PD Resources › Social Studies
ARPDC Cached Social Studies Webinars
Short for web-based seminar, a webinar is a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the web. The key feature of a webinar is its interactive elements - the ability to give, receive and discuss information, typically through slide show presentations, streaming video, VoIP, whiteboard and text chat.
Focus: Social Studies
Alberta Education Social Studies Resources
This section provides links to various Alberta Education resources including the Programs of Studies, the Learn Alberta website, the 2004 Focus on Inquiry document, Authorized Resource databases, and Authorized Resources lists.
Focus: Social Studies
Critical Inquiry Projects
The principles of critical thinking provide a powerful model and offer many practical examples for systematically incorporating critical thinking as a method of teaching the new social studies curriculum.
Over the course of the Social Studies Project, CARC participants from the eight school authorities as well as private charter schools participated in these unique project cohort opportunities. Participants attended in-depth training on critical thinking and then, in small grade level groups, began project cohort work on topics of their choosing.
Focus: Social Studies
Demonstration Lessons Project K-3
Teachers from four districts - Red Deer Public, Red Deer Catholic, Chinook’s Edge and Wolf Creek - completed a very interesting collaborative video project that culminated in social studies demonstration lessons
being videographed, in both French and English, within Central Alberta
classrooms. District Curriculum contacts have distributed a copy of the
DVD to each school in Zone 4.
These can be used as springboards for discussion, highlighting guiding principles and practices for K-3 teachers who are currently implementing the new Social Studies curriculum. These demonstration lessons can also act as models of instruction and a springboard for discussion for other grades that are implementing or preparing to implement the new program.
Focus: Social Studies
Grade Level Websites
This component of the Social Studies Project provides a list of websites that have been identified, collected and annotated to assist the teaching of social studies. As always with websites, check in advance to confirm that the site is still active and appropriate for your students.
Focus: Social Studies
Infusing Technology Projects
Developed by teachers in Zone 4, these technology projects are organized by grade level and general outcome.
Focus: Social Studies
Performance Assessments
In the spring of 2008 teachers from around Zone 4 came together to develop assessment tasks. Working in small grade level groups, participants spent three days learning important principles of assessment practices and had an opportunity to develop materials in keeping with those principles.
Focus: Social Studies
Social Studies Organizations
Various organizations that specialize in one or more aspects of Social Studies are linked in this section.
Focus: Social Studies
Social Studies Templates
Developed in Central Alberta, two different downloadable planning templates are accessible here, each in both English and French. They are in Word documents for ease of use.
Focus: Social Studies
SAPDC Moodle Site
Resources/Courses in Partnership with CARC
The Southern Alberta Professional Development Consortium in partnership with Central Alberta Regional Consortium have created the SAPDC moodle site for the sharing of resources including lesson plans, websites, etc. Educators across the province are invited to create an account and are welcome to use any of the resources posted. Check back often since this is a work in progress and resources will be continually added.
Focus: Aboriginal Languages, FNMI (First Nations, Métis and Inuit), Mathematics, Parents, Social Studies, Technology Integration
Reconsidering the Universality of Nation and Nationality: Exploring Indigenous Notions of Land, Citizenship, and Nation
with Dwayne Donald
Dwayne Donald addresses the ideas of identity, citizenship and nation within the Canadian context from the First Nations perspective.
* Conversation guide available
Canada's First People: A Cultural Appreciation
2learn.ca Education Society
This collection of resources and activities celebrating the history and culture of FNMI people includes alignment to curricular outcomes, class activities, interactive tools, links to online resources and annotated copyright free images for use by teachers and students.
FNMI Curriculum Collection
University of Lethbridge
The University of Lethbridge Faculty of Education sponsored the development of this First Nations Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) Curriculum Collection, a collection of lessons and resources designed to help pre-service and in-service teachers incorporate FNMI content in their teaching across subjects and grade levels.
Addressing Alberta's Social Studies Critical Challenges using SMART Notebook Software
with Candace Beaton and Wally Diefenthaler
In this 3-part webinar series, you will learn how to use the tools and features in SMART Notebook to create a lesson resource that addresses and supports the Alberta Social Studies Online Guides' Critical Challenges.
Day 1: Critical Thinking with Notebook Tools
Day 2: Critical Thinking with the Notebook Gallery
Day 3: Sharing Collaboratively Designed Resources
* Conversation guide available
Uncovering Critical Thinking in Social Studies
with Wally Diefenthaler, Diane Lander & Karen LaRone
This informational webinar provides a comprehensive overview of The Critical Thinking Consortium's (TC2) model. An interactive example of a critical thinking challenge is explored to give you a practical application of critical thinking in a Social Studies context. In addition, critical thinking resources that support implementation of the Social Studies program are accessed and introduced via the LearnAlberta website.
* Conversation guide available
Focus: Social Studies, Technology Integration
Google Earth in the Classroom Series: Seeing a World of Possibilities Across the Curriculum 3
Session 3 of 3: Using Google Earth in Language Arts and Social Studies
Building on lessons learned in Session 1, Using Google Earth in the Inclusive, UDL Classroom, you will engage in specific activities for using Google Earth in language arts and social studies, both as a full-class instructional tool as well as a learning tool for each student in a laptop or computer lab environment.
