Elementary Social Studies Education Articles for Teachers

Although I am now a teacher and have a Masters in Education, at one time, I had thought about specializing in archaeology. For this reason, I have a BA in anthropology. One of the most intriguing aspects of anthropology is that it is a study that requires people to use many of the skills we, as ...

For many reasons, I found that social studies was my least favorite subject in school. It seemed as though the information was far removed from my daily experience and inapplicable to my life. It's true that “history repeats itself,” but I thought we could deal with that when it happened. My whol...

April Fool's Day inspires even the sweetest of friends or students to be a little mischievousness. As a child, the day was marked by multiple practical jokes. In fifth grade, my friends and I saved up money weeks in advance to buy a mechanical mouse which we carefully placed in a nook in the back...

The holiday season is in full swing, and children across the country are bursting with energy. The fact that December is so full of warmth and cheer presents a unique opportunity for students to explore the idea of giving. Bringing to life the old adage: "tis better to give than to receive" mak...

During December, many students can be distracted. They can barely contain their excitement because of the approaching holiday. As teachers, we are expected to feed their love of the holiday, yet keep them on task at the same time. Here are some art activities to do at Christmas time that will, ho...

Hanukkah is a holiday that can lead teachers to explore history, world religions, and art with their students. Just like other holidays, there are many activities you can do with your students that can help them understand the significance of this holiday, and the important symbols used in its ob...

Once the holiday season gets going, students start to feel excited and get wiggly in the classroom. Thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday season, and it provides an opportunity to give your students educational and fun projects to do that can release some of this energy. What follows are s...

The flyers are out, the phones are ringing, and the campaigns are coming to an exhilarating end. It is election time. Bringing elections and the process of voting into your classroom can go far beyond counting tally marks on the board and announcing a winner. During election season you can partic...

The history of America is a rich tapestry of stories, experiences and larger than life historical figures. One such figure, Leif Erikson, will be honored on October 9th when Leif Erikson Day is observed. A Norseman and outgoing explorer, he led the first Europeans to North America. President Calv...