Georgia History Festival 2024 Summer Teacher Workshop
Calling all Georgia educators! Join us in Savannah to learn about the 2024-2025 Georgia History Festival theme and activities.
Monday, June 3, 2024
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
At the Georgia Historical Society Research Center
This one-day event will provide educators with a sneak peak into the 2024-2025 Georgia History Festival theme, “The Reality of Our Liberty”: The First Amendment and Freedom of the Press, to help them prepare engaging and informative classroom lessons and activities connected to the theme. This workshop is geared towards middle and high school Social Studies teachers, but is adaptable for educators across all grade levels.
The Georgia History Festival (GHF) is the K-12 signature educational program of the Georgia Historical Society. Beginning with the new school year each fall, GHS presents a variety of public programs, exhibits, events, and educational resources exploring a specific theme. In February, GHS hosts the Georgia Day Expo, an interactive day for students to explore the richness and diversity of Georgia’s past through the Festival theme. The 2024-2025 Festival theme, “The Reality of Our Liberty,” also supports GHS’s ongoing commemoration of the US250 anniversary.
During this workshop, participants will investigate the foundations of the First Amendment and how it has presented benefits and challenges through the history of Georgia and the United States. With a specific focus on the freedom of the press, participants will hear from current investigative journalists, explore the GHS collections, and work with GHS staff to create primary-source focused activities.
All participants will receive session materials aligned to the Georgia Standards of Excellence for use in their classrooms, including an instructional guide with classroom strategies and high-resolution scans of primary source materials.
Participants will receive documentation confirming completion of eight hours of professional learning to submit to their administration, county, or district.
A non-refundable registration fee of $20.00 is required, which will cover lunch. Spaces are limited.
Presenters include:
- Special guest, Margaret Coker, editor-in-chief of The Current GA, based in Coastal Georgia. She started her two-decade career in journalism at Cox Newspapers before going to work at The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
- Stan Deaton, Ph.D., the Dr. Elaine B. Andrews Distinguished Historian with the Georgia Historical Society and popular host of Today in Georgia History.
- Elyse Butler, Manager of Programs and Special Projects at the Georgia Historical Society.
- LaPortia Mosley, Community Engagement Coordinator at the Georgia Historical Society.
- Amy Snyder, Education Manager at the Georgia Historical Society.
GHS is offering a limited number of scholarships for participants coming from outside the Savannah area. Representatives of Georgia’s RESA system are especially encouraged to apply. Please complete the section of the registration form regarding travel expenses.
For more information, please email GHS Education Manager Amy Snyder at Asnyder@georgiahistory.com.
This professional opportunity is supported in part by