Social Studies Insider
November 2018
Growing Connections
Don't worry... FALL back on Google Classroom
Georgia Center for Assessment
Wanted: Social Studies Digital Resource Tools
New to the List this Month: BREAKYOUROWNNEWS.Com
Break Your Own News is a fun and easy way to get students engaged with your content. This tool can be integrated a number of ways; however, having students recall/explain the significance of an event or topic from any given day's lesson may be the most effective. Upon the completion of a headline, require students to add a written response to fully demonstrate their understanding of the event. Completed images are easy to download and can be copied and pasted into Google Docs, Google Slides, and even Google Classroom. Check out the example below.
Tech Tip: SafeYouTube.net
Spotlighting Excellence
Mrs. McClure works tirelessly to make her social studies lessons come to life for her students and understands the lasting value of connecting the past with the interests and lives of today's students. She proves that social studies can be much more than memorizing a series of names, dates, and facts. Building a rapport with students is paramount for Mrs. McClure as she works every day to learn about her students, their interests, and experiences, and uses this knowledge to design lessons that are engaging, exciting, and meaningful to her students. She continually seeks out and embraces new instructional ideas, understands the value of professional collaboration, and isn't afraid to be innovative if she thinks it will help her students succeed.
It’s no wonder that her students leave her classroom with a love for learning and a deeper interest in social studies. Jodi Brooks has been teaching for more than 25 years and has worked with middle schoolers, third graders, and now fifth graders. Her love of learning is infectious, but it is how she engages students that truly sets her apart. Jodi has implemented the “Mystery History” suitcase to introduce each of her units where she brings in items inside a suitcase that represent the time period or event the students will learn about. Even the most hesitant learner sits on the edge of his seat as she pulls each item out of her bag. She connects major events in history to real life situations for her students as well, explaining how WW1 alliances are similar to friendships at recess when playing an intense football game. Jodi allows her students to be part of each time period by building LEGO models of cars in order to understand the principles of Henry Ford’s assembly line or role playing as soldiers in the midst of trench warfare who exchange review questions instead of artillery. She embodies high standards of rigor with engagement like no other which is why her students are so successful.
Mr. Ryan Queen joined the Evans family eager to make a difference with students. In an effort to build student interest in reading, writing, discussion and enjoyment of History, Mr. Queen chartered a History Club. He works to make a connection with his students. His students are consistently sending shoutouts to him and addressing the way he cares about his students and helps them learn their social studies material. There is something unique about Mr. Queen. Despite his limited teaching experience, he works tirelessly to prepare lessons that engage students allowing them to connect with the content. His way of building a rapport with students plays a major role in the success of his students. When students know you truly care, they will work harder in your class. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Mr. Ryan Queen.
Social Studies Teaching Strategies Straight from GCSS 2018
The following strategies can be incorporated at any grade level. If you are interested in incorporating these lesson strategies into your classroom, feel free to reach out to me by completing the Social Studies Content Specialist Request Form or shoot me an email.
Example Standard: SSWH10 Analyze the causes and effects of exploration and expansion into the Americas, Africa, and Asia.
Directions:
- Create a list of vocabulary terms revolving around the standards within a unit of study.
- Cut vocabulary terms into strips.
- Have students pick up a vocabulary term.
- Instruct students to form two lines that face each other.
- Students facing each other in each line should confer the meaning of the term.
- Each student should create an action to "demonstrate" their term.
- When directed, rotate and continue teaching your term to fellow classmates. (One line will move one person to the right, and the other line will move one person to the left.)
- Repeat until all terms have been reviewed.
Strategy 2: "Zoom-In" - Critical "Reading" Activity through Images
Example Standard: SSWH21 Examine changes and continuity in the world since the 1960s.
A. Identify ethnic conflicts and new nationalisms, include: Pan-Africanism, Pan-Arabism, and the conflicts in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Rwanda.
Explanation of Zoom-In:
- This Zoom-In is a critical "reading" activity designed to engage students in close reading of an image.
- The purpose is to get students to think more critically about what they observe and have rich conversation based on those observations.
- The expectation is that students will use evidence from each picture to support their thinking, students should have some different perspectives and this will foster those rich conversations.
- This is usually a hook to the unit or lesson for the day, students should not have seen this image before.
Directions:
- Select a photo you would like students to analyze or critically read.
