This document provides an overview of how social studies instruction can align with the Common Core State Standards to promote civic engagement and develop informed citizens. It discusses how the Common Core emphasizes skills like examining evidence, understanding context, and evaluating multiple perspectives. Examples are given of lessons that incorporate primary sources and apply these skills, such as having students analyze photographs to make inferences about the past. The document encourages using best practices like three-stage media analysis to teach these skills in a discipline-appropriate way. Additional resources for finding primary sources and lesson plans are also listed.

1. Social Studies
and the
Common Core quality
instruction in the
21st century
Glenn Wiebe
glennw@essdack.org
ESSDACK

2. common core
state
standards
resources
questions
examples

4. what do you
see?

8. how are they
different?
how are they
the same?

10. My name is Walking-Dog. I lived a long time ago. I am an
Osage boy. The sun is coming up. I am getting ready for a
busy day. Today my brothers and I will help our father. We
will go hunting near our home. We hunt for deer and
rabbits. We will eat some sweet, wild berries when we hunt.
My sisters will help our mother. She is cooking buffalo meat
and wild potatoes in a stew. It will cook all day long.
When we come home from hunting, we eat the buffalo stew.
Then we will sit around the fire and talk. My grandfather
tells us stories. He tells us about our history. I like to hear
my grandfather tell stories. I learn many things from my
grandfather.
The sun has gone down. It is dark in our lodge. It is time to
go to sleep. Tomorrow will be another busy day.

11. My name is Sarah. I lived a long time ago. I am a pioneer
girl. The sun is coming up. I am getting ready for a busy
day. Today my sisters and brothers and I will go to school.
I help my mother make a lunch for me to take to school. I
will take a piece of fried chicken for lunch. I will take an
apple, too. My brothers help our father. They milk the
cows. My sisters and I feed the chickens.
We walk a mile to go to school. Our teacher helps us to
read. We learn many things from our teacher at school. At
the end of the day we walk home again. After dinner
Papa reads the Bible to us. I learn many things when Papa
reads to us.
The sun has gone down. It is dark in our cabin. It is time to
go to sleep. Tomorrow will be another busy day.

12. How is your day the same and
different as Walking Dog and
Sarah?

13. Do how kids live change
depending on when and where
they live?

15. what do you know?
what do you not know?

16. Common Core
“the cogent reasoning and
use of evidence essential
to responsible citizenship
in a democratic republic.”

17. “prepare students to be
informed, thoughtful,
engaged citizens”
state standards

18. balance of
process and
content
approved
state standards

19. Choices have consequences
Individuals have rights and
responsibilities
Societies are shaped by beliefs, ideas, and
diversity
Societies experience continuity and
change over time
Relationships between people, place,
ideas, and environments are dynamic

20. new
“foundational”
indicators
focus is on
benchmarks

21. recognize and evaluate
analyze context and draw
conclusions
investigate and connect
construct/create and justify/
defend

22. Common Core
and discipline
specific
focus is on
best practices

24. but . . . not
mandated,
not tested
focus is on
appropriate
content

25. so what does this sort of
historical teaching &
learning look like?

26. examine source
information
apply evidence to
support claims
understand historical
context
evaluate multiple
accounts &
perspectives

27. examine source
information
apply evidence to
support claims
understand historical
context
evaluate multiple
accounts &
perspectives

30. examine source
information
apply evidence to
support claims
understand historical
context
evaluate multiple
accounts &
perspectives

31. three stage
media analysis
family
animals

39. a magic wand or window
frame also works

41. what is present and what is past?
can we learn about the past
from photographs?

42. Write a caption

43. did people in the
past live the
same way we
do?

44. examine source
information
apply evidence to
support claims
understand historical
context
evaluate multiple
accounts &
perspectives

46. Nina Rabbit

47. Nina Rabbit

48. Nina Rabbit
has grandmother
long hair
dark skin
tells stories

49. Nina Rabbit
has grandmother
long hair
dark skin
tells stories
no family
big ears
furry
white

50. Nina Rabbit
has grandmother
long hair
dark skin
tells stories
no family
big ears
furry
white
same town
live near beach
know same people
love dark skin
friendly

51. beach
Nina’s house
house next
to Nina’s
town square
town street

52. beach
Nina’s house
house next
to Nina’s
town square
town street

53. Literacy activities
word sorts
summarizing pyramid
book bits
quick draw for points

54. examine source
information
apply evidence to
support claims
understand historical
context
evaluate multiple
accounts &
perspectives

55. story timeline
Jeannie Baker
Window

56. The Little House

63. what are you
zinking about?

64. tip of the week
tinyurl.com/ssctip

65. Social Studies Central
www.socialstudiescentral.com

66. have more questions?
contact:
Glenn Wiebe
glennw@essdack.org
socialstudiescentral.com
historytech.wordpress.com
View presentations at:
slideshare.net/glennw98

67. Library of Congress
loc.gov/teachers
primary sources

68. archives.gov/education
National Archives
primary sources

69. socialstudies.org/notable
Notable Tradebooks
great books

70. kshs.org
Read Kansas!
great lessons

71. plimouth.org

72. nps.gov/webrangers

73. thinkfinity.org
teaching resources
ThinkFinity