This professional development session will equip educators with essential tools to take Social Studies to the next level, leveraging standards to create compelling questions while exploring historical thinking skills. Participants will learn to design purposeful assessments using formative techniques and Claim-Evidence-Reasoning frameworks while addressing how to select appropriate primary and secondary sources. Educators will walk away with strategies to craft engaging learning experiences that foster deep understanding, civil discourse, and skill development in Social Studies classrooms. In addition, we will explore the historical thinking skills Causation, Comparison, and Contextualization.