Used in thousands of classrooms nationwide, TCI’s K–12 Social Studies curriculum transforms the way students engage with history, civics, geography, and economics. Rather than passively reading about the past, students participate in it through hands-on activities, discussions, primary source analysis, and lessons designed to make even the most complex concepts approachable and relevant.

The program is built on proven teaching strategies that promote inquiry, collaboration, and civic understanding, empowering students to connect the past to the present and become informed, active citizens.

The EdTech Awards — now celebrating their 16th year — are the world’s largest recognition program for education technology, honoring standout innovation across the K–12, Higher Education, and Skills & Workforce sectors. Finalists and winners are evaluated on pedagogical workability, efficacy, support, clarity, value, and potential.

“The work happening across this community is expanding what’s possible in education — making learning more accessible, more relevant, and more impactful for people at every stage of life,” said Victor Rivero, Editor-in-Chief of EdTech Digest. “You’re not just advancing the field; you’re helping redefine it.”

We’re proud of this recognition and grateful to the educators who trust TCI in their classrooms every day. Explore TCI’s award-winning Social Studies programs.

About EdTech Digest and The EdTech Awards
EdTech Digest, a leading source of cool tools, interviews, and trends showcasing the future of learning — annually honors the best and brightest people, products and groups working in edtech with The EdTech Awards. Cool Tool, Leadership, and Trendsetter honorees span the K-12, Higher Ed, and Skills & Workforce sectors. Further information about The EdTech Awards is available here: https://edtechdigest.com/

The post TCI’s K–12 Social Studies Programs Win the 2026 EdTech Cool Tool Award appeared first on TCI.

Reading instruction rightfully holds a central place in elementary classrooms. District pacing guides protect literacy blocks. Curriculum maps allocate minutes carefully. Teachers are expected to meet the needs of diverse learners while ensuring steady academic growth.

At the same time, social studies often competes for space in an already crowded day.

Melanie Sutherland, a former K–5 classroom teacher with more than 30 years of experience and a background in instructional coaching, understands this tension firsthand. Having worked across grade levels and now supporting educators through her work with TCI, she regularly hears the same challenge from teachers.

“Teachers have to fit it all in,” she explains. “Teachers are trying to meet the needs of diverse learners…and then try to make it engaging and exciting for the students.” In many schools, social studies time is limited. Some teachers may have 30 to 40 minutes per day. “But most teachers tell me 10 or 15 minutes.”

The conversation is not about choosing literacy over social studies, but about how the two can work together within the realities of the elementary schedule.

The Structural Reality of the Elementary School Day

In elementary classrooms, instructional decisions are shaped by fixed schedules, curriculum maps, and clearly defined minutes for each subject. Teachers are responsible for every content area, meeting the needs of multilingual learners, students receiving intervention, and students working at multiple reading levels.

As Melanie puts it, “There is no time to sit and prepare and plan.”

Planning time is extremely limited. In many elementary schools, the only window teachers have is when students leave for specials like PE. Even then, that time is often spent tracking down missing lunches, calling parents, or handling other immediate needs rather than preparing lessons.

Within that structure, social studies often has only brief, inconsistent time during the week. Some classrooms may schedule 30 to 40 minutes, but many teachers report working with much shorter segments, sometimes just 10 to 15 minutes. In that environment, integrating social studies into literacy instruction cannot depend on additional preparation or extended blocks of time. It has to function within the day as it already exists.

When time is limited, the design of the materials becomes critical. That reality is precisely why well-designed instructional materials matter; when lessons are already structured, teachers are not starting from scratch.

Why Social Studies and Literacy Are Not Separate in K–5 Classrooms

Many elementary classrooms treat literacy and social studies as separate blocks competing for time. In practice, Melanie argues, that separation does not reflect how students actually learn.

“If you’re a K to 5 teacher, you teach reading all day,” she explains. Literacy is embedded in every subject. “A student can be a great math student, and if they can’t read those word problems, they’re not going to be successful.”

The same holds true for social studies. When students engage with vocabulary, identify main ideas, analyze informational text, and discuss new concepts, they are strengthening literacy skills within meaningful content. As Melanie explains, literacy is not confined to a designated period but is embedded in every subject.

She sees this most clearly when students encounter informational text. Reading in social studies requires more than decoding; it demands background knowledge. “They don’t have the background schema,” she explains. Even in historically rich communities, classrooms include new and transitional students who may never have encountered the concepts being discussed.

Without that shared context, everything becomes more difficult. When students build knowledge through social studies, they are better positioned to read deeply and apply literacy skills across the day.

