Free Social Studies Guide - Teaching Resources and Lesson Plans

5 Fun Ways to Use Test Prep in the Classroom

Whether you teach upper elementary, middle grades, or high school, test prep can either be fun - or a total bore. If you want students to really be engaged, test review needs to be fun and involve as many students as possible. Especially in upper grades, when students...

How to Write Multiple Choice Questions that Make the Grade

Teachers have a variety of options for summative assessments. Students could create a project designed by the teacher to assess learning, but sometimes teachers just want to give a test to determine which concepts students have mastered. However, to really get a clear...

10 Simple Ways to Integrate Writing in Social Studies

Are you trying to integrate more writing into your social studies classroom? There are many simple ways teachers can integrate writing activities into their social studies lessons. Many teachers are already using a few of these, but this post may give you some new...

6 Reading Strategies You Need to Teach Social Studies

Integrating language arts skills into social studies can be tricky. There is already a lot of subject matter to cover without having to teach reading and writing skills as well! If a social studies teacher did not receive much language arts training within his or her...

How to Improve Student Learning with Interactive Notebooks

Over the past few years, many teachers have begun using interactive notebooks. Like all classroom strategies, interactive notebooks have their pros and cons. They can be tricky to work into an already packed classroom schedule, but if used correctly they...

Hidden Gems: The Hero Two Doors Down

The Hero Two Door Down made the Sunshine State Readers book list for grades 3 - 5 - for good reason. This book is based on a true friendship between Jackie Robinson and a Brooklyn neighbor. The story of the baseball legend's friendship with this boy is told by Sharon...

Hidden Gems: This Is Our Constitution

Civics teachers and homeschool parents alike will be thrilled with This Is Our Constitution by Khazir Khan. Before using it with my seventh grader, I wanted to check it out and make sure that it presented a balanced view of the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. I was...

10 Creative Way to Use Popcorn in the Classroom + Freebies!

Before a long holiday, I always try to wrap up any major units of study so I can plan something fun the day or two before break. Many teachers show a movie, but in all honesty, a movie just is not that engaging for students - and they don't learn anything. It takes a...

8 Terrific History Apps for Elementary

Finding good history apps is not easy. There are a number of apps that seem geared to younger students, but what if you need something for older kids? It took time, but I found eight terrific apps for elementary or middle school students. Most of the apps are for...

8 Outstanding Geography Apps for Elementary

Sadly, geography is really getting pushed by the wayside in a lot of elementary classrooms. There is so little time to cover everything, so geography is often reviewed but not taught to mastery. I have taught both upper elementary and middle school, and a lack of...

Hidden Gems: Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

If you haven't read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr, you are missing out on a sad but beautiful story. I was introduced to this book while participating in the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. Another teacher on the trip told me she...

The History of Memorial Day for Students

Since 1873, Memorial Day has been held in at least some parts of the United States. The day was originally known as Decoration Day, and people set aside the day to remember those who died in service to the nation. This post explains the history of Memorial Day and how...