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Virtual Field Trip Opportunities for People at Home with Dementia
Today more than ever, older adults are choosing to remain in their homes and age in place. My Sittee (Arabic for grandmother) lived at...
Michelle McDonald
Feb 12 min read
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3 New Stations Activities for Your World History Class
I'm hearing from social studies teachers across grade levels that the struggle with AI and students simply Googling answers is becoming...
Michelle McDonald
Jan 283 min read
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How to Make Ancient China Geography Fun and Interactive for Students
Teaching geography can feel like a daunting task, especially when the subject spans across the history and geography of Ancient China....
Michelle McDonald
Dec 28, 20242 min read
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How to Hold a Mock Election In Your Elementary Class This 2024
Civic education is an important aspect of teaching social studies, and right now during the 2024 election season is a great opportunity...
Michelle McDonald
Oct 4, 20246 min read
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Fun and Low Prep Grandparents Day Celebration Activity for Elementary
If you are celebrating Grandparents Day in your elementary classroom and need a fun, but low-prep activity during your celebration, I've...
Michelle McDonald
Aug 24, 20242 min read
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An Engaging Interactive Activity to Help You Teach the Italian Renaissance
If you are teaching the Italian Renaissance after your Middle Ages unit, this interactive virtual field trip will help you bring history...
Michelle McDonald
Aug 9, 20242 min read
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New to Teaching Social Studies? I've Got You Covered!
If this is your first year teaching social studies and you want to get a head start on planning, I've got you covered. Maybe you've...
Michelle McDonald
Jul 9, 20242 min read
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The Ultimate Summer Book Club for Social Studies Teachers
For the past few years, I've been sharing my summer book recommendations. I've heard from so many of you that you love having a book list...
Michelle McDonald
Jun 16, 20242 min read
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How to Find Your State Social Studies Standards
Did you know that every U.S. state has outlined its own set of social studies standards? And we're not talking about the Common Core...
Michelle McDonald
Jun 11, 20243 min read
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How To Prepare When Teaching A Tough Topic With Your Students
If you are getting ready to teach a sensitive or tough topic with your students, it can be especially helpful to do some prep work. No...
Michelle McDonald
May 21, 20243 min read
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Social Studies Activities for the End of the Year
If you are looking for meaningful end-of-year social studies activities to keep your students engaged, check out these great ideas!
Michelle McDonald
May 9, 20244 min read
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4 Easy Activities to Celebrate Earth Day All Month
Even though Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 each year, learning about earth and human activity can be taught all month long, and...
Michelle McDonald
Apr 5, 20243 min read
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Free Social Studies Lessons Round-Up
Since 2012 I've been sharing social studies resources that I've created either for my own classroom or have been the result of teachers...
Michelle McDonald
Feb 27, 20241 min read
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Quick and Easy Sub Plans for Your Social Studies Class
I don't know about you, but I was one of those teachers who struggled to take my sick days. Creating lesson plans to leave for a...
Michelle McDonald
Feb 13, 20242 min read
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Seven Wonders of the World Virtual Tour for Students
I'm so excited to share with you my latest virtual field trip that will take your students on an interactive journey to each of the Seven...
Michelle McDonald
Jan 30, 20242 min read
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Embark on a Classroom Adventure: A Virtual Field Trip to Explore Caves!
Are you ready to take your students on a thrilling journey into the mysterious world beneath our feet? Say goodbye to traditional lesson...
Michelle McDonald
Jan 16, 20242 min read
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Unearth the Excitement: A Mining Virtual Field Trip Adventure
Are you on the lookout for an engaging and low-prep activity that seamlessly blends science and geography into an unforgettable learning...
Michelle McDonald
Jan 9, 20242 min read
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Cultivating Cultural Awareness In The Classroom: Travel Etiquette Activity
If your students embark on any of my virtual field trips, I encourage you to delve into this free bonus lesson all about travel etiquette...
Michelle McDonald
Dec 30, 20232 min read
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The 2023 Gift Guide for the Social Studies Teacher
This gift guide is a great place to start for meaningful gift ideas for the social studies teacher in your life.
Michelle McDonald
Dec 11, 20233 min read
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Teach Your Students About the Crazy Horse Memorial: An Important U.S. Landmark
Do you teach a thematic unit on U.S. landmarks or symbols? I want to encourage you to add an important monument to your list--the Crazy...
Michelle McDonald
Nov 7, 20232 min read
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A Virtual Field Trip to the Caribbean for Middle School
As a middle school teacher, you understand the need to find engaging and immersive experiences to ignite your student's passion for...
Michelle McDonald
Oct 24, 20233 min read
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The Importance of Teaching Map Skills and How I've Got You Covered
In today's digital age, it's easy for students to rely solely on GPS and smartphones to get from point A to point B. However, there is...
Michelle McDonald
Oct 10, 20234 min read
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Exploring Jamestown's Rich History: A Virtual Field Trip for Upper Elementary Students
When I was teaching upper elementary, I was always on the lookout for engaging and educational social studies activities. If you are...
Michelle McDonald
Oct 3, 20233 min read
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Easy Ways to Live Sustainably and Ecofriendly on a Teacher Budget
Over the past few years, I have been making transitions to live more sustainably and include more eco-friendly choices in my daily life....
Michelle McDonald
Sep 26, 20235 min read
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Exploring Ancient Wonders: A Virtual Field Trip to Petra for 6th Grade
Over the past few years, virtual field trips have become an incredible way to engage students in immersive learning experiences. If you...
Michelle McDonald
Sep 19, 20232 min read
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Immerse Your Students in California Mission History with a Virtual Field Trip
Are you searching for an interactive way to teach your students about the history and cultural significance of the California Missions?...
