Social Studies/History

Middle school teachers can guide students to analyze a learning experience by asking about what went well and what could be improved.

After studying the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in a Latin class, students’ curiosity about what the people of Pompeii ate led to an unusual project.

Middle and high school teachers can cultivate student agency to facilitate conversations about difficult subjects in history class.

Teachers don’t have to speak students’ first languages to make room for these languages in middle and high school classrooms.

Scaffolding such as visual guides and templates can make it easier for ELLs to grasp material in courses with complicated vocabulary.

Elementary school social studies classes are a good time to guide students to ask important questions about the world.

Teachers across the curriculum can promote civil discourse and share digital tools that help high school students develop the skills needed for citizenship.

Students deepen their understanding and build a sense of community by engaging with their peers’ reasoned arguments.

A new study shows that when implemented well, AP courses built around project-based learning can raise test scores for all students, including those in traditionally underserved demographics.

Daily discussions and team-building activities meet the physical, social and emotional, and spiritual needs of students.

Experiential learning—like making incense sticks in factory conditions—teaches kids about real social issues.

Games that take students on a quest can invigorate social studies and strengthen bonds among learners.

Preparing for the emotions that may arise from discussions of genocide and oppression can help teachers avoid traumatizing students.

Assignments that are bigger than a lesson and smaller than a unit are a good way to experiment with inquiry-based learning.

Asking students to examine their own possessions from the perspective of a historian in the future helps them sharpens their analytical skills.