Integrating Technology in Social Studies

Written by Emily Upton - Posted January 17, 2024

Social studies is arguably one of the least-loved content areas by students. I said it! The stuffy textbooks, events that happened a loooooong time ago that don't seem relevant to students today, and lack of hands-on learning that comes so easily in math and science can lead to your students groaning when they hear it's time for social studies class.

But it doesn't have to be that way! You can leverage one of your students' favorite things to collect data, reduce your grading, and skyrocket engagement in social studies. The secret? Technology!

I'm alllll about using technology in an actually meaningful way in the classroom. We both know that students spend too much time staring at a screen, so when I break out the Chromebooks, I want to make sure that what my students are working on matters. Check out my favorite ways to provide meaningful learning experiences with technology in social studies class!

Digital Games

I love using digital games to review or assess student understanding of a topic. 

Let's explore some of my favorite websites!

Competition Games

What's more engaging than a competition? For whole-group games, my favorite sites are listed below. They each have THOUSANDS of pre-made games! I loved searching for "French and Indian War" for example and picking a game for my students to play. Plus, these games are self-grading! Quizizz especially are great to use as independent work and using student scores as a grade.

• Kahoot
• Quizizz
• Blooket

Video Assignments

For video assignments, Edpuzzle is the BEST! Edpuzzle takes YouTube videos and allows you to embed questions along the way. Your students won't be able to skip ahead, and you'll have actionable data about their understanding of the content. These are also awesome for sub plans! You can read more about why I love Edpuzzle in this blog post.

Podcasts

Podcasts are another great digital tool to use in the classroom. Your students can listen to a short synopsis of the history topic they're learning about! Here are some ideas for using podcasts in your social studies classroom:

• 
  Create your own podcast! You can upload a recording of yourself to YouTube and share the videos with your students. I did this to teach about the causes of the American Revolution, and my students LOVED it! (You can check out those podcasts here.)
• Real Cool History for Kids or Homeschool History - These brief podcasts relate to specific people or events in history. They are great to assign for students to listen to independently, or you can listen to together to introduce a topic. I always recommend listening BEFORE you share with students, just to make sure all content is appropriate. 😉
  

Digital Assignments

Assigning digital work can be a great way to get your students engaged in independent work. I love using digital assignments to either give students a preview of the entire unit or as a summative assignment at the end to wrap things up! You can check out a few of my favorite digital history assignments below.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This resource is fantastic. I really enjoyed using it because it allowed my students to practice skills with fun and engaging content. I enjoy the ease and appreciate how much thought was put into creating it."

Digital explorations are one of my fave assignment types! This resource has a ton of information, but its broken down into bite-sized, manageable activities and chunks that leave students feeling successful.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Covering the French and Indian War is a challenge due to all the different players and motives involved. This was a great resource to make it as clear as possible to my students."

Introducing a broad topic like the French and Indian War can be tricky with students. I like to frontload all of the info with an introductory activity like this one. Then, students have background knowledge they can refer to throughout the unit.

So, next time you're struggling to plan a social studies activity that won't leave your class yawning, try one of these technology tools! You'll be amazed at how engaged your students are, and they might even learn something along the way. 😉

Using History Fun Facts to Fuel Creative Writing

Written by Emily Upton - Posted January 3, 2024

If your students groan when you say "It's time for writing!", you are definitely in the right place. If your students dread writing and don't know how to get started, history can be your secret weapon! In this blog post, we're going to explore how you can use history to fuel creative writing in your classroom and get your kiddos engaged so they actually WANT to write. Quick writes are one of my favorite ways to sneak a little extra writing into my day without absolutely overwhelming my students. 

Why Integrate History and Creative Writing?

Now, you might be wondering why history and creative writing make such a dynamic duo. History is chock-full of captivating stories, fascinating characters, and mind-blowing fun facts that you can use to get your students interested in writing. What better way to get your students' creative juices flowing than by diving into the past?

Here are some tips to help you get started!

1. Choose an Intriguing Historical Event: Start by picking an exciting historical event. It could be anything from the Wright brothers' first flight to the signing of the Declaration of Independence or even a lesser-known event that piques your interest. The key is to choose something that's packed with potential for imaginative storytelling.
2. Introduce Historical Context: Once you've got your event, take some time to provide a bit of historical context. Share details about the time period, the people involved, and the circumstances surrounding the event. This helps students immerse themselves in the historical backdrop and adds depth to their writing.
3. Spark Creativity with Questions: Encourage your students to think like historians and storytellers. Ask them questions like:

• What if they were there when it happened?
• How would they describe the sights, sounds, and emotions of the moment?
• What could be some unexpected twists or hidden stories behind the event?
• What would their character in that time and place be like?

