Let's Cultivate Greatness

JULY 5, 2023

In the five classrooms I’ve had in my career, I’ve discovered the must-haves that make my social studies classes run smoothly. While many of these are universal tips for any middle or high school classroom, several are social studies-specific. Students have the thinking; they just need a word bank!

Social Studies 52

Social Studies Civics History Sociology 52

The Hechinger Report

FEBRUARY 11, 2021

The middle school exercise was almost not included in the study because researchers thought it was too easy, said Sam Wineburg, Stanford professor and lead author of the report. “We We were stunned,” he said of the overall results. A follow up report in 2019 found similarly dismal results.

K-12 145

K-12 Civics Critical Thinking Middle School 145

ED Surge

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Plenty of students find social studies lessons a bit dull. Eager to build a career out of his interest in social studies, he thought about museum curation, archival work and practicing law. I did go into an elementary school and I learned that I did not want to be an elementary school teacher.

History 127

History Museum Social Studies Geography 127

The Hechinger Report

DECEMBER 28, 2020

What stands out for me is how readers remain interested in basic research into how kids learn, from reading to critical thinking to collaborating with peers. Study: Boosting soft skills is better than raising test scores. Students who attended these high schools were more likely to graduate and attend college.

Research 124

Research Tutoring Education Critical Thinking 124

The Hechinger Report

MARCH 8, 2021

2nd grade social studies. High school Advanced Placement. Each concluded that students who learned science and social studies through a detailed project-based curriculum over the course of a year posted higher achievement scores than those who learned those subjects the way teachers in their schools usually taught them.

Project-Based Learning 145

Project-Based Learning Middle School Social Studies High School 145

ED Surge

MAY 15, 2024

As the demand for digital skills grows, schools must develop inclusive programs to engage diverse learners. STEM education is not just about science and math; it develops skills such as creativity, communication, empathy and critical thinking that complement technologies like generative AI and coding.

Education 136

Education K-12 Critical Thinking Public School 136

ED Surge

APRIL 3, 2024

Unfortunately, this portrayal isn't unique and reflects a broader issue with how social studies is perceived. As a high school history teacher, whenever I meet new adults and we talk about our professions, I often find myself being met with a familiar reaction: "I disliked the subject in school, but now I find it interesting."

History 134

History Primary Sources Artifacts Social Studies 134

The Hechinger Report

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

A look at the courses required by teacher preparation programs reveals scant attention to the broad social studies knowledge aspiring elementary teachers need to provide essential context to world events. Only 42 percent have said they felt very well prepared to teach social studies.

K-12 127

K-12 Civics Social Studies Geography 127

ED Surge

NOVEMBER 29, 2023

Heather Brantley, an instructional technologist and teacher at a Texas junior high school, recognizes the value of integrating augmented reality tools into her lessons. The social studies activity Space Race in McGraw Hill AR How has incorporating AR in your classroom enhanced the learning experience for your students?

EdTech 129

EdTech Junior High Geography Critical Thinking 129

The Hechinger Report

DECEMBER 9, 2021

There is a growing need to reframe computing in classrooms as an inherently social and learned set of skills. The end goal is not to just provide access to digital devices — it’s to develop the skills to use these tools for heightened learning, critical thinking and self-expression.

K-12 138

K-12 Critical Thinking Middle School Social Studies 138

ED Surge

MAY 8, 2023

It takes critical thinking and a sense for the numbers to even understand how or why a student’s approach might be wrong, Barclay says. Although it’s not as obviously contentious as say, social studies, educators and researchers (not to mention students and families) have strong feelings about math instruction (remember New Math ?

K-12 134

K-12 Critical Thinking Middle School Pedagogy 134

The Hechinger Report

NOVEMBER 16, 2022

As a case in point, I recently interviewed Danny Cage, a high school student and organizer for the Sunrise Movement in Portland, Oregon. This spring, he and fellow student leaders helped get Portland Public Schools to adopt one of the most ambitious climate policies in the nation. You have more critical thinking skills.”.

Civics 111

Civics High School Critical Thinking Social Studies 111

The Hechinger Report

JULY 7, 2022

The Sunnyside district, where roughly 90 percent of students are Hispanic, signed on at the start of the pandemic, after discovering that many of its ninth graders were struggling with the demands of recently adopted state standards for social science. There was much more emphasis on critical thinking and primary source investigation.

Primary Sources 121

Primary Sources Social Science Professional Development Critical Thinking 121

Let's Cultivate Greatness

DECEMBER 10, 2024

Here are some of my favorite lessons and activities for teaching the executive branch in my high school Civics and Government class. Its a bit complicated, which means it also offers great opportunities to practice critical thinking and social studies skills. What does the Executive Branch Do?

Civics 52

Civics Government Critical Thinking Social Studies 52

The Hechinger Report

JULY 10, 2018

Science could be considered the perfect elementary school subject. It provides real life applications for reading and math and develops critical thinking skills that help students solve problems in other subjects. But science has long been given short shrift in the first few years of school. Plus, it’s interesting.