Michelle McDonald
Sep 12, 20232 min read
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Learn How to Thrive in Your First Year of Teaching with this Framework
Are you a new teacher on a rollercoaster ride of emotions? If that resonates with you, I completely understand! Balancing teaching and...
Michelle McDonald
Aug 29, 20236 min read
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How to Go Beyond the Outdated Textbook to Teach the Lewis and Clark Expedition
As educators, we strive to provide our students with rich, diverse, and engaging learning experiences that go beyond the confines of...
Michelle McDonald
Aug 22, 20232 min read
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4 Things Social Studies Teachers Should Know About PragerU
As teachers, we know that our students deserve a high-quality social studies education. So often our schools do not provide any materials...
Michelle McDonald
Aug 15, 20233 min read
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4 Back to School Teacher Planning Tips That Get Overlooked
As we get into Back to School season, there are so many things to prep and plan. Maybe this is the year that you will make your lunches...
Michelle McDonald
Aug 8, 20234 min read
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Step Back in Time: A Virtual Field Trip to the Dust Bowl
Technology has opened up endless possibilities for education, including virtual field trips. As a teacher, you have the opportunity to...
Michelle McDonald
Jul 11, 20232 min read
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Why You Need to Attend the 2023 First Year Teacher Summit
I'm so excited to share that registration is open for the 2023 First Year Teacher Summit! This is the first virtual event of its kind...
Michelle McDonald
Jul 4, 20232 min read
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Explore the Tracks of History: A Virtual Field Trip on the Transcontinental Railroad
Virtual field trips have become a popular way for educators to provide students with engaging and interactive learning experiences,...
Michelle McDonald
Jun 27, 20232 min read
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Build a Healthy Rapport with your Colleagues as a First Year Teacher
If you are a new teacher or maybe a teacher working in a new building, having a good rapport with your colleagues might be new waters to...
Michelle McDonald
Jun 20, 20234 min read
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Four Inspiring Book Recommendations for Teachers to Read Over Summer Break
This post contains affiliate links to make it easier for you to find the books shared in this post. Summer break provides a well-deserved...
Michelle McDonald
Jun 13, 20232 min read
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An Easy and Low Prep End of Unit Assessment: One Pagers
Are you tired of assigning tests for your social studies units? I want to share an easy-to-implement end-of-unit project that gets...
Michelle McDonald
Jun 6, 20232 min read
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Step Into Your First Teacher Interview With Confidence: 5 Tips
Preparing for your first interview can be nerve-wracking and it's one of the most commonly asked questions within the First Year Teacher...
Michelle McDonald
Jun 1, 20233 min read
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Why Setting Healthy Boundaries are Essential in the Teaching Profession
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “teachers do it for the outcome, not for the income.” I want to take a moment to dismantle this concept...
Michelle McDonald
May 24, 20236 min read
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US History Gilded Age Interactive Activity to Spark Engagement & Curiosity
I don't know about you, but I find that students are especially intrigued when we learn about the Gilded Age. Maybe it's the glitz, glam,...
Michelle McDonald
May 16, 20232 min read
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How Much is Your Teaching Prep Time Worth, Really?
Have you ever considered how much your prep time is really worth (in dollars)? One of my biggest teaching hurdles was figuring out how to...
Michelle McDonald
May 4, 20232 min read
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How to Make Significant Reading Gains with Social Studies Instruction
You have likely seen the recent headlines about pandemic learning loss, and the impacts of remote learning. The data from the National...
Michelle McDonald
Apr 18, 20233 min read
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The Teacher Productivity Hack You Need To Help You Beat Overwhelm
Do you have sticky notes covering your computer screen or all around your desk? Maybe you have a long to-do list that feels overwhelming...
Michelle McDonald
Apr 11, 20233 min read
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How to Effectively use Collaborative Posters in Your History Classroom
I don't know about you, but I've always had a hard time finding meaningful social studies classroom decor. If you are looking for an easy...
Michelle McDonald
Apr 4, 20232 min read
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Grab a Free Collaborative Poster to Create an Easy Bulletin Board Display
If you're looking for a fun and easy bulletin board display, check out this free collaborative poster! If you take your students on my...
Michelle McDonald
Mar 28, 20231 min read
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Experience History: Titanic Virtual Field Trip for Grades 5 through 7
Take your students on a virtual field trip to learn all about the RMS Titanic! Enhance your social studies lessons with an interactive...
Michelle McDonald
Mar 28, 20232 min read
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10 Resources for Celebrating Women's History Month in Your Classroom
As we celebrate Women's History Month during the month of March, here are 10 helpful resources to help you uplift and celebrate the...
Michelle McDonald
Mar 14, 20232 min read
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10 Helpful Resources for Teaching Black History in Your Classroom All Year
James Baldwin said, "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." As I am writing this, it...
Michelle McDonald
Feb 8, 20232 min read
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Teach the Underground Railroad in a Meaningful and Sensitive Way
Does your textbook only contain one paragraph about the Underground Railroad? Maybe it's a simple sidebar that leaves your students with...
Michelle McDonald
Feb 1, 20233 min read
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5 Methods for Adding Movement to Your Social Studies Lessons
One of the most commonly asked questions I get is how to add more movement to social studies class. If you find that teaching social...
Michelle McDonald
Jan 10, 20233 min read
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5 Ways to Build Mental Strength as a First Year Teacher
Are you a first-year teacher drowning in work, feeling like you are being pulled in multiple directions, and struggling to find that...
Michelle McDonald
Jan 4, 20235 min read
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