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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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Friday, March 14
 

8:30am CDT

Wisconsin Adventures Returns!
Friday March 14, 2025 8:30am - 10:45am CDT
CAUCUS
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Proven education foundations and dragon-slaying go hand in hand! Wisconsin Adventures combines the myths and legends of Wisconsin’s past with the inherent learning opportunities of fantasy roleplaying games. Engage your students in a new way of learning by incorporating place-based education into the ever-growing community of TTRPG (tabletop roleplaying games) enthusiasts.
Speakers
avatar for Kurt Griesemer

Kurt Griesemer

Manager of PK12 Education Initiatives, Wisconsin Historical Society
Kurt Griesemer has been involved in education for over 20 years, teaching in public and private schools, creating classroom media for television and the web, and currently as the Coordinator of Primary Education at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Kurt has produced several video... Read More →
Friday March 14, 2025 8:30am - 10:45am CDT
CAUCUS
  General Social Studies, All Social Studies Educators

10:20am CDT

The 5Ks and Beyond: Exploring Historical and Contemporary Sikh American Experiences
Friday March 14, 2025 10:20am - 10:50am CDT
CONF 1
Feedback Survey
Expand your understanding of Sikhism and Sikh American experiences. Sikh identity is often very visible on the surface, but the practices, beliefs, and experiences of Sikh Americans are often invisible. Learn more about Sikhism and the 120 years of Sikh-American history. Receive resources to promote cultural and religious literacy to enhance your teaching of AAPI history and heritage.
Speakers
KS
Friday March 14, 2025 10:20am - 10:50am CDT
CONF 1
  General Social Studies, All Social Studies Educators

12:30pm CDT

Expanding Act 30: America’s Black Holocaust Museum and Wisconsin Armenian Community
Friday March 14, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
CONF 2
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Act 30 mandated Holocaust & genocide education in middle & secondary social studies. This session brings together Milwaukee’s America’s Black Holocaust Museum & Wisconsin’s Armenian Community to present local histories, connections, & resources for teaching and learning about genocide and its legacies in Wisconsin middle and secondary social studies.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. George Dalbo

Dr. George Dalbo

Professor of Education and Youth Studies, Beloit College
Friday March 14, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
CONF 2
  US History, Middle & High School

1:45pm CDT

Teaching the Black Holocaust through Museums and Local History
Friday March 14, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
CONF 2
Feedback Survey
America’s Black Holocaust Museum educates the general public about the harmful legacies of enslavement and Jim Crow. This session will discuss the history of the museum, our founder’s experience as a survivor of a lynching attempt, and the many ways we engage with school groups about these difficult topics through curricular alignment and museum visits.
Speakers
AD
Friday March 14, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
CONF 2
  US History, All Social Studies Educators

3:00pm CDT

Teaching Asian America in K-12 Classrooms
Friday March 14, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
CONF 3
Feedback Survey
In April 2024, Gov. Evers signed a bill requiring the teaching of Hmong and Asian America in K-12 classrooms. In this session, the authors of the book Teaching Asian America in Elementary Classrooms and developers of the Stop AAPI Hate K-12 Asian American Studies Curriculum Framework will offer an overview of Asian America and a wealth of suggestions and resources for K-12 classroom instruction.
Speakers
avatar for Sohyun An

Sohyun An

Professor of Social Studies Education Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Kennesaw State University
Dr. Sohyun An is a professor of social studies education at Kennesaw State University. She received B.S. and M.S. degrees in social studies education from Seoul National University in South Korea, and Ph.D. degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison... Read More →
NR
Friday March 14, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
CONF 3
  Professional Development, All Social Studies Educators
 
Saturday, March 15
 

9:15am CDT

Bring Current Events Alive!
Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
CONF 3
Feedback Survey
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
DV

Dean Vesperman

Dean Vesperman
CB

Chase Brown

UW-LaCrosse
TC

Terra Clark

UW-LaCrosse
AL
ZP

Zach Powley

UW-LaCrosse
SS

Shelby Schultz

UW-LaCrosse
YZ

Youssef Zahid

UW-LaCrosse
Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
CONF 3
  Civics/Government, High School 9-12

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
Feedback Survey
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
avatar for Beth Schaefer

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

9:15am CDT

Tools for Teaching Responsible and Engaging Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
CONF 2
Feedback Survey
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
SG

Sam Goldberg

Holocaust Education Resource Center
EP
Saturday March 15, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
CONF 2
  General Social Studies, High School 9-12

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
Feedback Survey
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
avatar for Libby Falck

Libby Falck

Curriculum & Game Designer, Forward Games
Saturday March 15, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
CONF 4
  Civics/Government, MS and HS

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
Feedback Survey
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
avatar for Kris McDaniel

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

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
Feedback Survey
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
SK
Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 1:45pm CDT
CONF 1
  Civics/Government, High School 9-12

1:15pm CDT

Contemporary Antisemitism
Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
CONF 2
Feedback Survey
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
SG

Sam Goldberg

Holocaust Education Resource Center
Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
CONF 2
  General Social Studies, All Social Studies Educators

1:15pm CDT

Human Impacts on Land and Sea: Hands-on Geography Activities
Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
SENATE A
Feedback Survey
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
avatar for Kaela Swanson

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

1:15pm CDT

WI Civics Fellows in Action: Projects Around the State
Saturday March 15, 2025 1:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
ASSEMBLY
Feedback Survey
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
avatar for Kris McDaniel

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 1:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
ASSEMBLY
  Civics/Government, All Social Studies Educators
 
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