Resources: Social Studies
Social Studies Resources
Instructional Resources
ADE does not endorse or support any particular resource or curriculum. The following links are to resource options that local education agencies may choose and select from when making the best decisions for their students.
- List of C3 Teachers Inquiries with links - K-8, created in 2022
- Kindergarten Resources
- 1st Grade Resources
- 2nd Grade Resources
- 3rd Grade Resources
- 4th Grade Resources
- 5th Grade Resources
- 6th Grade Resource
- 7th Grade Resources
- 8th Grade Resources
- Arizona Geographic Alliance K-12 Arizona Lessons
- Arizona History Digital Hub
- Arizona Historical Society Museum In A Box
- Arizona Capitol Museum - Virtual Tours and Resources
- Arizona Kids - Resources from the Governor's Office
- Arizona Focused Classroom Resources - Library of Congress
- How the Arizona Court System Work
- Project Archaeology Investigating Shelter Curriculum Book
- Pueblo Grande Museum & Archaeological Park Educational Resources
- Trails, Trade, and Mapping the Southwest Curriculum
- Online Exhibitions of Native American Culture - The School for Advanced Research
- Arizona Illustrated from PBS (Video Format)
- Pima-Maricopa Indian Project - Gila River Irrigation Lessons - K-12
- Grand Canyon Oral Histories - K-12 - NEW!!
- Arizona Memory Project - Oral Histories from around the state
- Coming Soon - an Arizona-focused reading list!
- Arizona PBS Our Voices: Arizona Women's Oral Histories
- Women's History Resources - Library of Congress, National Archives, Smithsonian, and More, K-12
- Women and the American Story - Lessons and Resources, 7-12
- National Geographic Resources on Women - 5-12, Leveled Resources, Science and Social Studies
- ADL Resources for Teachers - K-12
- National Women's History Museum Educator Resources - K-12
- PBS Learning Media - Women's History - US and World, K-12
- Learning for Justice Women's History Resources - K-12
- Center for Civic Education - Women's History Resources, Lessons and Resources
- Bilingual Spanish Elementary Women's History Resources - K-12
- National Endowment for the Humanities Women's History Resources
In 2022, HB2325 requires that September 11 of each year shall be observed as 9/11 Education Day. Each public school in the state shall dedicate a portion of the school day to age-appropriate 9/11 education. This list of resources can be used to meet this requirement.
- Arizona PBS Our Voices: 9/11 Arizona Oral Stories
- 9/11 Memorial Museum Lessons
- 9/11 Memorial Museum Oral Histories
- 9/11 and the Constitution
- Library of Congress 9/11 Documentary Project
- National Archives 9/11 Commission Report
- Smithsonian: 9/11 Resources and Lessons
- National Park Service 9/11 Memorial
- PBS NewsHour Extra - 9/11 Resources for middle and high school
- Bringing 9/11 in the Classroom - Useful Lessons
- Choices Program - Oral History and 9/11
- Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq: Teaching Resources and Essential Questions
- Book List
The Little Chapel That Stood - Beautifully illustrated book tells of the historic chapel less than 100 yards from the Twin Towers that miraculously survived on 9-11. Firemen hung their shoes on the fence and raced to help the people in the towers: Oh what gallant men did we lose/Who never came back to get their shoes. The story of terror overcome by courage and bravery that teaches us no one is too small to make a difference. Preschool through 3rd grade. September Roses - On September 11, 2001, two sisters from South Africa are flying to New York City with 2,400 roses to be displayed at a flower show. As their plane approaches the airport, a cloud of black smoke billows over the Manhattan skyline. When they land, they learn of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. All flights are canceled; the sisters cannot go home, and they are stranded with boxes and boxes of roses. In the days that followed September 11, Jeanette Winter was drawn to Union Square and saw, among the hundreds of memorial offerings, twin towers made of roses. In the pages of this small and vibrant book, she tells a moving story. Kindergarten through 3rd grade. 14 Cows For America - This New York Times Bestseller, from award-winning author Carmen Agra Deedy, is a true story of hope and generosity, and the gift a small Kenyan village makes to the people of America. Grades 2 and above. American at War - In this ever-timely collection of more than fifty poems and paintings divided into eight sections, one of America’s most distinguished poets and anthologists, Lee Bennett Hopkins, and internationally acclaimed painter and printmaker Stephen Alcorn trace emotions of warfare from the American Revolution to the Iraq War. Grades 3-7. We the People: September 11 - On a bright sunny morning on September 11, 2001, hijackers took control of four U.S. commercial airplanes. This book tells the facts from 9/11 in a way that children can understand. Grades 3-6. With Their Eyes: September 11 - The View from a High School at Ground Zero - Tuesday, September 11, seemed like any other day at Stuyvesant High School, only a few blocks away from the World Trade Center. The semester was just beginning, and the students, faculty, and staff were ready to start a new year. Within a few hours that Tuesday morning, they would experience an event that transformed all their lives completely. Here, in their own words, are the firsthand stories of a day none of us will ever forget. Grades 7 and above. Messages From Ground Zero: Children Respond to September 11th - This is a collection of letters, poetry, and art by children in response to September 11th. All were sent to other children reflecting innocent support, outreach, and caring. This book is an archive of what children were thinking and feeling through their honest and heartfelt messages. 102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers - Eight weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and translated into a dozen languages, 102 Minutes is a gripping narrative that is also investigative reporting of the first rank—”in a class by itself,” according to Reader’s Digest. Dwyer and Flynn reveal the decisions, both good and bad, that proved to be the difference between life and death on a day that changed America forever. Newberry Book Award Finalist. Report From Ground Zero - The tragic events of September 11, 2001 forever altered the American landscape, both figuratively and literally. Immediately after the jets struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, Dennis Smith, a former firefighter, reported to Manhattan’s Ladder Co. 16 to volunteer in the rescue efforts. In the weeks that followed, Smith was present on the front lines, attending the wounded, sifting through the wreckage, and mourning with New York’s devastated fire and police departments. This is Smith’s vivid account of the rescue efforts by the fire and police departments and emergency medical teams as they rushed to face a disaster that would claim more than five thousand lives. Last Man Down - On September 11, 2001, FDNY Battalion Chief Richard “Pitch” Picciotto answered the call heard around the world. In minutes, he was at Ground Zero of the worst terrorist attack on American soil, as the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center began to burn - and then to buckle. This is the harrowing true story of a true American hero, a man who thought nothing of himself - and gave nearly everything for others during one of New York City’s-and the country’s-darkest hours.
In 2004, Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia included key provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2005 designating September 17th of each year as Constitution Day and requiring public schools and governmental offices to provide educational programs to promote a better understanding of the Constitution.
- Elementary Resources
- Center for Civics Education Constitution Day Resources
- Framers of the Constitution
- Lesson Plans by Grade Level
- Primary Documents
- Civics Classroom Curriculum for Elementary Grades 4-6
- Don't have time for a whole set of lessons/curriculum? Focus on the following!
- LESSON THREE: Your Federal Government and You: Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches
- LESSON FIVE: What is a Democracy?
- Private i Inquiry Mysteries (K-5)
- KidCitizen: Children in Action Video
- Includes teacher resources
- KidCitizen: Community Helpers Video
- Includes teacher resources
- Constitution Escape Room from Law for Kids
- Center for Civics Education Constitution Day Resources
- Middle Resources
- Center for Civics Education Constitution Day Resources
- Framers of the Constitution
- Lesson Plans by Grade Level
- Primary Documents
- Civics Classroom Curriculum for Middle School Grades 7-8
- LESSON PLAN ONE: Your Right is to Vote
- LESSON PLAN THREE: The Three Branches of the Federal Governemtn and their Checks and Balances
- LESSON PLAN FOUR: Who are you voting for and what do they do?
- Crash Course Government and Politics
- Episode 1, Episode 23, Episode 28, Episode 38
- Instagramming: Graphic Orgnaizer
- Think, Puzzle, Explore Thinking Routine
- Principles of the American Revolution Video and Activities
- From the National Constitution Center
- Full video and guidance worksheets
- Constitutional Compromise iCivics Game
- The Constitution EXPLAINED: Video Series from iCivics
- Anatomy of the Constitution Lesson from iCivics
- America's Founding Preamble DBQuest from iCivics
- Constitutional Influencers Webquest from iCivics
- Constitution Escape Room from Law for Kids
- Center for Civics Education Constitution Day Resources
- High School Resources
- Center for Civics Education Constitution Day Resources
- Framers of the Constitution
- Lesson Plans by Grade Level
- Primary Documents
- Civics Classroom Curriculum for High School Grades 9-12
- Don't have time for a whole curriculum? Use the following lessons!
