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Social Studies: Disciplinary Skills

The Social Studies Disciplinary skill framework gives students the opportunity to engage in disciplinary practices that are true to the field of Social Studies, making learning not only more authentic, but relevant.

Teacher Planning - Before the Learning Experience

Select Learning Experience

Determine the Knowledge Building Instructional Experiences students will engage in: 

  • Reading to Learn: Students interact with a secondary source in order to build background knowledge on a topic. This learning experience is oftentimes facilitated through a whole group read-aloud. Strategic questioning throughout the reading of the secondary source is a must during this learning experience. 
  • Targeted Source Analysis: Students interact with a targeted primary source that allows them to apply their knowledge of a topic in order to continue to build a deep understanding of a social studies phenomenon. This can be done independently, in small groups, or as a whole group exercise. 
  • Mini-Lecture: Teacher prepares an introduction to New Materials that is concise and can be applied immediately within the lesson. This learning experience should have a clear organizational structure (i.e. 2-3 key topics) that is easily identified in the delivery of the mini-lecture. Images and other visual supports are a must during this learning experience

Plan Learning Experience

  • Read and Annotate all reading materials prior to introducing to students. 
    • Script out strategic questions that will help students to make connections between knowledge of the topic and source they are exploring. 
  • Determine Lexile Level of any Reading
    • Make adjustments for students as needed. 
  • Plan pauses that allow for student processing of the material. 
    • Turn and Talks
    • Stop and Write
    • Mini-Whole Group Discussions
  • Plan for opportunities to check for understanding to inform instructional actions. 
    • Polls
    • Mini-Quizzes
    • White-board Multiple Choice Questions
  • Plan how students will engage with the source analysis: 
    • Whole Group Source Analysis
    • Partner Analysis
    • Independent Processing
  • Plan your visual presentation - What will students see that will help support their learning? 
    • What vocabulary terms will you need to highlight for students using visuals to make them more meaningful?
  • Plan how you will connect the source to the knowledge of the topic or theme you are targeting.

Teacher Actions - During the Learning Experience

  • Use a timer to keep you on track with your instructional planning. 
  • Monitor student learning during the student processing opportunities. 
    • Use a clipboard with students names
    • Monitor students work digitally (i.e. Nearpod)
    • Create a path for strategic monitoring of your classroom. 
  • Hold students accountable to answer Check for Understanding questions. 
    • No student is allowed to opt out to ensure data is true to what is happening in the entire classroom. 
  • Adjust for data received during Check for Understanding opportunities. 
    • Address whole group trends (Whole Group Misconceptions)
    • Check in with students who need support (one-off misconceptions)

Student Actions - What should we see during the learning experience?

ALL STUDENTS ARE:

  • Actively engaged in processing of material. [All students are involved in the processing opportunities].
  • Discussing or being able to talk out their understanding of the content in meaningful ways.
    • Turn and Talks or Partner Check ins
  • Answering the check for understanding in order to ensure accurate data.