Learning is a Lifelong Journey - Let Us Join You.
You strive to be an educator who inspires students. But who and what inspire you? The Kentucky Historical Society offers a variety of workshops (both virtual and in-person) and more for K-12 educators.
These professional learning opportunities strive to make social studies education accessible and relevant by increasing content knowledge, sharpening skills, sparking creativity, and positively impacting students’ – and all Kentuckians’ – experiences with history.
Professional Learning Partnerships
KHS regularly collaborates with local and national organizations to offer professional learning opportunities in Social Studies (including civics, economics, geography, and history), humanities, and Language Arts. All workshops align with the latest Kentucky Academic Standards and provide educators with ample resources. See individual professional learning opportunities for more details.
The Power of Community: Exploring Social Studies Through Place-Based Education
Join KHS as we explore social studies through the exciting lens of place-based education! These FREE virtual sessions will show how to utilize your surrounding community to elevate topics from Kentucky History. Each session welcomes educators who support students from grades K-12, as well as pre-service teachers.
Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 6:00-7:00 PM
This session explores the vital importance of waterways in Kentucky's history, geography, and economy. Participants will learn about the cultural significance of rivers in local communities and how they impacted settlement. Through the six principles of place-based education, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the role of waterways in shaping Kentucky's landscape and heritage. Zoom details will be sent 3 days prior to session.
Thursday, March 19, 2026, from 6:00-7:00 PM
This session will explore the transformative impact of the New Deal on Kentucky's communities. Educators will examine the innovative programs and infrastructure projects initiated during this significant era, highlighting how they reshaped the economic landscape and improved the quality of life for many Kentuckians. We will explore how the principles of place-based education foster a deeper understanding of local history while promoting community engagement, environmental awareness, and interdisciplinary learning. Zoom details will be sent 3 days prior to session.
National History Day Educator Guide Series 2026
FREE virtual Professional Development series for the 2025-2026 National History Day in Kentucky Season. Find links below to register!
Annual Theme Workshop: Interpreting Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History
Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 6:30-7:30 PM EST OR Thursday, September 25, 2025, 6:30-7:30 PM EST
Get ready for Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History! Join the National History Day in Kentucky Coordinator to explore the annual theme for the 2025-26 contest season. Break down multiple possible interpretations of the key terms, discuss topic selection tips, and get answers to your questions (do students really have to incorporate Revolution, Reaction, and Reform?) in a session that will prepare you to guide young historians through the early stages of project creation. This session welcomes new and experienced NHD educators alike, but is best suited to those familiar with National History Day’s program structure. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Think Like A Judge: Exploring National History Day Evaluation Criteria
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 6:00-7:30 PM EST
Take the mystery out of National History Day judging with a session dedicated to gaining a comprehensive understanding of evaluation criteria. See through a judge’s eyes as you walk through NHD contest orientation with a special emphasis on the contest glossary. Then, act as a mock judge to evaluate sample projects using your deeper understanding. After the session, use the provided rubrics and interview questions to empower your students to evaluate their own work in preparation for the upcoming contest season! This session welcomes new and experienced NHD educators alike, but is best suited to those familiar with National History Day’s program structure.
REGISTER HERE:
Register for Annual Theme Workshop, September 17, 6:30 pm EST
Register for Annual Theme Workshop, September 25, 6:30 pm EST
Teaching Literacy Through History with Gilder Lehrman - 10/18/2025
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025; 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM ET
Location: Kentucky History Center, 100 W. Broadway St., Frankfort, KY 40601
Cost: $25
Teaching Literacy through History (TLTH) is an interdisciplinary professional development program that uses primary sources to improve K-12 education. TLTH workshops are beneficial for elementary, middle, and high school teachers who teach American history, social studies, civics, and English language arts.