* Conversation guide available
Focus: Differentiated Instruction, Literacy / English Language Arts, Social Studies, Technology Integration
Benchmarks of Historical Thinking
The Benchmarks Project combines the research of historians and educators with the experience and skills of classroom teachers to create practical ways of encouraging promoting and assessing students’ historical thinking in classroom settings.
Focus: FNMI (First Nations, Métis and Inuit), Social Studies
Unit Assessment Planning in Social Studies
with Sherry Bennett, AAC
Unit assessment plans in grades 6, 7, 8, and 9 social studies model how to anchor a unit with performance assessment, and then to design instruction and formative assessment backwards from the end goal.
* Conversation guide available
Focus: Assessment, Social Studies
Weaving Literature into Social Studies K-5
This resource is intended to support schools and district leaders in Social Studies and provide access to processes and strategies that will facilitate ongoing conversations and learning opportunities focused on using children’s literature in Social Studies.
Focus: Literacy / English Language Arts, Social Studies
Doing More With Less: Assessment for Learning
with Catherine Coyne
This session provides a definition of assessment for learning and addresses the following questions: What does it look like? Why is it important? And How can it be used to improve student learning?
Focus: Assessment, Social Studies
An Introduction to the Alberta Social Studies Program of Studies: A Vision for Teaching and Learning
with Marie Settle
This session provides an overview of the core elements and processes of the K-12 social studies curriculum. It is an ideal introduction for teachers new to the province or new to social studies. It is also useful for teachers wishing to review the key concepts, process skills and intent of the social studies curriculum.
Focus: Social Studies
Lesson on Fact and Opinion -- Trina's Lesson
Social Studies involves a variety of critical thinking skills. This video shows an elementary classroom lesson on fact and opinion, a critical thinking skill.
Focus: Social Studies
Inquiry in Social Studies -- Alex's Story
Social Studies is focused on inquiry. In this video, a first year elementary French immersion teacher is reflecting about how inquiry in Social Studies has impacted her teaching practice.
Focus: Social Studies
Inquiry in Social Studies -- A Lesson from Grade One
Social studies is focused on inquiry. This is a lesson midway through an inquiry project in Grade 1 Social Studies.
Focus: Social Studies
Inquiry in Social Studies -- Kelsey's Story
In this video, an elementary school teacher is reflecting about how inquiry in Social Studies has impacted her teaching practice.
Focus: Social Studies
Lesson on Fact and Opinion -- Irene's Lesson
Social Studies involves a variety of critical thinking skills. This video shows an elementary classroom lesson on fact and opinion, a critical thinking skill.
Focus: Social Studies
Teacher and Student Interviews on Learning Through Current Affairs
with Tim Paetkau
The Social Studies curriculum offers rich opportunities for the use of music that can help bring the communities and cultures students are studying to life. Curricular links to Social Studies and music and project ideas are shared in this webinar to inspire and engage you and your K- 3 students.
Focus: Social Studies, Fine Arts
Inquiry in Social Studies
In this video, teachers are reflecting about how inquiry in Social Studies has impacted their teaching practice.
Focus: Social Studies
Aboriginal Perspectives and the Curriculum - Discussion Papers
with Dwayne Trevor Donald
The discussion papers, written by Dwayne Trevor Donald, are intended to stimulate conversation among teachers, pre-service teachers, administrators and members of the community about aboriginal perspectives and the social studies curriculum.
Focus: FNMI (First Nations, Métis and Inuit), Social Studies
Social Studies Newsletters
Studies Newsletters were developed to support adult learning about specific focus areas of the new program of studies and begin with a guiding question.
Focus: Social Studies
Social Studies Newsletters for Parents
Studies Newsletters for Parents are intended to be shared in school newsletters and assist with awareness and understanding of the new social studies program.
Focus: Parents, Social Studies
K-12 Alberta Education Social Studies Programs of Study Poster
This poster identifies the key components and intent of the Alberta social studies program of study. The poster is to provide ongoing support for implementation by allowing the program intent to be visibly displayed in classrooms.
Focus: Social Studies
Serious Games: Engaging Students in Inquiry-Based Learning
with Aaron Ball
This two part session examines the research and practical applications of video games as learning tools. You will search for, play, and examine online games to find their fit in the Alberta Curriculum. You will learn to evaluate games and build assessment pieces to help you incorporate video games as contemporary tools in your 21st century classroom.
Focus: Assessment, Differentiated Instruction, Literacy / English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Technology Integration
Weaving Music into the Social Studies Curriculum, Grades K-3
with Tim Paetkau
The Social Studies curriculum offers rich opportunities for the use of music that can help bring the communities and cultures students are studying to life. Curricular links to Social Studies and music and project ideas are shared in this webinar to inspire and engage you and your students.
Focus: Fine Arts, Social Studies
Weaving Music into the SS Curriculum, Grades 4-6
with Tim Paetkau
The Social Studies curriculum offers rich opportunities for the use of music that can help bring the communities and cultures students are studying to life. Curricular links to Social Studies and music and project ideas are shared in this webinar to inspire and engage you and your students.
Focus: Fine Arts, Social Studies
