ILLINOIS COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES
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Region 3 News

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Welcome to the Region 3 Web page.  I currently teach elementary, middle, and secondary social studies methods courses at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois.  I have taught at various levels for over 35 years and feel very strongly about the importance of  teaching social studies in today’s schools.  The NCSS Standards, the Illinois Learning Standards for Social Science and the Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts along with the C3 Standards give us the direction and purpose for providing students with an environment through which they can become active, engaged citizens.  As you will notice, this page is somewhat a work in progress.  Please contact me with information that you would like to see added as I am always wanting to expand our page.

Sincerely,

Barry L. Witten
BL-Witten@wiu.edu

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Upcoming National Events

102nd National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference
​December 2-4, 2022 • Philadelphia, PA

More details may be found here.

Upcoming State Events
2022 ICSS Fall Conference
October 14, 2022
Harper College
​Palatine, Illinois


More details and how to submit a session proposal may be found here.

Regional Exhibits 

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Peoria Riverfront Museum

Peoria Holocaust Memorial
            PeoriaHolocaustMemorial.org
​


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​Dickson Mounds Museum, Lewiston, IL 
www.experienceemiquon.com

The River Valley Gallery- Explores the character of the Illinois River and traces the interaction between the river and the people who lived along it from the end of the Ice Age to the present day. The story is told through innovative displays and Legacy, a large-screen video production that captures the panorama of the past and leads one to a real-life view of the river valley today. 



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Reflections on Three Worlds- Reveals the world of Mississippian people whose 800-year-old sites surround the museum today. The exhibits depict the complex life and culture of these people, trace in detail the evidence of archaeology, and lead to a spectacular multimedia event that takes one through a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, symbols, music and voices of the three worlds of Mississippian belief.

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Illinois River Bison Discovery      The partial skeleton of a bison found along the banks of the Illinois River is featured in a display about recent excavations at a bison kill site located south of Peoria, Illinois. This discovery represents the earliest evidence of bison hunting in Illinois. Radiocarbon dates of the bones place the kill at about 400 years B.C. Heretofore, bison populations were not thought to have arrived in the Illinois country before 1500 A.D.


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Pike County Historical Society Museum
            Pikecoilhistory.org

 
PCHS Glimpse to the Past Collection
 
Agriculture has always been an important aspect of Pike County, and the PCHS Museum has items representing Pike's farming history, including a seed plow and wagon. Local businesses are also represented with special items highlighting their own history.
 
Many famous individuals are associated with Pike County, including Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, John Nicolay, John Hay, and Free Frank McWorter. Items connected to these 19th century figures are presented within the museum.
 
The museum has on display a pair of Robert Earl Hughes' overalls. Regarded as the heaviest man who walked the earth, Hughes was a resident of Fishhook and is buried not far from this small hamlet in northern Pike County.
 
Come visit us
 
We hope you stop by and take a tour of the PCHS collection. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 am until 2 pm. To arrange for private or group tours, please call the museum office.

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Pike County Historical Society:
 
  The Shastid House
John Greene Shastid's grandson, Dr. Thomas Hall Shastid, provides us with a unique look into Abraham Lincoln's relationship with the Shastids and other Pike County families in his book My Second Life. John Shastid and his family knew Lincoln from their days at New Salem. They often visited his store and conversed with him on everyday occasions, much like any other member of the community. In January 1836 John Shastid moved his family from New Salem to Pittsfield. There were then only six houses in the little county seat, one of which Shastid purchased for his family. In 1838, Shastid built, with his own hands, "a considerable larger white one, a house that still stands and in which a quite remarkable person, though then unknown, was nevertheless on several occasions an honored guest. Abraham Lincoln, that is to say, although he still resided...in Sangamon County, not infrequently, as a circuit rider, made trips to Pittsfield on legal or other business."


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Historical Society of Quincy & Adams County
Tour the John Wood Mansion
 
Visit the Mansion to see the home John Wood built to replace his two-story log cabin. Hear stories of life in the early 1800’s and learn about the man who founded Quincy.


