Raise your hand if you’ve ever shown a history video or documentary in class… only to see your students zoning out after 15 minutes.

Yup, I've been there!

Today’s students are used to short-form, high-stimulation content like TikTok and YouTube shorts, so long educational films can feel slow, even when the content is great.

In this video, I’ll share 5 practical strategies to keep your students engaged and actually learning from videos in social studies and history.

👉 Here’s what you’ll learn:

1. Purposeful Viewing Guides
2. Pause and Discuss
3. Active Note-Taking Structures
4. Movement and Roles
5. Creative Post-Video Activities

Whether you’re teaching American history, state history, or world cultures, these tips will help your students focus, engage, and remember what they watch.

Blog Post - Episode 112

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Mentioned in this episode:

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.

Ever taught a unit in September only to realize your students barely remember it by March? 😩 You’re not alone!

That’s where spiral learning comes in. In this episode, I’ll show you what spiraling is, why it works, and 4 practical strategies you can use in social studies (and beyond) to help knowledge stick.

👉 Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What is Spiraling?
• Why Spiraling is Important
• 4 Easy Strategies you can do ASAP

With a little planning, your students won’t just learn it and lose it — they’ll carry that knowledge with them all year long.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Free Social Studies Guided Lessons

Daily Passage Bundle for Social Studies

World Cultures Curriculum

Blog Post - Episode 111

Let's Connect!

Listen/watch on YouTube

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Mentioned in this episode:

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

In this bonus episode of The Social Studies Teacher Podcast, I’m giving you a timely update on some major news out of Texas. The State Board of Education has officially voted on big changes to the K–8 Social Studies TEKS, shifting to a chronological approach and creating a brand-new framework for how we teach history, geography, government, and culture. It is expected that these standards are put into effect beginning 2030.

I’ll walk you through:

• The highlights of the SBOE’s September 2025 meeting
• How each grade (K–8) will change under the new proposal
• The move from 8 strands down to 5 strands
• The timeline for implementation (likely 2030)
• What this means for your classroom right now
• 
  

If you’re a Texas teacher (or just curious about curriculum changes), this episode will help you feel prepared and confident. And don’t worry- my Smart & Simple Social Studies resources are fully aligned with the current TEKS, and I’ll continue to update everything when the time comes!

Let's Connect!

Listen/watch on YouTube

Shop TPT Resources

Instagram

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Amazon

Mentioned in this episode:

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.

Do your students groan when it’s time for vocabulary? 😩 You’re not alone! In this episode, I’ll share 4 engaging social studies vocabulary strategies that will make vocabulary instruction meaningful, fun, and effective.

We’ll start by looking at the three tiers of vocabulary (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3) and see where social studies fits in. Then, I’ll walk you through four practical strategies you can start using right away in your classroom:

1. Interactive Word Walls – bring words to life with skits, drawings, and hands-on activities.
2. Vocabulary Journals – help students build their own personalized “dictionary” for review.
3. Games and Movement – charades, four corners, bingo, and more!
4. Context and Stories – use real-world examples and storytelling to make words stick.

These vocabulary activities are perfect for upper elementary social studies teachers (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade) who want low-prep, high-impact strategies to boost student comprehension, critical thinking, and test prep.

📌 If you’re looking for ways to:

• Make social studies more engaging
• Teach vocabulary beyond boring worksheets
• Save time with easy-to-implement strategies

…this episode is for you!

Resources Mentioned:

General Social Studies: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Social-Studies-Vocabulary-Word-Wall-Cards-Bulletin-Boards-for-Upper-Elementary-12164521

Texas History: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Texas-History-4th-Grade-Vocabulary-Word-Wall-Cards-Bulletin-Boards-12313715

U.S. History: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/US-History-5th-Grade-Vocabulary-Word-Wall-Cards-Bulletin-Boards-BUNDLE-12749068

Episode 110 Blog Post

Let's Connect!

Listen/watch on YouTube

Shop TPT Resources

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Amazon

Mentioned in this episode:

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.

Looking for fun and engaging social studies activities for your upper elementary classroom? In this video, I’m sharing 4 creative and easy-to-implement social studies lessons designed for grades 3-5. These hands-on activities make history, geography, government, and culture come alive for your students while keeping planning stress-free for you!

What You'll Learn

• 4 ready-to-use activities perfect for social studies centers or whole-group lessons
• Ideas that build critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
• Ways to integrate history and geography with engaging projects
• Low-prep activities that work with any social studies curriculum

Whether you’re teaching 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade, these activities will help you create meaningful and interactive lessons that your students will love.

Resources Mentioned:

Daily Passage Review Bundle

Guided Notes Texas History

Guided Notes Upper Elementary

Project Bundle

All Learning Stations

Guided Curriculum

Blog Post - Episode 109

Let's Connect!

