Combining ELA Standards in Social Studies Curriculum

One of my goals as a Social Studies teacher was to integrate English Language Arts standards into the curriculum. We wrote argument essays, persuasive pieces, small moment writing and close reads.

When learning about the United States, we learned about reliable web resources and persuasive writing to write a letter to our parents persuading them to visit a certain state. The students researched their state's landforms and attractions, provided details about them, and created a picture collage for added persuasion.

To help them learn how to write persuasively, the assignment was scaffolding, each day adding another skill to learn. The final directions are here if you are interested.