Lesson Social Studies

Social Studies Lesson Plans - Create a Proper Lesson Plan and Teach Your Students the Right Way

Whether you plan on teaching social studies or you simply want to learn more about the subject during your free time, social studies lesson plans are an essential part of any classroom routine. Some teachers tend to object to social studies plans, claiming that they're much too structured and rigid to be able to teach creatively. Some school districts require that you present your studies plans to a committee. Once you've established your social studies plans, you'll be surprised at just how much more smoothly your classroom runs. Your students will notice the difference too. Some basic aspects to put in social studies lesson plans include textbooks, related educational movies, field trips, essays, classroom discussions, presentations, and more.

Social studies lesson plans are also useful for self teaching purposes as well. Have you ever wanted to learn about a certain time period or culture and never had the time to learn? By creating your own lesson plan, you will be able to make the time you need to study and learn. Learn more today!

When you ask elementary students what subject they like the least, they will very often reply, "Social Studies". Social Studies does not have to be boring to elementary students, in fact, with a little creativity, social studies can actually be....dare we say it....FUN! Here are some simple suggestions for ways to engage students in Social Studies curriculum.

Social Studies Field Trips There is no better way to learn about Social Studies than with the first hand experience that a field trip can provide.  Trips can be coordinated with specific grade level curriculum and include trips to government offices, cultural centers and museums. Ohio and Michigan is full of world-class cultural field trip opportunities for elementary, middle, and high school students. Some of the more popular Social Studies field trip destinations are listed below.  

The village offers special pre-packaged field trip experiences and can design a trip around grade levels and curriculum.  

Currently SunWatch offers 5 different educational programs. Two of there programs are stand-outs for a Social Studies emphasis. This tour emphasizes how Science, Social Studies and Math help archaeologists. Flint Children's Museum - Flint, Michigan This museum is a wonderful example of hands-on learning. There activities and displays incorporate lessons on Socials Studies, science, and more. The field trip planners at the museum can help you plan a visit that will help you get the most out the social studies lessons to be learned at the museum. The discount fees for school groups and "manageable" size of the museum make this an easy and "stress-free" field trip to plan. Enrichment & Assembly Programs

If you don't have the budget or resources to send your students out on a field trip, you can bring a field trip to them with a Social Studies enrichment program or assembly performance.   Social Studies assembly and enrichment programs take on many different forms. Some presenters offer hands-on interactive workshops where students learn about specific topics in small groups. Other presenters have scripted shows with stories, props, and entertaining routines based on social studies concepts.  There are many unique Social Studies assembly programs available exclusively to Michigan and Ohio schools, including games shows, theatrical plays, cultural music presentations, and programs about the Great Lakes.  

For grades K-5, we recommend an assembly "show" with a social studies theme. At these grade levels, students not only benefit from the social studies material in the program, but they also gain valuable experience about social behavior in a group and theatre setting.    

Social Studies is a broad subject. To start your search for an assembly program for your school, try a specific search for "Michigan Social Studies Assembly Program" or "Elementary social studies school show in Ohio" in Google or MSN search. School-Wide Projects

Broad social studies themes such as "Government", "leadership", and "communities", can be related back to individual lessons at every elementary grade level. Student government: Give students the opportunity to campaign and vote for their peer leaders in a school wide campaign.   Remember that a school-wide project is about the students. The process of planning and organizing the project is a Social Studies lesson too!

Some teachers write the social studies or blogs so every student can read them. Use Ecto to transform learning into an interactive, collaborative, and student centered activity. So good luck with your social studies teachings!