Missouri Council of the Social Studies Annual Conference: Full Schedule

8:30am CST

People and the Environment: Hands-on World History, Geography, and Environmental Literacy

Friday February 21, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am CST

Human impact on the environment is a theme that can be carried through instruction on World History and Geography. In this hands-on session, engage in activities that enable students to explore questions about how the environment has been affected by major shifts of civilizations including population growth, the spread of agriculture and cities and global interdependence. Presented activities include cooperative group problem solving, graphing and analysis, and role-playing simulations. Receive electronic lesson plans and background resources matched to state standards.

Speakers

Brian Keller

MCSS

Friday February 21, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am CST
Rocheport

Middle School High School

10:40am CST

The Process: A Legislative Process Simulation

Friday February 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:30am CST

Rocheport

The Process is a board game teaching players steps of the Missouri legislative process in an interactive fashion! Through exciting gameplay, educators use the Process teaching students how legislation is made and advocacy actions. The Process was created in response to low civics comprehension and outdated instruction materials. Using the engaging elements of board game play, the Process gains the attention of even the least attentive student, educating them on this important community decision making procedure. In the session, educators will learn how to use the game to engage students in legislation and inspire interest in civics education!

Speakers

Colby Crowder

Friday February 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:30am CST
Rocheport

High School

10:40am CST

Using AI to Teach Traumatic History: Balancing Sensitivity and Depth in the Classroom

Friday February 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:30am CST

Augusta

Teaching traumatic history, like the Holocaust, can be tough. This presentation will show educators how to use AI, like ChatGPT and other AI models, to help. We’ll talk about strategies for using AI to make lessons engaging and how to navigate the ethical challenges of using this technology.

Speakers

Bill Edney

Friday February 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:30am CST
Augusta

High School

10:40am CST

Aligning Best Practices in Writing and Source Analysis Across Social Studies and English Language Arts.

Friday February 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:30am CST

Matsun

This session explores the unique demands of social sciences versus ELA writing and the impact of unified instruction. Through best practices in writing and source analysis, educators will gain strategies and scaffolding techniques to elevate student writing, foster skill transfer, and build cross-disciplinary language for critical thinking and analytical expression.

Speakers

Betty Roberts

Friday February 21, 2025 10:40am - 11:30am CST
Matsun

Middle School High School

1:00pm CST

Martin Luther Sticks it to the Church

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CST

Matsun

Use stick figure graphic novel notes to teach the story of Martin Luther and how it led to the Protestant Reformation. Engage the kids with this unique story with a fun note-taking style.

Speakers

Becky Harrold

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CST
Matsun

Middle School High School

1:00pm CST

What Fires Together Wires Together: The Science of Simulations

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CST

Augusta

Learn how simulations that involve physical movement, creativity, and problem-solving enhance student engagement, recall, and learning. This session will explore the science behind simulations and provide practical strategies for designing and implementing them in social studies classrooms. Avoid common pitfalls and discover how simulations can connect cultures, ideas, and histories to create dynamic, real-world learning experiences that foster critical thinking and deeper understanding.

Speakers

Bill Norton

Friday February 21, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CST
Augusta

Middle School High School

2:00pm CST

Armenian Genocide: Then and Still Today

Friday February 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CST

Augusta

The Armenian Genocide was committed by the Ottoman Turks during the midst of World War I from 1915 to 1917. Not only did the genocide include the murders, the remaining people were enslaved, abandoned in the desert, “reeducated,” or became refugees in other countries. The genocide continues as Turkey still has not acknowledged the event even occurred and is assisting Azerbaijan to systematically wipe Armenia from the map. Although this is a historical topic on the surface, it impacts our world today despite the lack of media coverage.

Speakers

Derek Frieling

Friday February 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CST
Augusta

High School

2:00pm CST

Every Teacher Is a Literacy Teacher: Practical Strategies for Daily Lessons in Social Studies

Friday February 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CST

Matsun

In this session, participants will be introduced to numerous structured literacy practices that can be quickly and easily implemented in Social Studies classrooms in order to develop content knowledge, facilitate critical thinking, assess student achievement, and improve reading fluency and comprehension. Attendees will have multiple opportunities for deliberate practice, meaningful collaboration, productive discussion, and active learning.

Speakers

Matt Loomis

Friday February 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CST
Matsun

Middle School High School

2:00pm CST

Getting Nast-y with Political Cartoons in your classroom!

Friday February 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CST

Rocheport

Help students understand history through political cartoons. Explore techniques for interpretation and analysis, opening a new world of primary documents. Empower students to grasp historical concepts effectively.

Speakers

Lori Rech

Friday February 21, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CST
Rocheport

Middle School High School

9:00am CST

African American History Taught Through Its Cemeteries

Saturday February 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CST

Rocheport

Segregation isn't just about life--it's about death, too. Cemeteries offer insights into the role of Jim Crow in community history and a unique way to present that history. This content presentation discusses the "red-lining" of death and ways to present it to students.

Speakers

Jeff Smith

Saturday February 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CST
Rocheport

Middle School High School

9:00am CST

The Holocaust by Bullets: A lesser known story of the Holocaust and the Personal Connection to my Husband’s Family

Saturday February 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CST

Matsun

This learning session shares a personal narrative of professional learning and sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of the Holocaust. Participants are encouraged to continue learning and exploring the history of World War II and the Holocaust. Lessons come from a conference I attended through Yahad In-Unum

Speakers

Brooke Rich

Saturday February 22, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CST
Matsun

Middle School High School

10:00am CST

Flipping the script: Translating transnational funds of knowledge of Asian American and migrant youth into practices and implications for social studies teachers

Saturday February 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CST

Matsun

Asian and Asian American students are the fastest-growing racial group in K–12 education. However, through their K-12 education, Asian and Asian American students have little opportunity to learn about the histories, cultures, and heritage of their communities. This workshop will share findings derived from the researcher’s youth participatory action research with Asian and Asian high school students and provide insights into ways to incorporate Asian and Asian American students’ transnational funds of knowledge in social studies classrooms. Attendees will learn ways to provide students with more rigorous, engaging, and hands-on learning about Asian American history, harnessing students’ transnational funds of knowledge.

Speakers

Yeji Kim

Saturday February 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CST
Matsun

Middle School High School

10:00am CST

Teaching Indigenous Genocides

Saturday February 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CST

Rocheport

Using a comparative lens, participants will examine aspects of North American Indigenous Genocide and the Armenian Genocide. Through exploration of primary and secondary sources, participants will analyze how these two cases have impacted survivors and descendants, and how ongoing denial contributes to continued ethnic cleansing and repression today.

Speakers

Kerri Flynn

Executive Secretary, Missouri Council of the Social Studies

Before becoming the Education Director for The Genocide Education Project, Kerri Flynn was a high school social studies and English teacher in Missouri for 25 years. She taught dual credit Psychology and Sociology, Modern U.S. History, and Human Rights and Genocide, a course she developed. Flynn received the University of Chicago Outstanding Educator award... Read More →

Saturday February 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CST
Rocheport

Middle School High School

10:00am CST

When Good Laws Go Bad: Unintended Consequences in History

Saturday February 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CST

Augusta

Throughout history, legislation has been crafted with the intent of solving an economic, political or social problem. History courses usually focus on the intended effects of those policies. In this session teachers will share with students examples throughout history that unintended consequences are more consequential and, in an active learning lesson, conduct basic cost-benefit analysis of decisions government makes every day.

Speakers

Mike Kaiman

Saturday February 22, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CST
Augusta

Middle School High School