NISD Elementary Social Studies

• Curriculum Corner-Short Constructive Responses Rubrics

• Resource Reminders-Find way to extend learning in the classroom with the library.

• Must-Hear Messages- Upcoming PD Opportunities

• Social Studies Spotlight- Great things happening at Beard, Steubing, Valley- Hi, Wernli,

• Up and Coming- Women’s History Month & Inventory Check-up

• Department Site- What you can find on our site

• Our team- contact information for the NISD Elementary Social Studies Team

All Science and Social Studies assessments, in grades 2nd-5th, now have a rubric to score open (short-constructed) responses. The rubric is attached to the assessments in the curriculum documents and should be used to grade written responses on assessments and in the classroom. Teachers should only be assigning a score of a 0, 1, or 2. There should not be any partial points entered. This rubric is aligned with the expectations for short-constructed responses on the Science STAAR.

This month's resources will focus on the use of primary sources along with ways you can collaborate with your librarian. The library and Social Studies are the perfect match!

Students in the Me in my World, students learn about how scientist Ynes Mexia. Students can look at primary resources of her actually plant specimens. We have added some to the curriculum for you to show students. In the library students can have the book The Queen of Leaves read to them. After they can then go on a nature walk and find different plants to make their own plant specimens.

For the Good Galore Services to Explore Unit, students are looking specifically at jobs that provide a service and a good. These two books, Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do and Whose Hands are These? would be a great read aloud in your classroom or during library time. Your students can also explore jobs that provide a service or good in the library.

For the Choices Matter unit, students will be be looking at a photo of a tree and in their notebooks record all the products that can be made from the tree. Have students take a trip outside and look at a real life tree instead of the phot. You can also pair this activity with the read aloud From Trees to Paper.

In the Boom or Bust unit, students will be learning about the Great Depression. For an engage activity to you can show students these photos of children during the great depression. You can do this as a gallery walk. As students are examining the photos, ask students what do they wonder, notice, and how is their lives different from children they seen in the photos. Ruby’s Hope is a great read aloud to pair with this big idea.

During the Civil War unit there are many important people to tie into the Civil War. Clara Barton and Harriet Tubman are among several people in this unit. This would be a great time for students to explore these people using resources other than SAVVAS and Studies Weekly. Pair up with your librarian and students can in groups explore various texts on each person. They can create an artifact using a 3D printer or even out of various materials to reflect each person.

Check your Social Studies inventory for these readers from Teacher Created material. In them are various readers on important people including Clara Barton and Harriet Tubman.

Your Social Studies Facilitator will be checking over your campus inventory soon. Please make sure you know where your grade levels items are. We will be removing some items from the inventory.

These are the items that are most frequently looked over when it comes to inventory. If you have them please make sure they have a bright pink sticker that says NISD ELEMENTARY SOCIAL STUDIES. If you need labels please let you social studies facilitator know.

Thursday, March 20, 2025, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In the newest addition to the Teach the Alamo series, learn about the Alamo during the Republic of Texas and as a supply depot for the U.S. Army in early statehood.
Cost: $40 per person (Free for Title I teachers)

Women's History Month: Celebrating STEM Heroes with PBS LearningMedia

Join KLRN to learn about teaching women pioneers in the field of STEM. This session is open to educators of all grade levels

Call for Volunteers - Please include this flyer in your staff newsletters or campus communications out to families. It takes about 60+ volunteers to run each of these events. We'd love to have you and your family volunteer as well!

Fourth grade students at Beard Elementary took on the role of famous historical figures as they brought history to life! They held a Town Hall and Living Museum!

Steubing Elementary had an afternoon of historical figure speeches, as their 4th graders presented their work with the help of colorful posters!

Students at Valley Hi Elementary celebrated Black History Month through music and books in their school library.

Look at this adorable community map that ECE students at Wernli Elementary created! Even our littlest learners are finding their way through maps!

We love to see our Costume Closet in action! Third graders at Steubing Elementary were engaged in their new unit right away when the Founding Fathers walked into their classroom!

March is designated as Women’s History Month. Our department is here to support you, so check out our Social Studies site dedicated to Women’s History. You’ll find a resource document and “Women You Should Know” posters.

Are you ready to light the way for fellow educators? We’re looking for inspiring Social Studies teachers to let us observe their most engaging lessons. Share your passion and innovative strategies to help other teachers transform their classrooms. Invite us to observe your exciting lessons and activities. Each teacher will be receiving a sign to display outside their door featuring our new department mascot.

Congrats to Kellie Parr and her amazing 3rd grade team at Kallison for receiving February's Trailblazer award.

A BIG SHOUT OUT to every teacher who has checked out a costume from our department and used it to engage students in Social Studies instruction. We have now added costume opportunities to our curriculum and look forward to seeing them being used in classrooms!