Minnesota Center for Social Studies Education

Helping students make sense of the world—and their place in it.

About Social Studies Education

When students investigate real questions and connect history to their communities, they build critical thinking skills, strengthen literacy and historical context, and develop the skills needed to navigate a complex world.

We work with educators across Minnesota to make social studies engaging, relevant, and meaningful for students. Through professional learning, resources, and partnerships, we help schools bring the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies to life.

Questions?
Contact Sung Ja Shin

How We Support Educators

MHC supports educators in implementing state Social Studies Standards through:

Educator institutes, workshops, and presentations
Customized professional learning for districts and service cooperatives
Collaborative curriculum and unit development aligned to Minnesota standards
Instructional resources for teachers and building leaders
Curated primary source packets and teaching tools

Customized Trainings

Bring social studies professional learning to your district.

We offer customized workshops, trainings, and collaborative planning sessions tailored to your local goals.

Connect with us and see how we can partner together.

Learn More

Instructional Resources

K-8 Resources

Repeatable Routines – Inquiry Lens Cards (PDF)

K-5 Unit and Grade Level Maps (PDF)
7-8 Unit and Grade Level Maps – Coming Soon!

9-12 Resources

Repeatable Routines – Inquiry Lens Cards (PDF)

9-12 Inquiry Lens Cards – Coming Soon!

Navigating the U.S. History Eras Canvas course – asynchronous learning experience containing:

Content videos led by expert historians that build historical context, analyze sources, and highlight key themes
Pedagogy videos facilitated by MDE Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg, offering hands-on support for designing inquiry-based, standards-aligned units
Resources to support unit planning, including source lists, pre-populated unit templates, and key terms

K-12 Inquiry Design

Introductory Guide to Designing Inquiry-Based Units (PDF)
IDM Unit Template and Instructions (Word Doc)
Hexagon Social Studies Benchmarks (PDF)
Overview of the 2021 Social Studies Standards & IDM Model (PDF)
MDE Social Studies Implementation webpage – Official standards documents, learning progressions by strand, and high school eras overview
Summative Task Guidance – Coming Soon!
Principal and District Guidance – Coming Soon!

Repeatable Routines

Repeatable routines are activities designed for repeated use across social studies content to help students develop disciplinary skills. They save teachers time and help students build disciplinary skills, confidence, and independence.