AGENDA TOPICS

A listing of many of the agenda topics featured at the Civics & History Summit can be found here. While the schedule is being finalized, we encourage you to view the details of the event happenings taking place under Home tab at the top of the page. This schedule is tentative and subject to change. More to come!

Keynote speakers to be announced in April 2025.

SOUTH DAKOTA STUDIES WEEKLY CURRICULUM

Presented By: Studies Weekly and the Department of Education

Target Audience: K-5th Grade

Join us for extended grade level breakouts spanning multiple sessions. Each breakout will focus on your specific grade level’s South Dakota Studies Weekly Curriculum. Breakouts will consist of lesson pacing, lesson plans and resources for each week, weekly walkthroughs to assist in planning your weeks, and a deep dive into the curriculum. Standards Correlation and Scope and Sequence documents will be available within the Whova app for participants to download.

USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO CREATE LESSON PLANS AND RUBRICS

Presented By: David De Jong

Target Audience: K-12

Explore the frontier of educational technology in this session dedicated to utilizing artificial intelligence for crafting lesson plans and assessment rubrics aligned with K-12 Social Studies Standards. Discover step-by-step instructions on leveraging AI technology to streamline the creation process and learn how to set up an account with a suggested AI platform. Equip yourself with the skills to independently develop personalized instructional materials, revolutionizing your teaching approach with the latest advancements in educational technology.

USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO ENHANCE INSTRUCTION

Presented By: David De Jong

Target Audience: K-12

Dive into the realm of artificial intelligence in K-12 Social Studies lessons and assessments during this immersive session! Geared towards participants already acquainted with AI platforms, this workshop offers a platform for questions and collaboration. Engage with the presenter and fellow educators to enhance your curriculum and lessons through shared insights during the dedicated work time. Be sure to bring your curricular resources, as this session provides a hands-on opportunity to integrate AI seamlessly into your classroom lessons. Elevate your teaching experience by exploring the limitless possibilities AI can bring to K-12 Social Studies education!

EXPLORING THE MANY TOOLS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Presented By: David De Jong

Target Audience: K-12

In this presentation, we will explore how AI tools such as NotebookLM, CharacterAI, Diffit, ChatGPT, MagicSchoolAI, and others can transform K-12 Social Studies instruction. Participants will learn how to leverage these tools to create interactive, engaging lessons that foster critical thinking and personalized learning experiences. Discover how AI can assist in crafting differentiated instructional materials, simulate historical debates, generate custom assessments, and provide real-time support for students. This session will also demonstrate how to integrate AI tools to streamline lesson planning and grading, enabling teachers to focus more on student engagement and less on administrative tasks. It is not required to bring your laptop or smartphone, yet this session will be enhanced if you bring them.

HOW TO INTRODUCE THEATER AND ORATORY INTO YOUR SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM

Presented By: Tamra Huffman

Target Audience: 5th-8th Grade

Currently a Ford's Theatre fellow, I collaborate with them to integrate theater, speech, and oratory into the social studies curriculum. Emphasizing the importance of public speaking as a lifelong skill, I will present various lesson plan ideas that will be easy to introduce into the classroom. I will also provide additional information for any participant interested in becoming a fellow at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC. Through this fellowship, teachers are given the opportunity to bring their students to participate in Ford's Theatre National Oratory Festival in Washington, DC.

A MEDLEY OF TEEN BOOKS TO ENHANCE YOUR SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM

Presented By: Jean Kirschenman

Target Audience: 6th-12th Grade

This presentation will help you support your curriculum with books and offer student voice and choice with lit circles or independent reading lists where students can make their own selections based on their values, reading level, and interests. You will be introduced to hundreds of books by topic, theme, time period, or geography, along with ideas for resources to use right away. Get ready for tons of titles--presented in a fast-paced but organized manner.

NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES RESOURCE FROM SDPB

Presented By: Steven Rokusek

Target Audience: K-12 Grade

Participants will learn about Native American studies resources available from SDPB and PBS. These resources include videos, lesson plans, and activity ideas for the classroom, covering multiple ages. The session will feature a new resource called Tatanka (Buffalo): A Way of Life for Native People in the Past and Present.

