The Social Studies Teacher Podcast

If you're starting to make plans for the start of the next school year, this episode is for you! These 5 activities are related to community building since you're getting to know your students, probably not necessarily diving right into your social studies curriculum. We'll talk about great icebreaker activities and ways to build a positive classroom community in your homeroom or your social studi...

This is part 5 of the Social Studies Summer Series! Teaching economics and the free enterprise system to upper elementary can seem like something that is a Herculean task. With the right approach, and with the right resources, it can be both engaging and educational. By breaking down complex concepts into simple steps, and hands-on activities engaging activities, you can empower your students to u...

This is part 4 of the Social Studies Summer Series! Here are some simple steps to help you effectively teach government and civics skills to your 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students. Episode Highlights Starting with the basics Using real-life examples Leveraging interactive activities Incorporating multimedia resources Connecting with community resources Encouraging critical thinking Promoting active...

Understanding different cultures is important in our world today. As teachers, we play a big role in helping students appreciate and learn about diverse traditions, celebrations, art, literature, science, technology, and society. This is part 3 of the Social Studies Summer Series, where you will learn some easy steps with activities and examples to help you teach culture and related topics to 3rd-...

This is part 2 of the SS Summer Series! Here are some straightforward tips, along with fun activities, to help 3rd-5th graders master history skills. Episode Highlights Connecting history to today Diving into primary sources Exploring like detectives Bringing history to life Thinking critically Reflecting on lessons learned Resources and Links Check out my history daily passages Blog Post - Episod...

This is part 1 of the 5-part Social Studies Summer Series! Today's episode is full of tips on how to make geography fun and understandable for students in upper elementary. Episode Highlights Back to basics Making it relevant Learning about different cultures Using technology Encouraging questions Connecting with other subjects Practicing map skills Understanding the world My favorite geography ac...

Have you ever been curious about the process of turning your Google Drive of teaching resources into a Teachers Pay Teachers store? I made this episode just for curious teachers itching to start a summer side hustle! Episode Highlights My TPT story 10 tips for getting started on TPT Resources and Links Blog Post - Episode 50 Getting Started Checklist Listen to my podcast for Teacher Sellers Let's...

I'm getting personal on the podcast today and sharing some of the hardest moments of my teaching career. These teachable moments help us grow and create connections with other teachers. If you're going through a hard time as a teacher, know you aren't alone. Episode Highlights Why I became a teacher My student teaching experience Toxic workplace environments that felt like high school drama Hurric...

Whether you're planning for a day off soon, or you know you need a better solution for next school year, you'll love these realistic tips on preparing for a substitute teacher. Episode Highlights My 7 best tips on getting ready for a sub Low prep activities to fill your sub tub Resources and Links Blog Post - Episode 48 Let's Connect! Listen/watch on YouTube Shop TPT Resources Instagram Website Am...

Today you get a sneak peek into one of the trainings from the video vault of the Smart and Simple Social Studies membership. Listen for ways you can use novel studies to teach social studies! Episode Highlights What is a novel study? Why you may want to use novel studies in your classroom. My favorite books to use for novel studies Resources and Links Get access to more trainings like this one ins...

Summer break might be just around the corner, but that does not mean classic classroom activities are forgotten. Grab some school supplies, get creative and enjoy the memories made over this past year! Episode Highlights Poetry scavenger hunts Texts to compare The Year in Review poem Writing a letter to the teacher / student Texts to reflect on Resources and Links Blog Post - Episode 46 Let's Conn...

Journal prompts can really help students gain a deeper understanding of a topic. If you are looking for new ways to develop critical thinking and foster academic discussion then you'll love today's episode. Episode Highlights 5 steps to using journal prompts in social studies 10 journal prompt examples that can be used for virtually any social studies topic Walkthrough the 5 steps with one of the...

Have you ever felt that you’re just not up to par with all those teachers on social media? They seem to always be doing everything right and are picture-perfect. Can you relate? Today I’m sharing with you 4 big mistakes I’ve made as a teacher, and what I’ve learned from these mistakes. I always strive to be my best and these are some mistakes that I’ve grown from as an educator and have shaped how...

