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//vonSharayah Lynn Grattan
We can begin by teaching children from an early age about human society, how we establish rules for common understanding and order, how we share ideas and culture, and important figures in our history. Social Studies has so many components that you can cover new material with your students each year.
From anthropology and economics to political science and geography, there are so many worlds to explore. We have 20 of the best activities for you to open your child's eyes to everything!
1. Civil War appetizers
These shortbread biscuits are called "hardtacks" and are said to have been a popular snack for people in the 19th century. As part ofteach civil warIncorporate some food culture into your historical social studies unit to give your children a taste of what life was like back then.
Learn more:Bildung.com
2. Learn taxes with M&M's
This fun activity is a great hands-on introduction to taxes for elementary school students who are just starting to manage their own money. Distribute M&M's snack packs to each student and assign roles: the tax collector, the king, the representative of parliament, 3 students. Remove the candy for various things (blue socks, erasers, cross your legs), explain the payroll and tax process and who it goes to.
Learn more:Upper Elementary Snapshots
3. Native American dream catcher
Indigenous peoples are a big part of American history, they have many traditions and customs that can teach your students to respect people of all backgrounds. These dream catcher crafts will add interest to your fun history class, encourage motor skills and be a great decoration for your classroom walls.
Learn more:Art-Bar-Blog
4. Read the stars
It's time to bring the story to life with this hands-on, do-it-yourself constellation activity that teaches students how many African Americans in 18th- and 19th-century America were able to navigate and ride the subway on their journey to freedom. You will need a hole punch, black construction paper and a flashlight.
Learn more:daily reading
5. George Washington Handmade Wig
We cover historical figures in our social studies lessons, which teach about settler life in the original 13 colonies. Wigs were a sign of class and power during this period, with white wigs reserved for only the most prominent figures. George Washington had the signature white wig we all imagine, so let's recreate it using a paper bag, cotton balls, and ribbon.
Learn more:deceptively instructive
6. Squeeze flowers like a boy scout
When explorers first arrived in the New World, they had to record and ship a lot to let the people of Europe know what types of plants and animals existed on the other side of the ocean. A fun class book to create with your students is a flower press album. Go out with your kids and ask them to pick flowers, press them and save them for future observation.
Learn more:Magic Movement Company
7. Dictator for a Day
This engaging lesson can be used in the social studies curriculum covering different forms of government. Elect a student to be the dictator and let him make his own rules for the country. Explain how freedoms such as religion and expression are hindered and the injustice this type of government brings to its citizens.
Learn more:estudio.com
8. Mysterious Skype
Geography is another area of social studies, and learning to distinguish between attributes of states, countries, and time zones is a useful skill for students' understanding. There are platforms that can connect your Skype to another classroom anywhere else in the US and even around the world! Brainstorm with your students ahead of time so they know what to ask to find out where they are. Discover more geography activitiesHere.
9. Knowledge of voting through online game
iCivics is an online gaming platform designed to provide students with useful knowledge about how the US government works and their role in it. This online game is great for middle and high school students to learn how to be informed voters and how they can participate in our democracy. get moreFor ideas on teaching the presidential election process click here.
Learn more:iCivics.org
10. Analyze and draw political cartoons
There are so many great examples of political cartoons in US history that teach students how to portray specific events and beliefs in order to persuade readers. Pick some influential political cartoons from the past and have an open discussion about the opinions they express and the intentions of the people who created them.
Learn more:social studies blog
11. Historical role play
Let's dive into the role with this easy improv activity for historical figures. Write down the names of influential people from the past and put them in a hat for your students to choose from. Give them a few days to do their own research and give a presentation in front of the class.
Learn more:Edutopia
12. Immigration Stories
There is a lot to do in your US immigration department as it is a country of immigrants. Explain the stories and reasons why different groups of people immigrate, why they want to leave their country of origin and what processes they go through to assimilate in their new country. There are many textbooks written by immigrants to read and participate in class discussions.
Learn more:enlightenment of the population
13. Current events for children
Explaining a current event to a young student in a way that he can understand can be challenging. Kidworldcitizen.org is a website with resources andArticles written for childrenwith simple words and without prejudices that can be found in other sources. Pick a few articles and read them in your next social studies class.
