The Social Studies Teacher Podcast

Incorporating humor, weird facts, and unexpected historical tidbits might be the secret sauce for student engagement! Fun, surprising stories about historical events or people can be an effective way to capture attention and foster curiosity in social studies. This episode is filled with examples to help you plan for the new year in a fresh way. Episode Highlights Start with weird or surprising fa...

In this episode, I’ll share my personal journey as a 5th-grade teacher who felt intimidated by certain social studies topics that I wasn’t familiar or confident in teaching. I'll discuss the anxiety of potentially giving incorrect information and how it impacted my approach to teaching these subjects. You’ll hear about the steps I took to overcome that fear, including the resources I used, the imp...

Assessing student learning is essential but it can also feel overwhelming to plan. In today’s episode, I’m sharing three simple strategies for assessing social studies learning that are effective and low-stress. Ready to take the pressure off and make assessment more manageable? Let’s jump in! Episode Highlights Quick and simple quizzes Creative projects for deeper learning Informal assessments th...

Every social studies lesson should have 5 key components to ensure it’s effective, engaging, and meaningful for students. Whether you’re teaching geography, history, civics, or economics, these essential elements will help you structure your lessons in a way that promotes deeper understanding and keeps your students interested. Episode Highlights Clear learning objectives An engaging hook or intro...

Taking complex or traditionally dry social studies topics and transforming them into simple, fun lessons your students will love can be a challenge. Whether it’s trying to explain the complexities of government or the timeline of ancient civilizations, some social studies content can feel daunting for our students—and for us! But don’t worry, I’ll share some techniques for breaking these topics do...

While we may have our favorite holidays that we celebrate, it's also key for our students to learn about different traditions. It’s a great way to help build awareness and respect for the diversity of cultures and celebrations around the world. So today, I’m going to share 8 special holidays from different cultures that your students may or may not have heard about! Episode Highlights Lunar New Ye...

Ready or not, the holiday season is upon us! As teachers, this busy season can make it feel like we’re stretched too thin in both our work and personal lives. Today, we’re talking about how to prioritize your time and optimize your daily schedule to alleviate some of that holiday stress. I’ve got six simple strategies to help you avoid burnout and ensure you’re biting off just the right amount to...

Whether you’re teaching geography, history, or economics, visual tools can simplify complex information and help your students develop critical thinking skills. In today's episode I’ll be sharing tips on how to integrate charts, tables, and graphs into your lessons to make learning more interactive and engaging. Episode Highlights Why use charts, tables, and graphs? Types of visuals to use in your...

We're diving into one of my absolute favorite ways to bring social studies to life for our students: making it personal. Episode Highlights Why share real stories? 4 steps to making social studies person for your students through storytelling first-hand accounts Resources and Links Blog Post - Episode 73 Let's Connect! Listen/watch on YouTube Shop TPT Resources Instagram Website Amazon Mentioned i...

The electoral college is a complex system that can be tricky to explain to students. However, understanding this unique aspect of American democracy is essential for fostering informed citizens. In this episode, we'll break down what the electoral college is, share some fun facts, and offer tips on how to teach this concept to 3rd-5th graders. Episode Highlights What is the electoral college? Fun...

Learning about our national leaders isn't just about memorizing names and dates. It's about understanding the people who make decisions that affect our lives! Episode Highlights Why it's important for students to understand information about our government leaders Scavenger hunt activity idea for upper elementary students Additional tips on implementing the scavenger hunt Resources and Links A cop...

If you’re lucky enough to have extended time for your social studies block, you’re in for a treat! More time means more opportunities to dive deeper into topics, engage students with diverse activities, and make learning even more dynamic. Whether you have a 60-minute or 90-minute block, here are some structured schedules and creative ideas to help you make the most of your time. Episode Highlight...

Teaching social studies in short time blocks can be a challenge, but with the right strategies, you can still deliver impactful lessons and keep your students engaged. Whether you have just 10 or 20 minutes, here are some practical ideas to make the most of your time and ensure meaningful learning experiences for your upper elementary students. Episode Highlights 10-minute lesson ideas and example...

Putting aside our personal beliefs, we have an important opportunity to guide students through a very exciting election process with some age-appropriate activities! Today I'm sharing 6 go-to activities for navigating election season with upper elementary students. Feel free to mix and match these activities throughout the election season and share this episode with a teacher friend! Episode Highl...

Once you get to know your students, use that knowledge to allow them the power to choose the best way to demonstrate their learning! It's a win-win and today's episode will make it easy to get started. Episode Highlights What are choice boards and why they are beneficial Types of activities that can be included Best practices when using choice boards Resources and Links Multiple Intelligences Choi...

When we explore multiple intelligences as a classroom community, everyone wins! Teachers learn about the types of activities that are best for each student AND big kids learn about how they learn best. Join me as we discuss characteristics and best ways to support students in the elementary classroom with a theory that supports the diverse learning styles and personalities of your students! Episod...

When you hear the term" PBL" you likely think about project-based learning! Today we're going to dive into problem-based learning to give you some ideas on how to bring real-world scenarios into your social studies block. Episode Highlights Identify problem Gather information List and consider options Consider advantages and disadvantages Choose and implement a solution Evaluate effectiveness of s...

If you're struggling to make time for social studies in your school day, maybe it's time for some fresh field trip ideas to support your curriculum! Today's episode shares some of my favorite field trips from around the Lone Star State. I also share with you some tips for where to look for even more ideas that your upper elementary students will love (whether you're in Texas or not)! Resources and...

Rich, thought-provoking discussions are in your future because this year class read-alouds are IN for upper elementary students. In this episode I'm sharing all my tips for class read-alouds with big kids. Episode Highlights How to choose the right text The importance of previewing a text Guided class discussion tips Wrapping up the learning activity Resources and Links My Favorite Read Alouds Blo...

Those first 10-15 minutes of the block are so important. Let's talk about my favorite ways to make the most of the classroom warm-up time. Episode Highlights What are warmups Why warmups help How to use warmups How to prep for warmups Some resources I love for the warmup block Resources and Links Social Studies Daily Passage Warmups 3rd Grade Daily Language Warmups 4th Grade ELA Spiral Review Warm...

If reading the newly updated TEKS is making your head spin, let's break it down together and make a game plan before the new school year begins. Episode Highlights When the new updates go into effect Topics we MUST cover Topics we CAN cover if time allows Breaking down the 8 strands How to support STAAR testing at the secondary levels Resources and Links Additional reading on this topic is availab...

Using morning meeting every day can be an important tool in building social emotional learning skills. And even though it's only a short time each day, it can make a lasting impact at how students interact with others. Today I'm sharing 6 fresh ideas for your morning meeting block. Episode Highlights Slideshows Question of the day Spreading out Scavenger hunts Kahoot Student spotlight Resources an...

Today I'm answering all the questions you might have about the Smart and Simple Social Studies Membership. Here's a peek into what I'll be answering in this week's episode! What is Smart and Simple Social Studies? Are the resources standards-based? Who can join Smart and Simple Social Studies? What is included in the Texas/TEKS membership option? Can the resources be used for students who are not...

In November of 2022, the State Board of Education in Texas approved significant revisions to the Social Studies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for implementation in the 2024-2025 school year. Let’s dive into what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and how you can implement these standards in your classroom. Episode Highlights What was the focus of the social studies TEKS revisions?...

Once you've established rules and routines and built that important classroom community, it's time to move into teaching social studies curriculum! Today's episode shares 5 activities you can use in this important transitional time that takes place around the 2nd week of school. Episode Highlights Create a classroom map My place in the world Community puzzle Map challenge Landmark Pictionary Resou...