Overview

Social studies is the integration of knowledge and human experience for the purpose of citizenship. Students gain knowledge of history, civics and government, geography, and economics; understand the interaction between and among history, the social sciences and humanities, and apply that knowledge and understanding as responsible citizens.

CSDE Curriculum, Instruction And Assessment Publications

• New: Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Standards (2024)
• Resources for teaching Hispanic Heritage Month
• Teaching Native American Studies
• Teaching the Holocaust and Genocide 
• Connecticut Labor and Working Class History 
• Recognition Program for Veterans
• Red, White and Blue Schools
• Inquiry in Connecticut's Social Studies Classrooms Webinar Series
• Position Statement on Comprehensive Social Studies Education for all Students K-12 and Beyond
• Position Statement on International Education and Exchange - (Adopted March 4, 2009) includes guidance for policymakers.

Teachers & Administrators

• Hearst Foundation U.S. Senate Youth Program
  • Connecticut Students Selected for United States Senate Youth Program
• American History Teacher of the Year
• Connecticut Shandong School Partnership Program
• Milken Family Foundation – National Educator Awards Program

Teaching Resources

Connecticut History

• Connecticut Historical Society: This site contains information on current exhibits, as well as provides access to the many collections CHS houses, such as the Civil War Collection, Manuscripts, Graphics, African American Resources, and Art and artifacts of Connecticut history.
• Connecticut’s Heritage Gateway: This site, a product of the Connecticut Humanities Council, provides information on Connecticut's history. It highlights cultural heritage sites around CT, contains a resource link for teachers to find and share curriculum materials and lesson plans on CT history, an online encyclopedia and archives of the Public Records of the Colony of CT from 1636-1776.
• Connecticut History Online: This site features images of photographs, drawings, and prints from the beginning of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, all accompanied by detailed descriptions. It contains suggestions for interpreting and exploring the images for use in the middle school or high school classroom. Lesson plans and activities will be added in the future.
• Mark Twain House: This site contains information about Mark Twain's life and a virtual tour of his home in Hartford. Classroom materials are available for purchase. Contains links to other historic sites in Connecticut.
• Mashantucket Pequot Museum: This site provides information about current exhibits at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, the history of the tribe, and access to the online catalog of resources found in the research library and tribal archives.

Economics

• Junior Achievement: Go the resource room in the get involved section to uncover great resources. Share ideas for conducting economic lessons in K-12 classrooms with other teachers, download lesson plans, and stay on top of JA's activities.
• National Council on Economic Education: National Council on Economic Education Includes site for teens, online lesson plans, links to useful sites such as EconEdLink which provides K-12 classroom lessons for teachers and Economics America which also provides some lesson plans, and opportunities for workshops for teachers.

General Social Studies

• Connecticut Council for the Social Studies: The CCSS website contains information about upcoming conferences and workshops, available civic education grants, new teacher support services and activities, and CT social studies standards. There are also links to teacher resources and lesson plans.
• National Council for the Social Studies: An information service for social studies educators from NCSS. Contains many resources for NCSS members as well as other teaching resources, news & legislation updates, professional development opportunities, and comprehensive list of links to other internet resources.
• World Affairs Council Connecticut: Learn about the World Affairs Councils of America and the World Affairs Council of Connecticut.
• Yahooligans! Teachers Guide: Contains K-12 lesson plans, resources, and activities for teachers and students in many areas of Social Studies. Opportunities for schools to post their own activities and share with other schools.

Geography

• Connecticut Geographic Alliance: Activities, lesson plans, resources, workshops, links, and educator opportunities in Geography.
• National Council for Geographic Education: Homepage of the NCGE. Has information about AP Geography classes, geography workshops available for teachers, geography standards, NCGE award programs, and links to other geography sites.
• National Geographic Society: National Geographic Society Site has lesson plans for teachers, extensive collection of printable maps to make overheads with, teacher communities and store, online geography resources for teachers and families, entire section dedicated to elementary-school level children, and photography from around the world.

