TEAM UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

INSTRUMENTAL METHODS OF TEACHING

SOCIAL STUDIES

LECTURE MATERIAL

DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION-PRIMARY

CODE: DST 5223

@TU

COURSE TITLE: INSTRUMENTAL METHODS OF TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES

5TH Trimester In-Service Lecture Materials Page 1
CODE: DST 5223
YEAR: YEAR 2 TRIMESTER 1
HOURS TAUGHT: 3 CUS
PREREQUISITES: NONE

COURSE DESCRIPTION

COURSE OBJECTIVES

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

MODE OF DELIVERY

 Lectures
 Reading assignments
 Practical assignments
 Field trips
 Documentaries

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND / OR EQUIPMENT

 Whiteboard and Markers

 Flip Charts
 LCD Projectors
 CDs, DVDs and Tapes

COURSE ASSESSMENT

 Continuous assessments tests 20%

 Group and individual project (course work) 10%
 End of Semester Examination 70%
Total 100%

5TH Trimester In-Service Lecture Materials Page 2

INTRODUCTION
Social studies education most commonly refers to the training of professional educators to
teach social studies. It includes the training of social studies educators who emphasize the need
for social education through the teaching of various social science disciplines (e.g., history,
psychology, political science).

What exactly is social studies?

Definition of social studies. : a part of a school or college curriculum concerned with the study
of social relationships and the functioning of society and usually made up of courses in history,
government, economics, civics, sociology, geography, and anthropology.

What is Social Studies?

Social Studies, at primary and secondary level, helps students to understand the interconnectedness of
Singapore and the world they live in, and appreciate the complexities of the human experience.
Students explore the complex tensions that characterise issues happening around the world and in
Singapore. Their learning starts at primary level and is explored in greater depth at the secondary level.
Upper Secondary Social Studies focuses on the explicit teaching of thinking skills to assess and
manage real-life information in meaningful ways. It also aims to build a deep sense of rootedness to
the nation. The subject is interdisciplinary in nature, combining subjects such as Geography, History,
Sociology, Political Science and Economics.  
           
Value of learning Social Studies

1. Understanding and appreciating real-world issues and Singapore society Social Studies

ignites a curiosity about real-world issues. It helps students to understand developments that are taking
place in society and the world as well as their roles in shaping the future of the nation. 

Students will explore contemporary and global issues related to governance, their roles as citizens,
living in a diverse society and globalisation. These are issues that affect the lives of our children as
young citizens, and this prepares them for the responsibilities they need to exercise judiciously as
adults in future. Social Studies encourages students to engage in policy issues instead of just relying on
the government to achieve desired outcomes. 

2. Develops critical thinking skills Social Studies requires students to analyse multiple

perspectives of a particular issue before reaching their own well-reasoned conclusion. Through inquiry
and authentic learning experiences, students explore societal and global issues by constructing
explanations, evaluating and interpreting information through making inferences, analysing evidence,
comparing and contrasting perspectives, and drawing well-reasoned and substantiated conclusion. 

They will also be equipped to identify and suggest insightful approaches to societal issues so that they
can take ownership of their impact on societal outcomes as constructive citizens of Singapore. 

In this digital age of widespread both real and fake news, the skills they learn in Social Studies enable
them to discern the credibility of the information they receive. The thinking skills are highly relevant
in a workplace and will help them to tackle challenges posed by an uncertain future.  

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Why is it important to study social studies?

The importance of studying social studies cannot be overemphasized because it is not just the study of
man and his environment, but also of interactions between man and nature, between Kingdoms,
Empires, Nations and most importantly, Social studies is a problem solving subject. Social studies skill
can help in negotiating and solving issues combined with the fact that it is an encompassing and most
accommodating subject because it does not just teaches values and norms of the society, but it is also a
subject through which other contemporary pressing issues in the society can be taught.

1. Social scientists help us imagine alternative futures.

Social science can open up debate and give us a say in shaping our collective future. The social
sciences developed as a field of study during the nineteenth century. Social science helped people
understand the consequences and application of the new technologies of the age, such as steam power.
The growth of railways and factories not only transformed the economy and the world of work, but
also changed forever the way people organised their family lives and leisure. Today nanotechnology
and advances in medical research will have a significant impact on the way we live.

