2020 WCSS Annual Conference 

On March 15-16, our annual conference will once again be held at the Madison Concourse.  It’s an awesome venue right by the capitol, museums, and restaurants. Our theme for the conference is “WCSS2020: Looking Forward”.

We have a multitude of great presenters (just check out our tentative schedule here) coming to Madison to be a part of WCSS2020.  Matt Miller, author of Ditch That Textbook and Ditch That Homework will be here on Sunday to open the main event of our conference.  He'll be sharing his wisdom on the changing world of education and being a teacher in this tech-driven society.  Miller will also be sharing further depth in two sessions later in the evening on Sunday.  Historian Dr. Stephen Knott will be on hand to present on Sunday, as well, on the topic of Alexander Hamilton and George Washington.  He is presenting a full day seminar on the presidency on the Saturday before the conference that is free for all to attend.

On Monday, we will showcase some options with our first ever Power Hours in which we will have 2-3 choices in bigger speakers/keynote.  You will have the chance to hear the amazing story of Karen Korematsu and her father's fight for liberty during the Japanese internment and hear about the resources available from the Fred Korematsu Institute.  You may also choose to hear more about teaching strategy from the author of Play Like A Pirate, Quinn Rollins, who will discuss his philosophy to make education more fun for students and get them engaged in learning.  To wrap up our conference, we have Tia Nelson, daughter of Gaylord Nelson and environmental activity from Outrider, coming in to discuss the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and how environmental education fits into the social studies.  

General sessions run throughout Sunday and Monday, offering something for every level and every content area. We also have over 20 exhibitors that offer resources and support for social studies teachers in all disciplines.  Don’t forget the popular wine and cheese in the exhibit hall on Sunday afternoon, fun and challenging pub trivia on Sunday evening, and a delicious lunch on Monday! If you have any basic questions on the conference, please consult our WCSS conference FAQs page.

Looking for lodging information?  Click Here!

NEW THIS YEAR

1. Elementary Education Presentations - In every slot of our agenda, WCSS2020 will have presentations geared towards elementary education. Many of these presentations will be aimed at integrating inquiry and the standards into the learning experiences for young learners.
2. Environmental Education Presentations - In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we are bringing in Tia Nelson as a keynote presenter AND having a myriad of presentations throughout our agenda geared towards integrating the environment into the social studies.
3. Pre-Conference Sessions - Registering early also gives you an opportunity to attend one of our three pre-conference sessions which have limited seats available. Don't miss your chance to weigh in on the Wisconsin Historical Museum, learn about digital breakouts with Chuck Taft, and dig deep into the process of adding inquiry into your teaching via InquirED.
4. BRING YOUR OWN BAGS THIS YEAR - WCSS2020 will not be providing bags this year to attendees. As part of our focus on Earth Day and the environment, we encourage you to bring a bag from previous years of our conference and we will take that funding and provide some awesome SWAG for our membership to take home instead.