History

• The Digital Classroom Site: The Digital Classroom Site run by the National Archives and Records Administration has primary sources, activities and training for educators and students aimed at encouraging learners at all levels to use archival materials in the classroom.
• Historychannel.com: Extensive resources on most time periods, resources using History Channel programming, and extremely useful classroom section with emphases on Hometown History, National History Day, Save Our History, lesson ideas, and links to other history resources.
• The History Net: The History Net Has primary source archives from wars, interviews, weekly features on events in American history, picture galleries, travel and technology sections. Covers events in American and world history. Links to National History Day site and a daily history quiz where participants can win prizes.
• The History Place: Homework Help, movie reviews, timelines, photos, speeches, videos, and essays written from different points of view are just some of the resources available here. Topics include U.S. History, World War II, and World History.
• Internet History Sourcebooks Project Link: Collections of sourcebooks about ancient history, medieval studies, and modern history. Sources are in the public domain, or are copy permitted, and can be used or copied for educational purposes right off of the web. Also includes several subsidiary sourcebooks on a range of topics.
• The Library of Congress: Users can search the catalog of the Library. Includes an online gallery, Kids and families section, and calendars of news and events at the Library.
• The Smithsonian Institution: This link will bring you to the Field Trips and Learning resources section, where you will find lesson plans, a resource bank, field trip information, and a media catalog. Go to the main page, http://www.si.org to take advantage of all of the informational and research opportunities the site has to offer.

International

• Center for Teaching International Studies at the University of Denver: Site has information about professional development courses for teachers, Model United Nations, publications, the International Studies Schools Association, and World Affairs Challenge. Also gives teachers access to the Center's resource library.
• Choices for the 21st Century Education Project: This website lists workshops being offered that address social studies issues and also has information (including an application) about the Connecticut Capitol Forum Program. Community resources are available to engage a discussion about the nation's future and our place in the world. Curriculum units/lesson plans are available for purchase.
• Japan Information Network: Comprehensive site with links to museums of Japanese art, statistics, virtual tours, games, and featuring "Kids Web Japan," with resources and information for younger students.
• Programs in International Educational Resources Site run by Yale Center for International and Area studies: Contains online lesson plans, PIER resource library, opportunities to register for teacher workshops, and a page of links to other international studies resources for teachers.
• University of Washington Center for Multicultural Education: Focuses on research projects and activities designed to improve practice related to equity issues, inter-group relations, and the achievement of students of color. The Center also engages in services and teaching related to its research mission.

Irish American History

• Teacher Resource Guide: The Irish, The Great Hunger and Irish Immigration to America
• Tangled Roots: A Project Exploring the History of Americans of Irish Heritage and Americans of African Heritage: Supported by the Gilder Lehrman Center at Yale University, this project seeks to investigate the history of American slaves and immigrants from Ireland and to consider the links between them. Resources, Source Documents, and lesson ideas are part of this unique site.
• Irish Famine Materials from Quinnipiac University: Links to resources on the Irish famine including primary documents, teaching resources, and bibliographies.
• Great Hunger Collection at Quinnipiac University: Comprehensive listing of books at the Arnold Bernhard Library at Quinnipiac University pertaining to the Great Hunger.

Law and Civics

• Center for Civic Education: Center for Civic Education provides free instructional materials for teachers and information about professional development institutes. Links to publications by the Center and links to other civic education organizations.
• The Close Up Foundation - Home Page of the Close Up Foundation: Contains a Virtual Tour of Washington, D.C., Civics resources, suggested books and videos, listings for job opportunities and a guide to Close Up on C-SPAN.
• Connecticut Consortium for Law & Citizenship: Connecticut Consortium for Law & Citizenship Education Page includes materials and programs for developing law and citizenship education as well as links to other sites in law related education.
• Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission: Description of the FOI act in Connecticut, the role, decisions, agendas, and highlights of the Commission, as well as a page designed specifically for Connecticut's students.
• Connecticut Public Affairs Network: Connecticut Public Affairs Network has web-stream video of the Connecticut House of Representatives and Senate in session. Resource section has links to all aspects of Connecticut government. Also has links to other public-information sources around the United States.
• State of Connecticut Judicial Branch: Contains detailed information about Connecticut's court system, as well as activities for students, teacher resources, and educational links. Also contact information to obtain "Connecticut Courts: An Interactive Curriculum for High School Students."

Terrorism and Tolerance (Resources for teaching about 9/11/01 events)

• Puerto Rican History: Includes resources for teaching Puerto Rican history.
• Southern Poverty Law Center: Includes information about how to fight hate and teach tolerance in school. Offers links to classroom activities to promote tolerance.
• U.S. Department of State, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism: Includes information about patterns of global terrorism and U.S. responses to terrorism.
• National Council for the Social Studies: Provides links for teacher resources, draws from issues of Social Education and provides a forum for sharing of teacher-developed lessons and instructional ideas.
• Constitutional Rights Foundation: Provides a series of on-line lessons to help students and teachers explore and analyze critical national and international issues raised by recent events.

Parents & Community

• Family Geography Challenge: The Family Geography Challenge is supported by the Connecticut Geographic Alliance. The program includes: grades K-5 and 5-8.
• National Geography Bee: The contest is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography. The Connecticut state competition is organized by the Connecticut Geographic Alliance.

Veterans Day 2020

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 2020 Veterans Day School and Teachers Resource Guide