DAKOTA HISTORY AND LANGUAGE

Presented By: Joey Bird

Target Audience: K-12 Grade

This session will discuss how the Dakota Iapi Yukini Project at the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Education Department incorporates historical texts and documents written in the Dakota Language to understand the history of the Midwestern Region of the United States of America. By analyzing historical texts, written in the Dakota Language, it offers a unique perspective on history, historical events, and the shaping of South Dakota's various societies surrounding Indigenous people. Utilizing primary source documents that were written by people of a specific time period allows a deeper look into a side of history that is often overlooked and underappreciated. This allows my staff and I the ability to use cultural knowledge written into these primary sources to fully understand the untold versions of history. This presentation will guide educators through the process of using primary sources such as newspaper articles written in the Dakota Language and the translation of them to incorporate it into their social studies classes. This gives South Dakota educators a unique take on the history of the South Dakota region and how to shape a better understanding of history for their students.

INDIGENOUS RESPONSIVE TEACHING AND PEDAGOGY FOR SOCIAL STUDIES

Presented By: Dr. Demi Dumarce

Target Audience: K-12 Grade

This session will offer ways in which teachers can connect with their Indigenous students and use the South Dakota Social Studies Standards to create real life connections to the content in the classroom. Indigenous Responsive Teaching and Pedagogy is a unique educational framework that caters to the needs of Indigenous youth in the classroom by combining classroom content and lived experiences to create a positive learning environment for Indigenous students. As an Indigenous educator and previous student in South Dakota, I have been deeply impacted by the lack of representation of Indigenous people, specifically in the Social Studies content. As a result of this, I created an Educational Framework in my doctoral studies to bridge the gap often found between Indigenous students and various educational institutions. Creating lesson plans, understanding the use of State Standards, and finding extensive supplemental resources brought a unique enrichment to my Social Studies classes and made learning exciting for my Indigenous students. By combining Indigenous cultural knowledge, textbooks, and other resources, I was able to offer my Indigenous students a different perspective on history and civics. This session will focus on the why's for Indigenous student hesitancy in the classroom and offer tools for teachers to implement to create positive, effective learning environments for all of the students in their classrooms. This session will focus on how to teach Social Studies through a critical lens and how to create life long learners from our students.

HISTORY OF EDUCATION OF THE SISSETON AND WAHPETON OYATE

Presented By: Darell Decoteau

Target Audience: K-12 Grade

Sharing information about the education practices of Sisseton and Wahpeton Dakota through time.

AMPLIFYING INDIGENOUS HISTORY AND VOICES AS A NON-INDIGENOUS EDUCATOR

Presented By: Paul Barnhardt

Target Audience: K-12 Grade

In this session, participants will explore how non-Indigenous educators can thoughtfully and authentically integrate Indigenous histories, cultures, and perspectives into their classrooms. Through interactive discussions, resource sharing, and case studies, attendees will learn strategies to:

Collaborate with Indigenous communities to ensure accurate and meaningful representation.
Incorporate authentic Indigenous authors, scholars, and storytellers into lessons.
Create space for Indigenous student voices and leadership in their schools.

Participants will leave with actionable steps, recommended resources, and a deeper understanding of their responsibility in amplifying Indigenous histories and voices.

INFUSING MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSROOMS WITH LAKOTA LANGUAGE AND CULTURE: PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR SOCIAL STUDIES

Presented By: Tabor White Buffalo

Target Audience: 6th-8th Grade

This session is designed for middle school educators who are eager to learn how to integrate Lakota Language and cultural teachings into their classrooms and curricula. This workshop will provide practical strategies for weaving Lakota language and culture into daily classroom routines, lesson plans, and student activities. During this interactive session, participants will:

Learn essential Lakota phrases that can be immediately applied in classroom settings, such as greetings, classroom instructions, and cultural expressions.
Explore how to incorporate Lakota cultural concepts into existing subject matter, creating opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning.
Engage in hands-on activities for integrating the language into lessons, such as using Lakota teachings to enrich social studies curriculum.
Develop a personalized plan to infuse culturally relevant practices into their classrooms, fostering an inclusive, respectful, and enriched learning environment.
Leave with a resource packet containing key Lakota phrases, lesson materials, online resources, and community connections to further support language and culture integration.

This session emphasizes the importance of culturally responsive teaching and aims to empower educators with the tools they need to not only teach academic content but also to nurture respect, understanding, and cultural awareness in their students. No prior knowledge of Lakota language and culture is required—just a willingness to learn and incorporate new ideas into your classroom!

INFUSING HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOMS WITH LAKOTA LANGUAGE AND CULTURE: PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR SOCIAL STUDIES

Presented By: Tabor White Buffalo

Target Audience: 9th-12th Grade

This session is designed for high school educators, particularly those teaching World Geography, World History, U.S. History, Economics, and U.S. Government, who are eager to integrate Lakota language and cultural teachings into their curricula. The workshop will provide practical strategies to incorporate Lakota cultural concepts and language into your lessons, helping students gain a deeper understanding of Native American history, sovereignty, and contemporary issues.
During this interactive session, participants will:

Learn essential Lakota phrases that can be used in classroom settings, such as greetings, key terms related to government and community, and cultural expressions that reflect Lakota values.
Explore how to incorporate Lakota cultural concepts into existing subject matter—such as sovereignty, governance, economics, and the environment—creating opportunities for critical discussions about the intersection of Indigenous cultures and contemporary global issues.
Engage in hands-on activities for integrating the Lakota language and cultural practices, using stories, values, and teachings that enhance units on Native American history, world history, U.S. history, and economics. Example: Use a Lakota creation story to explore the concepts of natural resource management in economics or connect Lakota community values with civic responsibility in U.S. Government classes.
Develop a personalized plan to integrate culturally relevant practices into their courses, fostering a more inclusive, globally conscious, and respectful classroom environment.
Leave with a resource packet containing key Lakota phrases, lesson materials, resources for teaching Native American history, and community connections to support language and cultural integration.

This session emphasizes the importance of culturally responsive teaching and aims to empower educators with the tools needed to enrich their curriculum while deepening students' understanding of Indigenous perspectives. No prior knowledge of the Lakota language or culture is required—just a commitment to creating a more inclusive and globally aware classroom!

MAPPING SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS

Presented By: Johanna Sailor

Target Audience: 6th-12th Grade

Curriculum mapping is a powerful tool for designing social studies instruction that is rigorous, engaging, and relevant for students. Teachers with curriculum maps are also able to bring clarity to students about what they are learning, why they are learning it, and how they will demonstrate their learning. All this combines to increase student achievement. This session will share the why behind curriculum mapping and the how. We’ll look at the process used by Black Hills State University preservice students using the new SD social studies standards and how they built units that included a variety of instructional strategies and assessments. Participants will be provided planning templates that can used to fit any instructional resources.

WE THE PEOPLE

Presented By: Daler Singe

Target Audience: 6th-8th Grade

Civics lesson from our amazing We the People curriculum. It would be an interactive presentation and audience members would leave with a lesson idea for their middle school students.

WE THE PEOPLE - MIDDLE SCHOOL CIVICS ACTIVITY

Presented By: Addison Olson

Target Audience: 6th-8th Grade

Civics lesson from our amazing We the People curriculum. It would be an interactive presentation and audience members would leave with a lesson idea for their middle school students.

ORIGINS OF THE GREAT SCHISM OF 1054, THE INVESTITURE CONTROVERSY, AND THE CONCORDAT OF WORMS

Presented By: Dedra Birzer

Target Audience: 5th-12th Grade

This session will use primary documents to examine the medieval power struggles between the spiritual and temporal realms that are most dramatically demonstrated in the Great Schism of 1054, the Investiture Controversy, and the Concordat of Worms. The importance of these events to the development of western civilization will be examined as well.

WESTWARD MOVEMENT WITH THE INGALLS: EXAMINING MID-19TH CENTURY EMIGRATION THROUGH LAURA INGALLS WILDER'S LITTLE HOUSE NOVELS

Presented By: Dedra Birzer

Target Audience: 5th Grade

This session will cover standard 5.SS.9. G, H, and L, focusing on the settlement of the American West and specifically South Dakota and pioneer life through the novels and actual experiences of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The session will follow the progression of the Ingalls family as it emigrated across America, from Wisconsin to Kansas, back to Wisconsin, to Minnesota, to Iowa, back to Minnesota, and then to Dakota Territory. We will discuss the pushes and pulls that motivated the Ingalls and other pioneers to emigrate.

AND MORE!