Workshop Resources

The provided resources were utilized in our 2-day Professional Development workshops that occurred at USU Eastern in Price and USU Salt Lake Center in 2024. These resources include book recommendations, lesson ideas, ways to find primary sources and more.

Workshop Slides
These slides were used within our teacher professional development to engage teachers in the topics of curriculum integration, children’s literature and primary sources. There are many resources provided within the slides for finding primary sources.
Downloadable File

Get to Know You activity
A quick get to know you activity or icebreaker for many different classroom settings (elementary, secondary, professional development, etc.)
Downloadable File

SEL Competencies
We believe many of the children’s picturebooks we include within this project engage students in social emotional learning components as well. We utilize the Social Emotional Learning Competencies created by CASEL. You can learn more about them HERE
Downloadable File

Whose Pocket activity
This activity engages students in analyzing multiple primary sources. Students are tasked with answering the question ‘Whose pocket did these items belong to?’ You can learn more about the activity HERE.
Downloadable File

Book List
This book list was created for our professional development to address the topics we were covering including Utah, railroads, Japanese internment, LGBTQ+ representation, Native American representation, Native American boarding schools, immigration and refugees, and belonging.
Downloadable File

Combining Social–Emotional Learning Competencies and Contemporary Concerns Picturebooks to Foster Early Literacy Practices: An Interdisciplinary Approach

This is an article we wrote for The Reading Teacher. In the article we discuss suggestions for using picturebook read-alouds as stepping stones for integrating social–emotional learning (SEL) competencies and core standards (ELA and SS) to address topics related to social justice, equity, and inclusion. It is open-access and can be found HERE. 
Downloadable File
What Questions Can We Ask from American Symbols?

Rachel wrote this inquiry chapter which can be found in the National Council for the Social Studies open access book titled Teaching with Primary Sources to Prepare Students for College, Career, and Civic Life, Volume 2. You can find all chapters HERE. Volume 1 and 3 of this series, as well as other free inquiry resources from NCSS can be found HERE. 
Downloadable File