- LESSON PLAN THREE: Get out the Vote
- LESSON PLAN FIVE: Real-Life Election Issues of Importance to You and Your Family
- Crash Course US Government and Politics
- Episode 1, Episode 23, Episode 28, Episode 38
- Instagramming: Graphic Organizer
- Think, Puzzle, Explore Thinking Routine
- Listening Three Times Routine
- Close Reading of Civics:
- Deep Reading t-Chart
- Paper Talk
- Articles to Use:
- Data Exploration: Democracy
- The Drafting Table (from the National Constitution Center)
- How to Make Citizens
- Full text of the Constitution
- America's Founding Presables DBQuest from iCivics
- Constitution Influencers Webquest from iCivics
- Law for Kids Escape Rooms
- Center for Civics Education Constitution Day Resources
ARS 15-710.01 On Sandra Day O'Connor civics celebration day, each public school in this state shall dedicate the majority of the school day to civics education.
Sandra Day O'Connor Institute for American Democracy
Economics in Children’s Literature
Early Childhood/Pre-K Resources:
- Kiddynomics - Lesson Plans, Videos
Grades K-2 Resources:
- EconEdLink - Lesson Plans, Videos, and Manuals
- Federal Reserve Education - Lesson Plans, Books, Virtual Exhibits
- EconLowDown - Lesson Plans
- Junior Achievement
Grades 3-5 Resources:
- EconEdLink - Lesson Plans, Videos, and Manuals
- Federal Reserve Education - Lesson Plans, Books, Virtual Exhibits
- Financial Fables - Online Storybooks with Activities and Lesson Plans
- Junior Achievement
Grades 6-8 Resources:
- EconEdLink - Lesson Plans, Videos, and Manuals
- Federal Reserve Education - Lesson Plans, Books, Virtual Exhibits
- Discover Pathways to Financial Success - Personal Finance Online Resources
- AZ Council on Economics - Attend On-Demand Webinar to Gain Access to Resources
- EverFi - Online Resources and Courses
- Junior Achievement
High School Resources:
- VOTE on the Economy book
- Foundation for Teaching Economics
- Dirk Mateer - Resources and Teaching Ideas
- Reffonomics - AP Micro Resources, AP Macro Resources, On-Level Resources
- EconEdLink - AP Lesson Plans, On-Level Lesson Plans, and Videos
- Federal Reserve Education - Lesson Plans, Books, Virtual Exhibits
- NextGen Personal Finance - Online Courses
- Practical Money Skills - Lesson Plans
- Discover Pathways to Financial Success - Personal Finance Online Resources
- AZ Council on Economics - Attend On-Demand Webinar to Gain Access to Resources
- St. Louis Federal Reserve FRED Maps - Economic Data, Maps, Economic Analysis Tools
- EverFi - Online Resources and Courses
- Junior Achievement
- For more resources to teach about the Holocaust and other Genocides, please visit our Arizona Holocaust and Genocide Education Resources Page.
- Lessons/Units/Resources for teaching AAPI history
- Asian-American Toolkit
- Asia for Educators
- Multimedia Lists and Resources
- AAPI Heroes Toolkit
- Fred Korematsu Institute
- Teaching Asian American Studies Resource Guide
- South Asian American Digital Archive
- Filipino American National Historical Society Educator Resources
- Arizona PBS Our Voices: Arizona Black Oral Histories Collection
- Slave Voyages - great primary sources and database regarding the slave voyages
- National Geographic Blog on diving for slave shipwrecks
- National Endowment for the Humanities - Search lesson plans for resistance and influential figures in African American history
- PBS NewsHour - Teaching Resources
- History Mysteries
- Blackpast
- Library of Congress - Audio Narratives of Freed Peoples Telling Their Stories of Enslavement
- Black Children's Books and Authors
- Black History Mini-Docs
- National Museum of African American Culture and History Educator Resources - Click Reading Resources to find great book lists
- Constitutional Rights Foundation - Lessons and Resources for Teaching Black History
- Library of Congress, National Archives, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service Educator Lessons and Resources for Black History
- National Archives African American History Resources
- Arizona PBS Our Voices: Arizona Hispanic Oral Histories Collection
- Library of Congress, National Archives, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service Educator Lessons and Resources for Hispanic History
- Smithsonian Latino Center Resources
- ADL-Hispanic History and Culture Lessons and Ideas for Educators
- Facing History and Ourselves -Hispanic Heritage Lessons
- Bill of Rights Institute - The Plainest Demands of Justice: Documents for Dialogue on the African American Experience
- Arizona PBS Arizona Our Voices: Indigenous Oral Histories - Indigenous People's Day
- Arizona PBS Arizona Our Voices: Indigenous Oral Histories - Ancestral Lands
- Native Knowledge 360o - Smithsonian Institute Resources
