Annie McMahon Whitlock, Ph.D
@anniewhitlock.bsky.social
Author of Place-Based Social Studies Education: Learning from Flint, Michigan and Inquiry by the Book: Teaching Historical Fiction with the Inquiry Design Model.
Detroit Lions fan. Pure Michigan.
Detroit Lions fan. Pure Michigan.
I'm looking for a good lead on a literary agent--preferably someone that works with public history, education, quasi-journalistic authors :) DM me if anyone has suggestions! @historians.org @gliamericanhistory.bsky.social #publishing #literaryagents
June 10, 2025 at 2:24 PM
I'm looking for a good lead on a literary agent--preferably someone that works with public history, education, quasi-journalistic authors :) DM me if anyone has suggestions! @historians.org @gliamericanhistory.bsky.social #publishing #literaryagents
It's my last day meeting with my students. This group has been amazing to try new things on this semester and now I have a bunch more ideas to come. I've had 99 problems this semester, but social studies methods ain't one. I'm going to miss them!
April 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM
It's my last day meeting with my students. This group has been amazing to try new things on this semester and now I have a bunch more ideas to come. I've had 99 problems this semester, but social studies methods ain't one. I'm going to miss them!
I know my bio says I’m a Lions fan but I’m really a Detroit sports fanatic in general. Although the Pistons couldn’t pull it off for Game 1, we looked good! @detroitpistons.bsky.social
April 20, 2025 at 1:05 AM
I know my bio says I’m a Lions fan but I’m really a Detroit sports fanatic in general. Although the Pistons couldn’t pull it off for Game 1, we looked good! @detroitpistons.bsky.social
It was also our last week of classes at GVSU so we made a Professional Learning Plan where we recommended reading for our own content knowledge/PCK. We also recommended children’s books for our classroom libraries.
April 20, 2025 at 1:02 AM
It was also our last week of classes at GVSU so we made a Professional Learning Plan where we recommended reading for our own content knowledge/PCK. We also recommended children’s books for our classroom libraries.
Since their inquiries are due next week we spent this week in SS methods talking about where to get resources for lesson planning, building on our visit to the CML last week.
April 20, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Since their inquiries are due next week we spent this week in SS methods talking about where to get resources for lesson planning, building on our visit to the CML last week.
I also held a class at the “Curriculum Materials Library” so students can see what’s available for them to check out. And maaaan do some of those resources need to be vetted. I now have another idea for next semester… 😀😀😀
April 13, 2025 at 9:54 PM
I also held a class at the “Curriculum Materials Library” so students can see what’s available for them to check out. And maaaan do some of those resources need to be vetted. I now have another idea for next semester… 😀😀😀
Last week we talked about integration of ELA and SS but I’m talking about it differently than I have in the past. I taught them about planning SS first then integrating ELA skills and showed how easy it is to incorporate ELA into SS rather than the other way around
April 13, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Last week we talked about integration of ELA and SS but I’m talking about it differently than I have in the past. I taught them about planning SS first then integrating ELA skills and showed how easy it is to incorporate ELA into SS rather than the other way around
I’ve also been planning the Michigan Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference, held on the GVSU downtown GR campus. Very excited for our lineup!
April 11, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I’ve also been planning the Michigan Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference, held on the GVSU downtown GR campus. Very excited for our lineup!
We then moved into talking about “centers” as an instructional strategy to incorporate play as well as integrate social studies with literacy. I read aloud “Finding Winnie” and then in groups, they designed a center to go with that book
April 10, 2025 at 12:43 AM
We then moved into talking about “centers” as an instructional strategy to incorporate play as well as integrate social studies with literacy. I read aloud “Finding Winnie” and then in groups, they designed a center to go with that book
We read the chapter in SSFABW about Gamification and talked about simulations, especially those that are problematic. I am happy to say that each semester when I ask students if they participated in an offensive simulation as a kid that the number gets fewer each time.
April 10, 2025 at 12:38 AM
We read the chapter in SSFABW about Gamification and talked about simulations, especially those that are problematic. I am happy to say that each semester when I ask students if they participated in an offensive simulation as a kid that the number gets fewer each time.
