Social Study Lesson Plans

Free History Lesson Plans and E-Publishing Options For Social Studies Educators

Historical newspapers and other primary sources are keys components in any social studies lesson plan presenting an event or era to students, nearly always, two or more generations from that past event. The issue educators eternally wrestle with is how to present historically significant facts and concepts, very interesting to them, but nearly universally expressed by student's in one word - BORING.

Themed 16-page reproduction newspapers are unique and an exciting new social studies aid allowing students to Read History on the Day the Inked Dried. Themed reproduction newspapers carefully integrate current textbook orthodoxy with original front pages from newspapers from across America. Reproduction newspapers allow you to focus your students with a hands-on enjoyable primary source experience reading small rural, suburban, and large metropolitan publications, each offering varying regional viewpoints.

FREE lesson plans specifically written for historic newspapers are available on the Internet. Quite frankly, even though computer software and the Internet can provide some very stimulating and motivating activities involving Social Studies, educational DVDs and videos provide a way to more closely control the visual images to which students are exposed. My Friend's Ideas for Technology-Centered Social Studies Lessons

o Current events and politics - webquests to examine current issues and their historical roots

o Earth Science - Geospatial sites (e.g., Google Earth)

o Economics - Stock market simulations using the Internet to show how quickly the market changes

Suggestions for Incorporating Educational DVDs under the Same Topics

o Geographical discovery and techniques - The Five Themes of Geography DVD - Students learn from their peers (other students) in the video as they learn about the five themes of geography and how geographers study the earth.

o Current events and politics - 8th Amendment: The Death Penalty - Students virtually travel to the execution capital of the world (Huntsville, TX) to learn about one of our most controversial political issues--the death penalty.

1st grade teachers are always on the lookout for good lesson plans. With the various ability and interest levels and the learning styles of
the students, you may need different methods of presentation or evaluation to make each
plan work for you.

With a reading and writing lesson, the two don't need to be taught separately, but can easily be integrated or even taught in combination with a Science or Social Studies lesson. You may
have children in Grade 1 reading at preschool level, while others are reading at a grade 3
level or higher. All First grade teachers need to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of their students in order to plan effective lessons.