If it seems like I post a lot about vocabulary, it's because I do.  I firmly believe vocabulary acquisition is a fundamental cornerstone of quality Social Studies instruction.  I use elements of Dr. Marzano's Six Steps for Vocabulary Instruction on a daily basis in my classes.

Vocabulary task cards hit several of Dr. Marzano's six steps, and play a vital role in each of my units.  This week I'm going to highlight my Ancient Greece set.  This set includes word, definition and picture cards for each of the following 14 terms (42 cards in all!).

These task cards work great for vocabulary acquisition (check out this blogpost for how I use them), review or games (check out this FREE resource).  So, click the link below for my Ancient Greece Vocabulary Task Cards and be sure to visit and follow my store for more great Social Studies resources!

• Ancient Greece Vocabulary Task Cards
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Vocabulary task cards are a great resource to help students (especially those who respond well to kinesthetic or visual learning) with vocabulary terms.  The opportunity to move and sort terms, definitions and pictures help make abstract connections more concrete, and playing games with the cards helps solidify the learning even further.

This week, I'm going to focus on my American Revolution Vocabulary Task Cards.  This set (like all of my vocabulary task card sets) includes a word, definition and picture card for 16 vocabulary terms related to the American Revolution (48 cards total!).  The terms included in this set are:

These task cards work great for vocabulary acquisition (check out this blog post for how I use them), review or games (check out this FREE resource).  So, click the link below for my Revolutionary War Vocabulary Task Cards and be sure to visit and follow the rest of my store for more great American History resources!

• Revolutionary War Vocabulary Task Cards
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Have you ever spent a lot of time planning a lesson?  Found all the perfect resources?  Maybe even practiced part of it in front of a mirror?  Then, when you deliver it, it bombs?  Your students just don't get it?

Me too.  When that happens, we, as great educators, take a step back and troubleshoot what went wrong to make sure it future lessons don't bomb in the same way.  Marzano's 12th element, Help Students Reflect on Learning, is the student version of that.

Below are some things you (or an administrator) could look for to see if this element is being used in your classroom:

I utilize this element on a daily basis in my instruction.  Each class period begins with students filling out their learning log.  Students record the day's learning target and rate their beginning level of understanding on a 0-4 scale.  Each class period ends by students re-examining the target and rating their ending level of understanding.  I also require them to provide evidence: Why are you a _____?  What else must you learn?

If you would like a ​FREE copy of my learning log, click the link below.

• ​Learning Log

I get called "strange" at work quite frequently by my fellow social studies teachers at school.  It's not because I dress or look funny (at least I don't think I do), it's because I absolutely LOVE lesson planning.  I really do.  I can't help it.  I love starting with the standards and working backwards to create complete, standards-aligned, Marzano compatable, units full of fun and engaging activities and resources.

Earlier this year, I shared out my Early Humans Complete Unit & Assessment.  This time, I'd like to highlight my Ancient Egypt one.

This complete unit contains everything you need to deliver a three-week, Marzano aligned unit about the Ancient Egyptian civilization.  It includes a day-by-day unit plan, a sheet to explain the purpose and Marzano alignment of each day (perfect for evaluations!), and all of the parts you'll need for the following activities:

So, click the link below for my Ancient Egypt Complete Unit and Assessment, and don't forget to check out and follow the rest of my store for more great Social Studies Products!

• Ancient Egypt Complete Unit and Assessment
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I think one of the keys to successful Social Studies education is finding the right resources for the right students at the right time.  My differentiated readings, which I've posted about in the past, are a great resource to provide the same content to students in your class at a variety of reading levels.

This week, I'm going to highlight my American Revolution Differentiated Readings.  With this set, your students can learn about three things during the American Revolution at either a Middle School or Upper Elementary reading level - whichever is just right for them!

Topics Included:

• The Continental Congress
• The Continental Army
• Making Alliances

So, click the link below to check out my American Revolution Differentiated Readings.  While you are there, be sure to take a look at the rest of my store for more great American History resources!

• American Revolution Differentiated Readings
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