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Research has shown that incorporating the arts into classroom curriculum not only holds students’ attention longer, but their recall of what they have learned is better, as well. What if teachers incorporated some of the arts into their social studies curriculum? Allowing students to act out dramas of historical events is a great teaching strategy for teacher’s in the elementary level. This allows history to come to life in front of the students’ eyes. Assigning specific roles to students will allow them to learn through the perspective of that person. Skits are one option, but students could also perform interviews, newscasts, and even musicals. While the class in presenting the drama, the spectating students could be filling in a bubble map, or some sort of chart that will layout the information they learn from the skit, play, etc. This allows all students to be engaged throughout the entire lesson. For the older elementary students, writing a script for a play would also be a great learning tool. This lesson could be differentiated by allowing certain students the option to research an event, write a script, and perform it to the class.

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Incorporating debates into your social studies curriculum and teachings are a great way to fully engage your students. Not only do classroom debates allow students to work together in groups (teamwork) and develop essential presentation skills, they also encourage students to use their voice and be passionate about their ideas. Debates develop and strengthen critical thinking skills in students of all ages. Debates are a wonderful tool to use in upper grades (3-5) but can also be used in lower grades as well.

When teaching social studies, it’s imperative for teachers to teach more than one perspective. When using debates in the classroom, students are presenting their perspective while also listening to their classmates’ thoughts and opinions.

In the social studies classroom, debate topics are endless. In 4thgrade, a Georgia Performance Standard calls for the explanation of the causes, events, and results of the American Revolution. In a debate, half the class could take the side of America and why they deserve freedom, and the other side takes the side of the British.

The typical classroom debate is usually set up something like this:

The teacher presents a topic to the class.

The class divides up onto two different sides of the classroom.

Both sides are given a certain amount of time to gather and organize their thoughts and main points.

Both sides will go back and forth presenting their ideas in a polite manner.

Teacher acts as a moderator.

However, there are MANY ways you could conduct a debate in your classroom.

Here are a few examples:

o   Four Corners Debate
https://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp304-04.shtml

o   Role Play Debate

https://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp304-02.shtml

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This teaching strategy is called the KWL Chart (know, what, and learn). This chart would be a great tool to use right before beginning a social studies lesson. The teacher will handout the KWL chart to the class prior to instruction. This chart has a know, what, and learn column. This chart is a great tool to activate student’s prior knowledge and reflect on what they learned from the lesson. The students will fill in the last column of the chart (learn) at the end of the lesson. This lesson could be differentiated by allowing students to tell a teacher their questions and answers, instead of writing them. This would be a great tool for teachers to see what their students fully understand, and what topics they need further instruction.