Teaching Civics Through History: A Grant for New York City and State Schools

Are you…

• A New York secondary school History or Civics Teacher or Department Chair, who wants to challenge and engage students with resources that develop students’ civic knowledge, skills and actions, mindsets, and experiences?
• At a school offering—or hoping to offer—New York’s Seal of Civic Readiness to your students? Are you doing so in partnership with the NYCDOE’s Civics for All Team or a BOCES?
• Looking to develop or refine an elective or a unit that integrates the teaching of Civics, History, and Current Events through the use of primary source documents and by aligning literacy skills, critical thinking skills, and civic action projects?

If you answered yes to one or more of those questions, we encourage you to apply!

Awards will be given to public middle and high schools from New York (City and State) with 1 to 4 History or Civics educators who agree to participate in Facing History’s in-person summer seminar, Teaching Civics Through History: The Reconstruction Era and Today, the week of August 15-17, 2023 in Manhattan. The seminar will model our approach to the teaching of Civics and History through our case study, Reconstruction and the Fragility of Democracy, and by making connections to our Current Events resources. The seminar will provide resources and support for a Civics project and a Civics- or History-based research paper. 

Participating teachers will agree to use or adapt the materials to teach a new elective Civics-based course or to integrate the materials into a pre-existing History or Civics course. These teachers will receive access to virtual and print resources for the classroom and a Facing History Program Associate who can advise on their use. Teachers also will attend one or more follow-up workshops to receive additional content and implementation support.

Grant Details

Awarded Schools Will Receive the Following

1. Fee waivers for each team member to attend Facing History and Ourselves’ in-person seminar, Teaching Civics Through History: The Reconstruction Era and Today, August 15 - 17, 2023 in Manhattan.
   Travel to the Manhattan seminar, and, if needed, lodging are not covered by this grant.
2. Year-long consultation and support from Facing History, including up to  three planning sessions for eligible staff. Planning sessions may begin the summer of your grant year and may be in-person or virtual.
3. Access to Facing History’s extensive collection of online resources for classroom use, including a sample Civics elective course, a Civics project, and a research paper explored at the seminar. These elements are designed to support schools offering New York’s Seal of Civic Readiness, but can be used in other circumstances as well.
4. A collection set of Facing History resource books.
5. Invitations to attend professional learning workshops during the school year—most at no cost!
6. New York teachers are eligible to receive CTLE hours.

Note: Space is limited. Priority will go to schools implementing or applying to implement  the Seal of Civic Readiness, but other New York schools are encouraged to apply, as long as Civics and History are a curricular priority.

Awarded Schools Commit to the Following

Each school commits a team of one to four educators to participate in this grant. Participating teachers are required to:

1. Attend the in-person summer seminar, Teaching Civics Through History: The Reconstruction Era and Today, August 15 - 17, 2023 in Manhattan.
   An alternative option is to attend our online Reconstruction seminar. This option requires an additional planning session to provide support on the Civics materials not covered at the online seminar.
2. Use the materials and pedagogy received at the summer seminar in your classroom during the school year, either as a semester elective or adapted and integrated into a pre-existing history or civics class.
3. Secure approval and support from school administration to teach Facing History resources as per #2. 
4. Attend one required follow-up workshop during the school year to give Facing History feedback on our Civics and History resources, and to share the best practices you have learned from using the materials. 
5. Maintain open lines of communication with Facing History program staff for follow-up support and consultation.

Eligibility

• Public middle and high schools in New York (including charters)
• Educators who teach Civics, History, or Social Studies
• Eligible schools are those able to produce teams of 1–4 educators, all of whom have agreed to participate in Facing History professional learning and use Facing History resources, pedagogy, and approaches in their courses throughout the school year.

Application Process & Timeline

Apply as a team of 1 to 4 teachers using our application form. The application period will close Friday, April 7, 2023.

Schools that submit an application may be contacted by a Facing History staff member for a virtual interview. Acceptance is rolling; space is limited. 

Grantees will be selected and notified by April 28th.

Questions? Contact Renee Harleston, Program Specialist, at support [at] facinghistory.orgrel="nofollow".