Quizlet
Quizlet: 8th Grade: Social Studies Vocabulary: Match
In this interactive game, students match social studies terms to the correct fill-in-the-blank sentences. These are drawn from a bank of 25 vocabulary words and there are multiple games.
Student Achievement Partners
Achieve the Core: Introduction to Literacy Shifts in Content Areas
This 1-2 hour module provides an introduction to the key shifts required by the CCSS for Literacy in the content areas: history / social studies, science, and technical subjects.
CommonLit
Common Lit: Text Sets
This is a collection of 35 Grade-Leveled text sets (4-11). They are great for social studies teachers or for building background knowledge in reading class, CommonLit's text sets cover a range of historical, cultural, and political...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Formal Writing Across the Content Areas
This resource explores instructional practices for incorporating formal writing into English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies instruction. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1.d
Student Achievement Partners
Achieve the Core: "Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution"
Lesson plan explores the meaning of the words in the Preamble to the Constitution.
Other
Appalachian State Univ.: Journal Reprint: Internet and Blog Publishing [Pdf]
Information, ideas, and examples of how technology can be used in a Social Studies classroom. Although designed for a fourth-grade classroom, many ideas in this article are applicable and adaptable for various grade levels and other...
Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Craft and Structure: Determine the Meaning of Words and Phrases
Learn how to use context clues to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word in a Social Studies passage.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Note Taking for Social Studies
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart covers how to read a historical text and convert information into visual representations by taking notes. This strategy helps students to read a passage and determine the author's purpose.
CommonLit
Common Lit: Text Sets: Ancient Civilizations Around the World
Collection of 21 Grade-Leveled texts (4-11) on the topic "Ancient Civilizations Around the World." Learn about ancient and medieval civilizations from South America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East in this text set. [Free account...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Text Sets: The American Revolution
Collection of 17 Grade-Leveled texts (4-12) on the topic "The American Revolution." Learn about the events leading up to America's Revolutionary War for independence from Britain and how the war was won. [Free account registration...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Text Sets: The American Colonies
Collection of 14 Grade-Leveled texts (4-11) on the topic "The American Colonies." What was life like for European settlers in the New World? How did American colonies function before the Revolutionary War? Explore life in the...
Other
Ncrel: Reading Strategies: Before, During, and After [Pdf]
This page provides a detailed chart to aid students' understanding of texts. It goes through the steps of pre-reading, during reading, and after reading, outlining what students should be thinking about as they interact with a text. This...
AdLit
Ad lit.org: Why Teach the Holocaust?
Teachers often find the Holocaust to be an overwhelming subject to approach with their students. While the Holocaust offers important lessons to today's students, it can be a difficult to find the appropriate amount of information to...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Critical Media Literacy: Commercial Advertising
In this lesson plan, young scholars will examine mass media critically and become aware of how much advertising is around them. They will realize the impact media has on social equality, what people buy, and on culture.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Reading Comprehension and Classroom Discussions
This tutorial focuses on active reading comprehension strategies including reading aloud, taking notes, summarizing, and writing in the margins of books to improve retention and class discussion. It includes two Flickr videos on active...
Library of Congress
Loc: Teachers: Personal Stories and Primary Sources
Students will explore the value of personal stories and first-hand accounts when exploring history, in this case, the events of the early twentieth century, which included World War I and the Great Depression. Through this five-unit...
PBS
Pb skids.org: Arthur
An entire learning module of Arthur! Anything Arthur you've ever needed or wanted you can find here. Topics include an Arthur newsletter, e-cards, an Elwood City map, sign design, letters to Arthur, about face, song book, coloring pages,...
University of Houston
University of Houston: Extra! Extra! What's the Big Idea?!
Get the feel of running a newspaper by selecting articles and pictures. If you are interested in checking out real newspapers, there is a clickable list of online newspapers for younger readers.
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Dirksen Center: A Bill Becomes a Law
Learning module on how a bill becomes a law offers students an alternative and in-depth approach to learning about the legislative process through text, graphics, and video .
US House of Representatives
Kids in the House: How a Bill Becomes a Law
Interactive website in which students build a bill and journey through the process of how a bill becomes law. With links to significant material, glossary, and resources for teachers.
Other
Project Vote Smart: How a Bill Becomes a Law
Project Vote Smart provides a detailed guide to the process of making a bill become a law. Content also includes links for more explanation on certain topics.
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Cities in Mesopotamia: Understanding a Complex Text
In this instructional activity, 6th graders use details from a nonfiction article to create a visual representation and then, from that visual, provide evidence that demonstrates their understanding of the text. Includes samples of...
9/11 Memorial & Museum
National September 11 Memorial & Museum: Exploring Afghani Culture [Pdf]
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum has partnered with the New York City Department of Education and the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education to develop a robust set of 9/11 lessons for K-12 classrooms. Each lesson is...
9/11 Memorial & Museum
National September 11 Memorial & Museum: Children Grieve Too [Pdf]
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum has partnered with the New York City Department of Education and the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education to develop a robust set of 9/11 lessons for K-12 classrooms. Each activity...