It's all about integration when it comes to Social Studies!

Social studies is an integration of different social sciences under one umbrella. For that reason, teaching social studies effectively in the classroom means integration has to be a key component of instruction. In my opinion, each of the different sciences under the social studies umbrella create what we know as culture. The six social sciences studied under the social studies' umbrella include civics, anthropology, geography, history, economics, and sociology. See what I mean? Culture!

So what goes into creating a meaningful, well-planned Social Studies lesson?

First and foremost, I think students have to be engaged and interested in the content of a specific lesson. The teacher has to find a way to present the material so that it engages each student in the classroom. Creating an environment where students can personally connect to the content comes about when the teacher asks questions rather than telling the answers. Students shouldn't be sent to their desks to read about the Revolutionary War from their textbook. Textbooks can provide great background information for students, but should not be the sole source of information.

That's where hands-on activities come in - they are another key component to meaningful, well-planned social studies lessons. Instead of reading the textbook when learning about the Revolutionary War, students could plan a skit in small groups or each group could explore a cause of the war and present that to the class. These types of activities give students an opportunity to put their stamp on a lesson because they can be creative and imaginative. Students' individual interests are also showcased when hands-on activities are incorporated into lessons. Hands-on activities also help students understand and respect diversity - within their group, but also within the lesson or topic being discussed.

Integration is another important piece of a meaningful, well-planned social studies lesson. As I've seen in each of my field experience classrooms, social studies and science often get the least amount of instructional time. That's why integration is so important in the elementary school classroom - because time is limited! When teachers integrate lessons and units across subject lines, students get an in-depth understanding of the content being taught. Integration provides students with opportunities to read and write about a particular concept, understand art and culture, communicate and reflect on their ideas with their peers in small groups, make observations, and record data, all while studying the same topic across subject lines.

After each of these elements is explored in the classroom, I think field trips can be a great way to bring everything together. Field trips give students an opportunity to see history first-hand. I remember taking a field trip in elementary school to an open field. It sounds awful and boring, but I remember imagining the battle that took place on that exact field. I was standing where soldiers fought to preserve the freedoms of our country. That's a moving experience and one that I remember to this day. I know my teacher had great activities planned in order to get me to understand what took place on that field because it could have ended up being awful and boring. Field trips have to be planned effectively in order to affect students in this way. The teacher must plan activities where students can actively explore and engage in and with history.

Classroom visitors also seem to fit a similar bill. Getting an opportunity to listen to a Holocaust survivor's tale is far more engaging than reading an account from a textbook. Students need to be able to interact with history and I think classroom visitors and field trips are a great way to give students that opportunity. The teacher doesn't have to pretend to know everything because we definitely don't have all of the answers. When we give our classrooms up to visitors that can explain history in a more meaningful way, students' lives are changed because of the personal connections they can make with the story teller.

Meaningful, well-planned social studies units take time to plan and create because social studies is an intricate subject to teach. When creating a social studies unit or lesson, the teacher should carefully consider each student's interests, the types of activities that are incorporated into the lesson or unit, and if integration will be possible (because it should be!). These three components will help a teacher create a social studies unit/lesson that is meaningful and personal for each of the students in her class. Field trips and classroom visitors are also important to consider depending on the lesson or unit being explored. They don't have to be incorporated into every unit, but these types of activities provide students with unique ways to connect with history - past, present, and future.