Using different strategies to teach Social Studies can be a game changer for increasing student engagement and success. Simple tweaks to your daily routine can bring students alive and keep them looking forward to the learning in your classroom. Take a look at these simple suggestions for different and powerful strategies you can use in the Social Studies classroom!
Different & Powerful Strategies for Simple Starters
Getting students engaged at the beginning of class is key. And if you ask them to participate then, they are more likely to see the lesson through to the end. Consider bellringers that give them a voice or draw them in through simple curiosity!
- Introduce current events that are relevant to your students’ lives. Discuss the events and the impact students feel it has on how they live each day.
- Ask simple connection questions that will relate or connect to the lesson. Think in modern terms. For example, if you are teaching about the daily lives of children in Ancient Greece, start off with a bellringer about how clean your students keep their rooms. Let the discussion be fun with students describing their mess! Then transition to the expectations for children in history.
- Hit critical or controversial topics. Students love to argue. Let them! Pick relevant topics that have opposing sides and let your students engage. It will keep them curious and ready to learn more about the topic or its connection.
- Let your students be creative. Creative tasks get the brain going. Allow students to draw or doodle about your lesson topic. Then create a brain web on the board from their suggestions. It will be a great way to start using different strategies to teach Social Studies lessons with a connection they will remember.
Different & Powerful Strategies to Teach Social Studies
Teaching strategies do not need to be magical to work. They can be simple, straight forward, and easy to implement. While some of my favorite strategies, like Walking Tours and Archeology Digs do require prior planning and prep, others can be used without much fuss at all.
Think-Pair-Share
I love Think-Pair-Share activities and so did my students. It allows them the opportunity to process information on their own, with a peer (to make sure they are both on track), and with the whole class to verify and expand knowledge. And it’s one of the easiest strategies to help differentiate in your classroom. Take a look at this post for even more engaging ways to use Think-Pair-Share that will have your students laughing as they learn!
Big Paper Lessons
Teaching about some topics require more reflection and that’s where Big Paper Lessons come into play. They are simple to set up and allow your students and great way to participate without all attentions being directed at them. Simply set up big paper and colorful markers around the room with guiding questions. Let your students go from paper to paper to add their thoughts. Learn more from this how-to post on setting it up in your classes.
Presentations
Presentations are as old as project-based learning (That really dates me!), but they work! Set students up in small groups and assign topics of study. They can report out to the class through presentations. But, son’t be boring! Set up a coffee shop or a jazz club. Maybe a Poetry slam or a Podcast convention! Or even do an old-fashioned news show where students anchor to share the news on their featured topic or era in history! Make it fun!
Trying Different & Powerful Strategies the Easy Way
Engaging students and keeping them engaged does not need to be a stressful challenge. Make activities light-hearted and fun while they also provide content and practice skills.
- Print chunked readings on card stock with images and let them draw the cards from a shredded paper dig site.
- Use music or videos to enhance lessons and learning. Analysis is not just for text resources!
- Teach as much social history as you do political history. It’s much more fun!
- Allow discussion and face-off activities where students can share their opinions.
- Let your students have CHOICE! This is one with so many options for really taking your classroom to the next level.
Trying different & powerful strategies in your Social Studies classroom does not mean you have to revamp the way you do things 100%. It simply means you need to change up the delivery. Talk less. Let your students talk more. Sit less. Let movement guide learning for you and your students. And book less. Being tied to a textbook is often perceived as a boring task by students. Make your lessons look different and they will be seen as more than the norm!
Looking for More Ideas?
Take a look at the Strategies page on Facing History and Ourselves. It is filled with great ideas for making your classroom more interactive and keeping it filled with lessons your students will want to learn!
Happy Teaching!
