WCSS 25: Full Schedule

Welcome to WCSS 25 - MAKING SOCIAL STUDIES MATTER! We are excited to host a powerful two day conference in our state capital, sharing countless ideas and methods to continue making social studies relevant to our students. Get ready to learn, grow, and have some fun in the process!

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9:15am CDT

Bring Current Events Alive!

Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

CONF 3

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How do we bring current events to life? Move beyond the traditional and engage in active, thoughtful deliberation of events that shape our students lives.

Speakers

Dean Vesperman

Chase Brown

UW-LaCrosse

Terra Clark

UW-LaCrosse

Audrey Langworthy

UW-LaCrosse

Zach Powley

UW-LaCrosse

Shelby Schultz

UW-LaCrosse

Youssef Zahid

UW-LaCrosse

Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
CONF 3

Civics/Government, High School 9-12

Host Organization University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Company Local & Global Connections
Audience 60 minute General Presentation

9:15am CDT

The Pizza Impact – Cross-curricular connections through the context of food, fiber and fuel.

Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

CONF 1

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Discover how frozen pizza can unlock conversations around communities, jobs, food security, and economies. Join us for real-life examples and lessons that utilize the rich context of food, fiber, and fuel. Leave with classroom-tested and student-approved lessons and activities that will put some pizazz in your social studies curriculum while building upon ELA, science, and EE standards.

Speakers

Beth Schaefer

Coordinator, Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom - Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation

I am passionate about food, farming, and people. For the past 22 years I have worked in both formal and informal roles related to agriculture literacy and education. I spent five years as an Agriculture Educator and Biology teacher in both rural and urban schools and for the past... Read More →

Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
CONF 1

Elementary, Elementary K-5

Host Organization Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom
Company Local & Global Connections, It’s Elementary!
Audience 60 minute General Presentation

9:15am CDT

Tools for Teaching Responsible and Engaging Holocaust and Genocide Studies

Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

CONF 2

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This session will explore the myriad resources offered by the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center and the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Resource Center. Educators at this session will have the opportunity to preview pre-made lesson plans and primary sources as well as learn about field trip opportunities, traveling trunks, and professional development workshops.

Speakers

Sam Goldberg

Holocaust Education Resource Center

Evan Phifer

Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
CONF 2

General Social Studies, High School 9-12

Host Organization Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
Company Sharing Untold Stories, Local & Global Connections
Audience 60 minute General Presentation

10:30am CDT

Bringing Local History and Civics to Life with Beacon, a new Game for Place-Based Learning

Saturday March 15, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

CONF 4

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Dive into the power of place-based learning with Beacon, a location-based game currently in development that makes civics and history education engaging, accessible, and relevant for students... all with a low lift for teachers! Participants will give feedback on the game and collaboratively brainstorm modules to address critical gaps in local civics curriculum in Wisconsin.

Speakers

Libby Falck

Curriculum & Game Designer, Forward Games

Saturday March 15, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
CONF 4

Civics/Government, MS and HS

Host Organization Forward Games
Company Local & Global Connections, Student Civic Engagement
Audience 60 minute General Presentation

10:30am CDT

Your Own Backyard: Using Place-Based Learning and Field Trips to Meet Standards and Increase Student Civic Engagement

Saturday March 15, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

UNIV CD

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Emphasize student-led inquiry and civic engagement through place-based learning! Learn how educators from organizations around the state built a template for teachers and historic sites to use field trips to meet social studies standards. How could you use this customizable template to increase student inquiry in your own backyard?

Speakers

Kris McDaniel

Social Studies Consultant, WI Dept of Public Instruction

I am the DPI Social Studies Consultant. My main work is to provide quality PD and resources to teachers and to connect organizations and districts. My main focus and passion, though, is helping social studies teachers in whatever they may need to provide amazing, rockstar instruc... Read More →

Saturday March 15, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
UNIV CD

Civics/Government, All Social Studies Educators

Host Organization WI Dept of Public Instruction
Company Engaging Pedagogy, Local & Global Connections
Audience 60 minute General Presentation

1:15pm CDT

State Bar Association: Mock Trials as a Learning Tool In & Out of Class

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 1:45pm CDT

CONF 1

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Simulating courtroom trials is a great way for students to get a hands-on learning experience and learn how their individual rights are protected by our justice system. Join a Mock Trial Teacher Coach to find out more about the Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Tournament and how you can utilize opening statements, closing arguments, and direct/cross examination questions in your class!

Speakers

Sam Koenig

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 1:45pm CDT
CONF 1

Civics/Government, High School 9-12

Host Organization State Bar of Wisconsin/Franklin High School
Company Local & Global Connections, Student Civic Engagement
Audience 30 minute Power Session

1:15pm CDT

Contemporary Antisemitism

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

CONF 2

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Join HERC as we discuss the impact that rising antisemitism is having on students and school culture. Using Echoes & Reflections materials and data from Wisconsin, this session will provide educators with the tools they need to identify and respond to antisemitism in a classroom setting.

Speakers

Sam Goldberg

Holocaust Education Resource Center

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
CONF 2

General Social Studies, All Social Studies Educators

Host Organization Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC)
Company Engaging Pedagogy, Local & Global Connections
Audience 60 minute General Presentation

1:15pm CDT

Human Impacts on Land and Sea: Hands-on Geography Activities

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

SENATE A

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Discover hands-on approaches to teaching the dynamic interrelationships between people, places, and the environment. Themes include global population trends, natural resource use, and how human activities have changed our landscapes and oceans over time. Engage in modeling, simulations, and lively debate that make course topics come alive.

Speakers

Kaela Swanson

Social Studies Teacher, School District of Ashland

I am a 8thgrade Social Studies teacher in Ashland, WI. By utilizing my adaptive teaching style, I connect lessons to the local area to help convey my learning objective. Incorporating local history into my lessons also helps educate my students about the original cultures and communities... Read More →

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
SENATE A

Geography, Middle School 6-8

Host Organization Ashland Middle School
Company Engaging Pedagogy, Local & Global Connections
Audience 60 minute General Presentation

1:15pm CDT

WI Civics Fellows in Action: Projects Around the State

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 3:15pm CDT

ASSEMBLY

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The Civics Fellows are classroom teachers from across WI who have been working to build knowledge and communities of practice for civics. Each Fellow has a personal project they have been working on and they'd like to share their work with you! Project examples include civic engagement in the classroom, teacher community and mentorship, and community/place-based learning.

Speakers

Kris McDaniel

Social Studies Consultant, WI Dept of Public Instruction

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
ASSEMBLY

Civics/Government, All Social Studies Educators

Host Organization WI Dept of Public Instruction
Company Local & Global Connections, Student Civic Engagement
Audience 2 Hour Hands-On Workshop