While the 20th century is a fascinating topic to cover, it can be a challenge to find resources that include the correct level of depth for the upper elementary classroom. Let's dive in to unpack this puzzle together. Episode Highlights Introduction to the 20th and 21st Centuries The 1900s and 1910s World War I The Roaring Twenties The Great Depression World War II The Cold War The Civil Rights Mo...

Student engagement is the name of the game, so today I'm sharing 5 activities you can incorporate into your classroom plans to make social students fun for learners! Episode Highlights biography lapbooks meme activities creating your own map/country virtual field trips webquests Resources and Links Blog Post - Episode 42 Famous Heroes in Communities Unit Create a Country Project WebQuest Mega Bun...

You may have heard of the Enneagram the trending and fun (and scarily accurate) personality test. This episode is going into our teacher world with Enneagram for Teachers! I will be giving you some insights on your Enneagram type with a teacher twist on your strengths, weaknesses, and ways to be your best teacher self.  Episode Highlights Characteristics of each Enneagram type Teacher strengt...

Today's test prep-themed episode has 8 tips for you as a teacher and then a special section that you can play for your students as they build a toolbox of test prep strategies. Episode Highlights 8 test prep tips for teachers 8 test prep tips for students Blog Post - Episode 40 Let's Connect! Listen/watch on YouTube Shop TPT Resources Instagram Website Amazon Mentioned in this episode: Teacher Sum...

If your test prep strategies are feeling stale, today I've got a teamwork approach that might just turn things around. Episode Highlights Test Prep Power Hour 101 How to group students How to divide up the planning How to find an hour in your instructional schedule Resources so you can get started and try your first power hour Resources and Links Nonfiction Reading Comprehension Passages Fiction R...

It's so easy to just give students free time on their devices, but today I'm sharing some simple tweaks that can help you make the most of those miscellaneous pockets of free time. Adding enrichment time to your classroom might be more simple than you think! Episode Highlights What is enrichment time? 5 steps to adding enrichment time to your classroom routines A free resource to help you get star...

Visual learner here to share that timelines are extremely helpful tools for understanding the chronological order of events. Today I've got 6 tips to help you effectively incorporate timelines into your upper elementary social studies lessons. Episode Highlights Timeline basics Interactive timelines Timelines of a student's life Multimedia elements Sequencing Comparing and contrasting Resources an...

Not sure how you can make time to cover your curriculum AND mix in current events? You'll love today's short and sweet episode. Episode Highlights Kid-friendly sources for current events Student engagement strategies Resources and Links Episode 36 - Blog Let's Connect! Listen/watch on YouTube Shop TPT Resources Instagram Website Amazon Mentioned in this episode: Grab the Back to School Social Stud...

You get to unlock the stories of famous people in history for upper elementary students - what a gift! Today I'm sharing 8 steps for keeping this task simple and effective. Episode Highlights Choosing relevant figures Establishing context Developing engaging lesson plans Humanizing historical figures Incorporating primary sources Encouraging research and inquiry Connecting to present day relevance...

As a child and a person of color, I often felt embarrassed during February (I explain why in the episode). I don't want that to happen to your students! Today I'm sharing my perspective about navigating Black History Month. I hope your students enjoy these lesson planning ideas as they deepen their understanding of how people in black history have shaped our culture. Episode Highlights My experien...

Ready or not, here test prep season comes! Let's talk about four common reading skills that students might need us to lean into supporting them with before standardized testing begins. These nonfiction skills pair really well with a variety of social studies topics! Episode Highlights inferencing context clues text features theme how graphic organizers and task cards can support students during te...

Wondering if the Smart and Simple Social Studies Guided Curriculum is right for you? Not sure if the units will fit the needs of you and your students? This bonus episode is a must-listen! I get a lot of questions about the guided curriculum, how the growing bundle works, and if the units would be applicable to a state beyond Texas. I answer a few frequently asked questions and share some stellar...