Listen/watch on YouTube

Shop TPT Resources

Instagram

Website

Amazon

Mentioned in this episode:

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.

Looking for fun, engaging, and low-prep ideas for your reading block? In this video, I’m sharing 5 ELA reading stations and literacy center activities perfect for grades 3–5. These stations are designed to build reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and writing skills - all while keeping students actively engaged!

📚 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ How to set up 5 easy reading stations

✔️ Literacy center activities that save you time

✔️ Differentiation tips for upper elementary classrooms

✔️ Strategies to keep students motivated and on task

Whether you’re a 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade teacher, these ideas will help you run effective and fun literacy centers that support every reader in your classroom.

Resources Mentioned:

Reading Response Menu Bundle

Writing Response Menu Bundle

Grammar and Vocabulary Task Card Bundle

Internet WebQuest Bundle

Academic Vocabulary Word of the Week - Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5

Blog Post - Episode 108

Let's Connect!

Listen/watch on YouTube

Shop TPT Resources

Instagram

Website

Amazon

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

Looking for engaging, low-prep social studies-themed stations that work for your upper elementary classroom? In this episode of The Social Studies Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing 7 flexible station ideas that can fit into your ELA block, dedicated social studies time, or even a fun Social Studies Friday rotation!

📚 Whether you teach 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade and only have 30 minutes (if you're lucky!), these stations will help you reinforce reading skills like main idea, summarizing, and inferencing - all while covering key social studies topics.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

✔️ Daily Social Studies Passages

✔️ Task Cards

✔️ Primary Source Analysis

✔️ WebQuests

✔️ Journals & Writing Reflections

✔️ Digital Interactive Tools

✔️ Small Group Station Ideas

💡 You’ll also learn how to differentiate with ease, incorporate these into your existing rotations, and why you don’t need to launch all 7 stations at once.

Mentioned in the episode:

🔗 Smart & Simple Social Studies Membership (with built-in station activities!)

🔗 Episode 107 Blog Post

🔗 Related post: 5 Literacy ELA Centers

Let's Connect!

Listen/watch on YouTube

Shop TPT Resources

Instagram

Website

Amazon

Mentioned in this episode:

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.

🎉 Plan the First 10 Days of Social Studies with Me! 🎉

In today’s episode, we’re planning out the first 10 days of your social studies block together. Whether you teach 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade, this episode is packed with low-prep, engaging activities to help you start the year strong.

I’ll walk you through:

✔️ How to build classroom community from Day 1

✔️ Tips for setting up interactive notebooks

✔️ When (and how!) to introduce warmups and guided lessons

✔️ How to gradually build routines for a smooth year ahead

✔️ Examples of what I used to do in my own upper elementary classroom

Even if you have 20 or 30 minutes for social studies, you’ll find helpful ideas you can tweak to fit your schedule and grade level.

Related Blog Posts

🔗 Fun SS Activities for the 1st Week of School

🔗 Fun SS Activities for the 2nd Week of School

🔗 How to Set Up Interactive Notebooks

Mentioned Resources:

🛒 Back-to-School Social Studies Activities

🛒 Interactive SS Notebook Covers

🛒 Daily Social Studies Warmups + Guided Curriculum

Download the free back to school guide for Texas Teachers!

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

Feeling overwhelmed trying to fit social studies into your school year? In this episode, I’ll walk you through how to map out a yearlong pacing plan for upper elementary social studies - whether you teach geography, history, government, economics, or culture.

I’ll break it down quarter by quarter and show you how to plan realistically and effectively, even with limited time in your schedule.

📚 Perfect for 3rd–5th grade teachers who want:

• A clear social studies pacing guide
• Tips for balancing standards across the year
• Real solutions that work in real classrooms

Links and Resources

Episode 105 - Blog Post

✅ Want a done-for-you pacing guide and resources? Check out my Smart and Simple Social Studies Guided Curriculum: https://thesouthernteach.com/social-studies-curriculum/

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

Social studies often gets pushed to the back burner in elementary classrooms. But why? In this episode, I’m breaking down the two biggest challenges upper elementary social studies teachers face and sharing real solutions you can use starting tomorrow.

Whether you’re struggling with limited time, lack of resources, or just feeling unsure where to start, you’re not alone - and there are solutions. If you want to teach engaging, standards-aligned social studies without the overwhelm, this video is for you.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• The top 2 challenges upper elementary teachers face with social studies
• Why these issues are so common across schools
• Simple, actionable ways to bring social studies back into your weekly routine

OG Blog Post

Famous People in History

Teaching Literary Nonfiction

Check out the Guided Curriculum

Learn more about the Membership

School Subscriptions for Texas Teachers

Mentioned in this episode:

Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!

Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!

Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource

Free Guided Lesson Sampler for Texas Social Studies Teachers

Looking for a ready-to-use social studies lesson for your grade level? Grab a free guided lesson sample created specifically for Texas teachers.