- Using your snipping tool, cut the image up into 3-4 new images. (Choose sections of the image that may spark interesting conversation.)
- Place each image section on its own slide in a presentation.
- Use the following questions (or questions like these) to guide your discussions:
- What do you notice?
- What do you think this is? Explain your thinking.
- What details do you notice in the picture?
- During which time period do you believe this picture was taken?
- Finally, present the full image and ask: What new information do you have?
- Present the image again and undisclosed the image's identity.
Extension: If time remains, have your students locate quick facts on the image to further spark additional conversation. (Directions: with a partner, use your textbook or Chromebook to discover the following information about the ..... Provide students with 3 minutes to locate the following prompts.)
- Who?
- What?
- When?
- Where?
- Why?
- How?
Strategy 3: Thinking Like a Historian - As students read articles, they should note points from the article on the provided graphic organizer. Points should be noted in one of the five boxes.
- Cause and Effect- Things that demonstrate cause and effect relationship for society.
- Change and Continuity- Things that demonstrate change and continuity in society.
- Using the Past- Things that relate the society to the world as it is now.
- Turning Points- Things that demonstrate major turning points for the society.
- Through Their Eyes- Things that demonstrate the worldview of society as always when introducing a new activity, model the type of thinking needed for the students through a read aloud, and work on the organizer with the students to demonstrate the sort of things they should be looking for in the article.
If you need access to the graphic organizere below, please email me and I can send you the PDF.
Attention Elementary Social Studies Teachers:
Gallopade Demo: The Gallopade Demo Codes are posted in the Google Classroom. However, If you have logged into the demo and are not actively using it, please log off. It will prevent other teachers from using it if too many teachers are logged into the system. Thank you!
Teachers Pay Teachers:
Although teachers are relying on TPT regularly to pull resources together for their Social Studies lessons, it is important to review the material and double check resource alignment to the GSE. Bow Tie Guy and Wife is a TPT provider and has produced a number of Georgia based resources for teachers and is being used across the district. If interested in checking out some of this provider's artifacts, Click Here.
Integrating Social Studies into your ELA/Reading Lessons Made Easy
Located within the GA DOE Teacher Notes, teachers can find a list of standards connected books that can easily be integrated into your ELA/Reading lessons.
For Kindergarten access, Click Here.
For 1st Grade access, Click Here.
For 2nd Grade access, Click Here.
For 3rd Grade access, Click Here.
For 4th Grade access, Click Here.
For 5th Grade access, Click Here.
Mr. Betts Class- YouTube Channel
Mr. Betts is a Social Studies teacher who works to create fun social studies themed parodies of today's biggest songs. These music videos will grab the attention of your students while immersing them in the facts surrounding a specific event or concept. Click Here to access MrBettsClass-YouTube Channel.
Mission US (Most appropriate for 4-5th Grades)
Make your social studies lessons revolutionary with simulator-based historical games by Mission US. Click the link to view the game trailer. To view all versions of the game, click here.
Additional professional development opportunities are located within the section titled Professional Development for All.
Attention Middle Social Studies School Teachers:
The DOE has completed the final portion of the 7th Grade Teacher Notes. Please click the following links to access the various units available to help teach 7th grade social studies standards.
Teachers Pay Teachers:
Although teachers are relying on TPT regularly to pull resources together for their Social Studies lessons, it is important to review the material and double check resource alignment to the GSE. Bow Tie Guy and Wife is a TPT provider and has produced a number of Georgia based resources for teachers and is being used across the district. If interested in checking out some of this provider's artifacts, Click Here.
Mr. Betts Class- YouTube Channel
Mr. Betts is a Social Studies teacher who works to create fun social studies themed parodies of today's biggest songs. These music videos will grab the attention of your students while immersing them in the facts surrounding a specific event or concept. Click Here to access MrBettsClass-YouTube Channel.
Mission US (Grade 8)
Make your social studies lessons revolutionary with simulator-based historical games by Mission US. Click the link to view the game trailer. To view all versions of the game, click here.
Middle School District Social Studies Meeting
Don't forget to attend the District Social Studies Meeting on November 28th. The meeting will take place at Madras Middle School. Please try to arrive by 4:10 at the latest.
Please consider attending two professional development opportunities:
- An Evening with the Former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela
- An Evening with the Consul General of Canada
For specific information about these two opportunities and many more, scroll down to the section titled Professional Development for All.
