Arizona Emergency Certificate: A Fully Planned History Year, Grades 1–4
Arizona Emergency Certificate: A Fully Planned History Year, Grades 1–4
If you start teaching in Arizona on an Emergency Teaching Certificate, you need history lessons that are already planned, not a blank curriculum map. The Elementary History Curriculum gives you all 20 Grades 1–4 history units, each with lesson plans, differentiated worksheets, source activities, answer keys and slides, so social studies is handled while you learn everything else about the job.
See all 20 history unitsThe Elementary History Curriculum ($169.99) contains all 20 elementary history units for Grades 1–4, from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and China to Native Americans, Pilgrims and pioneers, plus then-and-now units on school, family, trades and inventions. Each unit has an overview and three sub-units with a step-by-step lesson plan, a differentiated worksheet with reading passage and word bank, a project or source activity, an answer key and slides. Separately: $499.80.
The resources
Elementary History Curriculum, Grades 1–4
20 resources in one download: $169.99 instead of $499.80 bought separately.
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Elementary History Curriculum | All 20 History Units | Grades 1–4
Early American History Bundle | Native Americans, Explorers, Pilgrims & Pioneers | 8 Units | Grades 1–4
Ancient Civilizations Bundle | Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, Vikings & Stone Age | 8 Units | Grades 1–4
Complete Learning Books Bundle | 10 Units: Grammar, Math, Science, History, ESL, Art & Music | Grades 3–6
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
Starting on an emergency certificate means planning from zero
Arizona's Emergency Teaching Certificate is issued when a district superintendent requests it and verifies an emergency. You need a bachelor's degree, the certificate lasts one school year, it can be held at most three times, and it is valid only in the district that asked for it. In practice, that often means someone with a degree in another field walking into an elementary classroom with little preparation time and a full schedule from week one. Reading and math usually come with a district program. History and social studies in Grades 1–4 often do not, or arrive as a list of topics with no lessons behind them. A new teacher then spends evenings hunting for a passage about ancient Egypt, writing questions and guessing how long seven-year-olds will need. At the same time you are learning routines, grading, parent contact and your school's systems. Every hour spent building a social studies lesson from scratch is an hour taken from the parts of the job that need you most. Planned lessons with the materials attached take that pressure off and let you teach history properly from the start.
Why it fits
What you get in every unit
All 20 units share the same structure, which matters when you are learning to teach on the job.
- A step-by-step lesson plan for each sub-unit tells you what to do from opening to close.
- Differentiated worksheets with reading passages and word banks help mixed readers in Grades 1–4.
- Each sub-unit includes a project or primary-source activity, so history is more than worksheets.
- Complete answer keys cut evening grading time during your first months in the classroom.
- Ready slides let you teach from the front without building a single presentation yourself.
- The repeating format means that by the third unit you know exactly how a lesson runs.
Getting started
A way to roll it out in your first year
A suggested approach for a new teacher. Your district's social studies expectations and pacing come first.
- Ask what your district expectsBefore choosing units, ask your principal or mentor which social studies topics your grade covers and how much time per week it gets. Then match the units to that list.
- Start with a then-and-now unitSchool Then and Now or Family & Daily Life Then and Now are gentle openers. Students connect them to their own lives, and you learn the lesson-plan format on familiar ground.
- Teach one sub-unit at a timeRead the lesson plan the day before, run the slides and use the worksheet. With three sub-units per unit, you can spread a unit over one, two or three weeks to fit your schedule.
- Group units into themesLater, string related units together, such as the ancient civilizations or the early American units. Grouping helps students connect topics and keeps your planning simple.
- Keep notes for next yearMark what ran long, which worksheets suited which students, and what you would cut. If you stay in the classroom next year, you start from a plan you have already tested.
What to buy
The full curriculum or a smaller bundle?
If you are responsible for history or social studies all year, buy the Elementary History Curriculum at $169.99; the 20 units bought one by one cost $499.80. If your grade's topics center on early American history, the Early American History Bundle ($99.99, parts $199.92) has eight units on Native Americans, explorers, Pilgrims, pioneers, timelines and historical sources. If your school leans toward the ancient world, the Ancient Civilizations Bundle ($99.99) holds eight units on Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, the Stone Age and Vikings. The Teach-Life-Balance course ($89.90) is a separate time-saving course with a planner, guides and templates.
Honest limits
What it does not cover
The curriculum was not written for Arizona. It has no Arizona history unit and no Arizona standards codes, so compare it with Arizona's social studies standards and your district's expectations before you plan around it. It does not replace district training or mentor support, and it has nothing to do with certificate rules. You still choose the order, print pages and adapt for your students. The license covers your own classroom; for several teachers, send Teach Lessons a short message first. If it does not fit, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is the curriculum aligned to Arizona's social studies standards?
No. It is not aligned to, endorsed by or approved under Arizona's standards, and neither the state nor any district has reviewed it. It is a general Grades 1–4 history curriculum. Check the topics against Arizona's social studies standards and your district's grade-level list before you rely on it.
I have never taught. Is this too much at once?
Each unit follows the same pattern: an overview, three sub-units, and in each one a lesson plan, worksheet, activity, answer key and slides. You do not need to read all 20 units at once. Learn the format on one unit, and the rest follow the same steps.
How are topics like Native Americans or the Pilgrims handled?
The units on Native Americans, explorers and the Pilgrims are written to be factual and respectful for young learners. As with any material, read the lesson plan before teaching it, and adjust if your school or community has specific expectations about how these topics are taught. You know your students and families best.
Can I use it with a mixed-ability class?
Yes. The worksheets are differentiated and include reading passages with word banks, which helps children at different reading levels work on the same topic. You decide which students get which version, and you can change that as you get to know the class over the first weeks.
Does it help with my certification?
No. The curriculum is teaching material only. It is not part of any certification program and does not count toward any Arizona requirement. Questions about your Emergency Teaching Certificate, renewals or next steps belong with your district office or the state's educator certification office, which can confirm what applies to you.
Can my teammates use my copy?
The license is for your own teaching. If other teachers at your grade level want to use it, send Teach Lessons a short message first to ask about team use. Never post the files publicly or put them on a shared drive that people outside your class can open.
Take one subject off your plate
Open the Elementary History Curriculum, read one unit tonight, and you will know how every history lesson this year will run.
See all 20 history units