As part of its recently-forged partnership with the Maryland Council for Social Studies (MDCSS), MCEE will present four workshops at MCSS’s annual conference on Saturday, March 15, 2025. MCEE is a co-sponsor of the day-long event, which will be held at Salisbury University.
The theme of the conference is Maryand’s Civil Rights Journey: Then & Now and is inspired by Governor Wes Moore’s proclamation that 2024 was Maryland’s Year of Civil Rights in honor of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Marylanders’ contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. Social studies teachers are in a unique position to honor and uplift Maryland’s Civil Rights history and inspire future advocates as Civil Rights Issues continue to evolve – and to use financially-related concepts to teach those lessons.
MCEE’s workshops at the Conference include:
Elementary
Children’s literature is a perfect way to teach about the civil rights movement and related economics. For example, the book Let Them Play by Margot Theis Raven is a true story of little league in 1955 in segregated South Carolina. The book explores the barriers of the all-Black team and allows students to explore major league baseball today. Literature will be shared in this session along with lesson plans, activities, and resources that help explore the economics associated with the various stories.
Middle School
The journey of Indigenous people in the United States will be explored with a focus on past and present economic impact. This exploration and study will be related to Maryland state Social Studies standards that recognize multiple narratives and acknowledge the diversity and commonality of the human experience; use geography to explore the location, distribution, and impact of human activities; and analyze how individuals and societies have changed over time to make connection to the present in their communities. Participants will be provided with literature connections, activities, and lesson templates.
High School
The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond will present the history and impacts of redlining and blockbusting – policies that have had significant impacts on the economic lives of people of color living in major cities such as Baltimore. Participants will receive lesson plans and resources to help teach both concepts to high school students.
The new Advanced Placement (AP) African American History course has gained significant interest in Maryland high schools. In this session, the economics that are part of the teaching framework will be explored. Through primary and secondary sources, an inquiry learning experience will allow workshop participants to see how they can teach students to connect their learning to answer the question, How does economics explain the challenges and successes of Blacks after the Civil War?
Information about the conference and registration is available at https://www.mdcss.org/conference-2025
The Maryland Council for Social Studies (MDCSS) is dedicated to the promotion and support of social studies education in Maryland and the United States. MDCSS works to build a community of social studies educators in the state of Maryland, and through this network advance cultural understanding, respect for human differences, and an appreciation of diversity.
