Scott Abbott

Highly useful new infographic on #NewsLiteracy from the latest issue of @udelaware.bsky.social magazine w/specific & helpful advice and shout outs to @newslit.org, @allsidesnow.bsky.social, @politifact.bsky.social, @netflix.com Smart ideas for savvy consumers of media given our wild info landscape.

“These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” – Thomas Paine, The American Crisis (Dec. 23, 1776)

Civics Education Struggles, Even as Government and Politics Saturate Daily Life

“When democracy deteriorates, you need more and better civic education. If there is a pandemic, you need to send in the nurses and the doctors. It’s the same thing with a democracy crisis — civic educators are the nurses.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/07/w...

During @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social Book Banning Week, it’s important to remember the 1st Amendment prevents the government from regulating or restricting speech or other expression based on its content or viewpoint. www.ala.org/bbooks

Teaching the Constitution — Truthfully — From a D.C. Classroom In a city without full representation, Dr. Shelina Warren teaches students the Constitution is theirs — both its promises and its flaws.

“The Constitution belongs to you in all its complexity. You inherit both its promises and its unfinished business. Register if you can. Learn your rights. Ask hard questions about power. And then act…”

wordinblack.com/2025/09/teac...

Attention social studies educators: The Middle States Council for the Social Studies call for proposals is now open for the Feb 27-28 #MSCSS26 conference in Newark DE, submissions are due by Oct. 17th. Submit your proposal today! sites.google.com/view/mscss20... #sschat

The 2026 Middle States Social Studies Conference is gearing up for Feb 27-28, 2026 in Newark DE.

The 2026 Middle States Social Studies Conference is gearing up for Feb 27-28, 2026 in Newark DE. We’re looking for awesome session proposals, exhibitors, and award nominees. Register now and check out other details here: sites.google.com/view/mscss20... #MSCSS26

🎉 20 Delaware civics teachers assembled for a powerful day of learning, laughter, & collaboration at our We the People institute! From candy bar hearings 🍫 to improv games ⚡️, we explored how to help students speak, listen, & engage like citizens using WTP & DE model lessons. @decivics.bsky.social

UD's Delaware Center for Civics Education Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary | IPA | Biden School | University of Delaware The University of Delaware's Center for Civics Education celebrated the Democracy Project Summer Institute's 25th anniversary by traveling to historical sites and landmarks from Dover to Philly and Wa...

🇺🇸 25 years strong! The Democracy Project at @udelaware.bsky.social is still shaping the future, 1 civics teacher at a time. From Dover to D.C. to Philly, this year’s @decivics.bsky.social institute empowered educators to spark civic participation with students. #sschat

www.udel.edu/academics/co...

(1852) Frederick Douglass, "What, To The Slave, Is The Fourth Of July" Explore the speech "What, To The Slave, Is The Fourth Of July" delivered by Frederick Douglass in 1852, including full text and historical context.

Frederick Douglass’ words are well-worth a reread this #4thofJuly “Oppression makes a wise man mad…With brave men there is always a remedy for oppression.” #sschat

www.blackpast.org/african-amer...

Agreed.

Middle Schools Often Prioritize English and Math Over Other Subjects. Should They? An Illinois district is equalizing time across the four major content areas. But the decision comes with trade-offs.

“There’s a lot of evidence that having knowledge about the world is important for reading comprehension…Students who have broader bases of knowledge about the natural & social world do better on reading assessments, even when controlling for other things.” #sschat www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...

Just stating some facts about the U.S Constitution #NoKings

The full agenda is now posted, check it out here: www.socialstudies.org/2025svcagenda

2025 NCSS Summer Virtual Conference Wednesday, June 25 - Thursday, June 26, 2025 The Power of Civil Discourse: Fostering Empathy and Understanding in the Classroom

Registration open for the #NCSS Virtual Conference June 25-26 focusing on Civil Discourse. Save the date for June 25th at 1pm EDT for my session w/Tim Shaffer - Mic Drop or Open Mind: Practicing Civil Discourse in the Classroom #sschat

www.socialstudies.org/svc2025

Delaware lawmakers push for felon voting rights, early voting rules with these bills Delaware's rules around early voting and the rights of felons to vote are debated by a legislative committee. Here's where they stand.

The #Delaware House takes steps to enshrine early voting, vote by mail, and the restoration of voting rights for felons who have served their time. Expanding voting rights aligns with the principle of majority rule, crucial for our democratic republic. www.delawareonline.com/story/news/p...

Smiling voter in the rain

Reminder: School
Board elections in #Delaware today; polls are open from 7am-8pm. Always a good day for democracy when you can vote.

With the K-8s, the combination of the elementary & middle school funding models can create challenges like what you’re describing. And if school leaders can’t staff properly, then they can’t schedule either.

Oh wow, they actually enforce licensure laws there? Must be nice! The number of times I’ve had to crack up fake “humanities” is disconcerting.

Huh, interesting and glad CPS has figured out a model that works. It was a constant battle with admins to hire enough SS teachers, push them to not double-block ELA & Math and semesterize SS. Traditional middle schools always did a better job than K-8s, which were being slowly removed when I left.

I’ve seen 5-8 more commonly with charters, though the motivation there seems to be partially culture building and partially trying to encourage early decision-making by anxious parents who are trying to maximize opportunities for their own kids.

Ha, amusing on the second reason. The transition is easier but my experience with these in DC made me think their costs outweighed benefits, at least given the funding model DC used. You lose economies of scale to properly fund, staff, & teach the 6-8 students, SS, Science, & arts suffer.

What do you think are the benefits of K-8 vs 6-8 schools?

‎Simple Call Blocker ‎Simple Call Blocker is a utility that lets you block unwanted calls to your iPhone. It allows you to block individual numbers, or ranges of numbers. You may also add individual numbers or ranges o...

Yes, and I feel like it’s slowly driving me crazy. I’ve started using the Simple Call Blocker app to block ranges of numbers because though I block individual numbers, they always call back from different ones. It’s helped a little. apps.apple.com/us/app/simpl...

😂

If we hope to remain a democracy, we cannot mandate educators to parrot partisan lies. It is our duty as social studies educators to stand up against ahistorical efforts to mislead a generation of students and to resist those who would try to use schools to advance their anti-democratic beliefs. 2/2

State education board members say they were unaware of social studies standards changes before vote OKLAHOMA CITY — Three members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education said they weren’t aware of last-minute rewrites before they voted on proposed academic standards for social studies classes

As someone who has worked on/with state social studies standards for many states, this is among the most egregious examples of conspiracy thinking to make it into state SS standards I have ever seen, and through a clearly duplicitous process. 1/2 #sschat www.oudaily.com/news/oklahom...

A projection on the outside of the Old North Church reading "Let the WARNING ride forth ONCE MORE: TYRANNY is at OUR DOOR"

Old North Church in Boston last night on the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere's ride.

Make sure they read during daily social studies and science blocks that include disciplinary practices instead of pretending to do SS & Sci during 2-3 hr “literacy blocks?”

Cover of the book The Social Studies Field Guide by Joe Schmidt and Glenn Wiebe

Enjoying the new book from my friends @madisonteacher.bsky.social & @glennwiebe.bsky.social, which reads like conversations I’ve had with them about social studies but is chock full of practical strategies for engaging & effective social studies instruction #sschat www.corwin.com/books/social...