Search Database

By Subject Area: Social Studies

• Organizations: Competitions

  National Academic League

  Awarding achievement should not be limited to athletic abilities. Students of all academic and athletic levels should have the benefit of excelling in their own unique talents and passions. Academic sports motivate participants to compete for honors and awards while teaching them the skills of team work and discipline skills that sustain them to be productive and successful adults.

  National High School Model United Nations (NHSMUN) (New York, NY)

  The National High School Model United Nations (NHSMUN) works to offer a Model United Nations conference emphasizing accuracy, preparation and a problem-solving approach -- a conference that truly puts students into the shoes of diplomats -- is a uniquely powerful way to educate young people about global issues.

  National Peace Essay Contest

  "The United States depends on knowledgeable and thoughtful students--the next generation of leaders--to build peace with freedom and justice among nations and peoples. In the belief that questions about peace, justice, freedom, and security are vital to civic education, the United States Institute of Peace established the National Peace Essay Contest to expand educational opportunities for young Americans."

• Organizations: International

  Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program (Washington, DC)

  Since 1997, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program (APAP) has provided vision, leadership and support for all Asian Pacific American (APA) activities at the Smithsonian, while also serving as the Smithsonian's liaison to APA communities.
  

• Organizations: National

  American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest

  The purpose of The American Legion's National High School Oratorical Contest is to develop a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of the United States on the part of high school students. Other objectives of the contest include the development of leadership qualities, the ability to think and speak clearly and intelligently, and the preparation for acceptance of the duties and responsibilities, the rights and privileges of American citizenship.

  Engine-Uity

  Engine-Uity has been offering gifted teaching materials (K-12) since 1980. The materials are keyed to Bloom's Taxonomy with emphases on research and literature. Some materials are K-3 specific; others are geared for 4-8; others for 7-12. Beginning research includes short-term non-fiction. More in depth materials (e.g. Learning Centers and RATS Packs) are available for more sophisticated learners. Reading Centers for popular trade books number in the hundreds.

  National Council for the Social Studies

  This website contains useful resource for social studies educator and full of information about curriculum and teacher standards, legislative updates, discussion boards and journals, just to name a few.
  

• Printed Materials: Books

  A Trip Around the World

  This book contains lesson plans, maps, facts, words and phrases, and activities are provided for 15 countries on six different continents helping students learn about countries and cultures around the world. Other curriculum areas are incorporated in the activities provided along with teaching notes, blackline maps, extension activities, a list of foreign words and phrases, and a bibliography of fiction and non-fiction books for each country to help to organize the study.

  Allosaurus Publishers

  Allosaurus connects the past to the present through history, science & reading comprehension. Allosaurus provides books in science, history, writing and social science.

  Differentiating Instruction with Menus for the Inclusive Classroom: Social Studies

  This book provides numerous types of leveled menus that lower and on-level elementary-aged students can use to demonstrate learning through a method of their choice. Menus with similar formats but geared towards varying ability levels allow teachers to differentiate easily.

  Five in a Row

  The three volumes of the Five in a Row curriculum provide 55 lesson plans covering social studies, language, art, applied math and science. Designed for a homeschool setting, these lessons would also be appropriate in a conventional school. Although the original Five in a Row was designed for children ages 4 to 8, families of profoundly gifted children will find these guides more appropriate for the preschool years. The accompanying Five in a Row website offers sample lessons, an online newsletter, and curriculum user discussion boards.

  Order in the Court - A Mock Trial Simulation

  Order in the Court: A Mock Trial Simulation gives students the opportunity to conduct a trial based on a classic fairytale in order to develop their courtroom skills. After developing the necessary vocabulary, students participate in the trial of Ms. Petunia Pig v. Mr. B. B. Wolf. Students not only learn the concepts, but they also learn valuable teamwork and time management skills. Designed for students grades 6-8, the unit culminates in a full mock-trial enactment.
  

  Passport to Learn: Projects to Challenge High-Potential Learners

  Designed for gifted students in grades 4-8 as an around-the-world adventure, the activities in this book by Jacqueline Melin emphasize creativity, problem solving, inquiry, and critical thinking in the fields of math, language arts, leadership skills, social studies, and science. Projects include writing a fairy tale using jargon and cliches, studying and composing wartime songs, designing a Martian space colony, and inventing secret codes using binary, octal, and hexadecimal systems. Bonus miles are logged as each project is completed, encouraging self-directed students to focus and develop their independent study skills.
  

  The Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Religions

  This illustrated color encyclopedia provides the reader with insight into the rich and varied traditions of the world’s religions. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism are covered in detail, and there is extensive information regarding less widely understood faiths such as Sikhism, Taoism and Rastafarianism.

  The Macmillan Visual Desk Reference

  Contains 4,000 illustrations, diagrams & charts, timelines, maps and graphics. Covers 1,100 key topics, 52 subject areas. Provides "quick access" to a "wealth of facts". Text is comprehensive, information precise, understandable and enjoyable. "Researchers, writers, students and information lovers of every kind will find [it]...with its innovative approach and encyclopedic scope, as essential as a dictionary and as absorbing as a favorite novel."

  The World's Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions

  This book offers a view of the predominant religions of the world including: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, and Judaism, among others. The book conveys the important components and teachings found within each religion.

