This institute will focus on our nation’s founding documents and events that have had the greatest influence on the development of our government. It is designed to address:

The Declaration of Independence 

English and Early American Influences on the development of the U.S. Constitution 

The Constitutional Convention 

The Federalist and Anti-Federalist debates

The articles of the U.S. Constitution.

Join us and experience hands-on  lessons that allow learners to engage with the content and gain a deeper understanding of our nation's history.  Explore lessons and  strategies that support student success and enrich existing curriculum. Participants receive access to all materials upon completion of the course.

Course Credit: Teachers will receive 21 hours for this institute. For virtual courses, this is based on the successful completion of all asynchronistic components of the course and attendance at the live facilitated sessions.

This training is free of charge.

Kids need to understand civics too! Join us as we explore hands-on activities and children’s literature that will help teachers lay a foundation for teaching responsible citizenship and celebrating America’s beliefs and principles. The institute will provide resources to address:

Characteristics of good citizens 

Community Helpers

Symbols, customs, and celebrations that represent America’s identity

These concepts are explored through guided and shared reading/writing opportunities appropriate for kindergarten through 3rd grade students. To support the teaching of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) a variety of rich materials such as historical children’s books, primary sources, poems, songs, and biographies are part of this professional learning. Explore lessons and  strategies that support student success and enrich existing curriculum. Participants receive access to all materials upon completion of the course. 

Course Credit: Teachers will receive 6 hours for this institute. For virtual courses, this is based on the  successful completion of all asynchronistic components of the course and attendance at the live facilitated sessions.

This training is free of charge !!

Civic Education at its finest!! Join us as we explore how to integrate language arts and social studies curriculum to build your students' knowledge of civics. This institute provides professional development for teachers incorporating these social studies concepts through content-area literacy best practices: 

Civic Participation

Characteristics of good citizens

Texas Government

Declaration of Independence

Preamble of the U.S. Constitution

These concepts will be explored through reading/writing opportunities appropriate for 4th grade through 5th grade students. To support the teaching of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), a variety of rich materials such as children’s texts, primary sources, poems, songs, and biographies are part of the professional learning.

Course Credit: Teachers will receive 12 hours for this institute. This is based on the  successful completion of all asynchronistic components of the course and attendance at the live facilitated sessions.

 This training is free of charge !!

This 12-hour institute includes both asynchronous learning and live sessions. It is designed to address TEKS that are challenging to 8th grade students including:  

Domestic Policies of the early Presidents

Foreign Policies of the early Presidents

Political Parties 

Reconstruction 

Participants will have the opportunity to work at their own pace on portions of the institute, learn from scholars and consultants in live sessions, and demonstrate their learning through a variety of activities.  Join us and experience hands-on  lessons that allow learners to engage with the content and gain a deeper understanding of our nation's history.  Explore lessons and  strategies that support student success and enrich existing curriculum. Participants receive access to all materials upon completion of the course.

School Year Sessions:

On Demand Session Available - Registration is currently open on our Virtual Registration and Access Tab.

Course Credit: Teachers will receive 12 hours for this institute. This is based on the  successful completion of all asynchronistic components of the course and attendance at the live facilitated sessions.

This training is free of charge !!

This 12-hour institute includes both asynchronous learning and live sessions. It is designed to address TEKS that are challenging to high school American History students including:

Gilded and Progressive Eras 

New Deal

Cold War

Civil Rights 

Participants will have the opportunity to work at their own pace on portions of the institute, learn from scholars and consultants in live sessions, and demonstrate their learning through a variety of activities.  Join us and experience hands-on  lessons that allow learners to engage with the content and gain a deeper understanding of our nation's history.  Explore lessons and  strategies that support student success and enrich existing curriculum. Participants receive access to all materials upon completion of the course.

School Year Sessions:

On Demand Session Available - Registration is currently open on our Virtual Registration and Access Tab.

Course Credit: Teachers will receive 12 hours for this institute. This is based on the  successful completion of all asynchronistic components of the course and attendance at the live facilitated sessions.

This training is free of charge !!

This  6 hour institute includes a session designed to address TEKS for teaching the Civil War and a session on resources and strategies to teach and review for the state assessment. Working with consultants, participants will learn and receive valuable content, methods, and resources. Content presentations are reinforced with practical activities which will be made available to all participants. Review resources include:

• Mix, Match, Freeze on Key STAAR Dates
• Review Dominoes for every era of history
• History in Pictures - Utilize visuals to review and tell the political, economic, and social history of our nation
• Hexagonal Thinking of each era
• Sneak Peek Packs

School Year Sessions:

Dates Coming Soon

This training is free of charge !!

This  6 hour institute includes a session designed to address TEKS for teaching the 1970’s to the present and a session on resources and strategies to teach and review for the state assessment. Working with consultants, participants will learn and receive valuable content, methods, and resources. Content presentations are reinforced with practical activities which will be made available to all participants. Review Resources include:

• Mix, Match, Freeze on Key STAAR Dates
• Review Dominoes for every era of history
• History in Pictures - Utilize visuals to review and tell the political, economic, and social history of our nation
• Hexagonal Thinking of each era
• Review crossword puzzles

The virtual course offers on-demand lessons along with two live sessions to explore strategies to support teaching and learning.

School Year Sessions:

Dates Coming Soon.

This training is free of charge !!

