (MTHS) is now accepting nominations for its annual Heritage Keeper Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations whose extraordinary efforts preserve and promote Montana's rich historical and cultural heritage.

The Society's Board of Trustees will select up to two recipients for the Heritage Keeper Award. In exceptional cases, an outstanding nominee may instead receive the Heritage Guardian Award—the Society's highest honor, bestowed only when merit warrants special recognition.

Nominees must meet the following qualifications:

For Individuals:

• Be currently living
• Have demonstrated exceptional commitment to a significant Montana history project
• Have identified or preserved objects, sites, or properties of significance to Montana's historical and cultural heritage

For Organizations:

• Be currently active
• Maintain a proven record of preserving and promoting Montana's historical and cultural legacy

All nominees—whether individuals or organizations—must demonstrate dedication to Montana's heritage that extends beyond standard professional responsibilities or organizational mandates. The Board will evaluate nominations based on the significance and impact of the work in enhancing public interest and understanding of Montana's history and culture.

The Heritage Keeper Awards honor contributions across diverse areas, including:

• Historic building and landscape preservation
• Sustained historical and cultural research and publication
• Fine art history and preservation
• Educational initiatives that inspire future generations to value Montana's historical and cultural legacy for all communities

The nomination deadline is April 1, 2026. Nomination forms and detailed guidelines are available at mths.mt.gov/about/HeritageKeeperAwards. Previous nominees who have not received the award are welcome to be renominated in subsequent years.

Award recipients will be honored at individual ceremonies in summer 2026, with details to be announced. The Montana Historical Society will collaborate with nominators to ensure meaningful recognition of honorees.

For questions or additional information, please contact Jenni Carr at jenni.carr@mt.gov.

Take the Montana Challenge

In honor of the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary of the founding of the United States), Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers approached the Montana 250th Commission with the idea of creating a test, modeled on the US citizenship test, focusing on students' knowledge of Montana history, geography, and government. Thus, the Montana Challenge was born.

Any student grades 6-12 can take the Montana Challenge. They do not need to be working towards a Seal of Civic Literacy (more on that below.) Those who pass with 80% or higher will receive a certificate and will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Visa gift card. Thanks to the Sons and Daughters' generosity, we have THREE HUNDRED of these gift cards to distribute to students. Prizes will be awarded in May 2026 and December 2026. 

A study guide for the Montana Challenge can be found here, and Eureka teacher Jennifer Hall created two Kahoots to help students prepare for the test: Montana Challenge Part 1 and Montana Challenge Part 2.

The Montana Office of Public Instruction created the twenty-question test, which draws from a bank of a hundred questions. OPI did this so they could include the test in their Seal of Civic Literacy program. 

Here is the link to register for the Montana Challenge. A teacher can register their entire class or a student can register themself. Because OPI created this form as just one part of their Seal of Civic Literacy program, registration instructions may be confusing. Don't despair! Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click the big red Begin Form button.   

I hope you'll check out the Montana Challenge study guide and Kahoots to get a sense of the quiz and then register your students to take the test. Thanks to the Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers, the Montana 250th Commission, and OPI for making this project possible, and to Jennifer for creating the Kahoots!

Under-told Stories and Simulations and Role Plays

Under-Told Stories

Our January Third Tuesday Professional Development session focused on resources to incorporate under-told stories into your classroom, particularly the histories of African Americans, women, and Chinese immigrants.

We captured the links mentioned in this Google Doc, but here are a few highlights.

African American History 

PBS Learning Media has taken the hour-long documentary, Hidden Stories: Montana's Black Past (PBS link) and broken it into shorter segments with discussion questions and a graphic organizer. Here are links to the excerpts and here are links to teaching resources. 

Montana in the Green Book Story Map is a hidden gem for anyone teaching about pre-Civil Rights US history. Between 1936 and 1967, Victor H. Green & Company published The Negro Motorist Green Book, which offered listings of lodgings, restaurants, service stations, and recreation opportunities for African American travelers. Many students may think that it was only African American travelers in the southern states who needed such a resource, but Montana had entries too! This was in part because Montana also had restaurants, bars and hotels that refused to serve African American customers (including the beloved Parrot Confectionery in Helena).  You can read more about the fight to pass a public accommodations law in Montana in the 1950s here. 

