DCSSC Sessions & Topics

This session introduces SAAPRI’s Memories and Milestones oral history project, which documents South Asian immigrants who settled in Illinois before the 1965 immigration reforms. Participants will explore how these stories illuminate overlooked histories and support implementation of the TEAACH Act. Attendees will leave with practical tools, lessons, and strategies to center AANHPI voices and intergenerational storytelling in their curriculum.

This session examines the intertwined histories of residential and school segregation in the United States, revealing how white residential developers, planning consultants, and their allies in government strategically shifted from block-level to neighborhood-level segregation. By linking these practices to middle-class ideals of “good parenting,” such strategies secured the longevity of both residential and school segregation. Dr. Benjamin explores the legal mechanisms that reinforced or challenged segregation—including racial covenants, zoning ordinances, and landmark court cases brought by activists. Attendees will gain historical context and classroom strategies for teaching the intertwined legacies of housing and school segregation.

Translation opens a window into ancient worlds. Empires are built on the backs of translations. Translations can also combat the fragmentation of the world into tribes and nations and point back towards common humanity. This session explores the world-shaping force of translation as history, as practice, as art, as power, and as technology. The session will offer ideas and primary source material for incorporating meaningful discussions of and exercises in translation – even for monolingual speakers in the classroom

Supporting English Learners (ELs) in the social studies classroom can feel overwhelming, especially when balancing content, language development, and instructional demands. This session for grades 6–12 teachers will provide practical strategies to simplify your work while maximizing student growth. Participants will leave with ready-to-use tools, practical routines, and strategies that make teaching ELs both more effective and more manageable.

Educators are on the front lines of cultural and political division; navigating polarized environments ourselves while also in a unique position to help facilitate how future generations handle civic disagreement. In other words, teachers are both impacted by, and influencers of, the polarization dynamic — through classrooms, relationships with parents and communities, and the curriculum they teach. This session is designed to trace the origins of polarization to the power of partisanship as a social identity, and to explain the factors that intensify partisan animus. Participants will learn research-based strategies to reduce partisan animus and promote the civic mission of schools in an increasingly divided America.

Public monuments say a lot about who we honor—and who we forget. This session examines Chicago monuments such as the Haymarket Police Monument, Confederate Mound in Oak Woods Cemetery, and the Balbo Monument, highlighting their ties to anti-worker, racist, and fascist histories. Participants will also learn about new memorial projects, including the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project, and leave with ideas for teaching monuments as contested historical texts

Simulations bring civic processes to life. In this interactive session, participants will experience classroom-tested simulations that model democratic practices in time frames ranging from ten minutes to several days. They will explore free resources, debrief strategies, and ways to align simulations with content standards. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use ideas that let students “do” social studies, not just read about it.

Despite staggering casualties, the war in Ukraine remains locked in a deadly stalemate. Political leaders dance around one another with symbolic rhetoric, but little changes. This session will lay out the factors that are impacting the inertia from the Russian, Ukrainian, European and American perspectives.

From separation-of-powers disputes to major regulatory changes, federal developments can be hard to track—and even harder to teach. This session highlights current federal legal and policy issues with particular relevance for social studies classrooms. Participants will have time for questions and will leave with clear explanations and discussion prompts to help students make sense of fast-moving national events.

This session will explore the underlying economics that make health care a uniquely difficult public policy challenge. It will highlight the tradeoffs associated with different health care systems, both within the United States and across countries. The session will also probe why American health care is so expensive relative to the rest of the world and how we might move toward a system that generates better health outcomes in a more affordable way. DR. WHELAN WILL PRESENT REMOTELY VIA ZOOM

In this session, participants will hear from a public defense attorney, a council member, a former county sheriff, and a current police chief, each offering unique insights into the challenges and opportunities facing communities today. Through an engaging panel discussion, attendees will explore topics such as equity in the justice system, the evolving role of law enforcement, and the social factors influencing policy and practice. Participants will gain diverse perspectives and ideas for connecting real-world justice issues to classroom learning.

With Japan's victory over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, fear of the "yellow peril" began to grow stronger in the US, particularly along the West coast. This led to efforts to restrict Japanese immigrant children's access to San Francisco schools, and culminated in the 1907 "Gentlemen's Agreement," brokered by President Teddy Roosevelt. The presentation will consider the legacies of anti-Japanese racism, particularly on Japanese views of the US.

Explore how the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Fourth Amendment is changing in an era of rapid technological development. Through interactive, jigsaw-style case studies, participants will examine key rulings on search and seizure, including a current-term case. Attendees will receive free ABA classroom resources to help students analyze privacy, policing, and the courts while strengthening civil discourse around constitutional rights.

