Washington State Council for the Social Studies

Washington State Council for the Social Studies It is the time of the year now when the start of school is upon us. It is also time to mark your calendar to attend the WSCSS Fall In-Service! This year the theme of the conference is "Adventures in Learning Near at Hand & Distant Lands." There will be many opportunities for adventure in the sessions and in learning fr...om our keynote speaker Helen Thayer.

Helen Thayer is an adventurer in the truest sense of the word. She has challenged her will and her limits as she has explored the North, becoming the first woman to walk and ski to the magnetic north pole. She has lived for an extended period of time among wolves. She has walked, the LONG way, across the Gobi Desert. From each of these adventures she has written books chronicling her experience. In addition she has developed "Adventure Classroom" where she brings the people, places, and adventure back to your classroom. She has been featured on "Travel with Rick Steves" on NPR and is truly an engaging and inspiring speaker.

In addition to an amazing keynote speaker, the fall in-service will have a wealth of breakout sessions about specific topics and grade levels. The presentations give you the chance to get a close look at the latest resources and proven methods. Many of the breakout sessions are linking their presentations to the CBAs to help teachers more effectively implement the CBAs in their classrooms.

This conference is one that you must attend, and bring a friend! By bringing a friend you cover twice the sessions and have someone to bounce ideas off of that you gained at the conference. It is also a great place to meet other dedicated Social Studies professionals.

Registration forms can be found on www.wscss.org. Look for the "fall in-service" link on the top right side of the page!

We can not wait to see you in Edmonds!