What Flexible Social Studies Integration Looks Like in Practice

Because time is limited in the elementary school day, integration has to be realistic.

For Melanie, the issue is not whether teachers value social studies. It’s whether the materials make it usable within the day teachers already have. In her work with TCI classrooms, she has seen how structured social studies lessons allow teachers to “not only use them during the literacy block, but also have a flexible curriculum to be able to use at shorter periods of time.” That flexibility allows teachers to adapt the lesson structure to fit their schedules and instructional needs.

Integration cannot work if it creates extra grading or planning. Teachers need options that fit into existing routines.

Melanie often points to small shifts. Bell work, for example, can reinforce literacy through content. “You can pull up a song, turn on the closed caption, and let the kids follow along like a fluency activity.” A short biography assignment allows students to answer a few questions and practice writing skills. “It’s not more work for you to check it,” she notes. “You can just look at their scores.”

Visual analysis offers another entry point. Students click, enlarge, and “go in like a microscope and find things.” They begin to notice details, infer meaning, and revise initial impressions. “They honestly would find things I didn’t even think we would be talking about.”

Moments like that do more than build analytical skills. They reinforce that these events truly happened, grounding history in something real and tangible. When students see it up close, the learning becomes vivid. It comes to life in ways that help ideas stick long after the lesson ends.

Structure makes this possible. Active learning does not require elaborate preparation. “It’s all about structure,” Melanie says. In elementary classrooms, active learning can be short, structured, and clearly guided.

In strong classrooms, “the ones doing all the talking are not the ones doing all the learning.” Brief teacher guidance gives way to students turning and talking, applying ideas, and making connections. Even in short segments, the learning stays tied to content. “Now what was that game like in XYZ?” she asks, bringing students back to the historical connection.

When social studies is flexible and structured in this way, it reinforces vocabulary, fluency, analysis, and discussion within meaningful content. It strengthens literacy rather than competing with it.

Building Background Knowledge and Inquiry Habits Over Time

For Melanie, one of the most important reminders about elementary social studies is simple: “It’s not an extra.”

In K–5 classrooms, students are building the foundations that later academic work depends on. “They have to have background knowledge. They have to have schema,” she explains. Without shared context, informational reading can feel disconnected. Decoding alone is not enough; understanding depends on familiarity with ideas and vocabulary that build over time.

That same gradual development applies to inquiry. Skills such as looking across sources, identifying evidence, and explaining how we know something do not have to appear all at once. They can begin in small, structured ways—modeling how to examine a source together, asking students where information comes from, or guiding them to support a claim with details from a text.

In TCI’s elementary programs, these inquiry routines are intentionally scaffolded across grade levels, allowing students to encounter them in developmentally appropriate ways long before they are expected to use them independently.

Repeated exposure builds familiarity, and inquiry becomes a habit rather than a new demand.

“Anything that you can fit in that’s something they will take outside your classroom or to next year,” she says, is meaningful. The goal is coherence. When background knowledge and inquiry habits are introduced steadily, literacy development feels connected across grade levels rather than compressed into a single year.

Supporting Integration Through School Culture

Melanie has seen how school culture shapes what feels possible in classrooms. When leaders highlight strong instructional practices, whether it’s a simulation, a project, or a classroom discussion, it signals that this kind of learning matters. In districts partnering with TCI, that visibility often includes shared training, instructional modeling, and examples of classroom practice that make integration feel achievable rather than abstract.

Visibility creates momentum. Teachers gather ideas from one another, and integrated instruction becomes part of the shared culture rather than an isolated effort.

At the classroom level, she encourages educators to think forward. What will students need next year? What experiences now will make those expectations feel familiar rather than new?

“Anything that you can fit in that’s something they will take outside your classroom or to next year,” she says, is meaningful.

When social studies is treated as connected to literacy and supported by structured materials and shared instructional language, integration becomes less about adding more and more about making learning coherent over time.

For educators and leaders interested in exploring this approach further:

• Explore elementary lesson experiences in action
• Rethinking Literacy in the Elementary Classroom (eBook)
• Elementary Social Studies Curriculum Overview
• Social Studies Standards Correlations

The post Making Social Studies Work Within the Elementary Literacy Block appeared first on TCI.

The Best of 2025 Awards recognize educational technology released in the past year that has demonstrated exceptional impact in supporting teaching and learning, whether in classrooms, professional development settings, or education resource management. Selected by a panel of industry experts, an Award of Excellence reflects real-world effectiveness and meaningful outcomes for educators and students.

