1. The Social Studies Concept Wall The Critical Bridge That Helps Students Make Connections to New Learning

3. Themes Kid-Friendly EUs EQs Standards/Elements Books Illustrating Themes

5. This “living” display helps students make connections between the standards and elements and the units. Tracey’s concept wall is a concept “flip chart”! For each unit of study, she adds a new section for each of the unit’s themes on top of what is already displayed on her concept wall. Students then add their own work samples and important ideas. According to Tracey, students can then flip the different sections to see things they have already included on their concept wall. This will serve as a great tool when it is time to review for cumulative tests. -Tracey Wade, 5 th grade, Whitfield County Student Work

6. Christina’s third graders have been using their concept wall “closet” all year to organize their social studies learning. After learning about each of the concepts at the beginning of the year, students have added vocabulary terms, work samples, pictures, documents, and more to the wall. Christina writes that “…the kids have really taken ownership of it. They add things from ALL subject areas that they think are relevant and that help them to remember and clarify the enduring understandings.” -Christina Freeman, 3 rd grade, Henry County Current Events Vocabulary Student Work

7. “ I’ve found that my fifth graders get more out of these maps if I make them more friendly, including things that they can use and understand.” Students can even keep copies of these at their desks to refer to during the course of the unit. As they collect maps from different units, students can start to see how the themes repeat and change over time. They can also make meaningful connections between the content they’re learning and their own experiences and prior knowledge. -Heather Ellington , 5 th Grade, Lowndes Co.

8. Deale Fitch, K, Buford City