This presentation explores how digital tools can transform historical inquiry, enabling students to interpret evidence, craft arguments, and create multimodal histories. Participants will discover platforms for digital writing, collaborative reading, and interactive creation that foster critical thinking, deepen engagement, and prepare learners to connect past and future meaningfully.

US currency is backed by nothing but fiat—government decree. Is the stability of the US dollar as fragile as it seems, circulating only on account of habit, inertia, and expectations? This session will consider competing theories to explain the backing of currency. The schools of thought have different implications regarding how economists think about inflation as well the long-term viability of alternative monies such as cryptocurrencies and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), which, in turn, have potential ramifications regarding privacy and consumer protection.

This session will discuss updated approaches for understanding and teaching Reconstruction. Although Reconstruction is a pivotal era in United States history, it is frequently misunderstood and notoriously difficult to teach. This session will offer new ways of thinking about Reconstruction and strategies for teaching it, drawing on Dr. Masur’s recent graphic narrative, Freedom Was In Sight: A Graphic History of Reconstruction in the Washington, D.C. Region.

Henry VIII is famous for his wives, but his reign from the Renaissance and Reformation transformed the English government. This session examines how Tudor policies reimagined royal authority and broke with medieval traditions. Participants will connect Henry’s England to the “New Monarchies” in the AP European History framework and leave with primary-source strategies and teaching aids to deepen students’ understanding of early modern state building.

This interactive session will explore how colorism (skin tone bias) can occur to impact all students in the classroom. It will identify, define, and outline how colorism occurs in society to impact teaching and learning behavior in the classroom. Attendees will walk away with (a) knowing the difference between racism and colorism, (b) being able to identify colorist bias, (c) reflect on potential impact of colorist bias in their teaching practices, and (d) resources and concrete strategies that address color and racial bias to cultivate empathy and affirming spaces for all students in the classroom.

How did China move from revolution to global economic powerhouse? This session examines major political, social, and economic developments from 1949 to the present, including life under Mao and the reforms that followed. Participants will work with primary sources to deepen their understanding and leave with strategies and materials for teaching modern China in secondary classrooms.

Dr. Schwinn will present and discuss the current cases and issues before the Supreme Court.

This extended session examines how the criminal justice system is evolving in its response to domestic violence. Presenters will discuss specialized courts, improved law enforcement training, prosecution practices including respect for victims and better sentencing, and services such as rehabilitation, counseling and shelter. They will also address firearms, trauma-informed approaches, and interagency collaboration. Participants will leave with deeper insight into current reforms and concrete ideas for classroom connections.

The DBQ can feel intimidating for students and teachers alike. In this session, two veteran AP History teachers share how they broke the DBQ into scaffolded skills taught across the year. Participants will examine models, templates, and sample prompts, discuss concerns and potential responsible AI use in DBQ preparation, and leave with a practical toolbox of resources to boost student confidence and scores. Teachers are encouraged to bring their DBQ questions, ideas, and sample lessons to share and discuss.

Gen Z reports high political engagement, but their participation looks very different from that of older generations. Each generation engages with politics in unique ways, influenced by their experiences, historical contexts, and technological developments. This session examines how generations develop distinct civic styles shaped by history, technology, and culture. Participants will explore emerging trends in activism, voting, and public service, and leave with strategies to foster meaningful, cross-generational civic engagement in their classrooms.

This session invites grades 6–12 educators to critically examine the language, labels, and narratives commonly used to describe Native American history in classrooms and curricular materials. Participants will engage with primary sources and familiar classroom materials to unpack how historical narratives are constructed and how power operates through the words we choose. Educators will leave with strategies for teaching Native American history in ways that honor Indigenous perspectives, emphasize continuity and resilience, and encourage students to think critically about the stories we tell—and who gets to tell them.

Research from the University of Chicago shows that engaging student voice in the classroom can have a positive impact on academic outcomes. This workshop will share research-based best practices to foster respect and civil dialogue in the classroom. Participants will leave prepared to create classroom cultures where students listen carefully, disagree respectfully, and engage productively with diverse viewpoints.

From precision weapons to real-time communications, technology has fundamentally changed how wars are fought and how diplomacy is conducted. This session reviews key historical examples and considers emerging technologies that complicate peace efforts. Participants will discuss how to help students connect technological change to ethics, international law and global security.

Built after World War II, the global free-trade system was designed to promote prosperity and reduce conflict among nations. This session traces the development of global free-trade, the rise of regional agreements, and recent challenges, including escalating tariffs and nationalist backlash. Participants will explore competing perspectives on trade’s benefits and costs and consider what the future of the global trading order means for the U.S. and the world.

