The One Lesson I Remember From Jr. High

  When someone asks me about my junior high social studies classes, I can tell them very little. I just turned 40 this year, so junior high was quite some time ago. Also, most of my social studies classes consisted of lecture, reading the textbook, and answering the questions at the end of the section. Or worksheets.There was one lesson though that I can recall … Continue reading The One Lesson I Remember From Jr. High

Generation Gaps, Social Studies, and Learning Through Language

Sandhya Narayanan is just one of the women speaking at our Expand the Field event on Tuesday, February 11, 2019. Learn more about the events and get tickets here! National Geographic Explorer Sandhya Narayanan grew up hearing five different languages spoken at home (Malayalam, Hindi, English, Tamil, and Bengali) and many more spoken around her in the international city of Toronto. This multilingual environment made … Continue reading Generation Gaps, Social Studies, and Learning Through Language

Educator Spotlight: Mapping with Household Materials

Ryan Lipford, this week’s Educator of the Week, challenged his students to create three-dimensional maps using data that interested them and household materials as cartography tools. Ryan teaches World Geography and Cultures to 7th graders and Modern World History to 10th graders at Edmund Burke School in Washington, D.C. How would you describe yourself as a teacher, or what is your teaching philosophy? I tend … Continue reading Educator Spotlight: Mapping with Household Materials

Educator Spotlight: First Graders Take On Community Accessibility

Ellie Clin, this week’s Educator of the Week, led her students through an inquiry-based accessibility study that culminated in a service learning project. Her students went door-to-door selling low-cost ramps that make single-step storefronts wheelchair-accessible. Ellie is a first-grade teacher at the Grove Community School in Toronto.  Learn more about Ellie by reading her blog or reaching out to her on twitter. You’ve said that you … Continue reading Educator Spotlight: First Graders Take On Community Accessibility

Educator Spotlight: Design a Civilization

Brian Cushing, Ronny Smith, and Anthony Green, this week’s Educators of the Week, challenged their students to be creative and design their own sustainable civilizations. This teacher team works at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, California. The post was written in collaboration with the group. Activity: Design a Civilization Grade Level: 9 Time Commitment: About three weeks What would you do if you’d been … Continue reading Educator Spotlight: Design a Civilization