Chinese Immigration History

The Chinese Experience in Montana Hands-on History Footlocker is a great new addition to our traveling trunk program! (Learn more about that program and how to order a footlocker here.) Like many of our footlockers, The Chinese Experience in Montana includes many lessons that can be done without ordering the trunk. For an easy entry, fourth-fifth grade teacher Jodi Delaney recommends teaching the first lesson in the user guide, "Far From Home," which asks students to analyze letters that families in China wrote to men working in Montana. She said that she used the letters with struggling readers in a reading intervention group and the kids were enthralled. 

High school teacher Vicky Nytes had high praise for lessons about Chinese exclusion and the Chinese experience from the Digital Inquiry Group. You can find them by searching "Chinese" on their Sitewide Search | Digital Inquiry Group but you'll need to register to access DIG's free resources.

Jodi and Vicky also noted that Mark Johnson (who wrote the Chinese Experience in Montana footlocker) has middle and high school lessons about Montana Chinese history on his website: The Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky. 

Women's History

Jodi drew attention to one of her favorite lessons: Montana Women at Work: Clothesline Timeline Lesson Plan. This lesson plan uses historical photographs to teach students about women’s changing occupations and opportunities between the 1880s and the beginning of the 21st century.

Vicky recommended that American history and government teachers look at Montana Legal History Lesson Plan. (She doesn't teach it as written, but she likes the resources.) 

I showed everyone the resources on Montana Women's History and particularly how you can filter by topic and/or search the 100+ short essays that are on the site. Vicky said it's a very useful resource for students looking for research topics.

Thanks to MTHS Historian Kate Hampton for joining us and to Superior teacher Vicky Nytes, and Helena teacher Jodi Delaney for leading this informative session! 

Tuesday, February 17, 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.: Simulation and Role Plays

Join us in February for another Social Studies Tuesday PD to learn how to bring your social studies classroom alive with simulations and role plays that develop historical empathy and help students imagine themselves in the past. Register for this session.

IEFA-Related Links and America's Field Trip

 

IEFA Related Links

Here are a few interesting, and hopefully useful, links for you!

OPI has created an updated Powwow Guide: Your Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Pow Wows (updated 2025)

Register for "We Are All Related: Planting the Seeds of Knowledge, Growing our Montana Story," the 2026 Indian Education for All Best Practices conference, March 23 – 24, in Helena and East Helena. While most of the conference will be held at the East Helena High School, the conference will move to the new Montana Heritage Center on Monday, from 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., where experts will walk participants through the Montana Homeland gallery, an exhibit that covers Montana history from the Ice Age to the modern day. 

MTHS Historian Melissa Hibbard has shared two interesting IEFA-related links and lessons: 

The Invasion of America is a time lapse map project created by Claudio Saunt. 

Lesson Plan | Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center is a website that provides digitized student records, images, documents, and teaching resources. Note: I have not previewed the lesson plans for quality, but they look interesting, and the student records are fascinating! Of course, you and your students will need to analyze them carefully, using such historical thinking questions as: 

• Who wrote this?
• What is the author’s perspective?
• Why was it written?
• What was the context in which it was written? 
• What can (and what can't) these records tell us about students, their perspectives, and their experiences? 

America's Field Trip

America’s Field Trip is a nationwide contest that invites students across the country in grades 3–12 to be part of our nation’s 250th anniversary by sharing their perspectives on what America means to them — with the chance to earn an unforgettable field trip experience at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.

Students are asked to submit writing or original artwork in response to the contest’s prompt: “What does America mean to you?”

In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, America’s Field Trip is expanding with more exciting field trips, and more opportunities for students to win. A total of 250 students will be awarded a special behind-the-scenes field trip experience this summer or a cash prize.