Judges highlighted how both programs support authentic, student-centered learning while remaining practical for classroom and district implementation. For Social Studies Alive!, reviewers noted the program’s emphasis on inquiry projects, primary source analysis, and classroom discussion, moving beyond memorization while remaining manageable from a district perspective:

“Social Studies Alive! feels like the kind of elementary social studies that keeps kids doing inquiry projects, primary sources, and real discussion, instead of just memorizing dates and definitions. From a district lens, the rollout looks pretty manageable, and the annual summer reset that permanently deletes student accounts/work is a solid governance move.”

In science, judges emphasized how Bring Science Alive! addresses a common challenge in educational technology by prioritizing hands-on investigations and active learning experiences:

“One of the challenges in a tech-driven educational movement is the balance of hands-on experiences, especially in science classrooms. Bring Science Alive! lives up to its name with resources, materials, and lessons that have students doing science, not just learning science vocabulary.”

This recognition also reflects the overall strength of this year’s award submissions. The Tech & Learning editorial team shared that the Best of 2025 Awards attracted a large number of high-quality entries, with industry experts selecting the products that were most impactful in helping schools improve teaching and learning throughout 2025. Each winning product demonstrated meaningful classroom impact and represented a well-earned accomplishment.

Used in thousands of classrooms across the country, TCI’s Social Studies and Science programs transform learning into an active, student-centered experience. Rather than simply reading about history or science, students engage through hands-on activities, primary source analysis, inquiry-driven instruction, and technology-enhanced lessons. This approach helps teachers make complex concepts accessible, relevant, and engaging for every learner.

The post TCI Wins Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence: Best of 2025 appeared first on TCI.

Why Does Teaching the 250 Matter?

The 250th anniversary is an opportunity for students to discover American history in a way that feels relevant to their own lives. With so much information in the world today, it can be difficult to understand the context behind current events.

By exploring key moments from the past, students begin to see how history connects to their experiences and communities today. This kind of learning encourages reflection and helps students build the skills to understand the broader story—finding meaning in the events that have shaped, and continue to shape, our world.

Explore the following resources to engage students in America’s 250th year as a country. From mini-lessons to bring history into the classroom to ideas for exploring America’s past in the world around them through landmarks and primary sources, here are ideas for engaging every learner.

Teach the 250: Resources for Every Classroom

Teach the 250 is a collection of ready-to-use mini-lessons designed to help K–12 students investigate key moments, documents, and symbols in U.S. history—from the origins of the flag to the ideas behind our founding principles.

TCI’s Teach the 250 campaign offers ready-to-use mini-lessons, activities, and primary sources for classrooms at every grade level.

• Elementary students explore important symbols and traditions in America, from the flag to fourth of July celebrations. Upper elementary students have the opportunity to analyze primary source quotes from early patriots to see how their values influence the country.
• Middle schoolers could explore the debates behind the Declaration of Independence and think critically about the events that led to the American Revolution.
• High school classes can step into the shoes of historical figures and use primary sources to debate the independence movement from the perspectives of four groups affected by colonial rebellion.

These resources help students dig deeper into America’s story, from exploring the Declaration of Independence to uncovering the voices that have shaped our nation. Whether you’re teaching elementary, middle, or high school, you’ll find engaging ways to connect your students with history in meaningful and memorable ways.

Explore the full range of resources on our Teach the 250 page.

Bringing History Home: Exploring Local Connections

To build strong connections with their community, students can explore America’s 250th by investigating how their state or local area fits into the broader American story. These activities not only make classroom learning more relevant, but also encourage students to think critically about their own place in history and the ongoing story of our nation.

• Investigate Local History: Start by having students research local connections—maybe a landmark, event, or notable person from your state who played a role in shaping American history. Encourage them to dig into local archives, interview community members, or explore the resources at local museums to uncover untold stories right in their own backyard.
• Analyze State Symbols and Statehood: Encourage students to investigate the origins and meanings of their state’s symbols—such as the flag, bird, motto, or seal—and what they represent about the state’s identity and values. Students can also explore the story of their state’s path to statehood, examining key events, figures, and historical documents that shaped its entry into the Union. These activities help students see how their state’s unique journey connects to the broader American story.
• Create and Present Local History Projects: Invite students to present their findings in creative ways. They can design digital postcards, create slideshows, or build interactive maps that connect local stories to bigger moments in U.S. history. Elementary students can design digital postcards or posters featuring a local place, event, or historical figure, pairing visuals with short paragraphs. Middle and high school students can develop a rigorous project—such as an annotated interactive map, a podcast episode, or a documentary short—telling the story of their community’s role in American history.