In the TLTH program, educators learn a series of integrated literacy skills that directly impact student understanding and performance. Student skills addressed in TLTH sessions include:
- Evidence-based writing
- Vocabulary development
- Analysis of document and visual materials
Jacksonian America - 10/25/2025
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025; 8:30 AM - 2:15 PM ET
Location: Kentucky History Center, 100 W. Broadway St., Frankfort, KY 40601
Cost: FREE
This seminar will consider Jackson’s ascendancy to President, its historical context as well as many of his controversial policies such as the Bank War, Nullification Crisis and the Indian Removal Act.
This program will be conducted as a Socratic discussion, utilizing primary source documents as the only readings, and with the Discussion Leader facilitating the conversation, instead of lecturing or presenting. Registrants, therefore, are highly encouraged to read all the documents in advance and come ready with questions. Teachers will receive a Letter of Attendance at the conclusion of the seminar.
KHS Educator Workshops
Choose from one of the Kentucky Historical Society's educator professional learning opportunities. Bring an expert to your district to conduct the workshop or tune in virtually for a presentation.
LOGISTICS
- Date/time: Available Monday - Friday, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm EST
- Capacity: Minimum 5 attendees, Maximum 100 attendees
- Virtual Platform: Virtual Conferencing (Zoom, Google Hangout/Classroom, Teams, etc.) School must provide KHS with the Virtual Link.
- Scheduling: All workshops must be scheduled no less than three weeks in advance
- Representatives: KHS requires each group to designate a representative from the group, school, or booking agency. When scheduling, ensure the “point of contact” information is for that designated representative who will represent your group on the day of your Professional Development.
- Booking Requests: Scheduling is based on a first-come, first-served basis and staff availability. Your registration is not guaranteed until you receive an email confirmation of your reservation. Confirmation emails are sent to the designated school representative.
- Registrations: All workshop requests must be submitted through the website inquiry form (below).
- Questions: Submit them to KHSeducation@ky.gov
Engaging with Kentucky's Past: An Overview of KHS Resources & Programs
Time: 60 minutes
Cost: FREE
Location: Virtual ONLY
Recommended: K-12 Teachers
How can the Kentucky Historical Society help teach Kentucky history? This session is an introduction to our portfolio of education resources and programs. Learn about the programs KHS offers for students in the classroom, virtually, and at the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort. Resources for educators will be provided along with activity and research demonstrations.
Navigating National History Day in Kentucky
Time: 60 minutes
Cost: FREE
Location: Virtual ONLY
Recommended: K-12 Teachers
Are you ready to participate in National History Day in Kentucky (NHDKy)? Join the NHDKy Coordinator for a session that will help you and your students navigate the steps to competing in a National History Day contest. Learn how to guide students through choosing a topic based on the annual theme. developing historical thinking skills, and creating a project in one of the five NHD categories.
Visual Thinking Strategies: Enhancing Visual Literacy and Historical Understanding
Time: 60-90 Minutes
Location: Virtual
Recommended: K-12 Teachers
Cost: FREE
Learn how KHS uses Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to teach art-infused history lessons that improve students' visual literacy, historical literacy, and critical thinking skills. We'll demonstrate how VTS is included in our portfolio of educational programs and provide helpful tips for designing a VTS implementation strategy for your classroom. We'll also explore KHS'd research library and digital collections to find resources.
Professional Learning Cancellation Policy
Refunds will be made up to the registration deadline. Refund requests must be made in writing and directed to KHS Education. Any cancellations after the registration deadline or no-shows on the day of the event will be charged the full amount.
Other Cancellation Policies
We may consider emergency circumstances for cancellations, but you must contact the event coordinator within a week of the event date.
KHS also reserves the right to cancel a program at any time. In the event of such a cancellation, participants will receive a full registration refund. KHS is not responsible for any expenses, travel, or otherwise, that participants incur due to participation in or cancellation of a program unless otherwise noted.
Inclement Weather Policy
If you have registered for a KHS workshop and traveling may be hazardous the day of the event, please use your own judgment when deciding to attend. Those who cannot attend because of inclement weather should contact the event coordinator. Refund decisions will be made on an individual basis.