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NCCSS Conference Dates - April 24-25

The NCCSS Executive Board and Directors are pleased to share that the 2025 NCCSS Conference, which was postponed due to the Governor’s State of Emergency with the incoming winter storm, has now been rescheduled for April 24-25. The conference will take place at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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Friday, April 25
 

8:00am EDT

From Past to Present: Strategies for Exploring History, Civics, and Economics in News-O-Matic LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Discover how to engage K-8 students with the big ideas in North Carolina social studies using News-O-Matic. This session will explore practical strategies for teaching key topics like historical turning points, human-environment interaction, civic responsibility, and economic systems. Learn how News-O-Matic’s interactive tools and resources foster critical thinking and inquiry-based learning while connecting students to North Carolina’s history, geography, and culture in meaningful ways. Leave with tools to align lessons with standards and inspire your students to think critically about the world around them.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Pebble Beach 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27497

8:00am EDT

Exploring the Stories of Ancient Cultures LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
How can we reimagine how we tell stories of ancient cultures through objects? How can museum collections and technology work together to immerse students in learning and bring the past to life? In object-based learning, works of art are a catalyst and bridge to help understand the human experience, values, and beliefs of ancient cultures. Educators from the North Carolina Museum of Art will introduce easy-to -implement discussion strategies that encourage close looking and evidence-based interpretation of cultural objects. You will also learn about NCMA Explore, a new resource featuring rich, contextualized, historically accurate virtual spaces from five locations around the globe, each with optional scavenger hunts that engage students with digitized 3D objects from the Museum’s collection of ancient art.
Speakers
avatar for Michelle Harrell

Michelle Harrell

Director of Education, North Carolina Museum of Art
I am passionate about increasing access to art experiences and transforming museums into more open and inclusive communities. I left the classroom in 2010 to work at the North Carolina Museum of Art finding new opportunities to serve as a teacher leader and artist educator. My work... Read More →
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Augusta A 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27491

8:00am EDT

SOCIAL Social Studies: Give Every Student a Voice LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
In this interactive session, discover how Exploros transforms your social studies classroom by giving every student a voice. With complete, pedagogically designed courses, Exploros provides engaging, class-length lessons that cater to diverse learning styles. Teachers can choose from a course playlist, assign tasks to individuals or groups, and guide dynamic, interactive learning experiences. Exploros empowers educators to stage lessons, monitor real-time student progress, and facilitate enriched discussions, allowing for targeted reteaching or personalized learning to meet each student’s needs.
Exploros aligns with North Carolina’s World Studies 1, North Carolina and U.S. History, and American History courses, and offers bonus courses like World Cultures and Civics. This makes it easy to integrate engaging, standards-aligned content into your curriculum.

Please bring your laptop—by the end of the session, you'll leave with 1,000 learning experiences you can use in your classroom right away!
Speakers
avatar for Sabrina Valverde

Sabrina Valverde

Professional Learning Coordinator, Exploros
Exploros helps teachers stage powerful social learning experiences in the live classroom. With Exploros, every student engages — there are no bystanders. When all students contribute, classroom learning is enriched, and teachers have the opportunity to better personalize and pace... Read More →
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Augusta B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27492

8:00am EDT

Build your Middle School Toolkit: Fostering Civil Discourse for a Brighter Future LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Explore and gain strategies to foster respectful dialogue among middle school students with diverse perspectives to advance students’ interest and engagement in any Social Studies classroom. Educators will learn engaging, research-backed methods that boost academic and social-emotional development and lower the temperature of polarization. Educators will receive free tools, discussion strategies, and assessment ideas to integrate civil discourse into any Social Studies content, preparing students to navigate challenging issues with empathy and understanding.
Speakers
avatar for Scott Alford

Scott Alford

Manager, Sphere Education Initiatives
Sphere provides educators with viewpoint diverse resources to bring conversations to the classroom and equip students to engage in civil discourse. Sphere offers lesson plans, discussion questions, videos, and publications on various topics for use in the classroom that are exclusively... Read More →
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Sandpiper 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27495

8:00am EDT

Managing Multiple Perspectives in Sources and your Students LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Discover teaching strategies that foster critical analysis of history through diverse sources. Learn to engage students in discussions and activities promoting empathy, understanding, and historical thinking skills. By attending this session, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of teaching history from multiple viewpoints using diverse sources. They will learn new skills, teaching methods, content, lesson ideas, and applications of technology.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Auditorium IV - Room sponsored by Ford's Theatre 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27498

8:00am EDT

Wilmington 1898: Teaching Challenging Topics LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Discover innovative ways to teach the pivotal story of Wilmington 1898, a moment of racial injustice and democratic upheaval, using PBS’s American Experience episode Wilmington 1898: American Coup. Explore strategies to engage students with primary sources, multimedia content, and inquiry-based learning that connects this historical event to broader themes in American history and global struggles for equity and justice and learn about ongoing professional development opportunities that will equip you to foster critical thinking and meaningful discussions on citizenship and the enduring impact of history in your classroom.
Speakers
MT