- 7 Generation Games
- American Indians in Children's Literature - K-8
- Native American Heritage Month Resources
- Native America in the Classroom - PBS
- Library of Congress - Images and Prints of Indians of North America
- Heard Museum Educator Resources
- Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Project - Education Lesson Plans - K-12
- Indigenous Cultures
- Learning for Justice Indigenous Peoples Resources
- ADL - Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day Inquiry Lesson (High School)
- Maine Department of Education Indigenous Peoples Resources
- Zinn Education Project - Indigenous Peoples Day Resources
- National Endowment for the Humanities American Indian History and Heritage Resources for Teachers
- Curated List of Resources for Teaching About Native American Boarding Schools
- Article - A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching the Colonization of the Americas
- National Council for the Social Studies Paper on Education that Respects and Affirms Indigenous Peoples and Nations
- Critical Orientations for Indigenous Studies
- Affirming Indigenous Sovereignty - A Civics Inquiry
- North and South Dakota Native American Elder Interviews
- Project Archaeology Investigating Shelter Curriculum Book
- Pulitzer Center Resources
- Elementary K-5 Media Literacy Resources
- Secondary 6-12 Media Literacy Resources
- Common Sense Education - Teachers' Essential Guide to Showing Movies and Videos in the Classroom - K-12
- Common Sense Education - Digital Civics Toolkit - 6-12
- Common Sense Education - Media Literacy and Civic Learning Activities Recorded Webinar - 6-12
ADE does not endorse or support any particular resource or curriculum. The following links are to resource options that local education agencies may choose and select from when making the best decisions for their students.
Oral History Teacher Guide - This guide comes complete with guiding essential questions, instructional techniques, projects, evaluations, and more.
Oral Histories in the Arizona Social Studies Standards
Using Oral Histories and the Arizona Social Studies Standards Guide
Arizona PBS Our Voices: Arizona Oral Histories
9/11
Conflicts
Korean War
Vietnam
Veterans
World War II
- World War II Oral Histories
- Jack Holder - World War II and Pearl Harbor Veteran
- Arizona PBS Our Voices: Arizona World War II Oral Histories
Congress
Genocides
Holocaust
- Arizona PBS Our Voices: Arizona Holocaust Oral Histories
- United States Memorial Museum Holocaust Oral Histories
Indigenous Voices
- Arizona PBS Our Voices: Arizona Indigenous Oral Histories - Indigenous People's Day
- Arizona PBS Our Voices: Arizona Indigenous Oral Histories - Ancestral Lands
- Teaching Our Elders - North Dakota Native American Elder Stories
Local Histories
- Jack Holder - World War II and Pearl Harbor Veteran
- Sandra Day O'Connor Institute Oral Histories
- Arizonans Fleeing From Communism - Grades 7-12
- Grand Canyon Oral Histories - K-12 - NEW!!
- Arizona PBS Our Voices: Oral Histories - Black Arizonans, Hispanic Arizonans, Veterans, Women
- Arizona Memory Project - Oral Histories from around the state
Political Ideologies
- Victims of Communism - Witness Project - Grades 7-12
- Arizonans Fleeing From Communism - Grades 7-12
Presidents
- Jimmy Carter
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Gerald Ford
- Herbert Hoover
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- John F. Kennedy
- Abraham Lincoln
- Richard Nixon
- Barak Obama
- Ronald Reagan
- Harry Truman
- Disability History Series of 21 Short Videos
- Disability History Museum - resources, lessons, exhibits, and features
- Perkins School for the Blind Alumni Association Digital Collections - scroll down the page to find
- Library of Congress - Nostalgia During the Civil War: A Perplexing Condition Among Soldiers
- Emerging America Disability History Curriculum
Professional Resources
Social Studies Professional Learning Opportunities
- American Historical Association
- Arizona Council for History Education
- Arizona Council for the Social Studies
- Arizona Council on Economic Education
- Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education
- Arizona Geographic Alliance
- Arizona Historical Society
- National Council for History Education
- National Council for the Social Studies
- National Council on Economic Education
- National Council for Geographic Education
- Organization of American Historians
- National Geographic Bee
- Arizona Council for the Social Studies Awards
- National Council for the Social Studies Awards
- National Endowment for the Humanities
Contact Information:
To add additional resources or for questions please email [email protected].