The Social Studies Teacher Podcast

Teaching social studies for the first time? You're not alone, and you definitely don't have to figure it all out by yourself. In this episode, I'm sharing the five biggest mistakes I made as a new social studies teacher (and the same mistakes I see many teachers make today). More importantly, I'll show you simple, practical solutions that you can implement before the first day of school. Whether y...

Quick note: This episode is a repost, but it’s a great one to revisit as you plan ways to make economics and free enterprise easier for students to understand. Welcome to Part 5 of the Social Studies Summer Series! In this episode, we’re talking all about how to teach economics skills and the free enterprise system in upper elementary. Economics can feel like a big, overwhelming topic at first, bu...

Quick note: This episode is a repost, but it’s a helpful one to revisit as you plan simple ways to make government and civics easier for students to understand. Welcome to Part 4 of the Social Studies Summer Series! In this episode, we’re talking about how to teach government and civics skills to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in a way that feels clear, practical and engaging. Government can some...

Quick note: This episode is a repost, but it’s a great one to revisit as you plan meaningful ways to help students learn about culture, community and the world around them. Welcome to Part 3 of the Social Studies Summer Series! In this episode, we’re focusing on how to teach culture and society skills to upper-elementary and middle-school students. Understanding different cultures is such an impor...

Quick note: This episode is a repost, but it’s a great one to revisit as you plan simple, engaging ways to help students build stronger history skills. Welcome to Part 2 of the Social Studies Summer Series! In this episode, we’re talking all about how to teach history skills in a way that feels meaningful and engaging for upper elementary and middle school students. History is more than memorizing...

Quick note: This episode is a repost, but it’s the perfect one to revisit during summer planning as you think about how to make geography more engaging and easier for students to understand. Welcome to Part 1 of the 5-part Social Studies Summer Series! In this episode, we’re going back to the basics of teaching geography skills in upper elementary. Geography can sometimes feel like it’s all about...

Summer is the perfect time to reset, reflect and get ahead before the back-to-school rush begins. In this episode, I’m sharing five simple steps to help you prep for social studies without spending your entire summer planning. You’ll learn how to organize your resources, look ahead at your standards, map out your first few units, create a simple routine and set yourself up for a smoother school ye...

Have you ever been told you're teaching social studies… but given absolutely nothing to work with? No textbook. No pacing guide. No curriculum map. In this video, I’m walking you through exactly how to teach social studies without a curriculum- and still create structured, engaging, and meaningful lessons your students will love. Whether your district is in transition, resources are limited, or yo...

History lessons often focus on dates, events, and timelines. But when students understand why events happened, history begins to make sense! In this video, we explore practical strategies for helping students think like historians by focusing on cause and effect, perspectives, evidence, and historical reasoning. This episode walks through several ways to shift your instruction from teaching only t...

Do you save teaching about famous figures for one unit or month...and then move on? Let’s change that. In this video, you’ll learn 4 easy ways to teach famous figures year-round so biographies feel meaningful, connected, and engaging. When students see diverse leaders, thinkers, and changemakers woven throughout your lessons, history comes alive all year long. 🎯 In this video: ✅ How to choose hi...

I spent over 9 hours listening to the SBOE meeting, so you don't have to! In this bonus audio-only episode, I share with you takeaways and recaps (with my opinions sprinkled in) as a new social studies framework is being constructed for K-12 in the state of Texas. The new TEKS will not be into effect until the 2030-2031 school year, but it's important to keep an eye on the process before it is too...

In this video, you’ll learn practical ways to strengthen literacy skills through social studies instruction. Discover how reading, writing, and critical thinking strategies can help students better understand complex topics, analyze information, and make meaningful connections to history, geography, and culture. In this video: How to integrate reading and writing into social studies lessons Strate...

Every classroom is full of unique personalities - and understanding how your students think, learn, and interact can make all the difference. In this video, we’ll explore 9 common student personalities you’re likely to meet in your classroom and share practical tips for supporting each one. From the quiet observer to the natural leader, you’ll walk away with new insights and strategies to help eve...