Last week in PK-3 SS methods we talked about play. We reviewed the benefits of play on brain development and then talked about social studies digital games appropriate for young kids. They got to play with @pbs Kids Games that feature SS concepts
April 10, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Last week in PK-3 SS methods we talked about play. We reviewed the benefits of play on brain development and then talked about social studies digital games appropriate for young kids. They got to play with @pbs Kids Games that feature SS concepts
Last week in PK-3 methods we read about Normalization of families and holidays from Social Studies for a Better World. We identified the dominant narrative of a “normal” family and (mom, dad, married with 2 kids and a dog) and then took a poll of how many of us actually grew up with that structure
March 29, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Last week in PK-3 methods we read about Normalization of families and holidays from Social Studies for a Better World. We identified the dominant narrative of a “normal” family and (mom, dad, married with 2 kids and a dog) and then took a poll of how many of us actually grew up with that structure
My FAVORITE part was having Gabi Likavec from the Michigan Geographic Alliance come to campus and bring her giant map of Michigan. Big maps are also developmentally appropriate and Gabi showed my students fun activities to build map skills
March 24, 2025 at 12:27 AM
My FAVORITE part was having Gabi Likavec from the Michigan Geographic Alliance come to campus and bring her giant map of Michigan. Big maps are also developmentally appropriate and Gabi showed my students fun activities to build map skills
After Spring Break it was Geography Week in PK-3 methods. And we had FUN. We talked about developmental mapmaking from David Sobel and spatial thinking. And how it’s totally normal for Kindergartners’ maps to look like “pictures”
March 24, 2025 at 12:23 AM
After Spring Break it was Geography Week in PK-3 methods. And we had FUN. We talked about developmental mapmaking from David Sobel and spatial thinking. And how it’s totally normal for Kindergartners’ maps to look like “pictures”
Last week in methods, we focused on building historical content knowledge. You can’t include counter narratives if you don’t know them. And since we were all taught history from the same institution we’re trying to disrupt, I talked about how we need to be continually educationally curious.
March 2, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Last week in methods, we focused on building historical content knowledge. You can’t include counter narratives if you don’t know them. And since we were all taught history from the same institution we’re trying to disrupt, I talked about how we need to be continually educationally curious.
I assigned my students with a task to design an inquiry lesson using primary sources and a children’s book. We took a trip to the library this week to look at their children’s book collection to help with this.
February 25, 2025 at 8:16 PM
I assigned my students with a task to design an inquiry lesson using primary sources and a children’s book. We took a trip to the library this week to look at their children’s book collection to help with this.
In the second week of learning history, we talked about heroification. So much of elem SS is “heroes & holidays” so it was important to disrupt this idea
February 25, 2025 at 8:10 PM
In the second week of learning history, we talked about heroification. So much of elem SS is “heroes & holidays” so it was important to disrupt this idea
We are nearing the end of 3 weeks studying history methods. On Day 1 we talked about how historians do their job. I brought in some old tech from the early 2000s and had the students use sourcing techniques to figure out what they were.
February 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
We are nearing the end of 3 weeks studying history methods. On Day 1 we talked about how historians do their job. I brought in some old tech from the early 2000s and had the students use sourcing techniques to figure out what they were.
It was a great week of learning economics. We started talking about teaching history this week, but flu season has hit campus and we were all down for the count. More to come!
February 15, 2025 at 1:33 AM
It was a great week of learning economics. We started talking about teaching history this week, but flu season has hit campus and we were all down for the count. More to come!
We also talked about how Kindergartners and 1st graders are able to have beginning conversations about income inequality, social class, poverty, and government assistance. We read a book chapter from @katyswalwell.bsky.social that shows examples.
February 15, 2025 at 1:32 AM
We also talked about how Kindergartners and 1st graders are able to have beginning conversations about income inequality, social class, poverty, and government assistance. We read a book chapter from @katyswalwell.bsky.social that shows examples.
We read Jenni Gallagher’s article on finding Econ concepts in literature using Jon Klassen’s Animal Hat books. These books are funny and clever AND there are economic concepts throughout. @jonklassen.bsky.social
February 15, 2025 at 1:30 AM
We read Jenni Gallagher’s article on finding Econ concepts in literature using Jon Klassen’s Animal Hat books. These books are funny and clever AND there are economic concepts throughout. @jonklassen.bsky.social
To further show them that economic thinking is everywhere, I sent them on a scavenger hunt in our building, Mackinac Hall, to find needs, wants, scarcity, exchange of goods, and services. They had to take pictures of what they found.
February 15, 2025 at 12:55 AM
To further show them that economic thinking is everywhere, I sent them on a scavenger hunt in our building, Mackinac Hall, to find needs, wants, scarcity, exchange of goods, and services. They had to take pictures of what they found.
Last week was Econ week! The discipline they were the most nervous about. On Day 1, we broke down some basic concepts and I introduced them to the principles of economic thinking.
February 15, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Last week was Econ week! The discipline they were the most nervous about. On Day 1, we broke down some basic concepts and I introduced them to the principles of economic thinking.
Oh— we also talked about the idealization of rules after reading SSFABW by @nrdz.bsky.social and @katyswalwell.bsky.social and many shared when they felt personally victimized by clip charts. I talked about refusing to enforce dress code violations as a teacher and my hatred for chewing gum.
February 2, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Oh— we also talked about the idealization of rules after reading SSFABW by @nrdz.bsky.social and @katyswalwell.bsky.social and many shared when they felt personally victimized by clip charts. I talked about refusing to enforce dress code violations as a teacher and my hatred for chewing gum.