Read a few ideas for civics and government activities. There are free lessons and activities as well as other fun hands-on, engaging ideas.

This free lapbook is all about elections! Your student will research and learn about voting, political parties, and running for office

{Download FREEBIE pack here.} Economics is my absolute FAVORITE social studies unit to teach. There are so many hands-on activities to do with students and they are so eager to earn and spend money! One of my favorite activities is to end with our "Madden's Marketplace." This is a chance for students to put into action all of the things they have learned about being producers and consumers. To begin with, I send home a letter asking students to create paper goods. Why paper? It's something all of my students have at home (or I can easily give them). I want my marketplace to be fair for all students. I'm sure I could let them have the freedom to create any product, using any materials and I would get some amazing masterpieces. I would also get some elaborate (and expensive) items. That's not what I want. I encourage parents to spend NO money on this and for it to be STUDENT CREATED. I really want them to take the initiative. Here are some samples of paper products my students created to sell this year - everything from rockets to bookmarks to lanterns to hats. I incorporate the making of goods into my students' homework schedule, encouraging them to create two products per night. Before the due date, we work on creating "shops" in class. We create our "shop" by gluing two file folders together. The picture below is using legal-sized file folders, but that just happens to be what we had available. Shop Parts: Signs: Initially, we create the signs for our shops, color the awnings to make them eye-catching. Open/Closed: Next, we create open/closed signs that sit atop our shop so we can easily flip the sign to show the status of our shops. Slogan: We then come up with a catchy slogan. We talk about slogan's we know from commercials. Why did those stick in our heads? We learn to use a play on words, alliteration, onomatopoeia, etc. to make our slogans catchy so consumers will remember them. Product Description: Students each write a product description detailing WHAT their product is and HOW it works or can be used. We talk about the importance of letting consumers know exactly what they are getting. Commercial Script: Finally, students write commercials to "sell" their products to their classmates. We use hooks to get their attention, repetitions of our catchy slogans, and persuasion. Other Components: We also glue on the Consumer Comments, Price, and Interest Inventories, but we leave all of those blank initially. On the day of the marketplace, students set up their shops and lay their products out on display. Then, they have a chance to walk around the classroom and "window shop." They are encouraged to take a good look at all of their options, reading the product descriptions and examining the merchandise. After students have had a good look at all of their choices, I give them stickers (I would recommend 3-4). They walk around and place their stickers on the "Interest Inventory" of the products that interest them the most. The results of the interest inventory are used by the shop owners to determine if they have a high demand or low demand for their products. Knowing the demand helps them determine a price for their product. High demand = higher price. Low demand = lower price. The only rule is that all prices have to be in whole dollars. Once prices are set, then students are ready to go shopping! There are many different ways to let students shop. Some years, if I've done economy-based management system, my students will use "money" they've earned to shop. This year, I just gave them all $12 to shop with. I'm always torn about letting my students split into groups to run their shops (half shop while half work) - it always seems that students don't get to shop at all of the stores in that scenario. To solve that problem, I let all of my students shop at the same time. To do this students create "tokens" to leave at their shop. They create the same number as products they have to sell. For example, if Katie has 10 kites to sell, she creates and leaves 10 tokens with her name or shop name on them. Once each shop has tokens, students are ready to shop. Since there are no workers at the shops to collect money, I give my students "consumer spending logs" with pictures of dollars on them. Since I gave my students 12 dollars to spend, their consumer spending logs had 12 one dollar pictures. As students go around to the shops, they color in the dollars they've spent and pick up tokens (NOT products) that they will trade in for their purchases once the shops close. Once all of the tokens are gone, that shop is "closed." Once a student has colored in all of the dollars on his/her spending log, they are done shopping. It really works out quite well. Once students have traded all of their tokens in for their goods, they are given paper for providing feedback to the shops. They slip these into the "consumer comments" pockets on the storefronts. They love reading the feedback from their customers! <3 After wrapping up our shops, students are often left with some extra products. Instead of having them take their own products back home, I let them put another economics concept into practice - BARTERING! They have a blast working out "fair swaps" for their products and really working to get the other things they may have wanted but didn't have the money to purchase...and of course, they do all of this while proudly wearing some of their favorite purchases. :) All in all, it is a fun day of learning. Students take their roles as both producers and consumers seriously and come away with a real sense of accomplishment! If you would like to download this packet of FREE resources to hold your own Economics shop, you can do so HERE. Enjoy!

