While you might consider picture books to be early elementary resources, your sixth-graders are likely to enjoy a story just as much as younger children. Introducing social studies concepts with a picture book can entice your students to pay attention and become interested in the upcoming information, according to Scholastic, a company that promotes education with students and provides teachers with educational resources. There are numerous picture books that introduce information about historical events, current events and how different cultures interact with one another. Visit your school or local library and do a search on the topic you are teaching. You likely will find many options. Read the story out loud and encourage your sixth-graders to ask questions. Ask your students to write their own fictional stories as an assessment tool when your unit is over.
When your sixth-graders are permitted to be out of their seats, circulating the room and interacting with one another, they are more likely to be engaged in what they are learning. Use role-play to provide these type of opportunities, while also teaching your students social studies concepts. Encourage students to come dressed as famous people from history, ask them to write and perform plays about key historical events or have a food party where each student brings a food from a different culture. You might begin a unit by dressing as a famous person yourself or by telling a captivating story that outlines the concepts to be presented.
Most students enjoy a chance to create something, and you can use this to your advantage in your social studies classroom. Use art projects as assessment tools so your sixth-graders are able to show what they have learned. Provide clay and ask students to create topical maps about the country you are studying. Paint the maps to show the different land and water areas. Provide blank maps and markers so your students can color them. Students may also enjoy making travel brochures, illustrating biographies about famous people in history, crafting cultural clothing, making photo timelines, constructing paper plate people or creating collages about historical events.
Numerous curriculum enhancements exist that are specifically designed to get students more interested in social studies. The Junior Scholastic program, which is for middle school-aged students, is intended to educate students about the 21st century and the related challenges, according to Scholastic. The program includes mini newspapers, vocabulary words, graphs, timelines, posters and teacher support materials. Browse your local teacher store or public library for additional enhancements, such as resource books, videos and audio publications.