Learn more:child citizens of the world
14. Economic Cheat Sheet
Economics begins to develop in our elementary school classes, and it's best to start with the basics. Help your students understand how the economy works and how it affects their daily lives with this visual explanation. Ask your students to create their own to hang on the classroom walls.
Learn more:Pinterest
15. Religions around the world
There are so many different religions and belief systems in our world and it is important that we teach our young students to respect their customs and traditions. Ask students to choose a religion they are unfamiliar with and examine it as a group to learn more and share.
Learn more:world of education
16. The culture box
Assign each student a culture and have them fill a box with objects, pictures, food, clothes, and so on. that encapsulate society to share with the class.
Learn more:Live Montessori now
17. IQ challenge for travelers
This online geography game will test your students' social science skills on map reading, US state locations, state capitals and more! Play with the whole class or let the kids play at home.
Learn more:Crazy Games
18. Archeology puzzle
This reconstruction project can be a fun family activity to introduce your kids to archeology in a practical and engaging way. Get a clay pot, break it up into pieces and hide the pieces in the sand or dirt for your kids to dig out. Then help them clean the parts and assemble the pot. You can add symbols or words to the pot to reveal a message once it rebuilds for an added bonus!
Learn more:Tikkido
19. Constitution of our class
Get your students involved in democracy by asking them to help you write your class charter.
Learn more:Pinterest
20th ranked game then and now
Print or create your own cards with images of old items we have used in the past and their updated/modern versions. Show students the advancements we have made as human beings and what that means for our future.
Learn more:What I learned while teaching
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FAQs
What are interactive classroom activities? ›
Interactive classroom activities are activities that forgo one-way communication, or individual learning in favor of getting students involved and engaged with the lessons or material.
What are examples of interactive instruction? ›Interactive instruction is when students learn through social interaction. Examples of interactive instruction include group discussion, question-and-answer sessions, debates and tutoring. The third type of instructional strategy we discussed was hands-on instruction.
What are good social studies projects? ›- DOUGH MAPS. For this project, you'll help students demonstrate their knowledge of physical geography by creating maps. ...
- THEN AND NOW. ...
- FLAT STANLEY PROJECT. ...
- FLIP BOOK. ...
- CREATE YOUR OWN COMMUNITY. ...
- COMPARE HISTORICAL PERIODS. ...
- TIMELINE OF EVENTS. ...
- REAL ESTATE COMMERCIAL/AD.
Social activities that involve doing for others or providing a service in order to help. Social activities that involve imagination and the creation of different realities. Examples: watching theater, singing, painting, crocheting, learning about arts and craft, traveling and sightseeing, and bird watching.
What are interactive teaching methods? ›Interactive teaching is a means of instructing whereby the teachers actively involve the students in their learning process by way of regular teacher-student interaction, student-student interaction, use of audio-visuals, and hands-on demonstrations. The students are constantly encouraged to be active participants.
What are the 5 learning activities? ›- Content Focus (and Interaction) Whether the learning outcomes for a session or module include declarative or functioning knowledge, almost all of them will be supported in some way by the presentation of information to students. ...
- Interactivity (with Others) Focus. ...
- Critical Thinking. ...
- Production. ...
- Problem Solving. ...
- Reflection.
- Quizzes.
- Buzz Groups.
- Snowballing.
- Brainstorming.
- Discussions and Group Learning.
- Debates.
- Presentations.
- Role-play.
The most popular methods are role plays, brainstorming, case study method, presentations and discussions. They develop communicative skills, logical thinking and different types of intellectual activity such as analysis, synthesis, comparison, and generalisation [5].
What are interactive learning objects? ›Interactive learning objects are web based objects that allow students to visually understand and virtually interact with phenomena that they learn about in the classroom.
What are the types of interactive learning? ›- Enhanced lecture. ...
- Flipped classroom. ...
- Peer instruction. ...
- Team-based learning. ...
- Engagement. ...
- Collaboration. ...
- Critical thinking. ...
- Live polling.
What are the 8 types of social studies? ›
The most important branches of Social Science are Anthropology, Economics, Politics, Psychology, Sociology, History, Law, Linguistics, Archaeology and Geography.
What are the 7 social studies? ›The most common social science subjects include Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, Geography, History, Law, Linguistics, Politics, Psychology and Sociology.
