Social Studies Teacher Resources
Learning more about the world around you is the first step in becoming a global citizen. Whether it’s a lesson on world history, geography, or international cultures, social studies is an important way to engage students with the stories and experiences of others.
For young learners, a lesson connects the themes of their everyday lives with common concepts from social studies. Use a presentation on American history, symbols, and leaders to teach class members about the basics of American culture.
An American history lesson compares the treatment of women in American society today with the Salem Witch Trials of the seventeenth century. Couple the resource with a complete American history curriculum, perfect for middle schoolers.
Want to connect social studies to the arts? Use an innovative resource to discuss social conflict and political protest with abstract art and song lyrics. Language arts students can write diary entries from the perspective of a historical figure with a thought-provoking writing activity.
Preparing your students to be citizens of the world may be your job, but preparing you for teaching the best lesson ever is Lesson Planet’s job!
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Alabama Department of Archives and History
Voting Rights for Alabama Women
What were the arguments put forth by those who opposed the 19th Amendment? For those in favor? Class members examine primary source materials that illustrate the intense debate in Alabama about women's suffrage.
Pulitzer Center
China's Rising Labor Movement
Young historians will explore the complex causes and effects of industrialization in China by perusing the numerous articles included in this webpage. Throughout the resource, there are many writing and discussion prompts to help direct...
Pulitzer Center
The Crisis in the Ivory Coast
Through reading a variety of news articles and other informational texts, learners discover the political turmoil and intense ethnic and religious tensions that envelop the Ivory Coast today. Class members research the historical...
Houston Independent School District
Creating a Successful Project
Guide your learners step by step through the process of designing an original, independent student project. This resource includes a wealth of worksheets and materials, including student project checklists, timelines, primary and...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Ellis Island—The “Golden Door” to America
Are you one of the 100 million Americans whose ancestors passed through the doors of Ellis Island? Learn about the historic entry point for immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with an informative reading passage. After...
Ohio Center For Law-Related Education
Four Activities: Thurgood Marshall and the Nomination and Confirmation of Federal Judges
The process of nominating and confirming federal judges can sound like a lot of bureaucratic hoops, but a resource breaks down the steps of the Supreme Court nominations in a simpler manner. Learners participate in four activities that...
Curated OER
Fifty States Field Day
Students explore the 50 states in preparation for a special field day. On the actual field day, the oldest students in the school manage each of 50 physical activity stations. They share information about each state and introduce the...
Curated OER
Fur Trading
Students take on a role such as a farming community, hunting community or a trading post. They decide which products they focus on and then trade with the other groups.
Curated OER
Fill in the Blanks
Archaeologists, historians, and scientists all work together to create a timeline of our past. Engages learners in a series of activities that all filter through the NOVA video, "Mysteries of the First Americans." Each activity is...
Curated OER
Exploration of the Americas
Third graders demonstrate knowledge of exploration by naming and describing accomplishments of explorers. They use the internet to find corresponding information on the explorer and fill in a chart that is provided. Students also...
Curated OER
The Scientific Revolution
Scientists participate in studying how new scientific advances have changed the world. They explain how astronomers have changed the way people view the universe, summarize the advances that were made in chemistry and medicine, and...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Timelines of the World
Seventh graders create a classroom timeline of important world events. This instructional activity is meant to be used during the entire school year. As the school year goes along, events are added to the timeline as chosen by the class....
Curated OER
Intolerance in American History
Examine the United States through the lens of intolerance using this 2-week unit plan, which includes details for 13 days of instruction. Scholars study examples of prejudiced behavior throughout history, discuss issues in groups,...
Curated OER
Circular Flows
To study circular flow, learners use the plans to trace through a series of interconnected economic and financial flows to explain the workings of the American economy. They use the model developed to comprehend the effects of Federal...
Curated OER
Molly Pitcher -- "Out of Many, One"
Students research, brainstorm and analyze the events that lead up to the Revolutionary War. They critique a piece of artwork depicting a scene from the Revolutionary War. Each major battle is plotted on a map to show a visual...
Curated OER
Thanksgiving
First graders summarize similarities and differences of life in England and America for the Pilgrims by reading a mini-book. Then, they write a journal entry in first person on what it is like to be a pilgrim in England and in America....
Curated OER
The Causes and Course of the First World War
Use this twelve-day lesson plan to teach about the causes and courses of WWI. Each day scholars attend lectures, complete creative activities, and hold round table discussions on what they've learned. Web links and resources are...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
A Lifetime of Responsibilities: Child Labor in Alabama
Imagine children working long hours in factories, coal mines, and in the fields. Class members examine a series of pictures and read about early attempts to regulate child labor and current child labor laws.
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Alabama and the Treaty of Versailles
As part of a study of the treaty that ended World War I and the seeds of resentment it planted, class groups compare President Wilson's Fourteen Points and the articles of the Treaty of Versailles.
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Cells for Sale - Convict Leasing in Alabama
The benefits and drawbacks of convict leasing following the Civil War are the focus of a lesson that asks groups to examine primary source materials to gain an understanding of the program before individuals decide whether they are in...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
New Deal Programs in Alabama
New Deal programs are the focus of an activity that prompts middle and high schoolers to consider the end of the Great Depression. Groups examine primary source materials to gain an understanding of how these programs were implemented in...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
New York Times Co. v Sullivan: The Alabama Case that Changed Libel Law
Malice aforethought? Can the New York Times be held libel for false claims appearing in its ads? The Supreme Court case New York Times v Sullivan changed the interpretation of the First Amendment. Class members examine these changes and...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
The Great Depression - Hard Times Hit America
To gain an understanding of how the Great Depression affected everyday citizens, class members examine letters written either to the president or to the governor of Alabama asking for assistance.
Alabama Department of Archives and History
W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, and Jim Crow
Class members use the think-pair-share strategy to compare the views of W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington and to consider how each man's backgrounds influenced his philosophy.
