The announcement that “It’s social studies time” often elicits dread from students who mistakenly view the subject as a near-death experience. And who can blame them when this fascinating subject has been stripped of the heartbreak, adventure, conflict, treachery, strategic brilliance, and spectacular foibles—in short, the humanity—that it’s supposed to explain? Student apathy and rock-bottom test scores scream that it’s time for a change—for unforgettable, not regrettable, social studies. It’s time for Social Studies That Sticks.

In Social Studies That Sticks Laurel Schmidt introduces a brain-compatible approach to integrated, standards-based instruction, using the four elements of the human learning cycle: awareness, exploration, inquiry, and action. This dynamic approach brings content and concepts to life, while sharpening skills in questioning, thinking, reading, writing, and the visual and performing arts. It promotes academic achievement, models the habits of active citizenship, tunes students’ ethical antennae to social problems, and teaches tools students can use to advocate for change.

Social Studies That Sticks is a comprehensive, passionate, and user-friendly guide that: