The Social Studies Teacher's Toolbox

Social studies teachers will find classroom-tested lessons and strategies that can be easily implemented in the classroom

The Teacher’s Toolbox series is an innovative, research-based resource providing teachers with instructional strategies for students of all levels and abilities. Each book in the collection focuses on a specific content area. Clear, concise guidance enables teachers to quickly integrate low-prep, high-value lessons and strategies in their middle school and high school classrooms. Every strategy follows a practical, how-to format established by the series editors.

The Social Studies Teacher's Toolbox contains hundreds of student-friendly classroom lessons and teaching strategies. Clear and concise chapters, fully aligned to Common Core Social Studies standards and National Council for the Social Studies standards, cover the underlying research, technology based options, practical classroom use, and modification of each high-value lesson and strategy. 

This book employs a hands-on approach to help educators quickly learn and apply proven methods and techniques in their social studies courses. Topics range from reading and writing in social studies and tools for analysis, to conducting formative and summative assessments, differentiating instruction, motivating students, incorporating social and emotional learning and culturally responsive teaching. Easy-to-read content shows how and why social studies should be taught and how to make connections across history, geography, political science, and beyond. Designed to reduce instructor preparation time and increase relevance, student engagement, and comprehension, this book: 

• Explains the usefulness, application, and potential drawbacks of each instructional strategy
• Provides fresh activities applicable to all classrooms
• Helps social studies teachers work with ELLs, advanced students, and students with learning differences
• Offers real-world guidance for addressing current events while covering standards and working with textbooks

The Social Studies Teacher's Toolbox is an invaluable source of real-world lessons, strategies, and techniques for general education teachers and social studies specialists, as well as resource specialists/special education teachers, elementary and secondary educators, and teacher educators.

"The Social Studies Teacher's Toolbox is a must-read for every social studies teacher. The strategies in this book will engage students across the country, add to their analytical skills, and make stronger teachers out of any reader." - Michelle Voelker, ELA/History Teacher, Area 3 Writing Project Teacher Consultant

"As I read The Social Studies Teacher's Toolbox I thought to myself, "This is a book that any teacher could use, regardless of the content." The emphasis on literacy and culturally responsive teaching strategies as well as the inclusion of ideas for meeting all students' needs sets this book apart. Ramos and Johnson's book is a must for every social studies teacher." - Karen Smith, Director, Area 3 Writing Project, UC Davis

"This piece is foundational and exceptionally written for social science teachers and beyond. It lays the groundwork and provides the tools that really capture the essence of this powerful profession in the social sciences in preparing and setting up our students for success."- Karina Figueroa-Ramírez, M.Ed., Educational Equity Coordinator, Faculty Student Mentor Program Coordinator, College of Education - Sacramento State

"This welcome addition to the Toolbox Series draws on the author's own experiences and the experiences of their students. The Social Studies Teacher's Toolbox has a coherent and well organized approach for teachers who want to implement proven practices and effective strategies for learning Social Studies, in particular teachers serving culturally and linguistically diverse youth and their communities."- Janet I Hecsh, PhD, College of Education, California State University, Sacramento

"Elizabeth and Evelyn, current veteran teachers, provide a well-organized, easy to follow, research-based resource full of classroom-tested instructional strategies and lessons that can be used tomorrow. A must-have practical toolkit that will become a well-tabbed go back to resource for any teacher or instructional coach looking for ways to make social studies curriculum accessible and come alive for all students with the use of low-prep, move beyond the textbook ideas that engage and foster effective student-centered learning." - Linda Biewer-Elstob, Instructional Coach Davis Joint Unified School District

"The Social Studies Teacher's Toolbox is a must-read for the Social Science teachers striving to teach more inclusive and accessible content. The chapters detail the research behind the strategies, ways to successfully engage students, support for English language learners, and extensions for advanced learners that make any worthwhile subject both intriguing and rigorous."- Dominique Williams, Social Science Teacher, Contributing author of "The Struggle for Ethnic Studies in the Golden State: Capitol City Organizers and Activists" in the book Rethinking Ethnic Studies

"Ramos and Johnson's book masterfully weaves discipline specific strategies for any social studies classroom with straightforward, plainspoken, classroom tested examples teachers can immediately use. It's a must for any new or seasoned social studies teacher."- Jed Larsen, Middle/High School Social Studies Teacher, Gilder Lehrman California History Teacher of the Year (2011), Social Studies Teacher, Contributor to the UC Davis History Project

ELISABETH JOHNSON teaches Social Studies to both mainstream and English language learners at Luther Burbank High School, in Sacramento, California. She is a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT), a teacher consultant with the Area 3 Writing Project at the University of California, Davis, and has led teacher development trainings at the San Joaquin County Office of Education. She has taught at the secondary level for 13 years.

EVELYN RAMOS LAMARR teaches Social Studies to mainstream and International Baccalaureate students at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California, and is a teaching consultant with the Area 3 Writing Project at the University of California, Davis. She has taught mainstream and English language learners at the secondary level for 12 years, and helped create curriculum for, and pilot, the Ethnic Studies course in the Sacramento City Unified School District.

LARRY FERLAZZO teaches English, Social Studies, and International Baccalaureate classes to English language learners and others at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California. He is the author and co-author of nine books, including The ELL Teacher's Toolbox, and writes a weekly teacher advice column for Education Week Teacher. He is the recipient of the Ford Foundation's Leadership for a Changing World Award and winner of the International Reading Association Award for Technology and Reading.

KATIE HULL SYPNIESKI has taught English language learners and others at the secondary level for over twenty years. She teaches middle school English Language Arts and Social Studies at Fern Bacon Middle School in Sacramento, California, and leads professional development for educators as a consultant with the Area 3 Writing Project at the University of California, Davis. She is co-author of several books including The ELL Teacher's Toolbox.

Proven Lessons and Strategies That Can be Easily Implemented in Any Social Studies Classroom The Social Studies Teacher's Toolbox provides hundreds of student-friendly classroom lessons and teaching strategies for middle school and high school students of all levels and abilities. Written for teachers by teachers, this book offers accessible, step-by-step guidance for implementing high-value educational activities and proven teaching strategies for a wide range of classrooms and students such as English language learners, advanced students, and students with learning differences. Part of the respected Teacher's Toolbox series, this book helps reduce your lesson plan preparation time and increase student engagement in any social studies class. A research-based approach enables you to easily incorporate classroom-tested educational strategies that can be used as part of multiple lessons and across units. The authors cover the underlying research, required technology, real-world application, and potential drawbacks of each instructional strategy. Clear, concise chapters contain hundreds of activities that adhere to Common Core Social Studies standards and National Council for the Social Studies, helping you address current events, work with statistics, maps, primary source analysis, and integrate evidence-based writing. You'll also discover how to conduct simulations and mock trials, get the most out of textbooks, and much more. Topics range from key reading and writing strategies and basic analysis tools to formative and summative assessments, differentiating instruction, social and emotional learning. The book includes links to additional resources and student handouts. Filled with beneficial lessons and strategies, The Social Studies Teacher's Toolbox is an indispensable resource for general education teachers and social studies specialists alike.

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