By bringing history closer to home, students not only build research skills but also see themselves as part of America’s ongoing story.

Additional Ideas for Classroom Engagement

These easy-to-implement strategies work across grade levels and help students find real meaning in America’s story:

• Start with Inquiry: Kick off lessons with open-ended questions or “What if?” prompts to encourage curiosity and spark deeper thinking about pivotal moments in American history.
• Go on Virtual Field Trips: Bring the past into the present by taking students on online tours of national landmarks, monuments, and museums. Many sites offer interactive experiences that make distant places feel close and relevant.
• Make It Hands-On: Simple activities—like building a historical timeline, writing postcards to historical figures, or debating significant decisions—bring energy and creativity to any lesson.
• Connect to Today: Start discussions that link America’s past with current events or students’ lives. Even a few minutes of thoughtful conversation can help students see the ongoing impact of history all around them.
• Dig Into Primary Sources: Analyze excerpts from historic documents, photographs, or newspaper articles as a class. Use guiding questions to help students uncover different perspectives and understand the context behind each artifact. For example, you might explore:
  • Passages from the Declaration of Independence
  • Selections from Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
  • Poems by Phillis Wheatley

These approaches not only boost engagement but also help students develop critical thinking, communication, and research skills—making the 250th anniversary a living, learning experience for everyone.

As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, we have a unique chance to help students connect with history in meaningful ways. With the Teach the 250 resources, you can easily integrate inquiry, creativity, and real-world relevance into your lessons.

The post Teaching 250 Years: Engaging Students at Every Level appeared first on TCI.

We’re excited to share a few new updates with you this winter, along with some tried-and-true teacher favorites to explore in 2026. Check out the latest updates and revisit powerful tools that will help you make the most of TCI in your classroom. Sign in to your TCI teacher account to explore these features.

New! More Languages for Translation

We’ve expanded our translation tool to include dozens of new languages—including Haitian Creole—thanks to your feedback. You’ll also find a helpful new search feature, making it easy to quickly locate any language you need.

You can access the translation tool with the reading online. Select the text, choose a language, and see your content instantly translated to support all learners. To provide additional reading support, text-to-speech is also offered for many languages. We plan to expand this feature to include additional languages in the future.

New! Clip Art for Assessments

Get creative! Now, when customizing assessment questions, you can add clip art images—on top of background images—to drawing questions. Clipart can be moved, resized, and manipulated right in the prompt, offering more flexibility for visual learners and hands-on tasks.

Oldies but Goodies: Features Teachers Love

Some updates stand the test of time—here are a few favorites you might have missed from earlier in 2025.

• Video Activities: Video-driven, flexible activities for middle and high school social studies—perfect for remediation, review, or helping students catch up after holidays. Science teachers: Be sure to check out the Key Science Concept videos for middle school as well.
• Differentiation Tools—Access Points (Now Available in Third-Edition Programs): We know that every classroom is unique. Access Points make it easier to support all learners. If you are using a third edition program, the Access Points for Differentiation handouts are now available in the Planning Box in your teacher account. These handouts are a ready-to-use, modified version of the reading notes that focus on vocabulary and review questions that cover the lesson’s main ideas.

Coming in February: Try the New Grades Page Beta

You’ll soon have the option to try out the New Grades Page beta, arriving early February.

• A cleaner, more focused grades table—see only what you’ve assigned
• One score per assignment to make grading simple
• A grading process that’s now more consistent with your LMS

You can explore the new Grades Page when you’re ready—nothing changes unless you choose to opt in. Keep an eye out for more details soon.

TCI continues to grow with your feedback. We can’t wait for you and your students to experience these new updates. If you have questions or want to share your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Sign in to your TCI teacher account to explore these exciting new features. Stay informed about the latest updates on the TCI Product Updates page or by checking the gift box notifications in your account.

The post New Year, New Tools: TCI Updates and Teacher Favorites for 2026 appeared first on TCI.

The CODiE Awards, presented by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), are the only peer-recognized program honoring excellence and innovation in education technology. Each product undergoes a rigorous evaluation by expert judges and industry peers based on its innovation, impact, and overall value.

“We’re honored to receive the 2025 CODiE Award for Best Social Sciences/Studies Instructional Solution,” said Bert Bower, CEO and Founder, TCI. “This recognition reflects our team’s unwavering commitment to creating meaningful, engaging learning experiences for teachers and students. I’m so proud of the TCI team and the impact we’re making in classrooms every day.”