When I was young, I LIVED for DBQs! I guess I didn’t really think about it too much at the time, but I loved that there was an answer right there in front of me; I just needed to look closely at a picture. As a VERY visual learner, being able to see history through primary sources […]

Kids will have fun while learning where do I Live with this printable activity perfect for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten students.

I've posted up my Social Studies program about Social Communities. You can purchase each section by itself, or get the whole bundle. There's even a set for Canadian and a different set f

Teaching kids about our world, geography, maps, and more. Kindergarten Social Studies Lessons made easy #kindergarten #socialstudies

I love using interactive lapbooks in the classroom. They are fun to create, engaging and can be used throughout the year to review skills taught. I finally completely my Lapbook Bundle and I am happy to share the lapbooks included with you. Whether you think your learners will enjoy creating all of the lapbooks, if you

A Kindergarten blog about effective teaching and making learning fun.

Read a few ideas for your past and present or then and now unit. There are free lessons and activities as well as other fun hands-on, engaging ideas.

This is a social studies choice board with 14 options designed to be utilized for any social studies unit and almost any age/grade level (recommended for third grade and above), regardless of what time period, region, etc. you are studying. This could even be laminated and used again repeatedly in e...

Social studies for kids does not have to be boring and dry. Break away from the textbook with these ideas for engaging students with your social studies curriculum.

All about using Ancient Egypt Interactive Notebooks for teaching an Ancient Civilizations unit in the middle school or upper elementary history or social studies classroom.

This social studies unit is perfect for teaching GREAT Citizenship in your first grade classroom. In fact, it contains all the lessons and activities you will need. 12 GREAT Citizen traits are taught that will help your students become responsible, respectful members of their school, home, and neighborhood communities. The results are AMAZING! ABOUT THIS UNIT There are 13 lessons. The first lesson is an introduction and gets students excited to learn. The remaining 12 lessons each focus on one of the following GREAT citizen traits. Obey Rules Listen & Follow Directions Work & Play Nicely Together Have Self-Control Help Each Other Make Great Decisions Be Kind Solve Problems Work Hard Persevere Be Honest Have Good Manners GREAT CITIZENSHIP LESSON FORMAT To help minimize the amount of planning time needed, each of the 12 GREAT citizenship lessons follow this format. Read Aloud: Read and discuss the digital (or printed) informational book about the targeted trait of a GREAT citizen. Student Book: Students read a simple text with picture clues included and complete the fun practice activity in the booklet. Activity of the Day: There are two activities to choose from for each GREAT citizen trait... but you can do both. Journal Writing: Students draw themselves showing the targeted citizenship trait, then write about it. Poem/Chant: Have fun reading a poem or chant... and add some movements to go with it. T-Chart: Complete an anchor chart of what each citizenship skill would look and sound like. Coloring Page or Craft INCLUDES 12 Observation Charts 13 Read Aloud Informational Texts (DIGITAL & Printable Versions) (1 for each trait, plus 1 for an introduction) 1 Fictional Story, Mrs. Smith's Terrible, Awful, Very Bad Day (Digital & Printable Versions) 12 Student Books with Interaction Built In (one for each trait) 28 Activities of the Day (at least 2 for each trait) 12 Journal Pages with Prompts (1 for each trait) 12 Unique Poems and Chants (1 for each trait) 12 Blank T-Charts (1 for each trait) 12 Coloring Pages/Crafts (1 for each trait) BENEFITS Student engagement is high. Students truly begin to learn what it means to be a GREAT CITIZEN. Students connect with lesson concepts and begin using the vocabulary associated with being a GREAT CITIZEN. This unit is easy to teach because the lesson format for each trait is the same. OUR STORY We have taught first grade for quite a few years and, although we know there is so much to teach in first grade, a top priority of ours is to help students truly understand what it means to be a GREAT CITIZEN. However, it hasn't been easy for us to find quality resources to thoughtfully teach GREAT citizenship skills. We found ourselves scrounging for ideas each year. We finally decided to create a rich, comprehensive citizenship unit. Our students LOVE it and we hope yours will too. FAQ How long does each lesson take? Each lesson takes between one and two days. However, if you choose, you can always go at a slower pace depending on your schedule. What is the best time of year to teach this unit? This citizenship unit can be taught anytime during the year. Even though many teachers like to establish a respectful and caring environment right from the "get go" of school, it is never too late to teach these important skills. Is it important to teach the lessons in order? The only lesson that needs to be taught at a certain time is Lesson 1 because it is an overview of the unit. The GREAT citizen traits can be taught in any order. Is it essential that students engage in ALL the components of the lesson? If you are in a time crunch, please feel free to pick and choose activities that you feel your students need. The must-do's for us are the Read Alouds, Student Books, Activities of the Day, and Poems. Have a wonderful day! Becky and Cindy at Primary Bliss Teaching - Where fun and learning collide!

