Can you believe it is November??? We are getting close to the end of the first semester of this year and I would like to update you on all of the things we have had going on here at RESA as well as some updates straight from the Social Studies Department from the GA DOE. If you have ANY questions about these updates or need more information, please contact me at cparten@csraresa.org.
GADOE Social Studies Updates (click on underlined text to take you to the resources):
1. NEW 7th Grade History Teacher Notes have been added and include separate documents for Southwest Asia, Africa, and Southern/Eastern Asia.
2. FOUR World History Content Videos have been added. Videos are on: The Olmecs, Silk Roads, Great Schism, and the Bubonic Plague.
3. SIX Psychology Sample Units have been posted. These include pacing, resources, activities for teaching the first six units of the course.
4. If you have not already, please join an EdWeb Community run by the GA DOE Social Studies Department. In these communities, you can have discussions with other GA teachers in your same content area, ask questions of GA DOE SS Staff, and get weekly updates and resources for your content and grade level!
5. "Picturing History" Social Studies Retreat at Brasstown Valley Resort (June 20-21, 2019) is now taking reservations.
6. ASSESSMENT UPDATE: The 2-part and Multi-Select Questions are out of field testing and WILL count toward student grades this year on the Milestones/EOC's. There is a new field test item this year: Drag and Drop which aims to assess classification, comparison, organization, and identification skills.
7. Check out the Professional Learning website for GA DOE Social Studies. It includes History Labs and Videos on Georgia teachers implementing Inquiry lessons in Social Studies classrooms.
8. Please follow the GA DOE Social Studies Leaders on social media:
Twitter: @GaDOE_SS
Facebook: GADOE Social Studies
CSRA RESA SOCIAL STUDIES UPDATES:
1. So far this year, we have delivered or hosted a variety of trainings:
A. Social Studies Leaders PLC #1 on Critical Thinking at the Augusta Canal
B. Social Studies Leaders PLC #2 on Map and Globe Skills at RESA
C. Social Studies Leaders PLC #3 on Narrative Writing at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum
D. Georgia Council on Economic Education - "Economic Turmoil in the Great Depression and World War Two"
E. Content Literacy Training at Swainsboro Middle School
F. Narrative Writing for Social Studies Training in Columbia County - Elementary Schools
G. Inquiry/Engagement Training and Implementation in Social Studies at Jefferson County High School
H. Inquiry and 5E Training at Sue Reynolds Elementary School
***If you would like to access our Social Studies Leaders resources and training documents, please contact me for the links to the Google Doc files: cparten@csraresa.org
2. Our next Social Studies Leaders PLC is on November 27th here at RESA. This will be the first of two Primary Sources Workshops. We will also learn about a free educational resource - Curriki.
3. The CSRA RESA Social Studies Website has been updated recently! There are new blog posts, new instructional videos, new mini-lessons and strategies on the Strategies page, and more!
4. You can get resources and updates daily by following me on social media:
Facebook: CSRA Social Studies
Twitter: @teachSScsra
5. Check out the Writing Center CSRA RESA has developed! There is a page devoted just to Social Studies for writing, writing lessons, strategies, and ideas!
6. A new blog post on our Narrative Writing PLC at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum along with a feature on our Outstanding Social Studies Teacher (Mrs. Angela Brown of Jefferson County Middle School) will be out soon!
Have a fantastic November and please let me know how I can support you!
Crystal Parten
CSRA RESA Content Literacy & Social Studies Specialist
cparten@csraresa.org