Social Studies

News & Announcements

The Sand Creek Massacre Inquiry Kits

The Sand Creek Massacre Foundation is pleased to announce that Inquiry Kits (thematic sets of high-quality primary and secondary sources) about the massacre are now available for educators on their website.

America250/Colorado150: The View From Here

The America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission is dedicated to honoring the diverse experiences of all who have called Colorado home, recognizing that our state’s history is intricately woven into the broader American story. As the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, Colorado will simultaneously commemorate its 150th anniversary of statehood, marking a historic and uniquely unified celebration.

Colorado’s anniversaries will be an opportunity for every Coloradan to come together as we:

Celebrate Colorado by acknowledging our complete history
Honor what makes Colorado unique
Embrace our shared destiny as we strive toward a more perfect union

There are numerous opportunities to get involved!

Join your local organizing committee! For more information: Get Involved
Visit the America 250 / Colorado 150 website for more ways to be part of something big!

Summer 2025 Professional Development Opportunities:

Social Studies Professional Development Opportunities are avenues for educators to enhance their knowledge, skills, and instructional practices within the realm of social studies. These opportunities are designed to empower teachers with the tools and resources necessary to deliver effective and engaging lessons in subjects such as history, geography, civics, economics, and sociology. By participating in these opportunities, educators can stay current with best practices, incorporate innovative teaching strategies, and foster a lifelong commitment to professional growth. Summer 2025 PD Opportunities.

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Academic Standards

Preparing students for the 21st century cannot be accomplished without a strong and sustaining emphasis on the social studies. The social studies provide cornerstone skills that are the key to opening doors for a more diverse, competitive workforce and responsible citizenry.

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Curriculum Support

Article IX, Section 16 of Colorado's constitution states, "Neither the general assembly nor the state board of education shall have power to prescribe textbooks to be used in the public schools." However, CDE can still serve as an advisor to help districts and schools adopt, adapt, develop, or use the materials of their choice.

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Instructional Support

Instructional support is grounded in CDE's shared approach to Best, First Instruction as well as practices and strategies supported by professional organizations and scholars at the leading edge of social studies education.

High Impact Instruction in Diverse Learning Settings This page provides a variety of resources and recommendations for providing instruction in diverse learning settings.
High Impact Instructional Strategies in the Social Studies This chart aligns high impact instructional strategies with desired student skills.
Research based instructional practices: This document outlines research based, high impact instructional strategies for the social studies.
Social Studies Lesson Planning for Learning and Reflection A sampling of lesson planning processes and ideas developed by teachers as part of the District Sample Curriculum Project.
High Impact Instructional Strategies for the Social Studies Classroom Modules: These modules represent a few high impact instructional strategies for the social studies classroom. While there are numerous teaching strategies for effective social studies instruction, the research on high-impact instruction in social studies (in terms of a positive impact on student learning) focuses primarily in two areas: historical thinking, and civic knowledge and skills for citizenship.

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Community

There are many opportunities to connect and grow as a professional educator with the larger Social Studies education community.

Social Studies Information

The Gilder Lehrman National History Teacher of the Year Award The National History Teacher of the Year Award recognizes outstanding K–12 American history teachers across the country. The 2025 award & honors outstanding elementary or secondary school teachers. Nominate a teacher today!
Social Studies Instruction and Reading Comprehension: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study A new study finds that social studies instruction in elementary school improves student's reading scores! Here are the 2 key points from the study:
- Increased instructional time in social studies—but not in ELA—is associated with improved reading ability.
- The students who benefit the most from additional social studies time are girls and those from lower-income and/or non-English-speaking homes.
- To read the study, visit the Fordham Foundation website at https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/resources/social-studies-instruction-and-reading-comprehension
Civics as a Graduation Requirement In 2004, the Colorado State Legislature passed a bill requiring all high school students to pass a course in civics. This is the only state graduation requirement. Specifically, the law states, "Satisfactory completion of a course on the civil government of the United States and the state of Colorado ... shall be a condition of high school graduation in the public schools of this state. Here is the full text of the law: CRS. 22-1-104.

For further assistance, please contact:

Stephanie Hartman, Ph.D.
Social Studies Content Specialist
720.498.2084
Hartman_S@cde.state.co.us