Center for Civic Education
What Basic Ideas About Government Are Included in the Preamble to the Constitution?
Young historians explore the meaning of the Preamble to the US Constitution in this upper-elementary social studies lesson. Working with partners or in small groups, children discuss the purpose of government before reading and analyzing...
Curated OER
Grade 5: Elementary Social Studies Test: Document 2, 2003
In this 5th grade social studies standardized test practice worksheet, students examine documents and tables. Students respond to 1 essay and 5 short answer questions that require them to review their knowledge of social studies.
Curated OER
Childhood Development and the Social Studies
Students complete the Know and Want to Know columns of a K-W-L worksheet about elementary aged children. They develop instructional methods for use in elementary social studies classroom that would increase content knowledge. They modify...
PBS
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
What rights are guaranteed to students? Do they align with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was approved by the United Nations in 1948? Middle and high schoolers present persuasive arguments about the rights they believe...
Curated OER
Grade 5: Elementary Social Studies Test: Multiple Choice and Constructed-Response Questions
For this 5th grade social studies standardized test practice worksheet, students examine documents and tables. Students respond to 35 multiple choices and 11 short answer questions that require them to review their knowledge of ...
Curated OER
Grade 5: Elementary Social Studies Test: Multiple Choice and Constructed-Response Questions 2008
In this 5th grade social studies standardized test practice worksheet, students examine documents and tables. Students respond to 35 multiple choices and 11 short answer questions that require them to review their knowledge of ...
Curated OER
Grade 5: Elementary Social Studies Test: Multiple Choice and Constructed-Response Questions 2004
In this 5th grade social studies standardized test practice worksheet, students examine documents and tables. Students respond to 35 multiple choices and 11 short answer questions that require them to review their knowledge of ...
First Stage
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Charlie Brown may not feel the Christmas spirit this year, but your elementary students can use the season to practice important cross-curricular skills! A set of worksheets and activities based on A Charlie Brown Christmas guide apply...
Curated OER
Mystery Strategy for Elementary Students
Learners of all ages solve historical mysteries. Elementary learners research historical topics by organizing information presented by their instructor, formulating hypotheses, and considering solutions to mysteries presented about...
US Mint
Symbols in My Eyes
Explore the hidden meanings behind the images on US currency with this elementary school lesson on symbolism. Starting with a class discussion about symbols, children go on to brainstorm different objects that represent the Unites States...
National Park Service
A Tale of Two Men
Theodore Roosevelt and the Marquis de Mores were both born in 1858, and both came to the Dakota territory in 1883, but they influenced the developing country of America in different ways. Elementary and middle schoolers apply written and...
Curated OER
5th Grade Social Studies
In this social studies worksheet, 5th graders answer multiple choice questions about important court cases, World War II, Abraham Lincoln, and more. Students complete 14 questions.
Curated OER
An Elementary School Day in Korea
Students study the similarities and differences between their school and a school in Korea. In this culture study lesson, students discuss and list their classroom's weekly schedule. Students then read about a Korean class schedule and...
Curated OER
Let Me Tell You About My State
State reports can be a lot of fun, especially when the learners get to choose the state they study. This research and writing-focused social studies lesson engages learners in collecting information, essay structure, research, and...
Time For Kids
A Peaceful Leader
The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's life and message is just as important today as it was in his lifetime. Introduce elementary learners to the movement for civil rights with a timeline of Dr. King's life, as well as comprehension...
Teaching Tolerance
In Our Own Words: A Story Book with a Purpose
Academics turn into storytellers in an engaging activity on activism. The activity focuses on promoting social change in local communities with stories. Young historians plan a storybook to target a specific audience and social issue and...
Joy Uzarraga
Famous American Research Project
Designed specifically for lower elementary pupils, this is a great biographical research project in which students research a famous American, and then design creative poster boards to help them "become" the famous American they have...
Curated OER
Teaching Elementary School Social Studies
Students identify possible social studies themes that can come from the video, "Voyage of Discovery". They list the five themes of geography. They develop elementary-level interdisciplinary unit plans for social study content. They...
Curated OER
Incorporating Literature into Social Studies Teaching and Learning
Students engage in a study of incorporating literature into the Social Studies classroom. They review a variety of literature sources and then create a bulletin board with the information. Then students practice using the Reader's...
Curated OER
Becoming a Professional Social Studies Leader
Pupils engage in a lesson that is concerned with the development of skills needed for the teaching of Social Studies. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used to solidify the importance of...
Curated OER
Social Studies: International Food Fair
Students identify activities that promote social studies education and enjoy an international food tasting session. On food item sheets, they write the origins of the various food items. On a laminated world map, each cook circles the...
American Institute of Architects
Architecture: It's Elementary!—Fifth Grade
Young citizens construct an understanding of urban planning in this cross-curricular unit. Covering every aspect of city development from the political, economic, and social influences to sustainable building practices, this 10-lesson...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Celebrate Your Culture
After a class discussion about celebrations and customs, class members draw pictures depicting special events from their family cultures. Next, they draw pictures of an event from a different culture and share their work with classmates.
Center for History and New Media
Slavery and Free Negroes, 1800 to 1860
What was life like for enslaved and free black people before the American Civil War? Explore the building tension between states and the freedom of individuals with a thorough social studies instructional activity. Learners of all ages...