Essential Items for the 21St Century Social Studies Classroom

At Least One of...

• Dictionary 
• Thesaurus
• One-volume encyclopedia
• Complete set of encyclopedias
• Large reference atlas
• Almanac
• Large reference book of maps
• Physical and/or political globe
• Pencil sharpener 
• Bulletin board
• File cabinet
• Book shelf
• Overhead projector
• Computer w/ DVD drive, software
• Computer stand or worktable 
• Internet connection
• Printer
• Access to a computer lab
• Computer/multimedia projector
• Projection screen
• Scanner
• CD/tape player with radio
• Television, VCR, and DVD on stand
• Chalk or dry-erase board, with chalk or markers
• Smart Board
• Pull-down maps of:
• Africa
• North America
• Asia
• Pacific Rim
• Europe
• South America
• Middle East
• South Asia
• New York State
• VARIOUS: Mercator, Robinson, etc.

 Class sets of(recommended)

• Pocket-sized dictionaries
• Thesauri
• Student textbooks
• News magazines
• Desk atlases
• Almanacs
• Blank maps
• Small desk globes
• Pencils, markers, crayons
• Classroom rules & policies
• Folders for student work
• Primary and secondary sources
• Notes/Transparencies
• Student computers (at least five)
• Computer research/work area
• High-speed internet connection
• Scrap paper for rough drafts
• Borrowed laptop computers

Collections … (build as many as possible)

• Artifacts (primary and secondary sources for various class lessons)
• Audio Recordings (interviews, music, radio broadcasts, speeches, stories)
• Books (primary and secondary source reference materials)
• Charts (bar, line, pie, etc.)
• CD-ROM’s and DVD-ROM’s (educational games, teaching resources)
• Galleries (collections of student work to showcase)
• Newsmagazines and newspapers (current and archived)
• Posters (historical trivia, maps, photographs, student artwork, time-lines)
• Student Work (sample assignments to display)
• Video Recordings (cartoons, documentaries, feature films, TV broadcasts)