Learn, with scholars and consultants, how to stimulate student thinking using our new Texas History Event cards. Whether pre-teaching, reviewing, or differentiating a unit of study, these resources will improve your teaching.  This 12-hour institute includes both asynchronous learning and live sessions. It is designed to provide an opportunity for teachers to explore:

The eras of Texas history 

The uniqueness of Texas government 

Events that have shaped modern Texas. 

Participants will have the opportunity to work at their own pace on portions of the institute, learn from scholars and consultants in live sessions, and demonstrate their learning through a variety of activities.  Join us and experience hands-on  lessons that allow learners to engage with the content and gain a deeper understanding of our state’s history and government.  Explore lessons and  strategies that support student success and enrich existing curriculum. Participants receive access to all materials upon completion of the course. 

Course Credit: Teachers will receive 12 hours for this institute. This is based on the  successful completion of all asynchronistic components of the course and attendance at the live facilitated sessions.

THIS TRAINING IS FREE OF CHARGE !!

Join Law-Related Education scholars and consultants in this one-day update designed to explore

Different aspects of public policy 

The impact of interest groups, political parties, and the media

U.S. Supreme Court cases 

How to engage students with simulations and interactive activities. 

This course is also aligned with the redesign of the AP Government curriculum. Join us and experience hands-on  lessons that allow learners to engage with the content and gain a deeper understanding of our state’s history and government.  Explore lessons and  strategies that support student success and enrich existing curriculum. Participants receive access to all materials upon completion of the course.  Dates of Sessions: TBD Course Credit: Teachers will receive 6 hours for this institute. This is based on the  successful completion of all asynchronistic components of the course and attendance at the live facilitated sessions.

This training is free of charge.

Recently proposed civic education legislation in Texas has focused on rote memorization of facts or civic engagement without a focus on civic knowledge. Knowing that knowledge of civic affairs increases involvement in public life, this interactive curriculum and professional development will provide educators with the tools to teach students the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to engage in their communities. This NEW 12-hour institute includes both asynchronous learning and live sessions. It is designed to:

• Provide students with civic knowledge of the institutions and characteristics of government along with opportunities to evaluate information sources.
• Provide knowledge of political institutions.
• Utilize historical and current examples and ask students to explore political involvement, community involvement, and opportunities for civic interaction.
• Increase student awareness of opportunities to become a more active citizen in their school, community, state, and nation.
• Provide opportunities for students to explore and report on examples of civic engagement.

The curriculum has been designed to allow easy integration into existing curriculum. It includes foundational social studies skills that would be applicable to middle school and upper elementary. It’s focus on forms or government makes it especially relevant to 6th grade World Cultures educators. Explore lessons and strategies that support student success and enrich existing curriculum. Participants receive access to all materials upon completion of the course.

Course Credit: Teachers will receive 12 hours for this institute. This is based on the successful completion of all asynchronistic components of the course and attendance at the live facilitated sessions.

This training is free of charge.

Do you need help with your district professional development staff days?

Let Law-Related Education help you customize learning for your elementary and secondary audiences. From one hour to six hour sessions, these low to no cost options can help you meet the content and pedagogy needs of your teachers.

School districts, regional service centers, local bar associations, and other entities can request programs throughout the year. Please contact Jan Miller at jmiller@texasbar.com to inquire about setting up a session.

The following topics are currently available.  Let us help you mix and match.

Process Topics:

• Using event cards
• Navigating the website
• Using literature to teach Social Studies
• Simulations for the elementary classroom

Content Topics:

• Characteristics of Good Citizens
• Community Helpers
• Symbols, Customs, and Celebrations
• Systems of Government
• Country Cards
• LRE Website Exploration
• Mock Trials

 

• Civic Engagement/Civics Works
• Understanding Eras of Texas History
• Comparing Texas Constitutions
• Unique Branches of Texas Government
• Civil Rights and Modern Era in Texas

 

• Institutions of Government
• Principles of the Constitution (both U.S. and Texas)
• U.S. Constitution
• Bill of Rights
• Public Policy
• Interest Groups/Political Parties
• Presidential Nomination Process
• Judicial Nomination Process
• Incorporation and the Bill of Rights

 

• Founding Documents
• Constitutional Convention
• Origin and Evolution of Political Parties
• Early Republic - Domestic Policies
• Early Republic - Foreign Policies
• Civil War
• Reconstruction

 

• Gilded and Progressive Eras
• New Deal and Changing Role of Government
• Conflicts in U.S. History
• Civil Rights
• Modern America
• Review Strategies for STAAR and/or EOC

Virtual Course Information:

LRE will be utilizing Canvas, a learning management system, for all virtual courses.

Participants will have the opportunity to work at their own pace on portions of the institute, learn from consultants in live Zoom sessions, and demonstrate their learning through a variety of activities.

Funding Note: While this course is provided free of charge to participants, once an educator logs on to the course, Law-Related Education is charged for a license. Please help us be good stewards of our grant funds by only signing up if you are intending to complete the course.

For additional details about our virtual learning format, click here

Summer Registration opens April 1, 2023.

Register Here for Virtual Courses 

Note: Once you register, you will receive an email to complete your registration and set up your Canvas account. If you are having trouble, please see this click sheet for more information.

Already registered? Access your course here.

Note: You will use the login information you used when you registered to access this course.