Learn more about the criteria for submission and submit entries here. 

 

Montana: A History of Our Home Teacher's Guide--Updated and Revised

 

When You Know Better, Do Better

We recently reprinted the Teachers Guide for Montana: A History of Our Home, the fourth-grade curriculum we published in 2023, and we used this as an opportunity to update the content.

Most of the updates were straightforward: We added answers to discussion questions, updated the spellings of tribal names to align with recommendations from our Tribal Stakeholder Group, and converted the PowerPoints to Google Slides because we heard from some teachers that they couldn't open PowerPoints on their school computers. 

There's one change I was a little sad to make, and that was to the lesson "Homesteading: The Lure of Free Land." That lesson originally started with students analyzing a Northern Pacific Railway advertisement written in Polish. Because I don't read Polish, and because I knew that the Northern Pacific sent agents to Europe to recruit settlers, and because the caption in the exhibit where I found the advertisement identified it as a homestead-era advertisement, I presented this advertisement as one created by the railroad to recruit Polish farmers to immigrate to Montana.

Happily for historical accuracy, Melissa Hibbard does read Polish, and she informed me that the poster dated from around 1928 (long after the homesteading era was over) and that it was directed to Polish speakers living in Minnesota, Nebraska, and other parts of the Midwest. It was never circulated in Poland!

With this new knowledge, I edited the lesson. Now, students analyze a postcard image produced by the Great Northern Railway to lure homesteaders west. Just as before, they use Visual Thinking Strategies to do a close reading of the picture. And just as before that activity is followed by reading (and then illustrating) Danish immigrant Bertha Josephsen Anderson's reminiscence about her family's 1890 trip to Montana and first year on their homestead. 

Here's the old image. 

Here's the new image.

Both show prosperous farms, neither of which look anything like actual Montana homesteads, making them good pieces to use when teaching students media literacy and about the importance of critically evaluating sources. 

Note: I will be updating the Coming to Montana footlocker user guide, where this lesson plan originated, this summer when the footlocker returns to MTHS. (For more on how to order this or other footlockers, visit the footlocker page of our website.) 

January Professional Development

 

Indian Education for All Across the Content Area Webinar  

January 13, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

This OPI webinar will focus on resources for teaching about Indigenous oral traditions. Educators will receive one renewal unit for attending. Here's the Zoom Meeting Link.

Under-told Stories

January 20, 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

The Montana Historical Society Teacher Leaders Social Studies Third Tuesdays is picking up again with this session on integrating under-told stories. History is full of people from different backgrounds, many of whose stories don't make the textbooks. Learn about resources to integrate African American, Chinese, and women's history into your social studies classroom. Participants will earn one renewal unit. Advance registration required. Register for this session.

 

P.S. In my last email, I asked folks to complete a survey about what tech you have available (with questions like, "can you show PowerPoints"?) BUT: I didn't set the permissions on the link correctly. So--if you tried and were frustrated, please consider trying again. It works this time! Promise! 

Some Reading for the New Year

Happy New Year! Do you make professional or personal resolutions? Mine for 2026 is to read, to learn, and to do. And along those lines, here are some things I thought were worth sharing. 

To Read

These articles caught my eye as ones that might be good to teach. 

• National Parks to Remove Some Materials on Slavery and Tribes - The New York Times
• The Miracle of the Commons (The tragedy of the commons is a false and dangerous myth)-published at Aeon
• Did wolves save Yellowstone's aspen trees?
• Crow Tribe may expand membership by reconsidering blood quantum standard

To Learn

I keep meaning to attend one of the Native Ways of Knowing Virtual Book Club and Webinars, which occur on select Thursdays from 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Mountain Time. According to their promotion, the programs feature renowned Native American and Alaska Native authors, professors, scholars, and change makers. You can see a list of all upcoming webinars here by flipping through the catalog. You can register to attend at: https://sdcoe.k12oms.org/902-224595

I'm also a big fan of podcasts. Melissa Hibbard recommended Howl from Boise State Public Radio. I'm looking forward to tuning in.