Used in thousands of classrooms across the country, TCI’s K-12 Social Studies curriculum transforms classrooms into interactive learning environments where students don’t just read about history—they experience it. Through hands-on activities, primary source analysis, and technology-enhanced lessons, TCI helps teachers make complex concepts accessible and engaging for every learner. The program is built on proven teaching strategies that promote inquiry, collaboration, and civic understanding, empowering students to connect the past to the present and become informed, active citizens.

“The CODiE Awards celebrate the visionaries shaping the future of technology,” said Jennifer Baranowski, President of the CODiE Awards. “This year’s winners exemplify how innovation, leadership, and purpose can come together to create solutions that move industries forward and make a lasting impact.”

A full list of 2025 CODiE Award winners can be found at www.codieawards.com/winners.

About TCI

TCI is an award-winning online K-12 publishing company created by teachers for teachers. For more than 30 years, the company has partnered with the education community to fundamentally change classroom instruction. TCI’s K-12 programs are based on proven teaching strategies and practices that bring learning alive and achieve consistent, positive classroom results. TCI believes that the best education marries great content, meaningful technology, and interactive classroom experiences. More than 4.5 million students in 5,000 school districts around the country achieve and succeed with TCI.

The post TCI’s K–12 Social Studies Programs Recognized with 2025 CODiE Award appeared first on TCI.

Best of STEM judge, Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth, an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher of Spanish and STEAM: shares what she liked most about TCI’s Bring Science Alive! programs.

Making Science Relevant and Engaging

Over the years, I’ve noticed how science instruction can become disconnected from students’ real lives. Sometimes we may assume that because science is “hands-on,” it’s automatically engaging, which is what I thought. But how many of us have watched students go through the motions of doing an experiment without truly connecting to the why behind it? I’ve said this for many years: if only there were tools like this when I was learning science, it would have made such a difference in our learning experiences!

When I reviewed TCI Bring Science Alive! as a Best of STEM judge, I was immediately drawn to how it tackles this exact challenge. The program uses anchoring phenomena to hook students right from the start. When students experience a phenomenon that resonates with them, they tend to connect more deeply with the learning concept and retain the content. When I explored the phenomenon in this program, I could immediately imagine how students would better connect with it, having lived through similar experiences themselves or relating to the experiences of others.

What surprised me most was how easy this is to use. So many programs require reading through complicated manuals and piecing together components, but TCI has everything integrated seamlessly. Students are building science knowledge while simultaneously developing their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. For someone like me who teaches both Spanish and STEAM, this cross-curricular approach is exactly what we need!

Engaging Every Student Through Active Learning

The program transforms students from passive consumers into active creators and innovators. They take on roles as investigators and scientists, making decisions about their learning path. The hands-on exploration, combined with reflection, means students are building a deep understanding. I have struggled with this over the years, watching students learn something and immediately forget it. But the way this program builds from the initial anchoring phenomenon throughout the entire unit creates lasting comprehension and better retention.

There are many things I wish I had known when I began my career. The biggest change I eventually made was getting out of the front of the classroom, promoting more student choice and voice in learning. Rather than decide for them, I would let students decide if they wanted to do a presentation or create something. Sometimes they would come in with their own creation, and I hadn’t even suggested it! When they share what they’ve created, it builds excitement, and that is exactly what I saw reflected in this program’s approach.

One thing that has made such a difference is the built-in differentiation. There are hands-on investigations, leveled readings, interactive digital components, and so many entry points for different learners. Some students look at a diagram and immediately get it (I can totally relate!), while others need to manipulate materials or read about it. The program offers suggestions for differentiating instruction, saving teachers hours, and giving them time to work directly with students, which is what I love to do!

Inspiring Curiosity and Future-Ready Skills

For elementary teachers, especially, finding dedicated time for science can be a challenge. What makes Bring Science Alive! stand out is how it can help teachers find that time more easily. The literacy integration means teachers can accomplish multiple goals simultaneously. I could see students doing fossil digs, investigating ecosystems, exploring photosynthesis (that’s always my go-to topic!), while simultaneously developing the essential skills that transcend content areas.

The inquiry-based approach encourages students to ask questions, which is so important because the older they get, the fewer questions they ask. We want them to be curious! They’re thinking about their own experiences, their community, and global connections. Whether or not they go into STEM fields, they’re developing skills in problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and resilience, which are some of the in-demand skills for the future. With 58 million STEM-related jobs projected by 2030, we need students to see possibilities beyond just “scientist” or “engineer.”

If I could suggest one enhancement, it would be expanding career connections for emerging STEM fields that students may not be aware of. Students may only know the careers they’ve seen firsthand. I thought the same way until I learned how many careers are actually considered STEM fields!

