Understanding and Unpacking the Social Studies NJSLS

Explore NJ Social Studies standards to align curriculum, foster inquiry, and build civic engagement in every classroom.

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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Core Needs Addressed

  • 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).

Key Learnings

  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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Understanding and Unpacking the Social Studies NJSLS

Explore NJ Social Studies standards to align curriculum, foster inquiry, and build civic engagement in every classroom.

Led by our team of Instructional Strategists

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Last Updated

Apr 15, 2026 2:51 PM

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Designed for School Leaders asking...

How can we implement the NJSLS-SS to produce measurable gains in student inquiry, critical thinking, and civic engagement?

What systems will ensure consistent alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to the updated social studies standards and practices?

How do we build teacher capacity to design inquiry-driven, standards-aligned learning experiences that improve student outcomes?

This workshop helped me better understand the challenges families face and gave me practical strategies to strengthen communication and engagement. I now feel more confident in building supportive partnerships with families to improve student success.

Jen Soloman

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As a result of this work

As a result of this work, educators will strengthen their understanding of the NJSLS for Social Studies and their instructional implications, ensuring aligned, inquiry-driven curriculum and assessment practices. Teachers will leave with practical strategies, unpacking protocols, and planning tools that support the integration of social studies practices, essential questions, and standards-aligned instruction that fosters civic engagement and critical thinking.

Workshop Description

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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Designed for Today's Schools

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Educators will confidently

Educators will deepen their understanding of the New Jersey social studies standards and align curriculum with updated expectations. This work supports consistent, standards-aligned instruction that fosters inquiry, civic engagement, and critical thinking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes your workshops different from traditional professional development or other providers?

Our approach goes beyond one-size-fits-all professional development. We hold ourselves to rigorous standards of quality and delivery in every client interaction, ensuring that each experience is meaningful, relevant, and impactful. We don’t just deliver workshops—we build long-term partnerships with schools and districts, working alongside educators to improve instructional practices and student outcomes over time.

We actively listen to educators’ unique contexts and experiences, using that insight to collaboratively design tailored solutions rather than pre-packaged sessions. Our team asks thoughtful questions, challenges assumptions, and continuously learns so we can help redefine what’s possible in teaching and learning.

Above all, we communicate authentically, foster positive and productive relationships, and bring a deep passion and commitment to education. The result is professional learning that feels purposeful, personalized, and truly transformative.

Who are your workshops designed for?

Our workshops are designed for educators and school leaders, including teachers, instructional coaches, school administrators, and district teams. Each session is tailored to the specific audience to ensure content is relevant, practical, and immediately applicable.

What does a typical workshop look like?

Our workshops are interactive, engaging, and grounded in real classroom practice. Each experience is intentionally designed using the principles of andragogy, sound instructional design, and the core constructs of effective professional development to ensure relevance, coherence, and impact. Participants engage in discussion, reflection, planning, and application activities — not just passive listening. Educators leave with concrete strategies and next steps they can implement right away.

How long are your workshops?

We offer flexible formats, including half-day, full-day, and multi-session series. We can also design ongoing professional learning experiences to support sustained implementation over time.

What delivery methods are available for your workshops?

We offer flexible delivery options to meet the needs of schools and districts, including in-person sessions, live virtual workshops, and asynchronous learning through our applied learning platform. Regardless of format, all experiences are designed to be interactive, engaging, and collaborative, with structures that promote meaningful participation and application of learning.

What kind of follow-up support is available?

We believe professional learning is most effective when it’s sustained. In addition to workshops, we offer instructional coaching, implementation planning, and follow-up sessions to help teams translate learning into practice and drive meaningful results.

Who facilitates the workshops?

Inspired Instruction’s workshops are facilitated by a nationwide team of expert Instructional Strategists.  Our facilitators bring diverse experience as classroom educators, instructional coaches, principals, directors, and superintendents, spanning all content areas. We thoughtfully match your specific needs with a facilitator whose expertise aligns to ensure the learning experience is relevant, practical, and impactful for your staff.

How much does it cost to bring a workshop to my school or district?

We offer a range of pricing options designed to meet the needs of different schools and districts. Our Client Directors work closely with you to understand your goals, scope, and budget, and will partner with you to design a high-quality professional learning experience that fits within your financial framework.

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