I’ve been reading Do I Have Your Attention? by Blake Harvard. It blends cognitive science with practical classroom ideas—nothing too wild, just enough to make you stop and rethink some things. One part that really stuck with me was on cognitive load theory, especially the idea of intrinsic and extraneous load. It got me thinking about how I’ve been planning, what I prioritize, and how I sometimes try to do too much when maybe I just need to step back.
So Much Goes Into Planning
When I plan, it’s not just about covering content. It’s about thinking through what I want my students to know and be able to do, what skills I want them to build, what vocabulary they need, how to keep them engaged, and how I’m going to support the students who need more help—all while keeping things moving for the kids who are ready to fly.
And now, I’ve started asking myself: what kind of cognitive load are my students carrying into this lesson? Is this content already hard and layered (intrinsic load)? If so, I probably don’t need to add too much else (extraneous load). But if the content is simpler or more familiar, maybe I can push a bit further creatively.
Easy and Hard Topics in Social Studies
I’ve realized that not all content is created equal when it comes to complexity. Some social studies topics are naturally easier for kids to access, while others require more mental lifting.
Examples of Easier (Lower Intrinsic Load) Topics:
- Reasons for European exploration
- Life in the 13 colonies
- Westward expansion and Manifest Destiny
- Types of colonial economies (New England, Middle, Southern)
- Comparing daily life in the North and South
These topics are usually centered around people, places, or causes. They’re concrete, familiar, and easier to visualize or connect to.
Examples of Harder (Higher Intrinsic Load) Topics:
- The Constitution and its principles (separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism)
- The Bill of Rights and application of amendments
- Judicial review and landmark Supreme Court cases
- Economic systems like mercantilism or capitalism
- The causes of the Civil War (beyond just slavery)
These are abstract, layered topics that require deeper processing and strong academic vocabulary. When I’m teaching these, I simplify everything else so students can focus on the core idea.
When the Content Is Hard, Keep It Clean
In those higher-load lessons, I’ve learned that I don’t need to pile on the extras. A Frayer Model to build background, an Annotate and Tell to help break the reading down, and a Thick Slide to wrap it up. That’s enough. I’ve made the mistake of overdoing it before, and kids just got lost in the fluff. The content already asks a lot of them.
When the Content Is Familiar, You Can Stretch
But when the topic is easier to grasp, that’s when I can have some fun and go big with design. That’s where protocols like these come in:
- Sketch and Tell: Have kids visualize big ideas and translate them into drawings.
- Map and Tell: Great for tracking movement or showing change over time.
- 3xPOV: When multiple perspectives matter (like Manifest Destiny or American Revolution).
- 3xGenre: Having kids write in narrative, informative, and argument formats helps them go deep.
These aren’t just fun—these are meaningful ways to deepen thinking when the topic allows for it.
Final Thoughts
I’ve definitely fallen into the trap of thinking more stuff equals better. But lately, I’m realizing the real challenge is in matching the lesson design to the complexity of the content. I can’t always make everything exciting. And not every topic calls for elaborate activities.
Know the content. Know your students. Know the load they’re carrying.
Still figuring it out, but this helps me take a breath and rethink what good lesson design actually looks like.
Moler's Musings 