The name says it all: Bring Science Alive! It really does! Students aren’t just sitting; they’re up and moving, investigating, experiencing science rather than just reading about it. That phenomenon-based approach is something I never experienced as a student. For me, it was just “Here’s this topic, here’s how you learn it” without true relevance or meaningful connection. This program changes that completely for students today.

Start with one unit. Experience that moment when your students connect a phenomenon to their own lives. Watch them become the curious, engaged learners we know they can be!

Best wishes for an engaging school year!

Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth
Spanish and STEAM Emerging Technology Teacher
Consultant, Attorney, and Author
Best of STEM Judge

The post TCI Wins Best of STEM: A Judge’s Perspective on Making Science Come Alive appeared first on TCI.

Social Studies Alive! Michigan and Its People was designed with these realities in mind. As a High-Quality Instructional Material (HQIM), it saves you time with standards-aligned, ready-to-use lessons and engaging activities. Built around Michigan’s standards, it gives you hands-on activities, inquiry projects, and practical support.

Active Learning That Brings Michigan’s Story to Life

Too often, social studies programs present information in a dry, passive way—asking students to read, memorize, and repeat facts. TCI designs social studies to be active and hands-on, turning social studies into students’ favorite part of the day. With Social Studies Alive! Michigan and Its People, third graders aren’t just memorizing facts—they’re experiencing Michigan’s history firsthand.

Active learning means students do the thinking. In TCI classrooms, students analyze images and maps, build timelines, debate choices, and solve problems together. It’s no longer about “reading about it”—it’s about investigating, discussing, and experiencing. With routines that make participation safe and expected, all students can jump in and shine.

Hands-On Activities

Students are actively engaged when they’re involved in hands-on activities—and we include one in every lesson. Here are a few favorites that make Michigan studies come alive:

• Cars: Driving the Economy – Students experience a car assembly line and explore Michigan’s natural resources to learn about the state’s industries. Experience the lesson.
• Early European Settlers in Michigan – Students explore images and artifacts from a museum attic. Based on what they find, they generate questions about early European settlers in Michigan.
• Michigan’s Indigenous Peoples – Students participate in the inquiry process to investigate how three Indigenous groups worked together with their environments. They search for hidden clues in five photographs, sparking curiosity and critical thinking. Then, students conduct their own inquiry to learn something they’re curious about regarding a group Indigenous to their own region.

Inquiry Projects That Foster Curiosity

Social Studies Alive! Michigan and Its People is built on inquiry. Every unit includes an Inquiry Project that guides students step-by-step—from developing their own questions to researching, evaluating evidence, and building a claim and argument.

Each project kicks off with a short, engaging video that gets students curious and ready to investigate. For example, in Unit 3—Economics, students dive into a case study about Meijer, Inc. They research Michigan companies and jobs to answer: How do Michigan’s location and natural resources influence what companies and jobs can support its economy? Along the way, students build essential social studies skills and make connections to their local communities.

Gamification: Motivation with Purpose

Gamification in social studies isn’t about more screen time—it’s about boosting motivation and giving meaningful feedback. Our hands-on activities weave in game-like elements to keep students engaged and inspired. Students tackle challenges such as tracing a product’s journey across Michigan or mapping the Great Lakes trade routes.

The program also features Reading Checks and Lesson Games that monitor understanding of key concepts and vocabulary, providing quick, formative assessments along the way. It’s engagement with real rewards—students get to see their growth and celebrate every milestone.

Built for Real Michigan Classrooms

Social Studies Alive! Michigan and Its People is designed from the ground up to meet Michigan’s grade 3 standards. The program builds on essential social studies concepts in history, geography, civics, and economics, all explored through the lens of Michigan. Topics follow a logical, sequenced progression, so concepts build on one another and deepen understanding over time.

Inquiry and Civic Engagement

Throughout the program, students develop key inquiry skills and tackle public policy issues relevant to Michigan citizens. Activities encourage students to evaluate evidence, participate in classroom discussions, and prepare for civic life.

ELA Integration Made Easy

Social Studies Alive! Michigan and Its People also makes it easy to integrate social studies content with English Language Arts. Students build literacy skills as they read informational texts, write about local history, analyze primary sources, and grow vocabulary alongside learning about Michigan. This cross-curricular approach helps maximize instructional time without sacrificing depth.

Flexible and Teacher-Friendly

Busy teachers will appreciate how flexible lessons can be broken into manageable chunks, with every reading and activity clearly labeled by standard. Plus, our easy-to-use correlations page guides you directly to where each standard is covered—making lesson planning simple and straightforward.

