Powerful Social Studies

1. Active

1.1. Continuous questioning to prompt thought in the children

1.2. Center activities are well planned to monitor students learning, encourage reflective and social discussion, and provoke further inquiry

2. Challenging

2.1. High expectations and a lot of new concepts (Winter Solstice book choice)

2.2. A constant regurgitation of new information learned in class: having the students reteach what was learned and always asking "why is that?" to push students to explain further

3. Meaningful

3.1. Students were given hands on activities to help engage them and to provide an opportunity to apply knowledge learned in a real life setting (making rice pudding for a holiday)

3.2. Word center allowed students to share words that represented winter for them. This provided students to connect with the lesson on a personal level by applying words that symbolize winter for them

4. Integrative

4.1. Linking social and science together (Light holiday with revolutions around the sun)

4.2. Centers based on themes from the lesson at hand

5. Value-Based

5.1. Developing cultural awareness by studying a multitude of different holidays

5.2. Relating to others' points-of-view regarding holidays