Have you ever asked a student what their favorite subject in school is? They probably answered with something like physical education or recess. But, most likely you have never heard a student tell you that their favorite subject in school is social studies. Social studies covers a wide variety of topics such as geography, history, economics, religion, etc. Much of what is covered will depend on the age group and grade of the children.
Social studies has a bad reputation of being a boring subject to study. But, there are ways to make this type of learning fun and engaging for students. If you are unsure of where to begin, check out these social studies activities.
After the musical and then movie Hamilton came out many people said they learned more about history and the government than they did in all their years of school. The main reason for this is that this musical about the founding father Alexander Hamilton incorporates singing and dancing and is fun to watch and learn about.
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Interactive Notebook
An interactive notebook is a great way to discuss the branches of government. This is not only a fun, creative and exciting activity, but it is something that the students can look back on and use as a reference for as long as they need. It is a place where students can store useful information such as vocabulary and textbook highlights in a more interesting way and in a way that they understand it.
Pioneer Life
Doing pioneer activities can be really fun even if kids seem to turn their noses up at it initially. Having a “day in the life” of a pioneer day is a great way to learn about the original United States colonies and how they lived and settled. Activities for a pioneer day could include candle making, dressing up in traditional clothing, playing games like stick pull and more. Pioneer day can be more personal and therefore solidify learning if students are invited to bring and share a story of a pioneer ancestor regardless of where they settled.
Gold Diggers
The gold rush is a huge part of history, and is naturally intriguing to students. Because who doesn’t love money? There are still people panning for gold today, but far less of them. Learning about the gold rush, how they panned for gold, and letting students try it on their own is a fun social studies activity. Panning for gold is surprisingly more difficult than one might think. But, it makes it that much more rewarding when you find a little fleck.
Social Studies Activities Resources
For more details and information on these social studies activities and many more resources, be sure to check out the above link. With so many useful resources online from qualified teachers such as this one, it is easy to teach your kids all that they need to know regardless of how experienced you are. Even first time teachers can impress their students with these social studies activities.