How can you help students understand what’s happening in the world (without overwhelming them)? In this episode, we’re diving into how to teach current events in the classroom in an age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful way. You’ll learn practical strategies for connecting real-world news to social studies standards while helping students build critical-thinking and empathy skills. In this epi...

🎉 10K DOWNLOADS! I can’t believe The Social Studies Teacher Podcast has officially hit this milestone - all thanks to YOU! To celebrate, I’m counting down the Top 10 most downloaded episodes of the podcast — the ones you’ve loved, shared, and replayed the most. These episodes are packed with practical tips and real-classroom ideas to make social studies engaging, meaningful, and low-prep. 👩‍🏫 I...

Holidays can be a magical time in the classroom, but they can also be tricky to navigate. In this episode, I’m sharing 4 practical ways to make your holiday lessons more inclusive, culturally responsive, and welcoming for every student. You’ll learn how to celebrate the season while respecting the diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and traditions your students bring to class. In this episode, you’ll di...

Bring global celebrations to life in your classroom this season! 🌎✨ In this episode, I’m sharing 8 winter holidays celebrated around the world that are perfect for teaching cultural awareness, geography, and world traditions — all while keeping your students engaged and inspired. These holidays span from October through January and include hands-on classroom ideas you can use right away. 🎉 Here...

Planning social studies lessons doesn’t have to be stressful! In this episode, I’m walking you through 5 key components every social studies lesson needs to keep students engaged and learning - without adding extra prep time. This is a remix episode that includes a brand new lesson example on the Thirteen colonies! Whether you’re teaching about the Thirteen Colonies, U.S. History, or any other top...

Raise your hand if you’ve ever shown a history video or documentary in class… only to see your students zoning out after 15 minutes. Yup, I've been there! Today’s students are used to short-form, high-stimulation content like TikTok and YouTube shorts, so long educational films can feel slow, even when the content is great. In this video, I’ll share 5 practical strategies to keep your students eng...

Ever taught a unit in September only to realize your students barely remember it by March ? 😩 You’re not alone! That’s where spiral learning comes in. In this episode, I’ll show you what spiraling is, why it works, and 4 practical strategies you can use in social studies (and beyond) to help knowledge stick. 👉 Here’s what we’ll cover: What is Spiraling? Why Spiraling is Important 4 Easy Strategi...

In this bonus episode of The Social Studies Teacher Podcast, I’m giving you a timely update on some major news out of Texas. The State Board of Education has officially voted on big changes to the K–8 Social Studies TEKS , shifting to a chronological approach and creating a brand-new framework for how we teach history, geography, government, and culture. It is expected that these standards are put...

Do your students groan when it’s time for vocabulary? 😩 You’re not alone! In this episode, I’ll share 4 engaging social studies vocabulary strategies that will make vocabulary instruction meaningful, fun, and effective. We’ll start by looking at the three tiers of vocabulary (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3) and see where social studies fits in. Then, I’ll walk you through four practical strategies yo...

Looking for fun and engaging social studies activities for your upper elementary classroom? In this video, I’m sharing 4 creative and easy-to-implement social studies lessons designed for grades 3-5. These hands-on activities make history, geography, government, and culture come alive for your students while keeping planning stress-free for you! What You'll Learn 4 ready-to-use activities perfect...

Looking for fun, engaging, and low-prep ideas for your reading block? In this video, I’m sharing 5 ELA reading stations and literacy center activities perfect for grades 3–5. These stations are designed to build reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and writing skills - all while keeping students actively engaged! 📚 What You’ll Learn: ✔️ How to set up 5 easy reading stations ✔️ Literacy cen...

Looking for engaging, low-prep social studies-themed stations that work for your upper elementary classroom? In this episode of The Social Studies Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing 7 flexible station ideas that can fit into your ELA block, dedicated social studies time, or even a fun Social Studies Friday rotation! 📚 Whether you teach 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade and only have 30 minutes (if you're lucky!),...