Social Scientist Teacher Resources

A charming interactive comic book introduces readers to three lesser-known, yet pivotal, scientists from the Renaissance era. Their discoveries, which took place during the Scientific Revolution in Europe, are the basis for many of...

Between 1957 and 1962, thousands of infants born in Canada, Great Britain, and Germany had serious deformities due to thalidomide, a drug marketed to pregnant women as a mild sleeping aid and to relieve pregnancy nausea. However, the...

In this social scientist instructional activity, students respond to 10 matching and short answer questions about the work of economists, archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, and political scientists.

Which electricity pioneer made the largest contribution to where we are today? Pupils select a scientist or inventor to research and present to the class. From Celcius in 1701 to Ed Hammer in 1976, many scientists contributed to the...

Students examine different areas of social studies and tell classmates about what social scientists do. They work in small groups: each group member researches a different social science focus, then presents to the class.

During the first few sniffles of a cold, you can't help wondering where you picked up the illness. Watch an Ed Ted video that details the difference between miasma theory and germ theory, and the ways that Dr. John Snow's research...

Increased oxytocin helps people read facial expressions with greater accuracy. Video explores the way this hormone impacts social interactions and highlights the way scientists perform research to confirm the findings. Then the video...

Help middle schoolers conduct Internet research and develop a working definition for the discipline of social studies. From a list of websites, they develop classification skills and differentiate between primary and secondary sources....

Is peace simply the absence of war, or is there more to the story? Young social scientists define peace in the second installment of a 15-part series. Groups work together to explore cultural concepts of peace and the peacemaking process...

What role does trust play in diffusing a tense situation? Young social scientists explore trust on a personal and global level during a instructional activity on peace and conflict. After participating in a trust sit, participants work...

Satellite photographs prove the dramatic changes to the environment over long periods of time. Young scientists observe photographs and make hypotheses. They then check real data of weather and climate patterns to better understand the...

The challenge surrounding a transition to alternative fuels may fall on the next generation of scientists, innovators, and creative thinkers. Get them started on their journey with a research and discussion activity focuses on the...

Philosopher John Locke's ideas about tabula rasa, natural rights, the social contract, and how these ideas influenced Thomas Jefferson are the focus of an information packet that also includes worksheets, games, and a writing prompt.

The Gulf of Mexico dead zone, an area of low oxygen that kills marine life, costs the United States $82 million every year. Young scientists research anoxic ocean environments then come up with a hypothesis for the cause of the Gulf of...

In collaborative groups, emerging engineers or environmental scientists plan and construct a water wheel or watermill that rotates for a total of three minutes. Everything you need to carry out this lesson plan is included: objectives,...

Skeletons may not be able to speak, but they can still tell us a lot. High schoolers watch a short video about the ways biological anthropologists can use a skeleton's bone structure to determine age, gender, place of birth, and social...

New ReviewScientists discovered empathy is a learned behavior, not an instinct or inherited behavior. The second lesson in a 12-part series focuses on teaching empathy, an important life skill. Scholars use discussion and role playing to practice...

Students discuss methods used by forensic scientists and the basics of DNA and how it can be used to identify an individual after reading an article from The New York Times.

Students explore nuclear scientists.  In this nuclear science research lesson, students choose a scientist who has contributed to nuclear theory, research his/her life and accomplishments, and write a paper. Students generate interview...

In this grade 5 social studies learning exercise, 5th graders complete a set of 11 questions about a variety of 5th grade concepts. An answer key is included.

Scientific notation is a valuable tool for scientists and historians! Provided with information about the major land purchases in US history, learners compare the value of each acquisition. The lesson plan requires unit conversions using...

Students discuss how the same data is viewed differently between historians and scientists. Using the data, they compare and contrast the vocabulary used and the focus of attention. They analyze the conditions that help spread diseases...

Explore the historic and cultural context of the foundations of the United States of America. They identify the political and scientific contributions of early American scientists.

Students discuss why drug abuse risk is higher in social settings. In this health science lesson, students interpret real life statistics on teen drug use. They describe refusal and prevention strategies.