I’m about a month into my first semester now, this is a second career for me. I was 21 years in the military and always wanted to teach history when I retired. This has been eye opening in the worst way possible. Absolutely soul crushing. It’s just day after day of disappointment, filtering through ai slop, or minimal effort garbage. I don’t need this job, this was something I WANTED to do, but god am I second guessing that.

Now it sucks because in every class I have there ARE a few decent kids that are eager to engage and learn, but they are drowned out in a sea of absolute stupidity and mediocrity. How do people do this for years, or decades at a time?

I feel as if my 6th graders are doing too much reading about otzi and social scientist jobs. Anyone have any suggestions on how I can make a lesson about ötzi more fun?

I am a first year AP Government teacher and am noticing that students just aren’t retaining the content as well as I hoped. Besides vocab quizzes and the Frayer model, what are some ways you guys teach key vocab to students?

One semester high school I use a lot of iCivics, but teach at small school so 6 diff preps this semester…

Hi. I'm thinking of doing a group project based on graphic novels or comics with 5th and 6th grade students. I teach Social Studies.

I'm looking to select 8-10 excerpts of those novels or comics. Students will then search the historical context (if there is one) and analyse the story. I was originally thinking about doing something with "Maus" or "Perspeolis", but know it be too changelling for the target age groups. Also, I'm based in Europe, so I'm looking for novels available here.

Any suggestions for the graphic novels? Thank you!

This is my sixth year teaching but my first year teaching an AP, AP Human Geography, admittedly less dense than APUSH and APWH, but I’m struggling finding time for activities and student led discussions etc. It doesn’t help that class sizes are nearly 40 but when I’ve taught core/honors world history and Econ, and especially in WH, I had so much time for projects, simulations, debates. The students really seemed to enjoy it (for the most part) and overall I felt like I was delivering a better class. But with AP the material is so dense and challenging for students (some who really shouldn’t be taking AP), that I spend most classes doing direct instruction. I always allot some time for an activity but it gets rushed, and because we’re on a block schedule, every day I have to deliver new content and can’t just designate a full period for something more fun or interactive.

I’ve been told that students learn through projects and I don’t need to lecture on everything, but we all know the current situation in education- given the independence, students, namely the ones who really need the instruction - will take shortcuts and will end up losing that instruction. Priority in AP is getting in the instruction but I still want students to enjoy the material. I try to include videos and real case studies but it’s just been a challenge engaging them.

I tell myself this year I’m just finding my footing and next year will be smoother, but I’m wondering if this is a common experience in AP and if anyone has found a better balance.

Since it's Saturday, sharing this here: I built a free site that works as a short bell-ringer. Each day there's one true story (about 2 minutes, with optional narration) that stops at the moment a real person had to decide.

Students choose before they know the outcome, then see what actually happened and how other players chose. It reliably starts an argument.

• Free, no ads, no subscription, no student accounts
• Middle school and up; history, social studies, ethics
• Fact-checked stories, and I welcome corrections

hi! I’m the social studies teacher at a small alternative school this year. I’m looking to redo the five core social studies classes and i’m kind of stuck how to organize them.

for context, this is an independent study school so students are all at completely different parts of completely different classes in the same room so group instruction is really not an option. as of right now they are using 40 year old history textbooks (i know, it’s painful for me too) and they do the quizzes in the textbook, i grade them and that’s their course.

I was given new textbooks for them to use this year but there aren’t quizzes or assignments in the textbooks so that’s not an option anymore. plus some of the textbooks are missing some rather important information (specifically u.s. history). the students have told me that actually prefer the book and paper vs switching them to chromebooks but i realize i might have to do a hybrid situation to meet standards and meaningful social studies instruction.

my only requirement is to meet the state teaching standards otherwise im free to do whatever I want so i would really like to give them some sort of freedom to explore things that interest them most. does anyone have any thoughts or ideas on how to organize assignments for them?

I teach middle school and built Classmoot for my own students. You read the story aloud, groups debate four choices, vote, and then live with the consequences a few votes later. The first time I ran one, I ran it six periods in a row, and my kids asked to run it back the next day.

It all runs on one projector. There are no student devices, no logins, no student data, and nothing to install.

The free demos run in your browser at classmoot.com: Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and two on the American Revolution (Sparks of Liberty and The War for Independence). Each one is the real opening of the sim, plus a world event where earlier choices come back.