Attention High Social Studies School Teachers:
World History Social Studies Labs:
- Architecture, Art, and Technology of Ancient Civilizations PDF Version PPT Version
- World War I and the Influenza of 1918 PDF VersionPPT Version
Mission US (U.S. History Teachers)
Make your social studies lessons revolutionary with simulator-based historical games by Mission US. Click the link to view the game trailer. To view all versions of the game, click here.
Mr. Betts Class- YouTube Channel
Mr. Betts is a Social Studies teacher who works to create fun social studies themed parodies of today's biggest songs. These music videos will grab the attention of your students while immersing them in the facts surrounding a specific event or concept. Click Here to access MrBettsClass-YouTube Channel.
Social Studies Civic Engagement Diploma Seal
Our district application for the Civic Engagement Diploma Seal has been accepted by the Department of Education. Department heads at both East Coweta and Newnan High schools will be working to finalize the rubric for students. If you teach at either ECHS or NHS, please advertise this opportunity to your students. I encourage each high school to run morning announcements about this opportunity to attract student interest.
Grade Level/Course Specific Professional Learning with Virtual Specialist:
Introducing a new Free online professional learning community exclusively for Georgia educators. The Georgia DOE has created course and grade level specific Professional Learning Communities, led by Virtual Specialists, where educators from across the state can connect with each other to share experiences, resources, lesson plans, and instructional activities. For access, Click Here.
Start your EOCT Spiral Reviews Now:
It is never too soon to begin embedding spiral review. The EOC's will be here before you know it. Get a jump start on reviewing with your students. Click Here to access the DOE Georgia Milestone's EOC Review Guides for U.S. History and Economics.
Additional professional development opportunities are located within the section titled Professional Development for All.
An Announcement from Georgia Council for Economics Education
Network Connectors
Connect with Georgia's virtual learning community for Social Studies
Georgia Council for the Social Studies
Georgia Council on Economic Education
Professional Learning for All:
Financial Literacy for High School
Interactive lessons, exposure to exciting online resources, and rich content are all included in the new Financial Literacy workshop for High School teachers. Teachers leave this workshop with lessons developed by Georgia teachers that address the standards in the Economics course as well as the recently approved DOE Personal Financial Literacy course. There is no registration fee for this workshop, instructional materials are provided, lunch is included, and substitute teacher reimbursement is available.
Want to Register? Click Here
Friday, Nov 2, 2018, 08:30 AM
1000 Peachtree Street Northeast, Atlanta, GA, USA
Incorporating Literacy and Economics in the Grade 3 Curriculum
This workshop focuses on strategies and new materials that will help 3rd grade teachers incorporate effective literacy strategies into creative and engaging math, science, language arts, and social studies lessons. There is no registration fee for this workshop, instructional materials are provided, substitute reimbursement is available, and lunch is provided.
Want to Register? Click Here
Thursday, Nov 8, 2018, 08:30 AM
Fayette County School System, GA, USA
Teaching the GSE in Grade 5: Economics in US History
The Georgia elementary school curriculum in social studies provides students a strong foundation in the history of the United States. This one-day workshop for 5th grade teachers is designed to highlight economics in US history during the 20th Century. Participants will receive six lessons designed specifically for the implementation of the Georgia Standards of Excellence. There is no registration fee for this workshop, instructional materials are provided, substitute reimbursement is available, and lunch is included.
Want to Register? Click Here
Friday, Nov 9, 2018, 08:30 AM
300 North Bond Street, Plains, GA, USA
An Evening with the Former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela
Register By: November 7
Want to Register? Click Here
Thursday, Nov 15, 2018, 05:30 PM
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Peachtree Street Northeast, Atlanta, GA, USA
Instructional Technology Training with your Content Specialists
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018, 04:00 PM
Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA, USA
An Evening with the Consul General of Canada
Register By: November 26
Want to Register? Click Here
Monday, Dec 3, 2018, 05:30 PM
Fayette County School System, GA, USA
Picturing History: Using Great Children's Literature to Spark Inquiry in Social Studies K-12
Thursday, Jun 20, 2019, 08:00 PM
Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa, U.S. 76, Young Harris, GA, USA
Comments, Concerns, Questions?
Email: phillip.sykes@cowetaschools.net
Website: curriculum.cowetaschools.org/
Location: 167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA, USA
Phone: 770-254-2800
Twitter: @Syked4SS