They present us with a bewildering range of ethical, legal and social issues. But it isn’t enough to rely
on the scientists. We also need social scientists to analyse and critique what’s going on. That way we
will make informed choices that shape the future.

The Proactionary Imperative: For more ideas on this topic Steve Fuller's books are a good place to
start.

2. Social science can help us make sense of our finances.

Social science is not just important for the future but for what’s happening now. We all resent paying
to withdraw our money from cash machines. Charges can amount to £120 per year. Social scientists
working on behalf of the Runnymede Trust found that this doesn’t just this depend on where we live,
but that black and minority ethnic people are more likely to live in areas where they’re forced to pay.
This put pressure on banks to ensure we all have access to machines that don’t charge. A range of
social scientists – not just economists but also psychologists, sociologists and political scientists, for
example ‐ can help us understand the economic crisis and weigh up decisions we make for ourselves
and those which governments make on our behalf. Without this kind of analysis we may feel like
pawns in a global game of chess.

With the knowledge and understanding that social science offers us, we will feel empowered to act for
ourselves, and to influence decisions being made on our behalf.

Unequal Ageing in Europe: explores the gender pension gap across the 28 member states of the
European Union, plus Iceland and Norway

3. Social scientists contribute to our health and well‐being.

From sports sociologists to public health experts, from those interpreting medical statistics to those
evaluating policies for our care in old age, social scientists are working hard to make sure that our
health, leisure and social care services work to best effect.

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Social geographers at the University of Sheffield, for example, have shown that those of us who don’t
follow eating advice are not simply weak‐willed or ignorant. Our eating habits are influenced by a
whole range of circumstances. Some apparently unhealthy choices may seem rational: if the person
doing the shopping knows that others will simply not eat the healthy option and it will just go to waste,
they may simply not buy it.

So it’s no good just giving people a booklet on healthy eating. Effective nutritional advice needs to be
tailored to people’s everyday lives and contexts.

Long-Term Care in Europe: analyzes the key issues at stake in developing long-term care systems for
older people in Europe.

4. Social science might save your life.

Psychologists at the University of Liverpool spent time in a steel factory to work out what needs doing
to create a safer environment. Accidents at work happen even in the best regulated companies that
provide staff training and take all necessary precautions.

A top‐down imposed safety regime simply doesn’t work. It’s when people see unsafe work practices as
unacceptable and take decisions as teams that workplaces become safer. Employers need to see people
as individuals who take their lead from those with whom they identify. These principles have also been
shown to work in crowd control.

When those responsible for crowd management at football matches are trained in techniques which
take this into account, there’s virtually no trouble.

Adjudicating Employment: Rights compares and analyses institutions for resolving employment rights
disputes in ten countries.

5. Social science can make your neighbourhood safer.

One common myth is that if you take measures to reduce crime in one neighbourhood the criminals
simply move on, leading to increased crime in another area. Sociologists at Nottingham Trent
University worked closely with police to reduce crime through a method involving scanning for crime
patterns.

They were able to identify patterns that regular police work had not picked up, so avoiding guess work
and lost time. A technique called situational crime prevention developed by the same team is now
regularly used by the police, working with the public and private sectors to prevent crime. Together
they make things more difficult for would‐be criminals.

For example, in one area there was a serious problem of lead being stolen from community building
roofs. By working with dealers in the scrap metal market, and persuading them to keep records, it then
became too risky to buy what might be stolen lead.

The Handbook of Security, 2nd edition: is the most comprehensive analysis of scholarly security
debates and issues to date.

6. We need social scientists as public intellectuals.

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British society is sometimes said to be anti‐intellectual. Yet in our fast changing world, there is a place
for the social scientist as public intellectual. This doesn’t have to be a succession of boring grey talking
heads, such as you can find on French TV any night. That’s enough to cause anyone to start channel
surfing. Social scientists have a duty to make their work interesting and engaging to the rest of us.