What are some fun class projects? ›- Educational Bingo. This awesome game can be played in groups. ...
- Bleep. Bleep is an interesting memory game in which students are restricted to use certain words during reading comprehension. ...
- Pink Tac Toe. ...
- Sports Gallery. ...
- Blind Artist. ...
- Crazy Train. ...
- Four Corners. ...
- Sentence Race.
...
108 Examples of Social Activities.
Activism | Arts & Crafts |
---|---|
Coffee | Community Events |
Community Gardening | Concerts |
Cooking Classes / Cooking Together | Cosplay Events |
Cycling Trips | Dance Events / Classes |
Examples include clubs, school newspapers, music groups, student councils, debate teams, theater, volunteering programs, sports, and youth groups; programs sometimes include academic components.
What are the interactive teaching materials? ›Interactive learning materials are interactive resources designed to teach a specific learning outcome. They may comprise of a single or multiple pages that can contain any combination of text, images, audio, video - including screencasts, animations, self test questions and other interactive activities.
Why are interactive activities important in the classroom? ›Through hands-on experience, students can practice these essential skills. Interactive games promote teamwork, giving students the opportunity to work on group decision-making, develop relationship skills, and resolve conflict peacefully.
What can the teacher do to use more interactive activities in these classes? ›- Think, pair and share. Set a problem or a question around a certain topic, and pair up your students. ...
- Brainstorming. ...
- Buzz session. ...
- Exit slips. ...
- Misconception check. ...
- Circle the questions. ...
- Ask the winner. ...
- Pair-share-repeat.
- Incorporate Active Learning.
- Combine different media types into engaging learning scenarios.
- Try running a cohort-based course.
- Incorporate live lessons.
- Use Microlearning.
- Use storytelling methods of teaching.
- Use Gamification.
- Pause for questions and answer live chats.
With this type of teaching approach, students learn in a different way – instead of being passive listeners to the lecture during the lesson, they are actively involved in the learning process by participating in activities, games, discussions, solving mysteries, storytelling, and so on.
What interactive activities keep learners engaged? ›
Promoting student engagement through active learning
Strategies include, but are not limited to, question-and-answer sessions, discussion, interactive lecture (in which students respond to or ask questions), quick writing assignments, hands-on activities, and experiential learning.
- Encourage conversation. ...
- Model syntactic structure. ...
- Maintain eye contact. ...
- Remind students to speak loudly and articulate clearly. ...
- Have students summarize heard information. ...
- Model and guide sentence construction. ...
- Explain the subtleties of tone.
What are the four learning styles? The four core learning styles in the VARK model include visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic.
What activities should teacher do in the classroom? ›The activities of the teacher include managing classroom behavior through the use of positive reinforcement techniques and assigning consequences for noncompliance, such as forfeited participation points. Teachers must develop and enforce rules of student conduct to maintain proper order and decorum.
What are ten basic activity areas found in most classrooms? ›Setting up and maintaining the classroom—the physical space of the Creative Curriculum classroom that is organized into 10 interest areas—Blocks, Dramatic Play, Toys and Games, Art, Library, Discovery, Sand andWater, Music and Movement, Cooking, and Computers—and Outdoors.
What are the activities perform by teacher in the classroom? ›Give lessons in classrooms, field work and topic based school trips. Help students achieve the best possible grade in the subject, through theory learning and practical class exercises. Plan lessons on subject topics following the curriculum for the subject area. Good role model.
What are the 12 types of interactive media? ›- Application Software. Software designed as a tool for users such as a knowledge management platform.
- Apps. Application software for mobile devices such as a weather app.
- Games. Entertaining and engaging software that may resemble a digital world.
- Pervasive Games. ...
- Advertising.
Examples of interactive media include web sites, user-generated content, interactive television, gaming, interactive advertising, blogs and mobile telephony.
What are the six interactive components of learning process? ›There are six interactive components of the learning process: attention, memory, language, processing and organizing, graphomotor (writing) and higher order thinking. These processes interact not only with each other, but also with emotions, classroom climate, behavior, social skills, teachers and family.
What is interactive learning games? ›Interactive Learning Games are a fun and engaging way for early learners to master the basics of the English language. A variety of game types provide students with practice in phonological awareness, sound/spelling correspondence, word families, and more!