Melissa Thibault

Chief Education and Innovation Officer, University of North Carolina/PBS North Carolina
Digital and distance education. Open content. Equity of access.
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Tidewater A 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27493

8:00am EDT

Integrating Social Sciences and the Arts: Promoting Rigor, Differentiation, and Belonging for All Scholars! LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
This professional development (PD) session is designed to provide educators with effective strategies for creating rigorous and engaging Social Studies classrooms. The focus will be on fostering a sense of belonging, promoting arts integration, differentiation, and supporting reading and writing across the curriculum, all while emphasizing cultural relevance. Participants will explore how the arts can enrich social studies education and learn methods to incorporate the arts to encourage critical thinking, engagement, and creativity in their lessons. This session will equip educators with the knowledge and skills needed to design dynamic classrooms that enhance student learning, promote inclusivity, and improve achievement in social studies. I am confident that this PD experience will be both enriching and valuable for all participants.
Speakers
CM

Charlene Martin-Klein

K12 Social Studies Currictulum Specialist, Durham Public Schools
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Tanglewood 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27496

8:00am EDT

Taming the AI Dragon: AI, Informational Text, and Supporting All Learners LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Social studies teachers are often faced with dwindling resources and a growing spectrum of student background knowledge and ability levels in their classrooms.One possible solution lies in the seemingly limitless scope of AI platforms and its generative abilities. In this session we’ll discuss takeaways from using multiple AI platforms to support social studies content development as well as the implications on inclusive course content, diverse learners, and Universal Design for Learning.
Speakers
avatar for Charles Patton

Charles Patton

Director of Digital Content and Instruction, WCPSS
I serve on the Digital Learning and Libraries team for WCPSS and work with the Digital Learning Coordinators to support all staff on the selection and integration of digital resources to meet instructional needs. I am a doctoral student at Western Carolina University focusing on improving... Read More →
Friday April 25, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am EDT
Tidewater B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27494

9:00am EDT

An Inquiry Approach to Culturally Responsive Social Studies Utilizing an Ethnic Studies Framework LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
This session explores how an inquiry approach to social studies using an ethnic studies framework can make social studies classrooms more inclusive and reflective of global diversity, while building students historical thinking skills. The session will address how the ethnic studies framework can build student learning autonomy, highlight diverse histories, challenge Eurocentric views, and honor the unique experiences, identities, and values of racial and ethnic groups. The ethnic studies and inquiry approaches focus on humanity, agency, and liberation, offering a fuller understanding of history while challenging stereotypes and promoting inclusive, empowering narratives in the social studies classroom. The session is appropriate for any secondary social studies course.
Friday April 25, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
Augusta B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27492

9:00am EDT

Of Silk and Silver: Approaching Holocaust Education with Jewish Ritual Objects LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
In 2021, North Carolina’s General Assembly enacted the Gizella Abramson Holocaust Education Act, requiring Holocaust studies in grades 6–12. This session highlights how Judaica can serve as a rich entry point for teaching the Holocaust by blending broader cultural heritage with individual stories from the Shoah. By using Judaica as primary sources, educators can provide a Jewish-centered perspective while fostering discussions on survival and resilience with a tangible link to the present. Ashley Low, a North Carolina Museum of Art educator and UNCG PhD candidate, will demonstrate how objects from NCMA’s Judaica Gallery inspire thought-provoking conversations about survival and resistance during the Holocaust. Participants will engage in object-based learning activities to spark curiosity about Jewish culture and Holocaust studies. During this session, they will access NCMA’s online and print resources while learning strategies for integrating Jewish life, ritual, and resilience in the classroom. For six months, Ashley has created digital resources that incorporate Jewish art into North Carolina curriculums, merging art, history, and social studies to bring accessible, interdisciplinary studies into classrooms statewide. This session empowers educators to integrate object-based learning into Holocaust education, expanding on themes of Jewish ritual, survival, and resilience and enriching middle and high school curricula.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
Auditorium IV - Room sponsored by Ford's Theatre 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27498

9:00am EDT

The Killing of Emmett Till & the Lies We Still Believe LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
70 years ago, in 1955, the killing of Emmett Till changed the course of American history. Yet, what most people believe about what happened and who did it is based on a lie to cover-up a greater conspiracy. Emmy-winning filmmaker, Loki Mulholland, explores the true history using rarely seen historical documents and excerpts from his documentary, “Emmett Till: White Lies, Black Death”, to examine the facts and what we can learn about teaching honest history today. Participants will have a deeper understanding of the Civil Rights Movement and how to help their students become active participants in exploring history.
Speakers
avatar for Loki Mulholland