They need to explain not only why social science is relevant but do it in a compelling way. Then we
will want to listen, read and find out more. Perhaps more social scientists will have to become active
listeners, talking more often to the public, each other and to scientists.
Then we can get all the disciplines around the table together. In a knowledge‐based world, we need
people who can integrate a variety of different types of knowledge, and that come from different
intellectual roots and from a range of institutions to work together.

The Price of Public Intellectuals: is an historically-informed survey critically outlining sociological,

psychological, political, and economic approaches to the role of public intellectuals.

7. Social science can improve our children’s lives and education.

All societies and all governments want to show they are dong the best for children. Yet too often
education reform seems to take place without regard for the best interests of the learners. Education
research shows that many parents, particularly parents of younger children, are more concerned that
their children enjoy school, than that they are academic stars.

By working with students of all ages to understand their perspectives on schooling, researchers at the
universities of Cambridge and Leeds have discovered new insights into what makes effective schools,
and what makes for effective school leadership.

We just need to listen to children, provide structured opportunities for them to give their views, and
prepare adults to really listen. Today even OFSTED, the school inspection service, has to listen to
children’s viewpoints.

Informal Education, Childhood and Youth: emphasises how geography – space and place – matter to
informal education practices, through a range of examples.

8. Social science can change the world for the better.

We can generally agree that world needs to be a safer place where all people can enjoy basic dignity
and human rights. This is the case even when we can’t always agree on what we should do to make
this happen. Social scientists working in interdisciplinary teams have made their mark in the area of
human welfare and development.

They are concerned with the social and economic advancement of humanity at large. They work with
government institutions, UN organisations, social services, funding agencies, and with the media.
They are influencing the work of strategists, planners, teachers and programme officers in developing
and growing economies, like India, to influence development so that it impacts on the lives of the
poorest members of society. For example, social scientists from the Delhi School of Economics are
cooperating with colleagues at SOAS, University of London to explore the impact of legislation in
India to guarantee minimum wages for rural unskilled manual labourers on the loves of women.

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They found the new law provided opportunities for some women to become wage earners where none
had existed before, reducing the risk of hunger and the chances of avoiding hazardous work. But they
also identified barriers to women benefitting from the changes, including harassment at the worksite.
Those working in development studies are then able to support women’s ability to benefit by looking
for creative solutions to such problems.

Why the Social Sciences Matter: provides an illuminating look at topics of concern to everyone at the
beginning of the twenty-first century.

9. Social science can broaden your horizons.

For debates about feminism, peace, ecology, social movements, and much more, social science offers
each of us new perspectives and new ways of understanding. Whether your idea of relaxation is
visiting a museum, watching soaps, or chatting online, social science encourages a fresh look at our
everyday activities and culture.

Social scientists at the University of Leicester are making an impact on museums across the world,
with the goal of making them more inclusive, abler to challenge prejudices, inspire learning and be
more relevant in contemporary society.

One example is their work with the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow to involve local communities
and international visitors alike in engaging with exhibitions on a range of social justice issues from
sectarianism to gay rights, through programmes including arts workshops and residencies.

Radical Feminism: is a radical and pioneering feminist manifesto for today's modern audience written
by one of the cornerstones of today's feminist scene.

10. We need social science to guarantee our democracy.

Social science offers multiple perspectives on society, informs social policy and supports us in holding
our politicians and our media to account.
The Centre for the Study of Global Media and Democracy at Goldsmith’s College, London is
monitoring how transformation from traditional to digital media is examining the move away from
traditional journalism and politics to where we as citizens try to be community journalists, presenting
our own accounts on‐line. The work brings together specialists in media and communications,
sociology and politics.

Individual citizens may feel empowered by this but there are risks in turning away from traditional
journalism, including fewer opportunities for in‐depth analysis and critique of powerful interests. This
work by social scientists is critical in protecting a modern and transparent democracy. Just think what
might happen without it!

WHAT ARE THE 10 THEMES OF SOCIAL STUDIES?

The ten themes are:
1 culture.
2 time, continuity, and change.
3 people, places, and environments.
4 individual development and identity.

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5 individuals, groups, and institutions.
6 power, authority, and governance.
7 production, distribution and consumption.
8 science, technology, and society.

