The document serves as a toolkit for educators on implementing Common Core standards while inspiring student engagement through local history and exploration. It emphasizes that education should be adaptable to individual students' needs and encourages the use of various materials to make history tangible. Additionally, it provides guidelines for creating lesson plans based on historic sites and resources available for mobile access.

1. Christina Ritter
Cmritter6@gmail.com
Senior at Marist College
B.A. Psychology/Special Education
(Elementary Education)
Adolescent History Education
Minor in Hudson River Valley Regional Studies
Public History Concentration
Open Space Institute Barnabas McHenry Award in Historic Preservation:
Dutchess County
Social Studies Toolkit
for Educators

3. Who’s Afraid
of the
Common Core?

4. COMPETITIVE
Streamline

8. • The Standards do not dictate curriculum. They
are expectations for student growth.
• Education is NOT “one size fits all.”
• You know your students, community, and school.
• You know your strengths and weaknesses as an
educator.
• Students benefit from confidence, creativity, and
flexibility.
• Don’t work to meet the Common Core Standards, make them
work to meet YOUR standards.
REMEMBER!

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The toolkit includes:

11. “game-plan”
your
inspiration
students.

12. Inspiration
Materials
Assess and adapt
Goals/Standards
Execute

13. Inspiration
Stay inspired.
Visit historic sites, parks and museums. Take a second
look at streets, old buildings, farms, interesting
architecture– you never know what stories they can tell.
Walk with a curious eye, and encourage students to do
the same by pointing out the unique aspects of the
familiar.
Figure out what sparks your interest, and what your
students will respond to, the rest will fall into place.

14. Materials
Collect everything.
Maps, brochures, guidebooks, artifacts,
photographs, etc.
Have an arsenal of primary sources and visual
aids to bring into the classroom. History comes
to life when it is brought out of black and white
text on a page and made tangible.
These materials may be used in future lessons
and across subjects.Encourage students to visit sites and add materials to a class collection.

15. Assess and adapt
Start planning.
Take a look at your materials, research the subject, and
see where it fits in your curriculum.
Time period?
Historic Concept?
Skill?
Once you decide on a direction, gather more information
and resources related to the specific domain.

16. Goals/Standards
Fill in the gaps.
Your lesson idea will most likely meet a number of Common Core
Standards already.
Many of the Standards are benchmarks and skills that occur naturally
when conducting traditional lessons and activities.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts
to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2a Introduce a topic clearly and group
related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting
(e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2b Develop the topic with facts, definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples
related to the topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2c Link ideas within categories of
information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for
example, also, because).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2d Use precise language and domain-
specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2e Provide a concluding statement or
section related to the information or explanation presented.
Look through the Standards,
and consider other activities,
projects, and assignments
that meet them.
Don’t sacrifice your own
classroom goals,
social/behavioral goals,
and individual student
List every standard met.

17. Execute
Do it.
Bring the subject to life with confidence and excitement.
Focus on student engagement, not meeting standards.
Encourage site visits outside of school to further regional
exploration.

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The toolkit includes:

22. Mobile SiteAccess the full range of resources from your mobile device!
DutchessToolkit.weebly.com

24. Browse
lesson plans
anywhere!

25. Each group will receive a set of Common Core Standards
Reading Informational Text
Writing
History/Social Studies
Use the brainstorming template to outline a creative and unique social studies lesson based on
an historic site, museum, or other place of interest. Use a site that you or members of your
group have visited, or discover a new site in the map guides and booklets provided.
• Choose anywhere that interests you.
• Write as many details as you can about various interesting aspects of the site– landscape,
architecture, residents, location, events, etc.
• Make a materials wish list. What would you ideally want to have in order to teach about
this site? Artifacts, documents, costumes, videos, etc.
• Narrow the scope of the lesson– focus on skills and concepts that students should walk
away with. How will you teach it?
• Look through the standards and see which you have met.