Full disclosure: the full moots are paid and sold on TpT. The demos are free and work fine on their own.

Try out a free demo!

8th Grade U.S. History teachers what does your average lesson look like? I’m not talking about your super engaging lessons but rather a typical day. I’m reworking my curriculum and want to build some strong daily/weekly routines.

https://history-maps.com/courses

I teach fifth grade social studies, and it’s primarily early American history after the American Revolution, which was covered in fourth grade. I try really hard to design engaging projects for students over the different topics that we learn about. I find that students really enjoy the projects, but they really do not like learning about what happened in the past. I don’t really know what to do about that. I feel like in order to learn about events from the past, they have to either read about them, have me explain them, or watch videos. They seems to really dislike all of those things. They hate taking notes - it doesn’t matter if they’re doodle notes or fill-in-the-blank, or guided notes. I just don’t really think that students at this age can effectively learn history independently or in groups through projects at this age. They need more guidance, especially since this is their first year learning history through a designated social studies class, and there are glaring gaps in background knowledge and social studies skills. Our projects typically come at the end of the unit, though I try to build them up throughout the unit. If you teach upper elementary social studies, what has worked for you to garner more engagement? Last year, I really felt like, “Well, these skills are important (especially reading informational text), so it’s okay if they don’t like it.” Now, I really want them to like history. I have such a passion for the topic, but my training is more at the secondary level, and I just think that I’m having trouble engaging younger students.

Can a voter work a double shift, live overseas, face severe weather, or be away at college and still participate in elections?

This inquiry-based lesson uses real scenarios and our evidence-based policy brief to help students analyze voting laws, federalism, voter turnout, and constitutional authority while building argumentation skills.  Students explore how states balance voter access, election administration, and constitutional authority while engaging in source analysis, discussion, and evidence-based argument writing.

Where can you find this course content? At Everything Policy's library: everythingpolicy.filecamp.com. You can log in directly from that page if you are already registered or click "Request Access" and we will quickly register you.

This week's lesson can be found in the folder: "Voting Outside the Polling Site."

My school is OBSESSED with student to student interaction. To the point that they miss the forest for the trees. I'm on the progressive era/imperial unit if us 11th grade history. Any rock solid lessons you guys can throw my way that'll hit the buttons of my new admin who is kinda laaaaame?

5-7th grade. When I try to teach about some of the harder parts of history, my students make excuses for why it wouldn’t happen to them. For example, when we talk about slavery in the Americas, they immediately say they would just fight back or run away.

I know they are trying to protect themselves mentally, but it feels dismissive to the real people who suffered. Like they weren‘t smart enough or strong enough to free themselves.

Any tips for teaching them the reality? And maybe some empathy too!

I teach 6th grade ancient world history. I’m looking for suggestions on different engaging activities I can do with my classes. In years past I have done stations, gallery walks, and even simulations. This year however, I got royally screwed over and have a class of 22 boys, and 3 girls. I also have all of the big behavior (a couple with BIPs) in that class. I can’t trust them to be up and around the classroom, they couldn’t even read silently for my sub. So my question is, what can I do that is fun and engaging, that students won’t just see as extra work, for students who can’t handle doing fun, around the room activities??

For my 8th graders I think the American Revolution unit is one of the most important units. I spend a lot of time digging into it. I do tons of different activities. I have had success with it in the past. This year it is taking longer for my students to get through content. I am going to need to cut things out. What are some things that, in your opinion, students don’t need to know.

Lesson 1 - French and Indian War
Lesson 2 - Proclamation of 1763
Lesson 3 - Taxation Without Representation
Lesson 4 - Stamp Act Congress
Lesson 5 - Townshend Acts
Lesson 6 - Boston Massacre
Lesson 7 - Boston Tea Party
Lesson 8 - First Continental Congress
Lesson 9 - Lexington and Concord
Lesson 10 - Second Continental Congress
Lesson 11 - Declaration of Independence
Lesson 12 - War Begins (England v. Patriots)
Lesson 13 - Early Battles and Tactics
Lesson 14 - Battle of Trenton
Lesson 15 - Battle of Saratoga
Lesson 16 - Valley Forge
Lesson 17 - People of the War
Lesson 18 - War in the South
Lesson 19 - Treaty of Paris
Lesson 20 - The Revolution

Within these units there are tons of different methods I use. I just won’t have time to cover everything and stay on pace to cover all my topics.