How to Motivate Students to Love Social Studies

Many teachers struggle with finding out how to motivate students to learn, and this is especially true
when teaching social studies, because so many students find this subject boring. If you feel your
students are not as engaged as you would like them to be, use the following teaching strategies to tap
into their interests and help improve their chances of academic success.

Make Information Relevant

Tie topics to students’ interest and connect what they know with what is happening in the real world.
This helps students see that social studies is not just in a textbook, but it is happening all around them.
Incorporate newspaper articles and magazines into lessons so students can see current events.

Bring a Historical Topic to Life

We live in a visual world, and something as small as conveying a photograph or seeing a historical
event captured in a movie may just be the piece that captivates a student and keeps them engaged. Find
a powerful photograph and have students critique the picture. Ask them questions about what the
picture is trying to convey, and discuss as a class what they think happened before, during, and after
the photograph was taken. Search for a historical event that was captured on film and have students
become critical viewers and scrutinize the film.

Give Students Control Over What They Learn

Students are more likely to be engaged when they have an input over what they are learning. Their
motivation will rise and learning the content will mean more to students. Give them control over what
they are learning by giving them a choice between a few topics. Of course you get to pick the topics
that are within the curriculum, but give them a choice of which topics they would like to learn first.

Act Out Historical Events

Skits, talk shows and plays are a great way to engage students and motivate them to find a love for
social studies. Bring a historical event to life by having students act out a particular event in history.
Have students produce an event and assign each student a specific role to present to the class. After
each presentation have students discuss what they learned.

Give Students an Experiential Experience

Give students a firsthand look at what you are studying in social studies by having them experience it
for themselves. You can do this by recreating whatever you are studying. For example, if you are
studyingRosa Parks, re-create the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Make the experience believable by
having students dress the part, and use real life props. By recreating the experience, students will
understand the topic on a deeper level and in turn be motivated to learn more.

Try a Controversial Topic

An effective tool for encouraging critical thinking is to try a controversial topic. Provide students with
a short background on a contentious topic and let the debate begin. Divide students into two groups

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(students that agree on one side, and students that disagree with the topic on the other side). Write (or
say) a statement that relates to the topic at hand and have each side plead their case. The teacher serves
as the mediator and poses questions and statements throughout the debate. There is nothing like a fun
debate to get students motivated to learn.

Solve a Historical Problem

Problem-solving plays an important role in learning. Get students engaged and motivated by
challenging students to solve a historical problem. For example ask students, “What should President
Dwight D. Eisenhower do in regards to the Montgomery Bus Boycott?” This is a great way to motivate
and engage students into learning about a historical issue that is relevant in their lives.

Draw Students in with Technology

Technology has a way to motivate students and keep them engaged. Whether your teaching a lesson on
the Presidents of United States or debating social issues, technology has a way to draw (and keep)
students attention. Here are a few examples on how to use technology with social studies.
Debate controversial issues by creating a PowerPoint presentation.
Create an Internet scavenger hunt to find out information on American presidents.
Use multimedia software to conduct case studies.
Use the Internet to research specific countries around the world.

Intrigue Students with Music

Music can be a great way to captivate students into loving social studies. Offer students a glimpse into
whatever time period you are studying by discussing and listening to the music from that era. Make it
fun by challenging students to create lyrics from that era with today’s beats.

Group Students with the Wise

Find out which students are knowledgeable in the particular subject that you are about to teach. Then
divide the class into groups, putting several students with a wise advisor that is well-informed about
the subject. The advisor of each group then discusses what he/she knows about the topic and answers
any questions the group members may have. Then, the wise advisor then moves to each group in the
room explain what he/she knows. This continues until they have taught each group.

You can develop student interest and motivation in social studies by relating relevant content and
current events into their daily lives. Technology has also been a teacher’s saving grace in holding the
interest of all students. By combining these strategies you can ensure that students will find a love for
social studies that will ensure their academic success in the future.

How can I support my child in his or her study of Social Studies?

Albert Einstein, in his letter to Thomas Edison, once said, “The value of an education…is not the
learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learnt from
textbooks.” 

Social Studies encourages children to be cognisant and interested about the world we live in. Here are
some tips on how parents can support children:
1. Encourage them to read widely, especially on current affairs, as well as listen to/watch
news and documentaries Increase their exposure to current issues that take place both in Singapore

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and around the world. These habits will heighten their awareness and interest in the events and
developments taking place in Singapore and around the world. 

2. Reflect on issues they read, listen or watch Encourage children to think through what they
have read, listened to or watched. As they try to make sense of these issues, they will be more aware of
their own beliefs and assumptions. They can reflect and construct their understanding of the world they
live in.  

3. Allow children to share their perspectives Have conversations about current issues in

Singapore and around the world. Ask your children for their initial perspectives before discussing other
possible perspectives. Help them to understand the various situations that led to the perspectives being
presented as such. Encourage them to develop their own opinion, and explain their reasons, after
understanding and analysing these perspectives. This process empowers to discern and provide well-
reasoned conclusions on issues that arise.

What is the best way to teach social studies?

1) Incorporate newspaper articles and magazines into lessons so students can see current
events.
2) Bring a Historical Topic to Life.
3) Give Students Control Over What They Learn.
4) Act Out Historical Events.
5) Give Students an Experiential Experience.
6) Try a Controversial Topic.
7) Solve a Historical Problem.
8) Group Students with the Wise.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN SCHOOLS

At Orinda Academy, social studies play a central role in our college prep curriculum. We take a broad,
humanistic approach to teaching our students about the ideas, cultures, people, and events that shape
our world. In our social studies classes, we encourage critical thinking skills that will help students
succeed on the college campus and in their professional careers. Why is social studies such a crucial
subject area? Here are a few of the reasons why we emphasize social studies in our college prep
program.

1. Cultural Understanding
In today’s global economy and world, only being exposed to the immediate community is not ideal.
Through social studies education, students get to learn about the vast array of people and cultures that
make up the global community. By studying world populations from both a historical and sociological
perspective, students will get a better understanding of themselves and how they fit into the greater
world. Further, when they enter the workforce, students will be better equipped to compete in the
international marketplace by having some understanding of different cultural norms.

2. Citizen Responsibilities
Social studies classes help students understand the responsibilities that citizens—including themselves
—have in their communities. Through social studies, students learn how all levels of government
function and become familiar with the role that citizens play in shaping the legal and political
landscapes. Students also gain the ability to compare and critically analyze different government styles.

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 3. Economic Education
Economics is an important part of social studies that students carry with them throughout life.
Understanding how economic systems work helps high school students become better-informed
citizens, provides a foundation for the business world, and even helps them manage their own finances.
Social studies is just one component of the college prep program we offer at Orinda Academy. Our
private high school in East Bay offers a comprehensive curriculum to help students prepare for college
and more. For additional information, call us at (925) 357-9719  See More on Social Studies at The
Orinda Academy.

Approaches to teaching social studies

The different approaches taken to teaching social studies at Canadian private schools

1. Core Knowledge
Usually focused on teaching history and geography at an early age, the core knowledge approach uses
story, drama, reading, and discussion to teach about significant people, places, and events. Breadth of
content and knowledge is emphasized. The curriculum is often organized according to the underlying
logic of the content: history might be taught sequentially, for example (as students move through the
grades).

2. Expanding Communities
The Expanding Communities approach organizes the curriculum around students’ present, everyday
experience. In the younger grades, students might learn about themselves, for example. As they move
through the grades, the focus gradually broadens in scope: to the family, neighbourhood, city,
province, country, and globe. The curriculum tends to have less focus on history than Core Knowledge
programs.

3. Thematic
The Thematic approach organizes the curriculum around certain themes or cultural universals.
Students might spend time focused on food. Then they might focus on transportation or government,
and so on.

Why is Social Studies so boring?

It’s not– the way it’s traditionally been taught is boring.  Didn’t you hate history class when you were
in school, memorizing all those meaningless dates and names and places?  At the beginning of the
school year, not one of my students typically names social studies as his/her favorite subject, and most
kids don’t even understand what the subject is about. That breaks my heart, because history is all about
studying the things that people were passionate enough to fight for and change.

Social studies instruction should challenge students to think about the events that have made our world
the way it is: the lessons should be so engaging and interactive that no child could ever find it boring.  I
tell my kids on the first day of school that by June, they will be describing themselves as ‘history
buffs’, because we are going to spend the year finding things from the past and the world around us
that fascinate them to the point where they won’t be able to learn enough.

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What if *I* hate Social Studies?
Then I’m proud of you for even bothering to read this page, because a lot of teachers don’t even try to
step out of their comfort zones.  Chances are, you hate social studies either because it’s boring to you
and/or the kids (in which case, you’ll now have a ton of interesting activities to try) or you just don’t
know anything about history and you’re uncomfortable teaching it.
The good news is that you can TELL the kids this!  I like to explain to my class that everyone has a
subject (or two or three) that are harder for them than others, and mine is science.  I tell them that we’ll
be learning together, and that when they ask questions I don’t know the answer to, we’ll write them
down and later go online or ask the science specialist to help us.  No one is good at everything!  Be
honest with your kids.

Choose a social studies read-aloud with lots of interesting tidbits about a subject you don’t know much
about, and learn together.  ABC books are great for this.  For example, I know next to nothing about
the Revolutionary War, especially since it’s not in our curriculum.  However, the boys in my class
always love to read about wars, and I want to encourage them to learn about things they love, so I got a
book called ‘ABC’s of the Revolutionary War’.  Each letter of the alphabet stands for one factoid, and
we learn together about important people and things in the war during our daily read-aloud time.

Afterward, we have a general idea of what life was like during the war–with no research on my part,
no testing, and no worksheets.  Just learning for the sake of learning.  What a concept. You can find
many more easy ways to integrate social studies concepts into your reading instruction on the Social
Studies in Literacy Routines page.

Teach what the kids want to learn!!

Children are curious about the world around them and love to discover why things are the way they
are.  I encourage you to base your social studies instruction on current events and student interests as
much as possible.  Many teachers, myself included, have more freedom to teach what and how we
want in social studies than in any other subject.  I have state standards that students need to master, but
I don’t have to use the (boring) textbook provided.  In fact, my kids don’t even keep the texts in their
desks because we only reference them a few times a year.

Teach what YOU are passionate about!

Even if you’re not a history enthusiast, there’s probably a time period or culture that has always
fascinated you.  Incorporate that interest through read-alouds and mini units.  Your excitement will be
contagious and the children will begin looking at history as a unique, individual passion, much like
reading (we all have certain genres and authors that we enjoy).  Teach with your strengths, and try new
things.  When you change the way you teach it, you change the way they learn it.  Kids know when
you enjoy talking about your topic.

15 EXCITING IDEAS FOR TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT

Look at your state standards.  Chances are, elementary school children no longer have to memorize
dates or identify random historical figures like we did when we were growing up.  Now, students need
to understand systems and cultures.  This is your license to make instruction hands-on and engaging! 
The goal is to have kids DISCOVER history, not have it taught to them.  This is easier than it sounds. 
Here are some great activities I learned (mostly from Social Studies Alive workshop) that you can use
over and over with almost any historical event and time period in any grade level.

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1)  What would YOU do?
Before introducing a historical event (such as a war, the slave trade, or the adventures of an early
explorer), present the situation to students hypothetically.  Have them close their eyes and imagine…
or use photos (from the internet) and other artifacts to tell about the political climate or cultural
environment of the time.  What shapes history are the things that people were willing to fight for and
change, so getting students to care about what their ancestors did is critical.  Have students think or
write independently about how they would have responded to a historical dilemma, and after they have
gathered their thoughts, have them discuss in groups.  For example, pose the scenario of the English
(Pilgrims) who wanted religious freedom—what would students do?  Try to overthrow the
government?  Make do with the situation and work within the system?  Someone will eventually
suggest finding a new place to live, and that’s when you can say, let’s find out what some people
REALLY did 500 years ago. 

