Each year I look for new and creative ways to introduce the content in my class. Each year, the expectation of educating, entertaining, and inspiring my students is my top priority. However, this year…well,...

2020 has seen eruptions of violence and protests across the country due to racial injustice and the continued denial of basic human and civil rights to people of color. These events have forced many Americans to...

During the middle school years, students are trying to figure out who they are. Their identities are malleable and constantly changing based on different life experiences. Social studies teachers need to utilize...

"We the People of the United States..." Seven simple words. Words that were meant to bring unity to a young country that was floundering a bit in its early stages. Words that will get many adults (ages 35 and up)...

Change. A six-letter word bandied around a lot. Politicians use the word every election cycle to argue for the need of the electorate to select new leaders. In a democracy, change means so much more. Citizens have the...

There are a number of lessons I have learned in my 20 years as a teacher of American History. Appreciation of history is like a fine wine … the longer you let it sit (the older we get), the better...

Best practices in social studies education have changed significantly over the last six years. With the release of the Common Core State Standards and its state variations, along with the C3 Framework by the National...

Social studies instruction requires students to understand complex concepts, read dense primary source documents, and critically consider various perspectives. As a social studies and English language arts teacher, I...

Using a microfilm machine for the first time… Watching a local news broadcast from the mid-nineties about the Blizzard of '93... Holding an authentic newspaper from 1941… Facetiming across the Pacific...

There is no doubt that the use of Hollywood films in a classroom provides the students with a variety of benefits crucial to their learning and their understanding. Although movie day in a middle level classroom is...