Using Fiction & Nonfiction Literature in the 2-6 Social Studies Classroom
Resources, materials, and ready to use lesson plans guaranteed to engage your kids!
We know how powerful picture books, fiction, and nonfiction stories can be in creating connections between our content and students. But what can it look like when we intentionally integrate literature into our social studies instruction? Explore the research, browse book lists designed for ELA / social studies, play with a variety of effective integration strategies, and dig into all sorts of materials and resources.
This self-paced course uses video clips, strategies, and content created during the Spring 2021 Reading Geographically project sponsored by the National Geographic Society and is eligible for 1.0 graduate credits.
The course is broken into three chunks:
- Research & Rationale for Using Literature in the Social Studies
- Culturally Relevant Pedagogy / Selecting the Perfect Book
- Integration Strategies
You'll get the chance to hear from ESSDACK Social Studies Consultant Glenn Wiebe, middle level educator extraordinaire and Kansas Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year Lori Rice, and Minnesota Historical Society education consultant Jessica Ellison.
And you’ll walk away smarter with tools you can use right away!
Course Curriculum
Your Instructor
Glenn’s educational career began at Derby Middle School, finding ways to help thirteen year olds enjoy American History. Wiebe earned his Master’s in American History while continuing to develop innovative practices and sharing them with his students.
He spent five years working in higher education, designing effective instruction and integrating video games into social science classrooms. Glenn now travels across the country as an ESSDACK education consultant providing keynotes, presentations, and curriculum development.