Put students in groups and give them three choices based on the discussion, and try to get the entire
group to decide on one choice.  Be sure to discuss how to respectfully agree or disagree.  Groups could
make a chart listing the reasons for their choice.   While this may seem advanced for the elementary
grades, remember that students don’t have to give realistic responses or think out all possible
consequences: just getting them to THINK about their choices and those of people long ago is enough
to get them engaged and thinking critically in a way that is developmentally appropriate.

2)  A-Z Vocabulary/ Social Studies Word Wall or Word Bank

Create a word wall for the unit you are studying, and have students suggest words to add.  This can be
done traditionally on a wall, or in other ways, such as a file folder word bank.  These file folders can be
kept up for reference during your unit, then put in the writing center for students to continue to
incorporate the vocabulary in their writing.

3)  Art history IS history

Since art dates back tens of thousands of years, there is artwork for almost every time period and
culture your students will study.  Show children paintings and sculptures from your chosen time period
and have kids make inferences about the culture.  Even young children can draw conclusions about the
popular styles of dress (and therefore climate and geography), hobbies and interests, and cultural
values of ancient people just by looking at artwork.  Art is a reflection of the time period and culture it
is created in, so any introduction to art is an introduction to history.  Check with your art teacher to
find additional resources, videos, prints, activities, etc.

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4)  Visual discovery

Introducing new units, topics, or concepts with pictures can be extremely powerful.  Type your subject
into a search engine and click on ‘images’ to run a search just for pictures.  Show students a FEW
powerful images to elicit inferences about the time period or historical event shown.  For example, you
can show a photo from the 1950’s that has two store entrances, one for whites and one for ‘colored
only’.  Have students predict what those terms mean and what’s happening in the picture. 

Students can also write questions they have about the images.  This is great to do as pre- and post-unit
activities: after the unit, students can interact with the images to demonstrate what they have learned.
5)  What am I?

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Create pop-up books for important vocabulary in the social studies units you teach.  Each student can
pick a term and create one page.  Glue the pages together to create a book for your class library.  The
book can be a pop-up, as shown here.

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6)  Flip books and flap books

Folding paper in various ways can create information presentations that are far more interesting than
worksheets.  Below is just one way to fold: students write a vocabulary word on the outside of the flap
and the definition underneath.

7)  Living statues

If your students aren’t developmentally ready to create skits, have them start with this activity.  Show
photos of statues and discuss where statues are placed.  Then have children work together in groups to
recreate a historical scene or event in the form of a statue.  They can even create the corresponding
plaque.  See the photo below.

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8)  Experiential exercise

Students love to re-enact history, so get them actively involved!  One powerful example is a slave ship
experiential exercise.  Show students a diagram of the inside of a slave ship and discuss. 

Volunteers must then stand (or if you want to be more accurate, lie down) extremely close to one
another.  Yarn can be lightly wrapped around their wrists and ankles to represent the way slaves were
chained to one another.  Once students are in position, they must remain still and silent for 30-60
seconds.  After going back to their seats, elicit their feelings, questions, and ideas about the Middle
Passage. 

The follow-up discussion is critical in allowing students to process and make connections.  An activity
such as this can be disturbing but will help students understand the reality of slave transport and how
abominable the slave trade really was.  Another idea is to have pairs of students share a desk for a
period of time, and give privileges and treats only to the ‘owner’ of the desk. 

Experiential exercises work well for other difficult concepts, too: help kids understand what life was
like on the Oregon Trail by allowing them to keep only three items in their desk for the day and make
do without everything else.  To help them understand why wars begin, set up a game of tug-of-war in
which the teams are grossly mismatched (i.e. 15 against 5) and discuss how unfairness can lead to
conflict (such as the Revolutionary War).

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9)  ABC books

After completing a unit, reference your word wall/word bank or have students generate an alphabetical
list of important vocabulary words.  Have each student choose a letter of the alphabet and a
corresponding vocabulary word, and create a page explaining what the term means.  The pages can be
bound together in a class book.

10)  I have…, Who has…?

