teaching social studies Archives - Page 7 of 10

Celebrating History & Heritage: Mardi Gras

Posted on February 4, 2016July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

Teaching students about history and heritage can often be a boring task in the classroom setting. However, holidays such as Mardi Gras can be the perfect time to step your students back into the past to investigate the earliest settlements...Read More

February: A Month of Celebration

Posted on February 1, 2016July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

The month of February is the month for so many celebrations, but it is also a month filled with historic relevance! It's time to celebrate our presidents and it's the month to examine the contributions of African Americans and to...Read More

Teaching the “Social” in Social Studies

Posted on January 25, 2016July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

I can remember my first year of teaching quite well. I often heard one comment from students over and over: "You can't teach that!" Being a history teacher, and one that is adamant that it is important to tell all...Read More

Designing Units for the Secondary Classroom

Posted on January 11, 2016July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

When sitting down to design a unit, I am always fearful that I will not create something that will work well for my students, will cover all of my content, or will be engaging and fun, keeping everyone motivated. To...Read More

End of the Semester Expectations

Posted on December 7, 2015July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

I originally posted this in December of 2011. I read it now and ask... Has it gotten better? Or worse? It's the END of the semester! Time for in-depth reviews, developed discussions on the content of the semester, thoroughly researched...Read More

Effective End of Semester Review for the Secondary Classroom: PLAY GAMES!

Posted on December 2, 2015July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

It's almost the end of the semester, and the kids are ready for break! How can you keep them focused and attentive for your end of semester review? Play Games! While there are many game formats available, I've come to...Read More

Teaching About Terrorism in the Secondary Classroom

Posted on November 16, 2015July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

As acts of terror continue to permeate our news, teachers are faced with the reality that we must address the issues in our secondary classrooms. Still, the many controversies, the chaos, and the complex fears create great challenges in developing...Read More

Understanding Our World to Create A Global Classroom

Posted on November 14, 2015July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

American students are often taught the Geography of the world, American History, and even World History from a bubble perspective. We see things through very American eyes with limited understanding of cultural differences and their impact on the world events...Read More

Teaching Controversy in the Secondary Classroom

Posted on November 9, 2015July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

Throughout history, teachers have faced controversial topics in their classrooms. Do they teach these topics or do they adhere to convention and ignore the opportunity to open young minds? For those of the past, asking students to consider new theories...Read More

Academic Vocabulary for Secondary Social Studies

Posted on November 4, 2015July 25, 2020 by Michele Luck

Throughout the country, many students are coming into the secondary grades without any prior exposure to Social Studies content, especially the academic vocabulary needed for greater understanding of the concepts we hope to help our students master. This academic vocabulary...Read More