Which type of interactive technologies can be used in classroom? ›
Interactive technology in classrooms is most often found in the form of digital and interactive whiteboards (also known as interactive displays), interactive projectors, and digital whiteboard collaboration software.
How do you make interactive learning materials? ›- Polls, Quizzes and Surveys. The very simplest way to engage anyone is to ask them a question about an issue that interests them. ...
- Slideshows & Videos. ...
- Webinars. ...
- Interactive Timelines. ...
- Multimedia Storytelling. ...
- Interactive Comic Strips.
Definition. Social interaction learning styles are models that learners strategize in their acquisition of knowledge and information. Learning is the process by which behavior is modified according to the experience and exposure presented to learners in different settings.
What are the five methods in teaching social studies? ›Some methods of teaching Social Studies include, stimulation, laboratory, inquiry, project, dramatizations, questions and answer, field-trips, discussion, lecture, problem-solving, dramatization, home assignment and construction methods.
What are the 5 big ideas of social studies? ›The document introduces the five “big ideas” that make up Kentucky's social studies curriculum: Cultures and Societies, Economics, Geography, Government and Civics, and Historical Perspectives.
What are the 5 social studies? ›Teachers and scholars began to realize that these five subjects—history, geography, civics, economics, and sociology—were closely related.
What is example of social studies? ›It's a field which deals with human behavior, relationships, resources, and institutions. Specific topics within social studies that are studied in school coursework include geography, anthropology, economics, history, sociology, political science, and civics.
What are the 4 social studies skills? ›Teaching Social Studies Skills
Ohio's Learning Standards for Social Studies identify four skills topics within the social studies strands: Historical Thinking and Skills (History), Civic Participation and Skills (Government), Spatial Thinking and Skills (Geography) and Economic Decision Making and Skills (Economics).
The study of the social life of human individuals and how they relate to each other in all types of groups is called the social sciences. Usually included under this broad umbrella are the sciences of history, geography, political science, economics, psychology, sociology, and social studies.
What are some creative classroom activities you had in school? ›- Start a dress-up box. ...
- Make simple puppets and put on a puppet show.
- Take turns making up a story. ...
- Video a play or performance. ...
- Play games that involve guessing and acting, like charades and Pictionary.
What games can we play on teachers Day? ›
- Football games.
- Scrabble contest.
- Carom competitions.
- Cricket.
- Basketballs are some exciting ideas.
- Break up Your Lessons. ...
- Give Your Students Choices. ...
- Incorporate Games. ...
- Create Group Time. ...
- Get up and Move. ...
- Incorporate Hands-On Learning. ...
- Be Open to Creativity. ...
- Schedule Field Trips.
- Ask for feedback. Any chance the learners have to leave feedback is a great opportunity for interaction. ...
- Let people choose the way. ...
- Make it social. ...
- Invite learners to contribute. ...
- Encourage peer evaluation.
Make your class more interactive by asking questions, soliciting opinions, getting students to make short presentations, encouraging discussions and using audio, video and other sources to prompt dialogue and debate. Remember, without engagement and motivation there is no learning.
Why interactive activities are important for students? ›How does it help? In addition to engaging students who are raised in a hyper-stimulated environment, interactive learning sharpens critical thinking skills, which are fundamental to the development of analytic reasoning.
What is an example of interactive phase of teaching? ›Interactive Phase
Some of the examples are asking questions, listening to student՚s response, providing guidance etc. Setting up the class is the first operation which refers to the activity of perceiving the due size of the class.
- Think, pair and share. Set a problem or a question around a certain topic, and pair up your students. ...
- Brainstorming. ...
- Buzz session. ...
- Exit slips. ...
- Misconception check. ...
- Circle the questions. ...
- Ask the winner. ...
- Pair-share-repeat.
The social studies teacher's responsibilities include teaching elements of history, geography, politics, economics, religion, and culture to pupils. You should keep abreast of current events and initiate spirited, respectful debates amongst students. You will also be required to set and grade various assessments.
What is the best method for teaching social studies and why? ›FIELD TRIP METHOD; This method is also called excursion method. It involves student visiting important places to see things as well as note useful information. This method gives room for better studying of social studies.