You may be familiar with this game for math facts, but it works well for any subject.  Each child gets a
card with an answer to one question and a new question for the next person.  You start with the person
whose card reads ‘START’.  That person reads his question: “Who has…a piece of land that is
surrounded by water on 3 sides?”.  The person with the card that says ‘peninsula’ says, “I have
peninsula.  Who has…the continent that is also the name of a country?”.  The person with ‘Australia’
would respond by reading her card, and so on.  You can run an internet search to find ‘I Have…Who
Has…’ games already created by other teachers, and after the kids have had some experience with the
game, they can create their own.  It’s a great review activity no matter how you incorporate it.

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11)  Extensions menus

Extension menus can be used for gifted students and fast finishers, or as center activities.  Create extra
activities for students to further their understanding of the concepts taught.  Students can choose a set
number of items to complete, or can be required to choose 3 in a tic-tac-toe pattern so that you can
ensure they have a variety of activities. The book featured above has great social studies menus which
help differentiate instruction. It’s actually a series so if you like the idea of menus, Laurie E.
Westphal’s books cover lots of different subject areas and grade levels.

12)  Postcards

Have students create postcards from the culture or time period they are studying.  The postcard should
be written as if the child actually lived at that time and is explaining daily life to a faraway friend.  The
postcard could mention recent activities, chores, weather, etc.  You can provide students with a
photocopied postcard outline and picture or have students create their own.  The idea of a postcard is a

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bit difficult for young children, but with some concept development and modeling beforehand, it can
be a great synthesis activity and provides a unique opportunity for writing practice.

13)  Paper bag history

This is a great culminating activity.  Have students collect or create ‘artifacts’ to represent a time
period or historical person/event.  Children must put a set number of items in a paper bag and pull
them out one at a time, in a predetermined order, for the class to predict what event is being
represented.  For example, in an American History unit, a child could make a paper bag for Thomas
Jefferson, and pull out a student-made replica of the Declaration of Independence, a picture of the
plantation Jefferson lived on (printed from the internet), a foam #3 (for the 3rd president) from a
puzzle; and a drawing of Jefferson.  The rest of the class can write their guesses down after each item
is pulled out, and discuss their answers at the end before the child reveals who the paper bag items
represent.

14) Artifact discovery (from The Energy to Teach by Donald Graves)

Choose items from a specific time period or culture (books, blueprints, photos, musical scores,
paintings, etc.).  Have students explore the artifacts and discover the time period through them. 
Donald Graves writes, “The objects eventually lead to people, and it is through the eyes of these
people that the time period is understood”.  This could be done gradually, with students exploring one
new artifact each day and slowly making connections between the items to draw inferences about the
culture.  This approach makes history concrete and can be adapted to fit your teaching style and
strengths: students could pretend to be archaeologists and dig for the artifacts in a sand table, you could
dress up like a detective and make a big show of pulling the artifact out of a special container, students
could catalog the items in journals or do group discoveries.  The possibilities are endless!

15) Sequential questioning

This technique is also from Donald Graves.  Either you or a special visitor presents an object relevant
to the curriculum.  No explanation is given, but students can ask as many questions as they want.  This
works especially well for items for which student have little background information because they
must actively construct knowledge.  After the questioning session, ask “When did the session become
interesting to you?  Which question(s) brought the most information?”.  Donald Graves suggest having
students bring in objects as well and experience the process from the other side. Sequential questioning
teaches children that being able to ask questions can be just as powerful as being able to give answers.

TEACHING STRATEGIES
There are many useful teaching strategies to support effective teaching in social sciences. This section
contains a variety of graphic organisers; cooperative learning ideas; tools and resources for writing and
presenting information; and ideas for oral and visual activities.

1. Graphic organisers
This section has a wide variety of graphic organisers such as charts, webs, diagrams, maps, templates,
grids, and wheels to help students organise and display information and their findings.

2. Cooperative learning
Explore these group and team activities in which students have opportunities to work together to
achieve shared learning goals.
3. Writing and presenting information

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This section includes links to suggestions for written activities, such as essay and paragraph writing,
questionnaires, surveys, graphic organisers, and descriptions.

4. Using oral and visual activities

These links to information about oral or visual forms of literacy are useful for teaching and learning in
social studies. This includes the use of pictures, photos, drawings, audio conferences, booklets,
biographies, and interviews.
R

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