To Do

The Smithsonian has a special project for 2026: the Lewis and Clark Resurvey. This effort will deploy at least 250 camera traps along the historic expedition route to document the wildlife that lives there today—bringing science, history, and community together in a powerful way. 

They are looking for collaborators—especially from rural and underserved communities, Tribal agencies and colleges, and anyone passionate about wildlife—to help us make this vision a reality.

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Host 8 camera traps along the Lewis and Clark Trail (see attached pdf for more information and map).
• Receive training and equipment—they are providing camera kits to 20 new collaborators.
• Engage your community in wildlife conservation and education.
• Join Smithsonian Wildlife: Our Shared Future 250 on Zooniverse.org [zooniverse.org] to help identify species and behaviors from the images collected.

Fieldwork will take place for two months between April and October 2026, depending on your region’s growing season. Participating states include Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia.

Ready to be part of this historic effort? Register here [docs.google.com] to participate Questions? Contact Brigit Rooney, Snapshot USA Program Manager, at rooneybr@si.edu

 

Come spend a week at the MTHS Library and Archives

 The MTHS Library and Archives reopens for business in March and is once again offering $1,250 stipends for Montanans interested in spending a week this summer at MTHS conducting research on a local history project (including a class project!) 

The Fine Print

The Dave Walter Research Fellowship will be awarded to up to two Montana residents involved in public history projects focused on exploring local history. The award is intended to help Montanans conduct research on their towns, counties, and regions using resources at the Montana Historical Society. Research can be for any project related to local history, including exhibit development, walking tours, oral history projects, building history or preservation, county or town histories, archaeological research, and class projects. Each fellowship includes a stipend of $1,250. 

Recipients will be expected to:

• travel to MTHS to conduct research
• spend a minimum of one week in residence conducting research
• provide a copy of their final product or a report on their completed project to the MTHS Library & Archives

Applications are evaluated on:

• suitability of the research to the Society's collections
• potential of the project to make a contribution to local history
• experience in conducting local history research

The application must include the following:

• project proposal, not to exceed 3 pages, describing the research including the specific MTHS Library & Archives collections you intend to use
• cover letter
• 1-2 page resume
• letter of recommendation

Applications must be sent electronically as one PDF document to mthslibrary@mt.gov. Deadline for applications is April 1, 2026.

Announcement of the awards will be made in spring. Questions about the fellowship should be directed to mthslibrary@mt.gov.  

Adventure Labs

Looking for ways to engage students in place-based learning? Adventure Labs are interactive, location-based experiences similar to scavenger hunts, accessed through the Geocaching Adventure Lab mobile app. Unlike traditional geocaches, they don't involve finding physical containers but instead guide users through a series of virtual waypoints where they answer questions or solve puzzles to learn about a location's history, nature, or culture. The app uses geofencing to confirm you are at the location, and completing the series of stages earns a "find" for the Adventure.  

If you do not live in one of the communities where there is already an Adventure Lab established or if you are working with a group of people who are not physically able to take a walk, then use the exhibit format to take a virtual walk. Open the Adventure lab exhibit on a large screen or TV. Read each caption and then open the historic image full-size. Then enlarge the Google map and see how the same spot looks today. Ask participants about the changes or similarities they see. Which version of the image do they like best? Do they have memories to share about the places shown in the tour?

The Montana History Portal has created walking tour Adventure Labs for Lewistown, Butte, Great Falls, Kalispell, Virginia City, the University of Montana Campus, and the Montana State Capitol. There  is also an Adventure Lab for Native American Art at Montana State University. You’ll have to download the Adventure Lab app to see if there are others in your area. 

You might also consider having your class create an Adventure Lab in your local area. Two 14-year-old Girl Scouts recently partnered with the Montana Historical Society to create an Adventure Lab on the history of the Lewis and Clark County Hospital/Poor Farm in Helena. They loved the experience and recommended it as a way to connect young people with history in their community. To discuss creating Adventure Labs with your class, contact MTHS Interpretive Historian Melissa Hibbard. 