From Stanley cups to Jordans, American identity is often defined by what we buy. This presentation combines history, economics, and politics to explore the mass marketing, social media trends and legacy of consumer culture on American life. Using the Kroehler Manufacturing Company in Naperville as a local case study, participants will gain strategies for connecting national economic change to students’ everyday lives.

The term genocide is less than a century old, yet the crimes it describes long predate its naming. From the Armenian genocide of 1915, to the Holocaust, to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, these events reveal recurring patterns of violence fueled by nationalism, colonialism, expansion, and ideology. Drawing on research and travel to sites in Europe, Asia, and Africa, this session offers frameworks, testimonies, and classroom strategies for teaching genocide responsibly. Participants will consider how to connect past atrocities to contemporary human rights issues while supporting students emotionally and intellectually.

Parenting isn’t easy and knowing how to respond when kids test boundaries can feel overwhelming. Participants will explore how the use of consequences in parenting impacts child behavior. In the field of psychology, consequences are examined according to two types: natural and logical. In this session the natural and logical consequences will be broken down, described in detail and their applications and implications examined.

Falling birthrates and aging populations are reshaping societies. This session compares demographic change in the United States and Japan to illustrate concepts such as the demographic transition model, population decline, and population pyramids. Participants will explore data and visualizations and leave with approachable ways to teach complex demographic trends and their social implications in a social studies class.

This session examines the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North, focusing on the push of Jim Crow, racial violence, and sharecropping and the pull of new job opportunities. Participants will explore how this movement reshaped cities, altered the South, and continues to influence migration patterns today. They will leave with primary sources and framing questions for U.S. history classes.

This session will explore the lessons that we learned from the first year of AP Psychology with a new curriculum. We will examine some of the new concepts added to the course, what we learned from the first AP reading, and how we can best prepare our students in the future to be successful in the course and in applying psychology to their own lives.

Artificial intelligence is transforming how students read, write, and research—and how teachers design learning. This workshop shows educators how to adapt instruction so students still do the cognitive heavy lifting while using AI as a meaningful support. Participants will explore concrete strategies, sample prompts, and classroom models for ethical, effective AI use that deepens content mastery and critical thinking. Laptop recommended but not required.

From Stanley cups to Jordans, American identity is often defined by what we buy. This presentation combines history, economics, and politics to explore the mass marketing, social media trends and legacy of consumer culture on American life. Using the Kroehler Manufacturing Company in Naperville as a local case study, participants will gain strategies for connecting national economic change to students’ everyday lives.

How did early empires persuade subjects to accept their rule? This session explores how Akkad (the “first world empire”), Babylon, Assyria, Persia, Macedon, and Rome used royal inscriptions, literature, and material culture to project legitimacy and “soft power.” Participants will see how propaganda strategies evolved over time and gain ideas for using ancient sources to teach about empire, ideology, and historical narrative.

This session examines how organizations such as Freedom House evaluate democratic health using indicators like corruption, minority rights, elections, and judicial independence. Participants will analyze why many indices show U.S. “democratic backsliding” and whether it reflects global patterns or uniquely American challenges. They’ll leave with comparative tools and data sources to enrich discussions of democracy in class.

What happens after conviction? This session walks educators through the post-conviction timeline, including probation, parole, expungement, civil forfeiture, and how prior convictions shape future charges. Using recent high-profile examples, participants will unpack key policy debates and justice reform efforts. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use case studies, resources, and strategies to help students critically examine what “justice” means beyond the verdict.

This session explores the evolution of Zen Buddhism across South and East Asia. Beginning with its origins in India, the talk traces how Buddhist practices and ideas were transformed in China through interaction with Daoism, resulting in the emergence of Chan Buddhism. It then examines the further adaptation of Chan in Japan, where aesthetic and cultural influences shaped what became known as Zen. By highlighting these regional transformations, the session illuminates how religious traditions evolve as they move across cultural and geographic boundaries.

With Senator Durbin’s retirement, competitive congressional races, and a high-stakes governor’s contest, Illinois’ 2026 midterms offer a rich case study in democratic politics. Come learn about the current state of play in these contests and others down the ballot just weeks before the Illinois Primaries. Emerge equipped to engage students in conversations about these candidates and prevailing issues, navigating public opinion polling and political advertising, and developing an excitement about and commitment to informed voting in this and future elections.

Sweeping federal spending cuts undertaken in 2025 will reshape funding for health care, food assistance, public education, housing, and clean energy. This session analyzes how the “One Big Beautiful Bill” could affect Illinois residents, the state budget, and the broader economy.