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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great Picture Books to Teach Social Studies for Grade K-3

For Teachers K - 3rd
Every class enjoys reading new books at the beginning of a unit. Use this resource to identify a variety of books for kindergarten to third grade that can be used to complement social studies standards. The books can kindle learners'...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Technology Resources for the Social Studies Classroom

For Teachers Higher Ed
Looking for ways to increase engagement by bringing technology into your elementary social studies class? Teachers are introduced to the technology resources available for social studies and then they show their students specific...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Are the Social Studies?

For Teachers Higher Ed
Identify core social studies subjects with adult learners. They will discuss key issues from twentieth century American history and identify key social studies concepts taught at elementary grade levels. They then modify this activity to...
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Lesson Plan
MENSA Education & Research Foundation

It’s Greek to Me: Greek Mythology

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
It's no myth: this packet on Greek mythology is an excellent addition to your social studies curriculum. With writing activities, such as short answer responses and biopoems, and reading activities, which include creation stories and...
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Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

How to Read the Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Even lawyers can find the US Constitution to be very wordy! Help learners create a foundation for understanding the Constitution with several analysis essays. Multiple activities complement the reading and allow for active and meaningful...
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Activity
US Department of Education

A Close Reading of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

For Teachers 7th - 10th Standards
Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address provides the text for a series of close reading exercises that model for instructors how carefully crafted guiding questions can help readers think critically about what they read, thus developing...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies - Guessing Game

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Focus on a particular geographic location with this resource. Learners use their social studies textbook to look up information about a specific place. They write down a list of facts and read them to the class. Classmates guess which...
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Activity
Scholastic

Eric Carle Author Study

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Learn all about Eric Carle, find out about his famous caterpillar, and try out related art, science, writing, math, and social studies activities. The resource comes with plenty of materials to support your instruction.
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Lesson Plan
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Teaching Tolerance

Using Photographs to Teach Social Justice | Exposing Homelessness and Poverty

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Photos can capture a complete story in a single image. Class members closely examine a photo of a homeless camp and attempt to read the story told by the picture. They then read the caption for the photograph and compare their notes with...
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Lesson Plan
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Teaching Tolerance

Using Photographs to Teach Social Justice | Legal Action: The Supreme Court

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
A social justice lesson focuses on the Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia which struck down laws that prohibited marriages between African Americans and white Americans. The lesson begins with class members examining a photograph of...
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Unit Plan
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Core Knowledge Foundation

Native Americans Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology

For Teachers K Standards
A 154-page anthology explores the life, culture, and history of Native Americans. Eight lessons follow the routine of introducing the reading, conducting the reading, discussing it, doing word work, then taking part in an extension...
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Lesson Plan
Santillana USA

Celebra Kwanzaa

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
¡Celebramos Kwanzaa! Celebrate Kwanzaa through the fictional story Celebra Kwanzaa con Botitas y sus gatitos to delightfully explain the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Dual language learners participate in reading and vocabulary activities...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

My Reading Words in My Social Studies Book?

For Teachers 3rd
Connect social studies and language arts using this resource. After studying root words, have learners locate five words from their social studies book that have a prefix, suffix, or root word. This puts a new twist on practicing basic...
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Activity
Curated OER

Create Your Own Country Project

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Young scholars demonstrate their knowledge of geography with this fun, collaborative social studies project. Working in small groups, students develop their very own countries, writing descriptions of their physical location, social...
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Lesson Plan
Center for Civic Education

What Basic Ideas About Government Are Included in the Preamble to the Constitution?

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
Young historians explore the meaning of the Preamble to the US Constitution in this upper-elementary social studies activity. Working with partners or in small groups, children discuss the purpose of government before reading and...
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Handout
Nosapo

Reading, Vocabulary, Comprehension

For Students 4th - 12th Standards
Whether you teach mainstream elementary classes or older English learners, a set of reading comprehension resources is a great addition to your language arts curriculum. Ten activities each include a reading passage and set of...
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Unit Plan
Walden Woods Project

19th Century Lessons for 21st Century Lives

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
The words of Henry David Thoreau on Civil Disobedience seem particularly relevant today, as are his writings and those of other transcendental thinkers who ask what it mean to live deliberately and what are the responsibilities of...
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Lesson Plan
Missouri Department of Elementary

Can You Erase the Damage?

For Teachers 3rd Standards
A pencil and an eraser bring forth the message that negative comments never truly disappear. On a large piece of paper, scholars list negative comments then attempt to replace them with kind ones. Pupils discuss the impact of negative...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

7th Grade Social Studies: Chapter 10, Greek City-States

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Doubling as a lecture and series of class activities, this presentation takes your students through many important aspects of ancient Greek culture. In addition to great information about ancient Greece, the presentation intersperses...
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Unit Plan
Lycoming College

An Author Study of Jan Brett

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Jan Brett, the author of many beloved children's books, is well worth a study. Try out this winter-themed unit, which covers areas of language arts as well as art, math, science, and social studies.
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Lesson Plan
National Geographic

Exploring Modern Human Migrations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Using maps, images, websites, and handouts, learners work to understand the nature of human migrations. They compare and contrast human migration from the past to the present, identify causes for migration, and trace migration routes on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rainforest (Elementary, Social Studies)

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Explore the rainforest with your class. Learners study the meaning of the word endangered, choose an animal to study, gather data, and discuss why the animal is in danger of extinction. This is a motivating way to have your class discuss...
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Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Illegal immigration is an ever-changing source of consistent controversy. A reading passage about the rights of undocumented workers and illegal immigrants—and the lack thereof—guides high schoolers into a mock trial activity. Three...
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Lesson Plan
Deliberating in a Democracy

Cyberbullying—Alternate Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Should schools be permitted to punish young scholars for off-campus cyberbullying? After reading a passage that details statistics about cyberbullying and Supreme Court rulings about schools' ability to limit student speech, class...