Plan ahead for the Civics Bee

The Mansfield Center is partnering with the National Chamber of Commerce Foundation to host the 2026 Montana Civics Bee for middle school students. Students who participate will strengthen their civics, writing, and public speaking skills, and form friendships with other young leaders along the way!   

 A brief overview of the Montana Civics Bee:  

• 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students must submit a 750-word (max) essay proposing their ideas for improving their community by February 3, 2026.
• Top-scoring essays will be invited to participate in a regional bee in Kalispell, Helena, or Miles City in spring 2026 for the chance to win cash prizes. Finalists from each regional bee will be invited to compete in the Montana State Civics Bee in Helena in early summer 2026 for the chance to win cash prizes at the state level. Here are the contest dates:
  • Miles City Regional Civics Bee: Saturday, March 28^th 
  • Helena Regional Civics Bee: Saturday, April 11th
  • Kalispell Regional Civics Bee: Saturday, April 25th
  • Helena State Bee: Saturday, June 6^th

The winner of the State Bee will be sent on an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC to compete in the National Civics Bee in fall 2026 for the chance to win $100,000 towards college.  

To apply, visit the National Civics Bee webpage and create an account to access the application portal. 

Even if you don't plan on having students compete in the bee, it's worth checking out the resources the Mansfield Center has gathered, including this list of Civics Resources for Teachers and essay writing guide and prompts. Having students identify a problem, describe the steps they would take to ameliorate it, identify the support they would need to bring their idea to life, and then connect their solution to founding principles and civic virtues sounds like an amazing assignment, whether you bring students to participate in the bee or not. 

Reach out to Kate Koenig at kate.koenig@mso.umt.edu with questions! 

Free PDs from Digital Inquiry Group (formerly known as SHEG)

Longtime readers will know how much I admire the Digital Inquiry Group (which used to be known as the Stanford History Education Group). I LOVE their resources (which are free, but registration is required). They include: 

• Reading Like a Historian Lessons, that engage students in historical inquiries that teach them "how to investigate historical questions by employing reading strategies such as sourcing, contextualizing, corroborating, and close reading."  
• Printable posters. My favorite is their Historical Thinking Chart, but they also have posters that focus on specific skills: Close Reading, Sourcing, Contextualization, and Corroboration.
• Over 140 examples of what they call History Assessments of Thinking (HATs), "easy-to-use assessments that measure students' historical thinking." Using HATs throughout the year is a great way to measure student growth with specific historical thinking skills.

I'm also a fan of their professional development. Through January 5, they are offering several FREE asynchronous online courses, all of which focus on digital literacy. If you complete a course and send me your certificate of attendance, I will award you renewal units (one unit per course hour.)   

Best of, High School Edition

 In earlier posts, I sent information about your colleagues' favorite elementary and middle school lessons. Here are your high school colleagues' answers (with notes from me in brackets) to the same prompt:

• "Describe the best Montana history or IEFA lesson or project or resource you taught this year--the one you will make time for next year no matter what" and
• "Describe a great teaching strategy that you'll be incorporating into next year's classes."

Mary Zuchowski from Frazer recommends material from the Digital Inquiry Group. [I concur! They have great lessons that engage students in historical inquiry and others that teach students how to evaluate online information. They have posters you can download for your classroom on sourcing, corroboration, and contextualization and an area of their site devoted to assessments that gauge students' ability to interpret historical evidence. And it’s free if you register.]

Sage Schuett from Yellowstone County wrote: "I liked using this OPI lesson [Comparing Use of Land by Different Groups] when introducing how different peoples settled in different regions in world history this year." She also said that she opens each class with a "daily question, sometimes a riddle, most times a recollection question from a lesson in the unit to help with recall and understanding big ideas. Students answer on the same paper for 2 weeks then turn it in. It is extra credit that makes it easy for them to get some small points across the semester that add up. And students that don’t write down the questions and answers are still part of the discussion when students share their answers!"

