6 Quick Tips for Creating an Effective Social Studies Lesson

Have you ever had to teach Social Studies in the classroom? Maybe your students come to you and ask all sorts of questions about what it means “to be American” or “what is the meaning of life?” How do you respond? 

If you’re not sure how best to answer their questions, let these tips for creating an effective lesson take your anxiety at such inquiries away.

1. Educate, Don’t Just Entertain

Social studies are about learning about the past and gaining an awareness that will help you make decisions in the future. You should not just entertain students; they need to understand the material. 

Bring in objects from a museum or community site so students can get a visual image of what is being discussed. If it’s a topic you feel comfortable discussing, add material to create more of an activity or civics projects. 

If you are not sure how to proceed, bring in another teacher or Sociology tutor to help.

2. Do It the Right Way

When teaching Social Studies, you need clear instructions that students can understand. You need to use your vocabulary and turn of phrases to understand what you are saying easily. 

Keep it short and simple, so students do not become confused. Having students repeat the instructions back to you helps them to understand.

3. Use Eye Contact

With so much focus on cell phones, tablets, and personal electronic devices, it has become more difficult for students to engage in a lesson. Although they may be distracted, learning should never be boring. 

Asking students to raise their hands when they have questions or clarification helps you connect with them and explain important information. You can even try to incorporate questions into the lesson to get students involved in an activity.

4. Be Creative

Try to come up with different ways to explain concepts. Asking students to create puppets or artwork showing a topic can be a fun activity and an easy way for them to think about a subject they may have trouble studying.

You can also use songs or games to help students understand different concepts.

5. Bring Technology Into the Classroom

If you are comfortable using technology in your classroom, use it as a teaching tool. You can use social studies websites to add more information, print out maps or graphs, and even have students put together a web page to research the subject.

You can also have students create YouTube videos to show how certain tools are used in everyday life.

6. Try a New Approach

You don’t always need to use traditional teaching techniques if you have found a different way that works better for your students. Acupuncture has been found helpful in managing classroom behavior problems.

The students are taught to focus on deep body feelings rather than on specific negative thoughts, which helps people learn more about themselves. 3.

Bottom Line

Social studies should be a fun and enjoyable way for students to learn about the past. Explore different topics and try using different approaches. You do not always have to follow the textbook. The most important thing is that you keep your students interested in learning.