Let the Writing Begin

Now, it's time for the magic to happen. Let your students loose with their creative writing. They can write from the perspective of someone who witnessed the event, create fictional characters caught up in the historical drama, or even craft a time-travel adventure.

Don't forget to set aside time for sharing and celebrating your students' creative works. You can host a storytelling session, create a classroom museum displaying their stories, or even have a historical-themed party where they read their tales aloud.

Using This Day in History Writing Prompts

We've got an awesome resource to supercharge your history-inspired creative writing lessons: "This Day in History" writing prompts. These daily prompts are like a treasure trove of historical events, waiting to inspire your students' imaginations. Packed with a variety of writing types from informational to persuasive, these daily fun facts and prompts are sure to get your kiddos hyped about writing.

These are great to use as warm-ups, writing centers, or as a weekly independent assignment. They only take 10-15 minutes to complete. The best part? They're digital AND printable to meet your students' needs!

Imagine your students crafting stories about:

• The day the Great Wall of China was completed.
• The moment the first telephone call was made.
• The adventure of the first woman in space.

Sound intriguing? We thought so! These prompts are a fantastic way to infuse history into your creative writing lessons effortlessly.

You can click here to check out the year-long bundle!

So, whether you're delving into the mysteries of ancient Egypt or exploring the innovations of the Industrial Revolution, remember that history is a goldmine for sparking creativity in your students. Give it a try, and watch your classroom come alive with exciting stories from the past. Happy writing, and may your students' imaginations soar to new heights! 🚀

Explore More: Related Posts

• Why Daily Quick Writes are a Must Try in the Upper Elementary Classroom

Getting Started with Daily Questions to Boost Community and Incorporate SEL

Written by Emily Upton - Posted January 3, 2024

Are you looking for a simple yet powerful way to strengthen your classroom community and boost social-emotional learning? Are you struggling to find the time to cram social-emotional learning into your already jam-packed content block? Let me let you in on a secret: you do NOT need to incorporate all of the steps of a traditional morning meeting to foster those same connections in your classroom! You just need 15 minutes and one question each day to fit in a mini SEL lesson and build community!

Why Daily Questions?

First things first, why should you bother taking up your valuable class time with daily questions? Daily questions give your students a chance to connect, share, and grow together. It's an opportunity for them to express themselves, learn about their peers, and develop those all-important social and emotional skills.

The best part? You can fit them into a super short amount of time. That means you aren't losing instructional time, but you ARE getting the most bang for your buck by incorporating SEL into your daily routines!

Top Tips for Getting Started with Daily Questions:

Starting a new classroom routine can feel really daunting (especially in the middle of the year!). Here are my top tips for seamless integration of this new routine.

1. Make It a Daily Routine:

The beauty of daily questions lies in their consistency. Start by projecting the day's question on the board as your students walk into the classroom. Make it the very first thing they see when they enter. This sets a positive tone right from the get-go. Whether you're teaching math, science, or Taylor Swift 101 (okay, maybe not T Swift), include the daily question as the opening act in your daily teaching slides. It'll become an expectation, and you won't ever forget to do it! 

2. Finding the Perfect Timing:

Guess what? There's no one-size-fits-all rule here. Daily questions are super flexible! Got a random 10-minute gap between specials and lunch? Use it for your daily question. Need to calm down after an epic game of kickball at recess? Perfect time for a question. Want a smooth dismissal activity that won't turn into chaos? You guessed it—daily question to the rescue! These questions are like the Swiss Army knife of classroom activities. You can squeeze them into those spare moments in your schedule.

3. Mix It Up:

Life as a teacher is wonderfully unpredictable. You might have surprise assemblies, state testing, or a student who's feeling under the weather, all in one day. That's why it's essential to keep things fresh.

• Turn-and-Talk: When you've got a few minutes, pair students up to discuss the question with a partner. 
• Pick a Few Sharers: If time allows, call on a handful of students to share their thoughts with the class.
• Simultaneous Answers: When you're really crunched for time, consider having students respond all at once. For instance, they can stand up if they agree or stay seated if they disagree.

The key here is flexibility. Change things up based on the day's schedule and what works best for your class. Variety keeps the engagement levels high.

Let's Get Started!

Using daily questions for SEL and community building is the easiest way to build community and fit social-emotional learning into your daily lessons. By making it a part of your daily routine, finding those perfect moments to squeeze it in, and mixing up the sharing methods, you'll create a classroom environment where your students feel heard, valued, and connected.

The hardest part? Coming up with quality questions that work in some SEL every day! But, I've got you covered.

Want to grab 2 weeks of done-for-you daily questions? Click here!