Are you new to the field of teaching social studies or history? The Choices Program would love to support you as you begin your adventures in the classroom! Methods professors or anyone else who works with new teachers, please visit this page to learn how you can use Choices materials for free in your classroom.
Start here: Want to know exactly what is in our curriculum? Check out our Inside a Choices Curriculum Unit page!
Then select a unit for free: We offer all “new” teachers – defined as those with fewer than two years of full-time teaching in a history or social studies classroom – a free one-year license for one curriculum unit in our Digital Editions format, in addition to the free unit listed below. See our complete collection in the curriculum catalog and then complete this google form with your unit selection. We will then activate your Digital Editions license for both of the units.
Next, consider a professional development session: Professional development with the Choices Program is a great way to learn some strategies and tools for implementing Choices curriculum in your classroom. New teachers may attend one in-person workshop at no cost. Most of our webinars are currently being offered for free, but if there is a workshop with a registration fee that aligns with what you are teaching, please reach out to our professional development director at Mimi_Stephens@brown.edu to arrange to attend at no cost.
Then explore our other free resources: These Choices Program materials are free to all teachers:
- Our free online video collection includes more than 1,800 videos featuring leading scholars, journalists, practitioners, artists, activists, policy makers, and others addressing topics relevant to our curriculum units. Use them with your students or for your own background knowledge. Also check out our themed playlists on YouTube.
- Our free Teaching with the News lessons take one to three class periods to complete and are an excellent option for teaching about current events.
- Our Japanese American Incarceration in World War II unit is free in Digital Editions, thanks to National Park Service funding.
Finally, join us on social media: Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!
We are here to support you. If you have any questions about our curriculum, professional development, or other materials, please reach out to us at choices@brown.edu or 401-863-3155. If you are a methods professor or work with new teachers in some capacity, please contact Mimi_Stephens@brown.edu to arrange for a free introductory webinar.