This page provides links to Kentucky resources and professional organizations for social studies.
KDE Resources
Global Competency
Global competence is critical for innovation in the 21st century. Educational approaches sensitive to our changing world infuse global awareness and cultural understanding into everyday classroom practices, while also utilizing the technological resources available to teachers and students today. A learning environment rooted in global competence empowers teachers and students to develop deep cultural knowledge and explore the ways in which culture influences identities and worldviews. Teachers and students also engage with world issues and challenges, and conceptualize ways to address them together. Openness and curiosity are developed and are critical to global perspective-building and problem-solving processes.
Required Instruction of the Holocaust and Other Cases of Genocide
In 2018, the Kentucky General Assembly passed House Bill 128 (2018). HB 128 (2018) amends KRS 156.160 to require every public middle and high school’s curriculum to include instruction about the Holocaust and other cases of genocide, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, that a court of competent jurisdiction, whether a court in the United States or the International Court of Justice, has determined to have been committed by applying rigorous standards of due process.
Guidance for Curriculum Implementation is available to offer potential guidance to districts when including instruction about the Holocaust and other cases of genocide in middle and high school curriculum.
Voting and Elections
The Kentucky Department of Education has provided this information to support schools in teaching students the importance of voting. These resources will allow teachers easy access to downloadable voter registration cards, election ballots and lesson plans that will shape Kentucky students into actively engaged citizens to support the Commonwealth.
Kentucky Professional Organizations
This center provides education, training and resources to K-12 teachers who request support so that they can teach economics, personal finance or entrepreneurship for teachers and students.
This organization has developed a variety of resources for K-12 educators to support their instruction on economic and personal finance content.
Filson offers an online collection of sources related to Kentucky history. Teachers may also visit to access their extensive archives and museum artifacts.
The Frazier History Museum provides interactive exhibits and daily performances by costumed interpreters for visiting students. They also offer virtual field trips and professional development for teachers.
KCSS represents social studies educators at all levels: elementary, middle, high school, college and administration. An annual conference, newsletter, journal and special professional events are available for members.
KET produces digital education tools for the classrooms in Kentucky. Browse the resource library to view the social studies resources available that include videos on a variety of topics.
KEEC has collected links to a wealth of environmental education resources for educators in eight categories from the Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools program: Energy, Green Spaces, Hazardous Chemicals, Health and Safety, Indoor Air Quality, Solid Waste, Transportation and Water.
The Heritage Council offers educational resources that celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of the Commonwealth. Their educational resources include teacher guides and lesson plans related to Native Americans and African American history.
KHS approaches history and social studies education as an inquiry-based, interactive process grounded in historical evidence. They offer field trips, traveling trunks, professional development and offer a database of primary sources connected to topics of the KAS for Social Studies.
The Kentucky Humanities Council offers a variety of programs for educators, such as educational podcasts, Chautauqua and professional development.
The Kentucky YMCA Youth Association offers the Kentucky Youth Assembly (KYA) and the Kentucky United Nations Assembly (KUNA). KYA is a three-day expanded educational opportunity in which students serve as part of a model state government. KUNA is a three-day experiential learning conference in which students participate directly in simulated international diplomacy.
National Professional Organizations
Founded in 1921, the National Council for the Social Studies has grown to be the largest association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. NCSS provides a variety of social studies resources, including professional learning publications and webinars.
The National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) is a non-profit organization, chartered in 1915 to enhance the status and quality of geography teaching and learning. NCGE supports geography teaching at all levels—from kindergarten through university.
The National Council for History Education provides webinars and a handpicked collection of resources from various reputable organizations on a variety of social studies topics.
Includes an Educator Hub with classroom-ready resources, such as lessons, essays, videos and primary sources for K-12 related to US History and Government topics.
The Center is dedicated to promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy in the United States and other countries.
CEE offers variety of resources, including lesson plans and professional development for K-12 teachers.
This organization provides curated programs and materials to support students in understanding the complex history of the Holocaust.
Econiful provides lesson plans to support foundational economics concepts and understanding for Grades 9-12.
This organization provides lesson plans for K-12 educators on a large variety of social studies topics and time periods.
This organization offers virtual field trips, traveling and virtual teaching trunks and professional development for teachers.
MRU has a variety of courses, unit plans and videos to support educators and students with teaching and learning economics.
Mount Vernon’s educational resources for exploring the life and legacy of George Washington include primary source collections, secondary sources, interactive tools, educational videos and professional development for teachers.
The museum offers a variety of resources dedicated to promoting accurate and relevant teaching of the Holocaust, including guidelines, learning objectives and teaching materials.
DOCSTeach is an online tool from the National Archives for teaching with primary source documents.
NMPW provides a variety of teacher resources for teaching the Asiatic=Pacific theater of World War II, including lesson plans, supplemental materials and virtual learning.
Includes educator resources for K-12 teachers such as informational texts, activity packets, professional development, lesson plans and inquiries.
NK360 offers classroom-ready resources for teaching and learning about Native Americans.
Contains a curriculum library featuring primary sources, life stories and classroom activities and provides professional learning for teachers.
This organization provides a resource library containing lessons, classroom activities, infographics and instructional support for teaching news literacy.
Provides many lesson plans and resources for different periods throughout US History that incorporate primary sources.
Please email the social studies team with any questions.