One of the important concepts we teach in early elementary is about the great big world we live in. Students will learn about the world beyo...

If you’re an elementary school teacher, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with the social...

Check out our FREE unit studies that explore science, history, and biographies! Each one accompanies a Who Was, Magic Tree House, I Survived or Carole Marsh book!

Read a few ideas for your past and present or then and now unit. There are free lessons and activities as well as other fun hands-on, engaging ideas.

Little Social Studies Thinkers is a complete curriculum specifically for Kindergarten.  It's everything you need to introduce, teach, practice, and assess your kinder friends.  It is cross-referenced and aligned to the main topics of Kindergarten Social Studies Standards.  -------------------GET THE FULL YEAR-LONG CURRICULUM HERE-------------------- Little Social Studies Thinkers FULL YEAR CURRICULUM for KINDERGARTEN UNIT 4: My Community teaches students about different types of communities and people that live and work in them. It contains lessons on these specific topics: Types of Communities (rural, suburban, city) Diverse Families in a Community Important Places in a Community Community Helpers/Jobs Why People Work Wants and Needs Here are the components of the Unit: -A complete Teacher Guide -8 printable/projectable Books for Read-Alouds -Step-by-step, Scripted Lesson Plans (Twelve, 35-minute lesson plans in all) -Essential Question and Learning Target posters -Anchor Charts -Whole group Games and Activities -Craftivities and Culminating Unit Activity -Student Workbook that follows each lesson -Quick Check for every lesson -Kinder-appropriate Assessment and Rubric for scoring -Parent Letter -A COMPLETE unit PowerPoint to guide your teaching during each and every lesson (all books, targets and workbook pages are included in the PowerPoint to help you save paper) Here is an outline of the lessons for UNIT 4: Lesson 1: MY NEIGHBORHOOD- PLACES AND HOMES Lesson 2: MY NEIGHBORHOOD- PEOPLE AND FAMILIES Lesson 3: PLACES IN A COMMUNITY Lesson 4: PLACES IN A COMMUNITY CRAFTIVITY Lesson 5: COMMUNITY HELPERS Lesson 6: MORE COMMUNITY HELPERS Lesson 7: WHY PEOPLE WORK Lesson 8: WANTS AND NEEDS Lesson 9: WANTS AND NEEDS REVIEW & CRAFTIVITY Lesson 10: HOW WE HELP OUR COMMUNITY Lesson 11: UNIT REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT Lesson 12: CULMINATING ACTIVITY *Please download the preview to see all that is included, including samples of everything!* ************************************************************************** Click below to view additional units: UNIT 1: Citizenship UNIT 2: Then and Now UNIT 3: Holidays Around the World UNIT 4: My Community UNIT 5: Our World K-1 MINI-UNITS: MINI UNIT A: Pilgrims and Native Americans MINI UNIT B: America

ALL ABOUT EARTH Get ready for a month filled with so many fun activities to teach your kiddos all about our planet Earth . I teach this unit in April so it coincides with Earth Day. I’ve loaded up this blog post post with read aloud book ideas, free videos you can share with your students,

Teach 2nd grade communities with ease with these common core social studies lesson plans. Curriculum includes civics lesson plans.

