Social studies help kids understand history, geography, cultures, and how societies function. Whether you’re exploring ancient civilizations, world geography, government, or economics, we’ve gathered free lesson plans, worksheets, and activities to make learning engaging and meaningful in your homeschool!
All in One or Mixed
Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool – Grades 1-8, Ancient, Early American, Modern
Easy Peasy All-in-One Highschool – World History, Early American History, Modern American History
Under The Home – Grade 1-4, US or World History
Ambleside Online – separated by year, includes all subjects together.
Khan Academy – US History, World History, video based
UReadThruHistory – 8 years of lessons, some ancient, some US, some World.
World History
Guest Hollow World History – online textbook
The Student’s Friend Concise World History – view online or download free history book
Crash Course World History – Youtube playlist, well made, designed for highschool+ but can sometimes work for middle school
Crash Course World History 2 -Youtube playlist, well made, designed for highschool+ but can sometimes work for middle school
World History Textbook – online
Glencoe World History – textbook online
Asia for Educators – tons of resources for teaching about Asia history
US History
Little Patriots – US History resources for children
PBS Learning Media – US Social Studies
American History and Civics – K-Grade 12- free access just fill in the form first
Glencoe US History – textbook online
Crash Course US History – Youtube playlist, well made, designed for highschool+ but can sometimes work for middle school
Digital History – US History lessons
Canadian History
TVO Learn – Canadian resource K-Grade 12 many subjects including History/Geography
Grade 10 Academic Canadian History – assignments and such
The Canadian Encyclopedia – tons of resources
Canadian History Post Confederation – textbook
Canadian War Museum – virtual game
Canada’s History Education – classroom resources
Historica Canada – 300+ tools for Canadian educators
History Education Network – primary sources like photos and such
Canadian Museum of History – educator resources including Queer History
Great Unsolved Mysteries of Canada – lesson plans and resources to study real mysteries
Introduction to Canadian History – worksheets highschool level I believe
Canada for Kids Workbook – from Pemberton Museum – ages 5-8 I’d recommend
A Canadian History – PDF of a book from 1905!
Canada for Kids Booklet – from 123Homeschool4Me
Ancient History
Ancient Civilizations Textbook – pdfs of every chapter plus some readers
Ancient History Archaeology Lessons – middle school – high school
Ancient Civilizations Unit – free resources from TPT
Ancient Homeschool Lessons – history resources like lapbooks and such
Misc. History
Mr Donn – kids website about different types of history.
Mr Dowling – information about different ages in history (lots of ads though)
Ducksters History – kids website about tons of types of history
History Lessons – not a complete set but you could use bits and pieces from it if you like to make your own courses. Designed for middle school.
Teaching History – lesson plans and ideas for history teachers
History Teaching Resources – Not all free but freebies. UK based but includes World, US, Asian, African and British.
Imperial War Museum – UK based, lesson plans
Critical Thinking Consortium – history docs including Queer/Trans History and lots of other resources including the item shown directly below.
Thinking About History – set of 6 videos and lesson plans that you can do at the beginning of any history course to teach critical thinking about history.
Teaching History with Primary Documents – links to websites with primary/original sources of historical documents
Secular Timeline Figures – listed as K-6 but would work for anybody. Most of it is World History but they do include US presidents. NEW
Geography
Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool – Grades 1-8, Geography
Guest Hollow Geography and Cultures – online textbook
Mr Donn – kids website includes geography
Ducksters Geography – kids website full of maps and geography info
World Geography and Cultures – online textbook
Canadian Homeschool Curriculum – history/geography courses
Pangea Activity – Museum of Florida NEW
Nunavut Teaching Kit – from University of British Columbia NEW
Civics
Note: resources are US based unless specified otherwise as that will be our largest demographic. I tried to include others too though.
ICivics Lessons – lessons about civics
Easy Peasy All-in-One Highschool – comparative government
American History and Civics – Middle to Highschool – free access just fill in the form first
Guest Hollow Government – online textbook
Glencoe Civics Textbook – audio and pdf
Crash Course US Government and Politics – Youtube playlist, well made, designed for highschool+ but can sometimes work for middle school
Crash Course Geography – Youtube playlist, well made, designed for highschool+ but can sometimes work for middle school
Economics
Note: resources are US based unless specified otherwise as that will be our largest demographic. I tried to include others too though.
Glencoe Economics Textbook – audio and pdf
Mr Donn – kids website includes economics (US)
PBS Learning Media Economics – lots of lessons for different ages, US based
Kiddynomics – economics for Pre-K-K
Explore Economics – Grades 2-5 video series
Econlowdown – resources for Grades K-12
You Are the Economy – Canadian resource from Bank of Canada Museum – Grades 7-12
Center for Economic Education – resources for elementary and secondary including a songbook!
Expanding Children’s Economic World – curriculum guide for grade 1 but looks good up to grade 3
Energy, Economics and the Enivronment – PDF guide, doesn’t say what grade.
Crash Course Economics – Youtube playlist, well made, designed for highschool+ but can sometimes work for middle school
Other Resources
Beautiful Feet Books Freebies – geography and history, printables for notebooking activities