What’s Inside? Print, Digital, and Total Flexibility

We get that every classroom is different. With our print and digital resources, we make learning accessible for all—and support teachers as they reach every student.

• Print resources: Teacher’s guides, interactive Student Journals, detailed assessments, Activity Cards, maps, and primary sources—all ready to go.
• Digital tools: Ready-to-teach slides packed with visual media, auto-scored exercises, instant feedback, and progress reporting by unit and standard.
• Supports for all learners: We provide differentiation strategies and digital tools that support all learners, including leveled readings, built-in text-to-speech, translation tools, and Spanish immersion.

Ready for Michigan Teachers—Right Now

Our program is available now! If you’re ready to make social studies the favorite time of your students’ day, you can explore a sample lesson or request a free sample.

The post Bringing Michigan’s History Alive in the Classroom appeared first on TCI.

For Fall 2025, we’re excited to introduce new features based on your feedback, including a New Grades page, point-of-use correlations, and enhanced tools for accessibility and translations. Sign in to your TCI teacher account to explore these features.

New Ways to Grade

• New Grades Page: The new Grades Page provides a more streamlined, intuitive grading experience that supports assignment-based grading. Now, you’ll only see and grade the work you’ve actually assigned, with a single score representing each assignment. This gives you a clearer snapshot of student performance and makes it easier to spot and address areas that need support.
• Hiding Answers from Student Results: This feature lets you control what students see when they receive their graded assessments on the student results page. You can turn this feature on and off when assigning each assessment. Leave the “Show answer key on student results page” box unchecked to hide answers from the student results page. This added flexibility lets you decide how and when to share feedback, while also helping to prevent students from sharing answers between classes.

Correlations Made Easy

• Correlations Quick Links: Stay on top of standards with our updated Correlations page, where you can easily see how TCI’s programs align with your state requirements. Whether you’re looking for a specific text, a ready-to-use activity, or an assessment that matches your standards, quick links help you jump right to what you need.
• Point-of-Use Standards: We’ve also made it simple to stay aligned as you plan and teach. Every lesson and reading is now clearly labeled with the standards it meets. That way, you can easily check alignment, plan your lessons with confidence, and spend more time helping students succeed, knowing they’re always on track.

New Tools for Accessibility and Translations

• More Languages, More Access: Reach more learners with our expanded translation tools. Now, students can highlight any part of the text and translate it into additional languages, including Chinese, Vietnamese, French, Italian, and more. Spanish language support remains available through our dedicated Spanish immersion toggle. Whether students are building their English skills or need content in their home language, TCI makes learning more accessible for everyone.
• Supporting Students with Speech-to-Text: Supporting diverse learners continues to be a top priority at TCI. We now offer improved integration with speech-to-text tools, allowing students to use the built-in features on their Mac or PC to convert speech into written text. Whether answering notebook questions, tackling long-form assessment responses, or taking notes, students can use these tools to express their ideas.

Sign in to your TCI teacher account to explore these exciting new features. We’re also working on new interactions for students, like 360 images and interactive maps. Stay informed about the latest updates on the TCI Product Updates page or by checking the gift box notifications in your account.

The post Product Updates for Fall 2025: New Grades Page, Correlations, Translation Tools appeared first on TCI.

So how do you find professional development that goes beyond the basics and actually supports your growth as a teacher? What separates meaningful PD from the rest? Let’s explore how active learning makes professional learning more effective—and why it matters for you and your students.

Common Challenges with Traditional PD

Teacher professional development comes in many forms, from in-person workshops to virtual webinars. But it’s not the format that determines whether PD is effective—it’s the experience itself. Great professional learning can happen in any setting, just as lackluster sessions can pop up anywhere.

The real problem arises when PD feels cookie-cutter. You can usually spot this type of development by a few telltale signs:

• It feels generic and passive
• It lacks teacher participation
• It doesn’t connect to real classroom challenges
• It offers little flexibility for teachers’ busy schedules

The result of this is that teachers leave uninspired, without practical ideas or strategies they can apply to their classrooms.

Moving Beyond the Checklist: Active Learning in PD

Teachers gather at an in person PD event to build skills through games and insightful sessions.

While traditional PD can fall short of expectations, there are learning opportunities for teachers that go beyond the basics. Research points to active learning as key to effective PD, including elements like collaboration, modeling lessons, and reflection.

