Curated OER
Biomimicry: Working Together, Cooperative Design
Students explore the concept of biomimicry. In this cooperative design lesson, students consider how cooperation is connected to nature and then collaborate to create their own cooperative designs for the future.
Curated OER
Hero Stories Teach
Students create a slogan. In this heroes lesson, students identify traits from hero stories that match traits of real life heroes. They discuss what lessons they can learn from heroes about courage and come up with a one line slogan that...
Curated OER
Women's Brains
Students experience an example of bias in science dealing with women and gender.
Curated OER
Ellen Ochoa
Young scholars identify who Ellen Ochoa was and how she has accomplished many things in her life, such as, inventions. They demonstrate their knowledge of the invention process by creating their own invention while using problem solving...
Curated OER
Caps for Sale/Color Words
Pupils read the book "Caps for Sale." Students model reading a sentence and using one color cap and the color word (written in its color). They match the color word (written in its color) to the correct color hat.
Curated OER
Personal Responsibility
Students write in their journals. In this writing and responsibility instructional activity, students write about personal responsibility. They have three writing choices to choose from that all deal with this central theme.
Curated OER
Something is Different: Same/Different
In this different/same activity, student draw an X on the picture in a box that is different from the others, 6 sets total. A reference web site is given for additional activities.
Curated OER
Environmental Destruction in Vietnam
Young scholars watch video clip on Environmental Destruction of Vietnam, select and discuss passages from essay, Resuscitation of the Dead Earth, that emphasize destruction to the land, and write essay on whether United States should...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan on Benjamin Franklin
Fifth graders utilize Internet research methods to gather information about the inventions of Benjamin Franklin. They prepare oral reports and present them to the class incorporating at least one visual aid.
Curated OER
Comparison of King Lear and King James
Students learn of the comparisons between Shakespeare's play, King Lear, and the actual King James. They make historical connections through internet research.
Curated OER
Pumpkin Writing Paper
For this writing worksheet, young scholars use the blank lined paper with a colorful pumpkin border for any kind of writing: reports, poetry, stories or letters.
Curated OER
Back To School Crossword
In this reading worksheet, students analyze 10 words which pertain to Back to school time. Students read clues and fit the words in the crossword puzzle.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
Ascd: Building Literacy in Social Studies: Ch 1: Reading Social Studies Texts
Article provides excellent tips and strategies for building comprehension and critical thinking skills in Social Studies. It describes some of the challenges students have with reading and understanding their textbooks.
PBS
Pbs: Academic Vocabulary in the Common Core: Disciplinary Vocabulary
This series of four video segments features a social studies teacher and a chemistry teacher demonstrating the integration of academic vocabulary into their classrooms. These segments feature the incorporation of general vocabulary (Tier...
Vocabulary University
My vocabulary.com: List of Themes for Social Studies & History
This is a list of interactive vocabulary activities for social studies and history.
Student Achievement Partners
Achieve the Core: Introduction to Literacy Shifts in Content Areas
This 1-2 hour module provides an introduction to the key shifts required by the CCSS for Literacy in the content areas: history / social studies, science, and technical subjects.
Quizlet
Quizlet: 8th Grade: Social Studies Vocabulary: Flashcards
This set of interactive flashcards focuses on social studies vocabulary terms and a fill-in-the-blank sentence using each term.
Other
Reading Quest: Making Sense of Social Studies
Teaching students to read well in areas other than language arts requires teaching and reinforcing the kinds of reading strategies taught here. There are 27 strategies, ranging from brainstorming to word mapping. The site includes PDF...
Quizlet
Quizlet: 8th Grade: Social Studies Vocabulary: Match
In this interactive game, students match social studies terms to the correct fill-in-the-blank sentences. These are drawn from a bank of 25 vocabulary words and there are multiple games.
CommonLit
Common Lit: Text Sets
This is a collection of 35 Grade-Leveled text sets (4-11). They are great for social studies teachers or for building background knowledge in reading class, CommonLit's text sets cover a range of historical, cultural, and political...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Formal Writing Across the Content Areas
This resource explores instructional practices for incorporating formal writing into English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies instruction. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.1.d
Student Achievement Partners
Achieve the Core: "Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution"
Lesson plan explores the meaning of the words in the Preamble to the Constitution.
Other
Appalachian State Univ.: Journal Reprint: Internet and Blog Publishing [Pdf]
Information, ideas, and examples of how technology can be used in a Social Studies classroom. Although designed for a fourth-grade classroom, many ideas in this article are applicable and adaptable for various grade levels and other...
Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Craft and Structure: Determine the Meaning of Words and Phrases
Learn how to use context clues to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word in a Social Studies passage.