• Schools & Programs: College Affiliated

  Gifted & Talented Education (GATE), The Honors College at Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)

  The various Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programs offered through Michigan State University (MSU) are dedicated to promoting differentiated educational programs for students in grades 7-12. Mathematics Science and Technology (MST) is a two-week residential program for academically talented students. CHAMP is a regional program for students highly gifted in mathematics. ISHALL is an accelerated, intensive two-year course in literature and language designed to meet the curricular goals and merit standards of high school English, grades 7-10, in two years. Plus, there is also a dual enrollment program, a Michigan-Shiga Exchange program, a CSI Forensic Science program and several others listed on the website.

• Summer Programs: International

  Abbey Road Programs

  Abbey Road Programs offers two-, three-, and four-week programs in the United States as well as Spain, France, Italy and other European countries. Abbey Road incorporates experiential learning in all daily classes. Student can learn and improve foreign language skills while interacting with locals during real-life situations; and lessons involving art, history and culture occur on-location throughout the host community. Students will live in either modern apartments, with host families, or hotels, depending upon the program choice.

• Summer Programs: Northeastern Region

  Vermont Governor's Institute on Current Issues & Youth Activism (Brattleboro, VT)

  The Vermont Governor's Institute on Current Issues & Youth Activism is a rigorous and empowering weeklong program that examines the critical current issues, policy, and political questions that directly concern and impact young people today. Each participant will select one of four-core issue groups -- Politics, Social Justice, Ecology and Global Children. Practical, hands-on leadership skill sessions will provide training in public speaking, facilitation, project design, Internet activism, and conflict transformation, to name but a few.

• Websites & Other Media: Commercial

  The Great Courses

  The more than 500 Great Courses are crafted for lifelong learners with engaging, immersive learning experiences in a wide variety of subjects from science and mathematics to philosophy, history, literature and economics to cooking and photography. The world’s greatest teachers have a team of experts who collaborate on crafting a customized and entertaining educational journey that’s both comprehensive and fascinating. There are no exams. No homework assignments. No prerequisites. Customers can choose the format that fits their life: video or audio, discs or digital. Watch on a television, laptop or tablet, or listen to audio files on a mobile device.

• Websites & Other Media: For Fun

  Kids.gov

  Brought to you by USA.gov, Kids.gov is the official kids' portal for the U.S. government. This site links kids, parents and teachers to U.S. government information and services on the web from government agencies, schools, and educational organizations, all geared to the learning level and interest of kids. Kids.gov is organized into three audiences: Grades K-5, Grades 6-8, and Educators. Each audience tab is divided into educational subjects like Arts, Math, and History. Within each subject, the websites are grouped as either government sites (Federal, state, military) or other resources (commercial, non-profit, educational). The sites listed under the other resources category are maintained by other public and private organizations. When users click on these links, they are leaving Kids.gov and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside websites.

  My First Amazing World Explorer

  My First Amazing World Explorer is a fascinating introduction to maps, atlases, and our world. All the traditional features of a children's atlas are brought to life, while the magic of multimedia adds interactive adventures and learning activities.

• Websites & Other Media: Informational

  California State University Northridge (CSUN) - Social Studies Resources

  This website lists an extensive collection of resources covering such subjects as Government, Museums and Exhibits, Latino and Board of Education. Search everything from "Civil War History" to "U.S. Supreme Court Decisions."

  EconEdLink

  This website, a division of MarcoPolo, is a great resource for K-12 economics teachers and their students. It's features include: Internet-based lesson materials; Cyberteach, a guide to teaching economics using the Internet; an updated current events page; and up-to-date macroecomics information. There are also links to other economics pages and access to the EconEd newletter.

  EDSITEment

  This free curriculum website provides educators with lesson plans and web links for the humanities, including: arts and culture; literature and language arts; foreign languages; and, history and social studies. This site is a valuable resource for educators looking for creative ways to better teach the humanities. This educational partnership brings online humanities resources from some of the world's great museums, libraries, cultural institutions, and universities directly to the classroom.

  GiftedSources.com

  This website provides links to a number of gifted websites, including a listing of professional associations and news publications. There is also a listing of specific subject matter links on such topics as math, science and social studies.

  History-Social Science Course Models

  This online curriculum is provided for California teachers by the California Department of Education. It contains model lesson plans for History-Social Science grades K-12 with six sections: Focus Questions, Beginning the Topic Activities, Developing the Topic Activities, Culminating the Topic Activities, Assessment of the Topic Activities and Extended and Correlated Activities.

  Lesson Plans and Resources for Social Studies Teachers

  This online curriculum resource includes links to standards in all 50 states as well as lots of other helpful information. Dr. Marty Levine, Professor Emeritus of Secondary Education, California State University, Northridge (CSUN), has gathered lesson plans and resources from the Internet which social studies teachers will find useful.

  Shmoop

  The Shmoop website offers free learning guides, online courses, college readiness prep, and test prep. The website also provides subscription-based test preparatory services and practice examinations. They also offer a Careers page and College 101 section. Thousands of schools around the world use Shmoop as part of their curriculum.

• Websites & Other Media: Learning Tools

  The Khan Academy

  Khan Academy offers hundreds of free practice exercises and instructional videos for differentiated learning. Their personalized learning dashboard empowers students to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. KA tackles math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Their math missions guide learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art, adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps. KA has also partnered with institutions like NASA, Pixar, The College Board, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content.