Implementing Scaffolded Notes in Social Studies
History is a fascinating subject that helps students understand the world around them and how it has evolved over time. In elementary school, it’s crucial to make history lessons engaging and accessible to young learners. One effective strategy for achieving this goal is using scaffolded notes. These guided notes provide students with structured support for […]
Websites for Career Research: 5 Sites for Empowering Upper Elementary Students
As children progress through their educational journey, it becomes increasingly important to introduce them to the possibilities that lie ahead in their future careers. Career exploration at an early age can ignite their passions, broaden their horizons, and provide a solid foundation for informed decision-making. In this digital age, websites serve as valuable resources for […]
Engaging Back to School Activities for Social Studies
The start of school is coming up (where did the summer go?) and it will be time to get students engaged in social studies. Back-to-school activities sometimes are glazed over so you can get to the “meat” of the subject. But, taking the time to introduce the subject is really a great way to keep […]
Make Social Studies Relatable to Students with These 4 Tricks
Like so much of school, it is important that we make sure our lessons in social studies relatable to students. If we don’t make the effort to make it relatable, students won’t retain the information. And isn’t the whole goal of a well-rounded education meant to be teaching life lessons and making connections? But how […]
Tips for Successfully Teaching the Civil War in Elementary School
Teaching the US Civil War can become a touchy subject. How do you fit its complexity and battles and leaders into the small amount of time you have available? You have to take all the pieces, break them down into age-appropriate lingo, and create engaging lessons and activities. I’m dedicated to providing teachers opportunities and […]
10 History Teacher Gifts Your Teacher Will Love and Use This Year
I have received some of the best history teacher gifts over the years (plus a few too many coffee mugs). I love it when students and their parents think out of the box for gift-giving, and it really shows they did their research when trying to find the best gift. Whether your teacher is funny […]
How to Use PowerPoint in the Classroom to Step Up Your Social Studies Lessons
I’ve seen some bad PowerPoint presentations in my day. I’ve made bad PowerPoint presentations. Remember when it first came out, and some people had way too many choices and thus – chose everything? Every transition, all the audio, different backgrounds, Comic Sans? I mean, using PowerPoint in the classroom can sound really bad when […]
5 Tips for Teaching Current Events in Upper Elementary Classrooms
In this day and age, students are capable of being much more exposed to events occurring across the world. It is important as a social studies teacher to have discussions and acknowledge the current events happening in the world in your classroom. You may be the only adult that is helping talk them through current […]
5 Activities for Using Task Cards during Your Social Studies Class
A task card is a LIFESAVER for you in your classroom. Okay, I may be a little dramatic, but seriously! Task cards were game-changers for engagement in my room. There were days that my students walked into the room and I could already tell I would need to pull out every trick I had to […]
Advice for Teaching the Structure of the United States Government in Upper Elementary
Teaching the structure of United States Government can be confusing to younger students. Many of the students we have in our classrooms are not exposed to how our government works until they walk through our classroom doors! No big deal, right? Just teach the students everything they need to know about how the government works […]