Social studies can best be learned as a group effort. Desks in groups can promote social togetherness, however it may leave your classroom very chatty. Arranging the desks in a "U" shape around the room can spark discussions in the class. Additionally, everyone is in the front row so it will cut down on turned heads. Once the desks have been arranged, draw up a seating chart and assign student seats on the first day.
Chatty students can not only be a distraction from your lesson but students around them can be disrupted. If students are constantly chatting, one way to get their attention is to stop talking and wait for silence. They may continue talking until they realize the teacher has stopped. Once the room is silent teaching can resume.
Plan for more activities than you think you will get through in one class period. A bored class can quickly escalate into a rowdy class. As a teacher, it is important to realize that not everything will go according to plan. An activity or worksheet you allotted 20 minutes for may take no time at all for the students to complete. Over-planning will help move the lesson along as well as keep the class focused on the next task.
Students respond well to boundaries, so it is important for you to establish your classroom rules and regulations during the first day of class. Hand out individual copies of the rules and have students place them in the front of their folders or binders. Remember, it is much harder to fairly discipline a student if they were not aware of your rules in the first place.