Empowering Future Voters: Essential Resources for Teaching About Voting and Civic Responsibilities
Reading Time: 3 minutes In today’s rapidly evolving world, educating young minds about the importance of voting and their general responsibilities as citizens is more crucial than ever. As educators, parents, and mentors, we have the unique opportunity to shape informed, engaged, and responsible students. This blog aims to explore tools to use to cover […]
Every Minute Counts: Maximizing Instructional Time for Elementary Social Studies
Reading Time: 4 minutes I want to imagine that you are an elementary school teacher, and you just found a magic lamp with a genie. The genie says, “I can grant you one wish.” What would you wish for? Many educators across this nation would wish for more time. It often feels like there are […]
Power Basics: Empowering Diverse Learners in Social Studies
Reading Time: 3 minutes Teaching complex social studies topics like U.S. History, World History, Government, and World Geography can be a challenge, especially when addressing the needs of diverse learners. Power Basics offers a streamlined approach that makes these subjects accessible and engaging for all students, particularly those reading below grade level. This blog explores […]
Place-Based Learning in Action: A Geography Game for the Classroom
Reading Time: 4 minutes Social studies classrooms are the perfect place to incorporate hands-on and game-based learning to emphasize key place-based learning themes. Think about how the Oregon Trail game or Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? revolutionized how students were able to interact with and see the world! When students draw on […]
Classroom Organization: Creating a Space Where Learning Happens
Reading Time: 3 minutes Classroom organization is an important element in providing rich learning experiences for students. It focuses on the structural aspects of how a teacher arranges the classroom with the goal of creating a positive and organized atmosphere where learning happens. More specifically, classroom organization involves organizing a classroom in a way that […]
The Lasting Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech
Reading Time: 4 minutes On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered one of the most iconic speeches in American history, “I Have a Dream,” from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This speech not only became a defining moment in the Civil Rights movement, […]
Geography and History: A Dynamic Duo in the Classroom
Reading Time: 4 minutes Have you ever found yourself looking out the car window as you drive to visit family, take the kids to the beach, or even just to go grocery shopping? Have you wondered about how geographically different it might have been in the past? Maybe you wondered how history shaped the present […]
The Modern Classroom Approach to Your Secondary Social Studies Classroom
Reading Time: 6 minutes “I don’t know what else to do…” Those are words that I, and many educators like me, have said when looking at how to support our students. Teachers work incredibly hard to simultaneously prepare their students for standardized testing while also making sure each individual has what they need to be […]
5 States That Have Excellent Civics-Learning Standards
Reading Time: 6 minutes Civics education helps students understand the structure and functions of government, the rights and responsibilities of citizens, and the processes by which laws are made and enforced. This knowledge is fundamental for informed participation in democratic processes, such as voting and engaging in public discourse. Civics education fosters a sense of […]
Psychological Influences in Personal Financial Literacy
Reading Time: 4 minutes In his book, “The Psychology of Money”, author Morgan Housel wrote “Your personal experience with money makes up maybe 0.00000001% of what’s happened in the world, but maybe 80% of how you think the world works.” My journey with money started in a working-class household where saving was considered a luxury. […]