Vicky Nytes from Superior taught parts of the Montana Women's Legal History Lesson Plan: "I adapted the lesson and mainly focused on creating a timeline. While we didn't spend as much time on this as intended it led to great conversations and my students were quite surprised about some of the answers. It was a great review for my Dual Enrollment 11th graders."

She also recommends Silent Conversations for less talkative classes. "Students create a question or talking point on a piece of paper based on an assigned source. They pass them around the room. Students have to respond to the question/comment in front of them and add their own. This continues for a certain length of time or until everyone has responded to all comments. It allows students who don't typically like to share an opportunity to share their thoughts on the assigned materials."

Michelle Meyer from Victor provided a link to a lesson that she created as part of an "Educating for American Democracy" seminar: "Hellgate Treaty of 1855: Introduction to the Removal of the Salish from the Bitterroot Valley."

Lea Whitford, an Instructional Coach in Browning, wrote: "I enjoyed sharing the Women's History Month resources provided. It inspired me to create a similar resource specific to our area and Tribe. As I shared this out it was interesting to see how the classroom teachers added to and adjusted it even more for their classrooms." [I'm pretty sure she shared Resilience: Stories of Montana Indian Women. This booklet collects essays originally written for the Montana Women's History website. It is a useful companion to the lesson Ordinary People Do Extraordinary Things. You can find all MTHS women's history lessons here.] 

Anonymous answers included: 

The PBS documentary on the late Malia Kipp [Native Ball: The Legacy of a Trailblazer] has teacher resources that helped open up discussion about contemporary indigenous issues. Will definitely show the doc again!

I highly recommend making the time for the Native Filmmaker Initiative Film Club offered by Big Sky Documentary. This is a powerful engaging resource for all students at all grade levels.

In-depth, ongoing PD for teachers grades 6-12

Want to engage your class with student-driven research projects using primary sources? Want to promote more historical thinking and critical analysis? Want to engage your students in standards-based learning?  

National History Day in Montana and the Montana 250 Commission are looking for 15 Montana teachers to join an exciting professional development cohort that will begin in April 2026 and continue through April 2027. 

Participants will attend all-expenses paid workshops in April, August and October 2026, and participate in ongoing virtual trainings. By the end of the program, they will have earned a $1,000 stipend and $500 in classroom materials, 39 renewal units, and gained access to excellent FREE professional development.

Introduction to National History Day

Bozeman, April 24-25, 2026  

• Learn the ins and outs of NHD and serve as a judge at the Montana state NHD contest.
• Participants will be reimbursed for mileage and hotel. Instructions for booking will be provided. 
• Substitute reimbursement will be provided. 
• Earn 12 renewal units.

Historical Thinking through Student-Driven Research

August 11-12, 2026, Great Falls

• Learn how to introduce your students to historical thinking, research and argumentation.
• Participants will be reimbursed for mileage and hotel.
• Earn 12 renewal units

Ongoing Virtual Support and Trainings

• Attend optional monthly (virtual) mentorship check-ins to provide updates on progress and receive support during the 2026/2027 academic year.
• Attend at least three webinars from NHD’s Revolutionary Ideals webinar series. Webinars can be joined live or watched via video.
• Earn 3 renewal units

Argumentation, Reasoning, and Evidence: Constructing a Historical Argument

October 15-16, 2026, Billings

Now that teachers have launched the National History Day research projects with their students, this workshop dives deeper into  historical argumentation, developing thesis statements, and organizing historical arguments. Teachers will also discuss the importance of revision and model best practices for effective feedback.

• Participants will be reimbursed for mileage and hotel.
• Earn 12 renewal units.

Participant Expectations

• Complete all post-program surveys to provide feedback to the program.
• Engage students in the National History Day process during the 2026/2027 academic year. Teachers may engage students through an academic course, an extracurricular activity, or an academic advisory. Students will complete projects and attend an entry-level regional contest in spring 2027.
• Respond to inquiries in a timely manner and communicate any challenges to the program staff.
• Allow the use of their name and image (photographed or videotaped) in materials (printed brochures, social media, short-form videos) and press releases shared by NHD, its affiliate programs, and/or the Montana 250 Commission.