This FREE literature-based unit study introduces students to 16 different countries and cultures around the world.

Learn how to create simple models and maps with early years students with this free geography printable!

Are your students loving their social studies classroom or are they feeling that it is an extension of their ELA class? Are you wondering how to increase student engagement in the classroom so that your student cannot wait to come into your classroom and learn? Keep reading for ideas to incorporate all learning styles into ... Read more

Well it took almost a full school year, but thanks to a professional development I went to, I found a review technique ALL of my 7th graders were on board with. I call it “True, False, Fix.…

Day by day details of how my kids learned about the culture and geography of Austria in a week.

Have fun pretending to be President for the day! Our "If I Were President" Worksheet is a great writing prompt printable for Election Day, Presidents' Day, or simply as a Social Studies lesson.

Teaching kids about our world, geography, maps, and more. Kindergarten Social Studies Lessons made easy #kindergarten #socialstudies

One week, 6 kids, and all kinds of stuff you didn't know about the islands of Fiji.

Build research and writing skills with a historical travel brochure

These free history unit studies and lesson plans are perfect for piecing together a history curriculum based on your children’s interests.

Over the past few years, I have been incorporating inquiry circles into my classroom through Social Studies and Science. Inquiry circles are a lot like most research projects. I would say the main difference is how they start. NOW AVAILABLE… One Stop Teacher Memberships Our grade-level memberships provide the BIGGEST savings on ALL One […]

Free map printables! Welcome, homeschooling parents, to a journey of exploration and

Plenty of interactive ideas and activities to teach landforms for kids. Find videos, worksheets and even experiments to help.

A family unit for kindergarten is an important social studies unit to start the year for several reasons. A family unit for kindergarten involves letting

Learn about the Presidents of the United States with these FREE printable American Presidents Worksheets and coloring pages for your homeschool classroom supplement to American History, Social Studies, or Omnibus Lessons.

Little 1st grade Social Studies Thinkers Curriculum is a complete First Grade social studies curriculum with lessons specifically for primary kids. It's content-focused, user-friendly, and contains EVERYTHING you need to introduce, teach, practice, and assess your students. NO SUPPLEMENTING.

Learn about the science of beaches, plus get fun math, language, and geography practice, in this printable beach unit study!

One week, 6 kids, and a unit study on Afghanistan. What could possibly go wrong?

Boost your Social Studies lesson planning with this advanced Google Docs template! Use it to create single lessons or unit plans with ease. This template includes drop-down menus with Common Core ELA Standards, Depths of Knowledge (DOK) questions, and educational technology options to help you brainstorm the best lessons. Its user-friendly features allow you to create detailed and comprehensive plans in no time, giving you more time to focus on teaching. Start using this template today to enhance your Social Studies planning! The template includes places to plan and dropdown menus for: - Standards for Social Studies and ELA with built-in dropdown for Common Core Standards - Question stems from Levels 1-4 of Depths of Knowledge (DOK) - EdTech selection - Formative and Summative Assessment selection Still not sure if you want to buy it? Check out the FREE version of this template to get an idea! Related Products ⭐ ULTIMATE DIGITAL LESSON PLANNER Google Slides Blank Month Week Daily Planners ⭐ Lesson Plan Calendar - Rose Gold Google Slides Blank Monthly and Weekly ⭐ Lesson Plan Calendar - White Marble Google Slides Blank Monthly and Weekly ⭐ Middle School World History Social Studies Pear Deck Google Slides Bundle ⭐ Middle School Social Studies Projects - Engaging Project-Based Activities BUNDLE ⭐ Middle School Social Studies Activities for Back-to-School Pear Decks ⭐ Middle School Social Studies Skills and Vocabulary BUNDLE ⭐ Middle School Geography, Timeline, and Map Skills Google Slides Pear Deck As a full-time teacher, I try my absolute best to keep all resources current. Your help is highly appreciated in doing this - if any resources need updates or require troubleshooting, please email me at [email protected] :)

Integrating art and content in the ELA classroom. Tips and resources.