Social Studies Toolbox

One of my favorite ways to help students dive deeper into a topic is using the  Number Mania  EduProtocol . It’s a simple, effective strategy where students identify important numbers related to a topic and explain their significance. The best part? It gets students thinking critically and connecting details to the big picture. Here’s how I used it in my middle school geography class after teaching about the Panama Canal: After our lesson on the Panama Canal, students had two main resources: their lecture notes and a video guide from the TED-Ed video Demolition, Disease, and Death: Building the Panama Canal . I told students to use these resources to create their "By the Numbers" slide. Each student worked independently to identify at least six significant numbers tied to the Panama Canal. These could be anything—from the year it was completed to the miles of the canal to the number of workers involved. The key was that they had to explain why each number mattered and how i...

Teaching the Electoral College with an Engaging Stations Activity Teaching the Electoral College can be challenging. The structure, history, and impact of the system can feel abstract to students, making it hard for them to see its relevance. To address this, I developed a stations-based activity that breaks down the complexities of the Electoral College into manageable, interactive segments. It’s designed to build understanding step-by-step, spark curiosity, and encourage critical thinking. Here’s a breakdown of the activity and how it can be applied in the classroom. Overview of the Electoral College Stations Activity This activity consists of five stations—each focusing on a different aspect of the Electoral College. By rotating through stations, students can engage with the topic in varied ways, keeping them engaged and allowing them to build a comprehensive understanding. Here’s what each station includes: Electoral College Structure and Function In this station, students learn h...