Participant Benefits

• A stipend of $1,000. This will be payable in two installments. The first half ($500.00) will be paid after the workshop in August 2026, and the second half ($500.00) will be paid after the teacher brings students to compete in an NHD contest in spring 2027 and completes the final feedback survey. 
• A classroom supply budget of $500.00 (teachers will select the items they wish to purchase for their classroom). The request process will be coordinated in fall 2026.
• Mentorship in the form of assistance from team members from the NHD National Office and the NHD in Montana program to answer questions, review materials, and provide advice.
• Thirty-nine renewal units.

Questions? Please contact Melissa Hibbard at melissa.hibbard@mt.gov or 406-444-4741.

Apply here by January 9. 

Creating Historical Documentaries

Have you heard about National History Day--the standards-aligned academic program for grades 6-12 that engages students in research topics related to an annual theme? If you are curious about the program, you can learn more from their website, or contact NHD co-coordinator Melissa Hibbard, who will be happy to answer any questions. 

Even if you aren't having your students participate in National History Day, you might be interested in this two-hour online training, designed to teach educators how to help students create historical documentaries. 

Here's the scoop, taken mostly from the press release: 

NHD is partnering with KQED and PBS Learning Media to help educators understand and use short-form video and video editing software to assist students in creating historical documentaries and student-created video content to bring the past to life and help make sense of complex historical topics. 

To coincide with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the release of Ken Burns' new upcoming documentary, The American Revolution, educators are invited to a training to explore how student-created history documentaries can help your students share their voice, knowledge, skills, and creativity in coordination with the PBS Learning Media Youth Challenge on the American Revolution.

What educators will do during this workshop:

• Explore ready-to-use curriculum using National History Day’s 2026 theme of Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History and the Revolutionary Era as a case study
• Practice video pre-production strategies
• Start a sample mini-documentary you can use as a model with students

What educators will leave the workshop with:

• Guidance to assist students on their National History Day documentary projects
• Modifiable curriculum and resources in English and Spanish for PBS LearningMedia’s The American Revolution Youth Media Challenge (hosted by KQED)
• No-cost access to web-based video editing tools
• A copy of the presentation deck to modify and use with students
• A PDF letter of attendance–verifying 2 hours of attendance. Submit this to Melissa and she'll get you an OPI Renewal Unit certificate. Or submit it directly to your administration. 
• Ongoing facilitator support for technical and classroom implementation questions, as needed

This workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Here is the link to the information page with the link to register for the workshop.

 P.S. If you teach American history, do make sure to check out the PBS Learning Media Youth Challenge on the American Revolution--whether or not you attend this training or have any interest in National History Day. It sounds really cool.

P.P.S. Check out some of the videos Montana students made last year for National History Day!  

Funds for Field Trips

 As many of you know, we are on the verge of opening the new Montana Heritage Center, with twice the exhibit space and entirely new exhibits. The museum opens to the public on December 3, we begin offering tours on January 2, and we've started scheduling field trips. 

Even better, we've started awarding travel grants to schools! Through a generous grant from Montana Blue Cross Blue Shield, the Montana Historical Society (MTHS) kicked off the first round of the History and Travel Grant to fund forty-six applicants across twenty-two counties.

These funds offset travel costs to Helena for public, private, and homeschool collectives from across the state. Funding is awarded to schools who will travel more than fifty miles (one way) to Helena and is based on a formula that includes:

• distance to Helena
• number of students
• type of transportation

The second wave of funding is open, and MTHS is currently accepting applications until Monday, January 4 at 5 PM.

Award letters, invoices and tax information will be send to teachers and business office staff by Friday, January 16. Grant awards will be sent as checks to your school business office by Friday, February 13.

