Social Studies

Social Studies School Service is a candy store for history teachers. I started my teaching career in Los Angeles, but have since moved to New Haven, CT where this store does not exist. When I came back to LA for a visit, I was asked where I wanted to go. I almost immediately replied, «The Social Studies Store.» Dork? Maybe. Great history teacher? Hopefully, thanks to this place!
You can order all their stuff online, but going to the store is better because you can open up the items and look through them before deciding if you want to purchase them. They let you view DVDs, software, etc. This is extremely important because there have been several times when I thought I wanted to buy something from the catalog, went to the store and looked at it and it was totally different than what I thought it was. It saved me big bucks! However, I’ve also found things that have been best hits in my classroom because I looked through them at the store. I’ve mostly purchased their simulation activities, which have ALL been hits in my classroom. I can’t speak more highly of this store!

Every history teachers fantasy. Okay, maybe just mine and I don’t dream big.
Social Studies School Services has every tool a history teacher could think of. While you can order their products online, LA is fortunate to have their warehouses. I can go into the office, look through the catalog and have the materials brought up to look at. Then I can decide what I want to purchase and what I will save my pennies for. My classroom is packed with the random resources-​posters, AP books, workbooks, maps, DVD’s, study guides, and other random items.
Every September they put on a warehouse sale. This is when I buy the best products. Bring a box or two, pack them up with anything you can find on the tables lining their parking lot. Negotiate a price, usually about $ 20 for a box of resources which should be sold for a couple hundred dollars. Not a bad deal. I know teachers of all subject areas and grade levels who have found great materials here.