When students are asked to write in a social studies classroom, they are generally being asked to write to demonstrate the knowledge they have been taught. They are being asked to write to see what they have learned.
Writing in a social studies class is the perfect opportunity to clarify understanding. Because these classes involve people and events, endless opportunities for writing are available.
Some suggestions for writing in social studies classrooms:
- Quick Writes
- Journals
- Letters
- Oral History Projects
- Writing a school’s history
- Summaries
- Research papers
- Test essays after practice in class
- Writing news articles in a class newspaper or blog
- Remember to use artifacts, pictures, quotes, photos, and drawings.
Writing gets inside students’ minds. Writing is thinking! Let’s get ALL students thinking.