Active learning is not just for K-12 students—it’s just as powerful for teachers. When professional development is hands-on and built for adult learners, teachers are more engaged and walk away with practical skills they can use right away. PD that models effective instruction and provides ready-to-use resources not only boosts confidence, but also makes it easy to bring new strategies to life.

But active learning doesn’t stop at individual growth. It’s also about building a strong community. Real growth happens when teachers have the chance to learn together, share struggles, celebrate successes, and support each other along the way. This empowers and connects teachers, giving them the tools and support they need to make lasting change in their classrooms.

Characteristics of Active Learning

Active learning includes opportunities for collaboration and teacher participation.

The most effective professional development gives teachers a chance to actively learn, learn from peers, and find practical strategies that fit their lives. Hands-on, practical experiences make new skills stick, while learning with and from fellow teachers leads to lasting growth.

Here are different ways to incorporate active learning in teacher PD:

• Encourage teacher participation. Build in opportunities for teachers to share their experiences in the classroom, ask questions, and try strategies. For virtual PD, plan out when to include interactive sections, including polls, Q&A, and opportunities for teachers to share their classroom experiences.
• Lean into collaboration. Learning together leads to more powerful professional growth. Studies show that group work, discussion, and peer-led sessions lead to deeper reflection and a strong sense of community. When teachers learn together, they can share real insights, ask questions, and try out new strategies with confidence.
• Make it relevant to the classroom. “Job-embedded” professional development means it is directly connected to the classroom. The most effective PD offers practical strategies, ready-to-use resources, and real examples you can immediately try with students. PD should include resources teachers can take away with them and provide right away, such as checklists, toolkits, teaching strategies, or sample lessons.
• Model instructional practices. When possible, PD should provide concrete examples of learning strategies. One way to do this is through modeling, which shows how to incorporate practices into instruction. You can also provide templates and resources for further guidance. This gives teachers a clear starting point and practical guidance they can use right away.
• Provide opportunities for reflection. Active learning isn’t just about participating and trying new strategies—it’s also about taking a moment to pause and process. When PD includes opportunities for reflection, teachers can think about what they’ve learned, connect new ideas to their own classrooms, and plan how they’ll put those strategies into practice. Reflection turns experiences into meaningful growth and helps teachers build confidence in using new approaches.

Examples of Active Learning in Teacher PD

Teachers share how TCI’s Coaches Camp helped them level up.

Teachers’ Curriculum Institute (TCI) provides teachers with opportunities for active learning in professional development. From interactive webinars to larger in-person events and virtual summits, every session is designed with active learning in mind so social studies and science teachers get the most out of their time.

• Collaborative In Person Workshops: The summer is a great opportunity for teachers to reflect on their teaching practices and gather to share their experiences. Over the summer, TCI hosts Coaches Camps, a two-day learning event where teachers participate in a series of interactive workshops. Educators at any stage, from new teachers to seasoned leaders, can explore and model engagement strategies, connect with peers, and create actionable plans they can take back to their classrooms in the fall. Everyone leaves with fresh ideas, renewed energy, and real resources.
• Interactive Virtual Events: Virtual events can be just as engaging and impactful. Whether you’re joining TCI’s Back to School Summit or a webinar, our sessions use active learning best practices. We model strategies, encourage participation, and provide resources you can use right away. These experiences support teachers at every level: those newer to the classroom get helpful guidance, while experienced teachers find new inspiration and tools to refine their craft.
• Year-Round Teacher Communities: Learning is at its best when teachers learn together. That’s why we offer opportunities to connect all year long, through the TCI Coach program and ongoing webinars. Plus, our Teach with TCI Facebook group is a space where teachers can share ideas, ask questions, and celebrate wins together.
• Flexible, Self-Paced Learning: We know teachers lead busy lives. TCI’s in-app PD courses are self-paced and available year-round, making it easy to access professional learning whenever and wherever it fits your schedule. These courses are filled with practical teaching strategies and can be revisited anytime you need a refresher or new ideas throughout the year.

When professional development is active, collaborative, and flexible, teachers walk away energized and confident. TCI’s approach is just one example of how PD can truly support and empower teachers.

Building Lasting Success for Teachers and Students

Active learning isn’t just a trend. It’s the heartbeat of effective professional development. When teachers are engaged, have opportunities to collaborate, and access learning that fits their lives, professional development becomes effective. Whether it’s through workshops, flexible self-paced courses, or supportive teacher communities, PD should leave you feeling confident and ready to try something new.

Explore TCI’s high-quality, standards-aligned programs: K-12 Social Studies | K-8 Science

The post Building Teacher Success with Active Learning in Professional Development appeared first on TCI.