The Social Studies Field Guide: Strategies & Tools to Captivate Students, Cultivate Critical Thinking, and Create Engaged Citizens

Your roadmap to creating engaging and impactful social studies lessons that prepare students for the adventures and challenges of tomorrow

In today′s rapidly changing society, it is essential for students to develop critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning skills. The traditional model of rote memorization of dates and facts in social studies classrooms no longer engages students or adequately prepares them for the complexities of the modern world.

In The Social Studies FIELD Guide, authors Joe Schmidt and Glenn Wiebe illuminate a transformative path for educators to improve social studies education by moving away from memorization and towards meaningful and active learning. This comprehensive guide delves into the heart of inquiry-based learning, integrating the rich tapestry of primary sources and the cutting-edge potential of educational technology. As the educational landscape evolves, this FIELD―Foundational Evidence, Inquiry, EdTech, and Lesson Design―Guide is a beacon for teachers seeking to bring history and civics alive for their students.

By utilizing primary sources and encouraging students to think critically about historical events from multiple perspectives, the FIELD framework fosters a deeper understanding of past events and their relevance to current issues through

• Innovative Framework: Provides a cohesive structure through the FIELD acronym for creating dynamic social studies lessons
• Research-Driven Insights: Offers a synthesis of key research in social studies education, equipping teachers with evidence-based strategies for classroom success
• Practical Application: Presents "Hikes" in each chapter, offering instructional ideas that translate theoretical concepts into actionable classroom practices
• Technology Integration: Guides educators in leveraging educational technology tools to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes
• Focus on Inquiry: Integrates inquiry-based learning where students explore authentic questions and investigate real-world problems

Step into the future of social studies education with The Social Studies FIELD Guide, an indispensable resource that distills decades of teaching expertise into actionable insights, empowering educators to craft meaningful and engaging lessons without the burden of sifting through overwhelming resources. Each chapter is a wellspring of tools, examples, and practical ideas, ensuring that social studies teachers can navigate the wilderness of modern education with confidence and creativity.

Joe Schmidt is the founder of Joe Schmidt Social Studies LLC where he provides support and professional development to educators and districts across Maine and the country. He is also a co-author of the 2022 book Civil Discourse: Classroom Conversations for Stronger Communities.

From teaching in the classroom to district, state, and national level leadership, Joe is proud of his work supporting educators that teach in grades from PK thru college. He strives to connect social studies educators regardless of grade level, content area, geographic location, or political leanings. He has worked with Colonial Williamsburg, Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance), the National Council for Geographic Education, ThinkerAnalytix, the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Finance, iCivics, National Geographic, Educating for American Democracy, and has taught Elementary Methods at the University of Maine.

Joe served as a high school social studies classroom teacher for nine years in rural Wisconsin before leaving the classroom to be the Social Studies Teacher Leader for the Madison Metropolitan School District for three years. He was the Social Studies Specialist for the Maine Department of Education for five years and is currently the Senior Director of Teacher Programs for the Bill of Rights Institute, a 501(c)3 non-profit based out of Arlington, Virginia.

Additionally, Joe is currently the Vice President for the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and will serve a one-year term as NCSS president starting on July 1, 2026. As a leader for NCSS he is currently or has served as chair or co-chair for the Government and Public Relations Committee, the Advocacy Task Force, the C3 Framework Task Force, the 2020 Summer Leadership Institute, the Task Force on Inquiry, the Task Force on Innovation, the Committees Review Task Force, the FASSE Committee, and the select subcommittee for the Social Education Journal. Joe has served on the state social studies council executive boards in Wisconsin and Maine.

As a speaker, Joe is a frequent presenter at state, regional, and national conferences with presentations focusing on civil discourse, disciplinary literacy, inquiry, assessment, and the use of primary sources among others. He has presented for or consulted with organizations and school districts in states representing more than half the country, including giving featured talks at conferences in Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. Joe has won awards for service to social studies education from the Middle States Council for the Social Studies and the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies.

Joe lives in Maine with his wife Peggy and is dad to two adult children and one teenager. He can be found on almost all social media @madisonteacher. Learn more about his work at joeschmidtsocialstudies.com.

Glenn is president of History Tech Consulting, providing professional learning opportunities, curriculum coaching, and assessment support for teachers, schools, and districts across the Midwest and the country. He authors the History Tech blog, an Edublog finalist and member of the EdTech Must Read list. Glenn has also published articles for the National Social Studies Leaders Association, the Teaching History and Fractus Learning websites, and has written numerous discipline specific curricula. 

“I have an intense belief in the power that educators have as agents of change in the world. We have the ability to literally change the future through our interactions with kids.”

Glenn’s teaching career began at Derby Middle School, finding ways to help thirteen-year-olds dig deeply into social studies and reading. He earned a graduate degree in American History while continuing to develop innovative practices and sharing them with his students. He spent five years teaching at a small midwestern liberal arts college before transitioning into a social studies curriculum specialist position at ESSDACK, a regional educational service center in central Kansas. 

Serving as the director of multiple state and federal grants, Glenn has the opportunity to lead the learning of hundreds of elementary, middle school, and high school humanities teachers. He especially enjoys working with other members of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium across the country. Spending time with pre-service teachers as a social studies methods instructor helps him stay connected to the latest trends.

Glenn travels across the country as a consultant, working and learning alongside both elementary and secondary teachers. He is the current Past-President of the National Social Studies Leaders Association, acted as co-chair for the 2013 and 2020 Kansas State Department of Education Social Standards Writing Committee, and is a past president and current board member of the Kansas Council for the Social Studies. He also serves on the advisory board of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program, is a state representative on the National Geographic Advisory Committee, the chair of the National Council for the Social Studies Resolutions Committee, and a member of the iCivics Educators Network.

Glenn lives in northern Delaware with his wife Maura, is the father to two adult kids, and will admit to visiting Gettysburg National Military Park no more than nine times. You can find him online at @glennw98 and at glennwiebe.org.