Making Connections Between Past Present and Future

Making Social Studies More Exciting

• Use original sources and literature to teach history
• In-depth study of a few important events gives student the opportunity to understand many sides of a story
• Hands-on experiences add interest and meaning to lessons because students are engaged in visually and kinesthetically with hands on materials. 
• hands- on make lessons more meaningful especially for students who are less skilled with abstract ideas. 
• Study of multiple perspectives
• Encourage students to ask questions, collect evidence, and analyze the importance of historical people and events
• Make connections to students personal lives, families, and communities 
• local history 
  
• Acting out and role playing
• "What am I" activity- create pop-up books for important vocabulary in the social studies units you teach.  Each student can pick a term and create one page. 
• Have students create postcards from the culture or time period they are studying. 
• Teach what you are passionate about 
• Have students ask questions to be more engaged