If you don’t require grant funding to travel, and you would like to reserve a date to visit the Montana Capitol, Original Governor’s Mansion, Homeland and Charlie Russell Gallery, our staff can book your fieldtrip today.

To apply for the grant, or to schedule fieldtrips, please complete this form. 

If you have any questions or comments regarding the Montana History and Civics Grant, or general fieldtrips, please call Darby Bramble at 406-444-2412 or email Darby.Bramble2@mt.gov.

Best of, Middle School Edition

Two weeks ago, I shared elementary teachers' favorite lessons and strategies--collected during Teaching Montana History's annual year-end survey. Here are your middle school colleagues' answers to the request:

• "Describe the best Montana history or IEFA lesson or project or resource you taught this year--the one you will make time for next year no matter what" and
• "Describe a great teaching strategy that you'll be incorporating into next year's classes."

Also find notes from me in brackets.

Dylan Huisken of Bonner wrote: "Blood on the Marias Lesson by MTHS. It requires students to do research, consider the importance of perspective, identify themes, and consider narrative/audience. There is also a deeply human aspect to this lesson, it requires students sit up a little and pay close attention and acknowledging the gravity of the lesson and their duty as historians.

Dylan also shared this strategy: For many MTHS primary sources, or any primary source, I use gallery walks. This works great with the Charles Russell lesson plan where I can display his art, but also with quotes or images about a Montana topic. For example, for homesteading I can have quotes from Hattie Big Sky, pictures of Montana farms/homesteaders, natural disaster descriptions, and other primary sources about the homesteading experience. Each different source is printed on a single sheet of paper with a number. Students rotate to different stations with a partner and a clip board and analyze a question that goes with the source, or come up with questions on their own. This is a great strategy when I want to teach the abolitionist movement because there are SO many authors I want my students to read but can't cram them all in a month. I can also break up the texts/quotes with images, and this makes it easy to differentiate for students on IEPS. So if you want students to get snippets of major works, themes, or authors, this is a good strategy.

Charlie Brown of Fairfield wrote: "I love the Atlatl project. It is fun watching the kids try and throw the dart." [See our Making an Atlatl lesson.]

Jim Martin wrote that next year he'll be incorporating Socratic Seminars and that he'd like to have a Socratic Seminar debating Frank Little and the IWW's actions. 

Michelle Meyer from Victor wrote: "I have found that I am using more stop and jots to prompt thinking. These are helpful for those that want to answer questions but need a few seconds to compose their thoughts. This small step has made discussions so much more valuable and rich." 

Mary Zuchowski from Frazer teaches Christmas Menorahs:How a Town Fought Hate, [The picture book is based on a 1993 episode in Billings. After members of a hate group threw a rock through a Jewish family's window during Hanukkah, the community organized in opposition. Over 10,000 Billings residents displayed pictures of menorahs in their windows as an expression of solidarity with their Jewish neighbors. The event sparked a larger movement called Not in Our Town.] Mary got the book and lesson from the Montana Jewish Project, who will be giving books away again this year. She says: "It was a great way to go into Christmas break as well as incorporating some Montana history into all of my classes."

These teachers shared anonymously:

Hands on gold panning [Lesson 3 of our mining footlocker has instructions for doing this in your classroom]. 

I made a digital escape room that included the montanaplacenames.org site [now on the Montana History Portal] and information on all the tribes in our state. It was very in depth and took hours for students to complete in multiple chunks.

Native Knowledge 360 continues to be a fantastic resource. I love all of the online lessons because of the interactive multimodal learning design. Some of the lessons that stand out to me are "The Fish Wars" & "Why do the foods we eat matter?". These lessons state for grades 9-12; however, I have used them in my K-8 one-room classroom. As well, this is such a powerful short video from NPR that I use every year in the classroom and make sure I watch is several times a year, too: Why Treaties Matter. 

"Poems for Two Voices". I turned the worksheets into a manipulative PowerPoint and then had them record themselves reading their poems with a partner. Kids remembered it and referenced throughout the year (using vocab from the EUs!.) It was great.