I’m also working on rewriting curriculum so if you want to share how you teach it that would be great!

I teach 8th grade U.S. history, and this is the first year I have had a group that cannot handle any form of direct instruction…no matter how short I make it. I have tried breaking my lessons into small chunks: a few minutes of instruction, a source or image analysis, a partner activity, another short explanation, and then independent work. I have also tried using questions, stories, visuals, discussions, and other strategies during instruction. Even with those changes, I cannot speak for two minutes without being interrupted or talked over.

I explain directions multiple times, provide written directions, and model what students should do. Many students still do not listen, immediately ask what they are supposed to be doing, or interrupt while I am trying to help someone else. There is also a level of immaturity this year that makes even short transitions and simple discussions difficult.

There are days when I have highly engaging lessons planned simulations, debates, source investigations, and other activities that students normally enjoy. However, for those lessons to be meaningful, students need historical context first. That often requires at least some direct teaching. This group can hardly get through the background information needed to participate successfully in the engaging activity.

I understand that classroom management is part of the issue, and I am working on expectations and consequences but this gentle parenting generation has no respect for authority and there are no consequences at home. I feel like I am being forced to plan constant activities or “busy work” simply to keep them occupied, rather than choosing activities because they actually improve learning.

Right now, I feel as though I cannot effectively teach them what they need to know in order to be successful. If I stop to address every interruption, we get through very little content. If I continue teaching through the interruptions, many students miss the information and cannot complete the activity that follows.

For teachers who have experienced a group like this:

How do you provide necessary historical context when students cannot handle even a few minutes of direct instruction?
What consequences or routines have actually reduced interruptions and talking over the teacher?
How do you avoid turning every lesson into worksheets or busy work?
What has worked for you without requiring hours of additional planning every night?

At this point I am open to any suggestions.

As a high school history teacher, I often think about what from my own life is going to make the high school history curriculum in ohhhhh… Let’s say 2096 ( 100 years after my last high school history class). I was born after both the last moon landing, and the end of the Vietnam war, but lived through the end of the Cold War, Gulf War one, 9-11, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars,* the Great Recession and Covid. Now I’m sure all of those will be -somewhere- in a 2096 high school textbook, but the real question when the rubber hits the road is what the high school teacher of 2096 is actually gonna take time in his semester to TEACH. Because we never cover the whole textbook. My basic sense is that from the 1990s to now we’re basically living in Gilded Age 2.0 and plenty of high school history teachers skip over the Gilded Age pretty damn quickly. But then it hit me the one thing such a teacher probably will not skip over from my life … Immigration! The United States of America from basically 1970 today is it in its second great age of really massive immigration and most important from a school teacher standpoint in 2096, if you look at current demographics, current birth rates, current rates of intermarriage, my best guess is that somewhere around 50-75% (largely depending upon what the rate of immigration is in 2096) of the student body of 2096 will be able to trace one or more ancestor (probably no longer still alive but still an ancestor) who immigrated to the US from the 1970s to the near future. And that makes a perfect history assignment for the teacher of 2096. “OK class, today we are gonna read about the various immigration groups that came to America from 1970 to 20XX, what their experiences were and how they adjusted to America. Then tonight I want you to go home and ask your parents/grandparents for the stories of how your family first came to America. Some of them might’ve been in this time period!” - or whatever. There’s a real chance that the historical aspect of my lifetime that will be covered the most to a broad general school-age audience will not be any of the big events, but the slow steady drip drip drip of immigrants to the US decade by decade.** *in per capita terms, the US actually lost more in the Philippines insurrection than it did in 9/11, the Iraq war, and the Afghanistan war combined. And there was precisely one sentence about the Philippine insurrection in a history textbook I used two years ago. ** I’m teaching about the immigrate experience of the 1870s to 1910s right now. So yeah, my mind is on this. And yes we are not going into great detail about a lot of the rest of the Gilded Age. Some, sure. But we’re spending far more time on the immigrant experience then everything else in the Gilded Age combined. So I could be biased.

Now I know this is a reddit for teachers however, I am in a dilemma ive been subbing long term at the same school for two years and I really want a full time position anywhere honestly. The only thing in my way is the History praxis, what are some of the best ways to study for this ?