​Western Illinois Museum
www.wimuseum.org

Local Historical & Genealogical Societies & Museums

Historical Societies
Warren County Historical Society – Monmouth, IL 
Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society – Pekin, Illinois
Pike County Historical Society – Pittsfield, Illinois
Peoria Historical Society – Peoria Illinois
The McDonough County Historical Society -  Macomb, Illinois
Hancock County Historical Society – Carthage, Illinois 
Knox County, Illinois Genealogy & History – Galesburg, Illinois
Nauvoo Tourism – Nauvoo, Illinois
Cass County Historical and Genealogical Society – Virginia, Illinois
Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County – Quincy, Illinois 
Museums
Dana-Thomas House - Springfield, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln’s Presidential Library and Museum - Springfield, Illinois
Lincoln Memorial Garden & Nature Center – Springfield, Illinois 
Lincoln Home – Springfield, Illinois Dickson Mounds Museum – Lewiston, Illinois
Kibbe Museum – Carthage, Illinois
Galesburg Railroad Museum – Galesburg, Illinois
Knox County Museum – Knoxville, Illinois
Western Illinois Museum – Macomb, Illinois
Peoria Riverfront Museum – Peoria, Illinois

Social Studies Web Sites ​

Current Events:
  • BBC World Services  
  • Cable News Network 
  • Excite Links to World News 
  • Newsweek Magazine Online  
  • Online International Newsletters 
  • Scholastic Website  
  • The Economist 
  • Time for Kids 
  • USA Today  
Games and Multimedia:
  • Annenburg Videos  
  • BBC History Games  
  • Maps101 
  • Maps and Facts  
  • Mayan Kids 
  • PowerPoint Jeopardy  
  • Sheppard Software 
  • Social Studies for Kids  
  • TerraGalleria 
Geography:
  • About Geography 
  • Geography in the News 
  • KidPort Geography  
  • Kids National Geographic  
  • National Geographic ​  
  • Population Connection 
  • Primary Geography Resources  
  • USGS Geography  
Global Education Websites:
  • CIA World Factbook 
  • World Bank 
  • World Press Review 
History:
  • American Revolution 
  • Best History Websites 
  • Colonial Williamsburg  
  • History Channel  
  • History Matters  
  • History Teacher  
  • PBS History 
  • Teaching with Historic Places  
  • The History Place  
Inquiry-Based Sites:​ 
  • Library of Congress   
  • National Archives    
  • Scholarly Journal Archive   
  • Smithsonian Institution    
Interactive Sites for Kids and Teachers:
  • Apples for the Teacher: Social Studies   
  • Congress for Kids   
  • Government for Kids     
Lesson Planning:
  • Ask Eric Lesson Plans     
  • Cal State Social Studies Lesson Plans    
  • CIA World Factbook Lesson Plans   
  • Civics Lesson Plans   
  • Community Learning Network   
  • Discovery Education   
  • ERIC Lesson Plans
  • Geography Resources   
  • History 9-12 Lesson Plans 
  • History Lesson Plans  
  • Lesson Plans Page  
  • Social Studies Lesson Plan Resources   
  • University of Indiana Social Studies Resources  
  • WebQuest Site  
Professional Organizations:
  • American Historical Association   
  • American Psychological Association      
  • Econ Ed Link    
  • Illinois Council for the Social Studies    
  • Illinois Geography Alliance  
  • National Council for Economic Education  
  • National Council for Geographic Education   
  • National Council for History Education 
  • National Council for the Social Studies 
  • Organization of American Historians  
Standards and Assessment:
  • Illinois Learning Standards    
  • Rubistar   
  • Rubric Builder  
  • Social Studies Standards  
States and Capitals Tutorials:
  • Geography Quiz​ 
  • Music for Kids 
  • Patriotic Songs – Fifty Nifty United States 
  • Wakkos American States Song 

(c) 2023 Illinois Council for the Social Studies

  • Home
  • Conferences
    • 2023 Spring Conference
    • 2022 ICSS Fall Conference Program
    • 2022 Fall Conference Resources Page >
      • Presenter 1
  • Join ICSS
  • Contact ICSS
  • Become Involved in ICSS Leadership!
  • Resources
    • Social Studies Positions
    • The Councilor
    • ICSS Constitution
    • Illinois Social Studies Resources
  • Social Studies News and Professional Development Activities
    • Region 1
    • Region 2
    • Region 3
    • Region 4
    • Region 5
    • Region 6