Primary Sources

Bring social studies to life by integrating authentic primary source documents that stand out against the normal backdrop of textbooks and worksheets.

These resources provide students with a more comprehensive understanding of historical events through primary source documents such as maps, letters, photographs, political cartoons, and more. Primary Sources was developed by Teacher Created Materials to help teachers integrate engaging, authentic resources into the classroom that capture students' curiosity about the past. Students will naturally begin to use critical thinking to analyze historical events.

Available for Grades K-12.

Primary Source Readers

Seamlessly integrate social studies into language arts instruction.

Build literacy and social studies content knowledge with these high-interest, content-rich readers. Cultivate students’ curiosity about historical events with dynamic primary sources that provide firsthand accounts of history that keep students engaged. Students will naturally use critical thinking to analyze history and make connections to the subject matter in unique ways through reading and writing activities focused on social studies content.

Available for Grades 1-5.

Teaching Social Studies Today

This updated version of Teaching Social Studies Today 2nd Edition is grounded in the latest research and best practices, and provides teachers with the necessary components to create comprehensive social studies units.

Strategies to Integrate the Arts in Social Studies

This teacher-friendly resource provides practical arts-based strategies for classroom teachers to use in teaching social studies content.

Analyzing and Writing with Primary Sources

Create a rich learning environment and support deep thinking using primary sources.

Strategies for Building Academic Vocabulary in Social Studies

Boost students' social studies vocabulary with easy-to-implement effective strategies!

Social Studies Strategies for Active Learning

Make history in your classroom with engaging, tiered assignments that will address the diverse learning styles of your classroom.

Reading Strategies for Social Studies

Help students read about social studies content and build their historical thinking skills!

Writing Strategies for Social Studies

Help students write about social studies content and build their historical thinking skills!

Rhymes for the Times: Literacy Strategies through Social Studies

With the ongoing struggle of incorporating the career and college readiness standards into lessons, this resource is perfect for integrating today's standards in a fun and engaging way.

Document-Based Assessment Activities

Take students beyond textbook history to explore various people and events from ancient Egypt through the 20th Century using primary sources.

Think It, Show It Social Studies

Think It, Show It: Social Studies is a practical and informative resource that supports the teaching of writing in the social studies classroom to meet the demands of the today's standards and the C3 Framework.

Using Primary Sources in the Classroom

Developed by social studies specialists, this resource helps teachers turn classrooms into primary source learning environments

Leveled Texts

Let learning through reading differentiation begin!

Read, engage, and learn through differentiation that allows students to explore fun Social Studies, Mathematics, and Reading content in the way best suited for them!

Understanding Elections

Understanding Elections is perfect to spark a core understanding of America's political system in order to produce young, well-educated learners and future voters.

Active History

Relive history in your classroom with these teacher-friendly resources that provide students with an engaging, active learning experience.

Exploring Social Studies: California

Discover Exploring Social Studies: California Edition for Grades K-5, an inquiry-based program that is 100% aligned to the California History-Social Science Framework and the California content standards for Social Studies and English Language Arts.This engaging full-year curriculum includes rich, research-based resources and aligns to ELA/ELD standards for easy integration.

Exploring Social Studies: Texas

This dynamic series offers a wealth of digital and print classroom resources that will engage students and foster content-area literacy in social studies. Offering exemplary instructional materials for the K-5 Social Studies classroom, the program integrates student expectations in each of the eight strands of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies and meets English Language Proficiency Standards requirements.

Exploring Social Studies: Arkansas

We are proud to present leveled social studies resources that align to the Arkansas Social Studies Framework and ELA standards for each grade, covering history, geography, civics and government, and economics topics to encourage a lifelong love of learning.

Exploring Social Studies: West Virginia

Teacher Created Materials is proud to present Exploring Social Studies: West Virginia for grades K–5, an innovative approach to instruction that fully aligns with West Virginia’s College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Social Studies and English Language Arts. This comprehensive series will help you deliver social studies instruction that will stay with your students long after the school bell rings.

Big Book of Holidays and Cultural Celebrations

Experience the magic, excitement, and happiness that surround holidays and cultural celebrations.

The Big Book of Holidays and Cultural Celebrations is filled with hands-on activities, fun facts, puzzles, crafts, and brainteasers that make learning about holidays fun and easy. Each activity in these resources can be used in the classroom or at home.