Education 96

Education Elementary School K-12 Teaching 96

The Hechinger Report

JUNE 6, 2016

The results from those new Common Core tests – designed explicitly to look for the skills kids need in college, namely critical thinking, problem solving and analytical writing skills – have been held up as proof of the persistence of deep-seated disparities in the education provided to poor students and children of color.

Elementary School 75

Elementary School Charter School Middle School Critical Thinking 75

Students of History

SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

If you're a US History teacher looking for PDF worksheets for your high school or middle school classroom, I have tons to share, including this 30+ page packet of free engaging assignments you can download and start using right away. This makes them easy to differentiate for special education students with accommodations.

History 52

History Primary Sources Lesson Plan American History 52

The Hechinger Report

AUGUST 15, 2016

Just over a third of the people teaching preschool in centers or public schools hold bachelor’s degrees. Home-based care providers are far more likely to hold only a high school diploma or some college credits but no degree.

K-12 94

K-12 Public School Teaching Critical Thinking 94

Let's Cultivate Greatness

NOVEMBER 2, 2023

But that’s not creating any real meaning for them, especially if your high school Civics students are somewhat familiar with them already. Create Hexagonal Thinking Displays This is a favorite higher-level processing activity before a summative assessment. So, let’s do better and create fun and engaging of this standard.

Government 52

Government Teaching Civics Critical Thinking 52

The Hechinger Report

DECEMBER 6, 2023

Email Address Choose from our newsletters Weekly Update Future of Learning Higher Education Early Childhood Proof Points Leave this field empty if you’re human: In recent years, division over how social studies should be taught has plagued school districts around the country.

Social Studies 138

Social Studies Teaching Civics Advocacy 138

Teaching American History

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

At Bishop Seabury, a small independent school in the Episcopal tradition, high school students take two or more of Czarnecki’s courses. Having crafted their own historical narratives, students also feel empowered to evaluate the work of professional historians more critically. Who gets to construct truth?

Social Studies 98

Social Studies Research Archiving American History 98

The Hechinger Report

AUGUST 26, 2018

August 15, 2018 — The first day of school at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. School systems are failing their students with outdated and inconsequential civics education that is only focused on facts and memorization. What should schools do? Photo: Carl Juste/TNS via ZUMA Wire.

Civics 93

Civics Civic Engagement Government Critical Thinking 93

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 23, 2020

Today, Black students are still segregated into schools with less funding , fewer experienced teachers and fewer rigorous courses. Social studies classes spend only 8 to 9 percent of their time on Black history, treating it as a niche topic instead of a core part of American history.

Museum 141

Museum Education American History History 141

Zinn Education Project

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

Hope Koumentakos High School Social Studies Teacher, Takoma Park, Maryland I currently teach U.S. Allyson Saladino High School Social Studies Teacher, Ridgewood, New Jersey I used the lesson titled, How Red Lines Built White Wealth , in order for students to learn about red lining and institutionalized racism.

History 52

History Teaching Social Studies Middle School 52

The Hechinger Report

JANUARY 26, 2021

He knew that his seventh grade performance was critical in determining if he’d win entry to one of the city’s selective high schools, and he worried that if remote learning continued into the fall his entire future would be jeopardized. But the idea of falling behind in school left him feeling anxious. Credit: Marc.

High School 145

High School Social Studies K-12 Middle School 145

The Hechinger Report

MARCH 7, 2018

They were juniors at Niles West High School, an economically diverse school serving approximately 2,500 students in the Chicago suburbs. history, first in Portland, Oregon, and later at the Harvest Collegiate High School, a small public school in New York City.

Education 92

Education Economics Civics History 92

Zinn Education Project

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

A social studies teacher uses conflicting narratives to engage students in studying the history of Palestine and Israel, focusing on the events of 1948. ” While this piece was written primarily for adult education, an adaptation for middle and high school teachers is included at the end of the document.

Teaching 52

Teaching K-12 Human Rights Social Justice 52

Diane Ravitch

MARCH 8, 2024

State legislatures these days tthjnkbthat they should pass laws telling teachers how to teach reading and what to teach in social studies. But we probably should know that when it comes to Republicans, caring about the needs of others might be tantamount to socialism.

Social Studies 97

Social Studies Critical Thinking Public School Teaching 97

The Hechinger Report

MAY 23, 2020

A high school social studies book, also used in Texas, says of rising temperatures, “Some critics say that this warming is just part of the Earth’s natural cycle,” though, in truth, there’s overwhelming consensus among climate scientists that the current warming is due to human activities.

Teaching 138

Teaching Middle School Humanities High School 138

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Related: PROOF POINTS: Slightly higher reading scores when students delve into social studies. Three states — Florida, Illinois and Massachusetts — have in recent years revamped their social studies and civic education standards and have created legislation to implement modern civic education.

Controversial Topics 141

Controversial Topics Teaching Civics Civic Engagement 141