K-12 Social Studies

Free Lesson Plans and Resources for Social Studies Teachers

U.S. History: Map of slavery

Visualize slavery: Map of slave states http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/12/10/opinion/20101210_Disunion_SlaveryMap.html It shows the concentrations of slavery in the South. President Abraham Lincoln used this map. Share

U.S. History: Videos created by the U.S. government

U.S. government videos: FedFlix http://www.archive.org/details/FedFlix I watched the one from the Defense Department: “Defeated People” about Germany, 1946.

A list of Supreme Court decisions

For U.S. History: A list of Supreme Court decisions with brief definitions. http://nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu/~acadian/vickey/agout/ch20out1.pdf

Vote – It’s Your Duty

VOTE! If we do nothing else as social studies teachers, it is our job to instill in our students their need to vote.  We are given a great opportunity in this country.  Our government is by the people, for the people.  This only works when the PEOPLE VOTE. Whether Republican, Democrat or Independent – VOTE! [...]

Teaching About Elections: The Two Party System

Democrats and Republicans. Blue and Red. Donkeys and Elephants. Left and Right. These represent our two-party system. Why two parties, and not three? Can I start my own political party? What do the donkeys and elephants represent?

Historical Maps

From the University of Texas Map Library

San Francisco 1906

Amazing video of San Francisco just days before the 1906 earthquake.

Why Study History?

Theoretically, this lesson should be taught at the beginning of the school year. In practice, it is perfect for November. By now, students are deep into history. And can appreciate both the question and the answers. Why not try this lesson the week of Thanksgiving! It’s a short week – and this makes a great [...]

Teaching Child Labour (Part 2)

So in our previous post and lesson, we saw the horrors of child labor in England, now we must focus on our own sins of the past . . . From our Workbook on the U.S. Industrial Age comes videos to teach the history of child labor in the United States. You don’t have four [...]

Hamilton & Jefferson: The rise of the two-party system

Take a look at these free lessons! Lecture: What was the Early Republic? Political cartoons: Hamilton vs Jefferson. Chart: Compare and contrast Hamilton and Jefferson. Internet: The top 10 things you should remember about each man. Games: “Ham vs Jeff.” Groups: What do YOU think about the two-party system?