Social Studies References for Kids

Encyclopedias are among the best reference sources for social studies.

Social studies is a research-heavy subject. Encompassing current events, politics, government and media, the subject draws on numerous reference sources and learning resources. The best reference materials for social studies are encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines and websites. You can use these resources for teaching as well as research. Many of the most comprehensive social studies resources for kids are accessible online.

Kids.gov

Kids.gov is the official kids' learning resource of the United States government. The site provides information and links on U.S. government, history and society. In addition to kid-friendly articles, the site provides links to external websites featuring topics in social studies and current events.

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress website has a section designed for kids. The kids website has articles on history, geography and current events, all of which are designed to be accessible to young readers. The Library of Congress website is useful as a learning resource as well as an academic reference.

Awesome Library

Awesome Library is a collection of links to elementary school level resources in several fields. The website's social studies portal contains links to references in 29 subjects, from ancient civilizations to young leaders. Most links are culled from news reports and encyclopedias.

New York Times Learning Network

The New York Times Learning Network is a student reference developed by the New York Times. The site contains lesson plans for teachers and news resources for students. Most of the articles on the site are provided by New York Times reporters, and are generally very timely and up-to-date.

Encyclopedia Jr.

Encyclopedia Jr.is a mini-encyclopedia aimed at kids. The site covers biography, geography, animals, history and science. The number of articles on the site is relatively small, but all of them are written in straightforward, easy to understand language. The site is not appropriate for use as an academic source, but is very helpful as a source of general information.

References

• Nebraska Social Studies: General References

Resources

• kids.gov
• Library of Congress: Kids and Families
• Awesome Library: Social Studies
• New York Times: Learning Network
• Encyclopedia Jr.