Loki Mulholland

Executive Director, The Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation
Loki Mulholland is an Emmy-winning filmmaker, author, activist, and son of civil rights icon, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. His work has received over 40 Telly Awards and his films on race and social justice issues have won over 20 Best Documentary awards. Loki is the author of multiple... Read More →
Friday April 25, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
Pebble Beach 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27497

9:30am EDT

Setting up your Classroom in Kindred LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 9:30am - 9:55am EDT
It can take hours to find the right resources and even longer to get them ready for your students. Kindred K-12 is an AI-based teaching platform that makes it easier for you to find, adapt, and use high-quality resources, like primary sources, for your classroom. We help social studies teachers build inquiry-based classrooms customized to what works best for them and their students. This session gets you started with Kindred and walks through a demo of what it can do for you. Curriculum and instruction leaders are welcome to learn more about how our technology can encourage research-backed teaching practices in your district. Geared 6-12. All are welcome.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 9:30am - 9:55am EDT
Tidewater B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27494

10:00am EDT

Debating Our Way to Better Thinking: Three Models for How to Embed Debate Effectively in 6-12 Social Studies
Friday April 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
The C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards prioritizes inquiry, research, and communication skills. However, Sam Wineburg and his colleagues have demonstrated that students need intentional support to discern the usefulness of online information. Debate is a powerful tool to engage students in cultivating these skills. This session will present three models for debate: a historical significance approach for world history; an advocacy twist on the State of the Union address for U.S. history, and a policy orientation for civics. We will cover principles for structuring the debate, teaching online research skills, facilitating collaboration, maximizing engagement, and assessing equitably.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Augusta A 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27491

10:00am EDT

Breaking Barriers to Implementing Inquiry LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Social Studies classes are enriched by inquiry – but what about the practicalities of incorporating it into your practice? Teachers attending this session will walk away with research-based materials addressing implementation hurdles of inquiry. Topics include: supporting ELLs, working towards student-led discussion, addressing digital literacies, differentiating inquiry, and improving compelling questions. Materials include lesson plans as well as teacher guides for specific scaffolds with examples. These materials can be incorporated into your existing curriculum and schedule. Geared towards 6-12. All Welcome. Hosted by Kindred K-12.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Tidewater B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27494

11:00am EDT

Anne Frank: A History for Today LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Anne Frank – a history for today tells the story of Anne Frank against the background of the Holocaust and the Second World War. This traveling exhibit is sponsored by Johnston County Public Schools through the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina. During this session you will learn about the traveling exhibit, the student docent training process, opportunities to become a facilitator, and how to bring the exhibit to your school or district. The exhibit supports the Gizella Abramson Holocaust Education Act and is appropriate for grades 6-12, however all educators are welcome to attend the session!
Speakers
MB

Melissa Byrd

Staff Development Coordinator
Friday April 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Augusta B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27492

11:00am EDT

Bridging American History with North Carolina's Teacher-Selected Standards Aligned Resources LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Are you overwhelmed by North Carolina’s 53 page standards unpacking document when planning your classroom instruction? Did you know that a cohort of North Carolina Social Studies teachers aligned Bill of Rights resources to our state standards? Join this interactive presentation of a new website https://billofrightsinstitute.org/north-carolina-bri-aligned-state-standards that showcases the most strongly aligned lessons for your students. Browse through lessons, primary sources, videos, and point-counterpoint debates sure to engage your students and improve their knowledge of American History.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Tidewater B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27494

11:00am EDT

The Civic Minded Project: Engaging with the Curriculum and Your Community LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Student engagement is primarily driven by their ability to make personal connections to their own learning. Through these projects, students take ownership in their learning, connecting national, state or local issues to people and developments in their local area. The project design provides a framework for students to learn more about and engage in their local communities. This knowledge helps to build a sense of pride and respect for themselves, their families and the local area. Designed for Civics Literacy or AP Gov classes.
Speakers
avatar for Kelly Dunbar

Kelly Dunbar

Teacher, Buncombe County Schools
Friday April 25, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Tidewater A 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27493

12:00pm EDT

Using Artifacts to Explore the History and Presence of the Hmong in North Carolina LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Who are the Hmong and how have they contributed to the culture and economic development of western North Carolina? In this presentation, participants will explore digital stories created by Hmong American community members, along with other public digital archives. We demonstrate ways that educators can use the digital stories and archives created by Hmong and Hmong American people to grow young students’ awareness the Hmong people and their history and presence in North Carolina.
Speakers
SF

Shanan Fitts

Associate Professor, Appalachian State University
Friday April 25, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Augusta B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27492

12:00pm EDT

Analyzing Propaganda and Teaching Media Literacy: The Holocaust as a Case Study LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Participants explore the events of the Holocaust through the lens of media, by examining propaganda deployed by the Nazis to discriminate against Jews and other minorities. Educators gain tools to facilitate classroom discussions and support students to analyze media in today’s world. This session would be most appropriate for NC social studies courses in grades 6-11.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Tanglewood 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27496

12:00pm EDT

The Importance of the Wilmington 1898 Insurrection LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
On November 10, 1898 the only successful coup d'etat in America took place in Wilmington, North Carolina. The insurrection ended with many of Wilmington’s African-American citizens murdered, many more fled Wilmington never to return, while still others were barred from the city in perpetuity. The Daily Record, the black-owned and published newspaper also had its building burned to the ground by insurrectionists. Self-avowed “white supremacists” led the insurrection that had been building for months with racially charged language and accusations. The aftermath of this massacre on Wilmington, North Carolina, and the South as a whole was palpable and repercussions were felt for many decades. This is a part of North Carolina history and United States history about which many are not aware. If you attend this session, you will learn more about the role played by Charles B. Aycock, Furnifold Simmons, Alfred M. Waddell, the Secret 9, the Redshirts, and Alex Manly, as well as The News and Observer. Come to this session to learn more about the famous people, the forgotten people, and the little-known events of the Wilmington Massacre/Insurrection of 1898. We will also discuss how this historical event continues to have an effect on the present.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Pebble Beach 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27497

1:00pm EDT

Engaging Minds: The Impact of Regular Discussion in Inquiry-Based Social Studies LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
This session explores the role of structured, regular discussion in enhancing student engagement and deepening understanding within an inquiry-based social studies framework. The presenter will share a flexible tool that was featured on C3Teahers.org to help facilitate reflection in student discussions, enabling educators to capture students' evolving thoughts, questions, and insights over time. By integrating this tool, teachers can create a dynamic classroom environment where students actively construct knowledge through dialogue throughout the inquiry process, critically examine diverse perspectives, and develop essential communication and reasoning skills. The session will provide practical strategies for implementing regular discussions and utilizing tools to support inquiry, foster deeper learning, and promote student-centered engagement.
Speakers
avatar for Gretchyn Bedard

Gretchyn Bedard

Social Studies Teacher, Iredell-Statesville Schools
Gretchyn has been using C3 IDM for over a decade, building resources and offering PD to support classroom adoption of inquiry. She teaches World History & Economics & Personal Finance & is an advocate for the ethical use of AI in the classroom.  Currently she works with several organizations... Read More →
Friday April 25, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Tidewater B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27494

1:00pm EDT

Historical Inquiry: A Micro-Q Approach to the Nuremberg Trials LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Join us in exploring historical inquiry using a Micro-Q created through NCDPI’s 2024 NC History Unfolded’s Summer DBQ Inquiry-Based Project. This session will explore ethical and historical questions surrounding the Nuremberg Trials. Through engaging activities, participants will critically analyze primary sources while delving into the compelling question of whether the trials should have focused on the individual perpetrators or on the systemic failures that enabled the Holocaust. Leave with a ready to use Micro-Q and primary sources aligned with the NC Standards for grade 8, World, and the new Holocaust elective.
Speakers
avatar for Vashawn Daniels

Vashawn Daniels

Grade 8 ELA/SS, West Craven Middle School
I have been an ELA/SS teacher for 17 years. I am happy to share my experience with the NC History Unfolded Fellows and Retro Report. I want everyone to travel safely to your professional development learning experience.
Friday April 25, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Augusta B 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27492

1:00pm EDT

Media Literacy to Promote Civic Engagement LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
This presentation will explore the importance of media literacy in today's digital age. We will delve into practical strategies and resources that educators can utilize to equip their students with the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the complex media landscape. Additionally, we will highlight professional development opportunities for teachers to enhance their knowledge and expertise in media literacy, empowering them to foster informed and engaged citizens.
Speakers
avatar for Tom Daugherty

Tom Daugherty

K-12 Social Studies Consultant, NCDPI
Friday April 25, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Augusta A 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27491

1:00pm EDT

Worldly Readers & Thinkers: Reading Apprenticeship in North Carolina Social Studies Classrooms LIMITED
Friday April 25, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Join our interactive session to explore how Reading Apprenticeship has enhanced disciplinary literacy in Social Studies, aligning with North Carolina's Standard Course of Study Standards. Experience classroom routines, led by a North Carolina Social Studies teacher, that empower students to engage critically with global topics/issues/narratives while fostering empathy and collaboration. Participate in text-based inquiry and discussions that bring historical and contemporary issues to life. Our exemplar lesson is on international trade and its impact on North Carolina. In this particular lesson, you will experience routines to that support reading infographics and reading for making a claim/disciplinary argumentation. You will learn more broadly about how instruction anchored in the Reading Apprenticeship framework can build more engaged and independent readers of Social Studies texts.
Speakers
Friday April 25, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Tanglewood 3121 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27496
 
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