Understanding and Unpacking the Social Studies NJSLS

This workshop guides educators through a comprehensive exploration of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Social Studies (NJSLS-SS). Participants will examine the new structure of the standards, including the disciplinary concepts, core ideas, performance expectations, and eras that shape instruction. The session emphasizes the integration of the Social Studies Practices and provides opportunities to unpack grade-band standards and refine essential questions. Teachers will leave with a clear understanding of how to align their curriculum with the updated expectations while fostering inquiry, civic engagement, and critical thinking.

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• Lack of familiarity and clarity regarding the structure and language of the updated NJSLS-SS.
  
  
• Difficulty connecting Social Studies Practices and disciplinary concepts to classroom instruction and assessment.
  
  
• Need for strategies to align existing curricula with new performance expectations and legislative mandates (e.g., Amistad, Holocaust, and LGBTQ+ inclusion laws).

1. Understanding the Framework:
   Participants will learn how the NJSLS-SS are organized around disciplinary concepts, core ideas, and performance expectations, and how these components interconnect to promote student mastery across grade levels
   
   
2. Applying the Social Studies Practices:
   Educators will explore the seven Social Studies Practices—such as developing inquiry, evaluating sources, and engaging in civil discourse—and discover practical ways to integrate them into lessons to promote active citizenship and critical thinking
   
   
3. Curriculum Alignment and Implementation:
   Teachers will engage in unpacking grade-band standards and revising essential questions to ensure their instruction reflects the intent of the NJSLS-SS, legislative mandates, and 21st-century themes, including global awareness and civic literacy
   

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